Any runners post ACL reconstruction?

[daly7o9]

Hello all. I was wondering if anyone out there is/was a runner that has had ACL reconstruction.

I tore my ACL while running in Aug. 2006 by hopping over a little shrub about 9 inches high. When I landed I stepped in a hole and hyperextended my right knee Of course, that put an end to my running for quite a while.

I'm now about 4 months post surgery and my OS said that it was safe to begin running again. Just short distances though...about a quarter mile to begin with.

I was so excited to get back to it that I went home that very afternoon and got on my treadmill. I ran for about 30 seconds and thought that it didn't feel right so I quit.

Has anyone out there come back from ACL surgery to run again? I'm stationary cycling right now but I'm anxious to get back to running if at all possible.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I hope you don't mind. I've moved this thread to the Events/Competition side of WISH for the runners/walkers who post here to respond. I thought you would get more response here.

 

[sunshine girl]

I don't know if this will help... but here's a story. My boyfriend had ACL reconstructive surgery in January of 2006... he chose to reconstruct with his own tissue, so it was a very intensive reconstruction! His ACL was badly torn.

He did a LOT of rehab post-surgery at the veteran's hospital (he has a military background) and has worked hard to stay in great shape throughout the recovery. He does lots of strength training.

It's now over a year later, and he has started to add in more high-impact sports to his regimen. He played basketball for the first time recently and experienced swelling and pain for several days afterward.

He is hoping to get into running to try and help rehab his knee, but hasn't tried yet. After a long day of walking (like thru a Disney park), or any impact activity, he usually has to ice his knee. It swells up impressively. So he expects running will be a slow process.

My point is that it's been over a year and he's definitely not 100%. He experiences pain and swelling often but the more he works at it, the better it gets. At 4 months post-surgery, there's no way he would have been running! But, he used his own tissue for the reconstruction. If you didn't do that, your recovery may be much faster. But it takes time.

Anyway, he surfs regularly with no big problems, just has to ice often! And he's definitely getting better, with plans to try running soon. He wants to do the Tower of Terror 15K with me!

 

[xterratri]

My left ACL has been reconstructed 3 times. Blew it ski patrolling, playing soccer, and then had the second graft fail. I have had the hamstring graft repair, cadaver tissue, and the third one was my patellar tendon plus bone grafting. It took progressively longer to rehab after each one w/ the third one taking a year and half before I could run more than 1.5 miles again.

Now for the good part of the story- third surgery was late 1999. I finished my first half ironman in 2001 and Ironman Lake Placid in 2002. I have done a total of 6 marathons, 3 stand alone and 3 as part of Ironman races since the third surgery plus another 10 half marathons, also split between triathlons and stand alone races. I went Goofy at Disney for 2007 and plan on doing so again in 2008 plus am kicking around doing my first ultramarathon of either 50 K or 50 Miles in early December depending on how triathlon season comes together this year. So yes, you can run again. Just keep at it.

 

[daly7o9]

Thanks for the encouraging words sunshine girl and xterratri. I got a cadaver ligament and I know that they take longer to "take". Maybe I should take it a little easier and not expect too much too soon. This surgery is something that I wouldn't want to repeat.

In addition to cycling I'm also strength training and it helps me feel like I'm not becoming a complete blob. No amount of pre-surgery research can prepare you for the reality of the sloooooow, incremental rehab that follows.

Sunshine girl-- I hope your boyfriend's care at the VA was good. I work at a VA hospital and I think our rehab dept. rocks! (as do our veterans)

 

[sunshine girl]

Sunshine girl-- I hope your boyfriend's care at the VA was good. I work at a VA hospital and I think our rehab dept. rocks! (as do our veterans)

Oh wow! That's great. Yes, he had good care at the VA. I was always impressed by how much the physical therapists took care of him.

 

[goofyguy1958]

daly7o9 - I haven't but my brother has had two complete reconstructions of his right knee and has been running marathons - at least 2 a year at 2:50 to 3:10 pace - for the last 10 years. His reconstructions were dne in the late 80's and then again in '96. He started slow and just built a nice solid base and now at 45 he is unstoppable with 5 K times in the 16 to 17 minute range, wining trail marathons, and minimal pain. I say minimal because if you run you will have some pain even if you have not had the surgery. Good luck and just be patient with getting back into things.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

NO personal experience, but there was a young lady in my PT who had ACL replacement surgery and she was coming up on her 6 months post-op. She was incredibly strong considering the circumstances...can't remember if she was running on the treadmill while there....but she was rehabbing to go back to playing soccer.

So as long as you follow PT's advice and take it slowly..I don't see any specific reason that prevents endurance running from being in your future. I would imagine how your body takes the transition back into running, would be a preview of that possibility.

Also--I would make your PT aware of your goals.

My surgeon and PT (PT ONLY did knee and shoulder rehabs) were well aware of my goals..so I was given "permission" to push and they showed me how. We kept high tabs on how my knee was doing. Obviously not an ACL...but I think that when your surgeon and PT are on the same page as you--they can help you achieve your goals in a safe way...and perhaps sooner than you think.

For my surgery--I did ice post run for about 2-3 months with a total of about 4 months of post workout icing (Didn't run for the first month of course). That made a huge difference b/c I did swell for about 4 months post workouts (though overtime the swelling was less severe).

 

[Honeibee]

Me.

I had ACL replacement - also a cadaver ACL - in August 2005. Did my first ever LD event in January this year when I did the Half. Prior to my falling off a horse and snapping my ACL right off, I couldn't even have told you when was the last time I ran, or even exercised at all. Now I do it 5 times a week.

My advice would be slow and steady. Keep doing it but do it slow. Add very very little speed and incline whenever you do add it. Don't rush the process. It does take time.

I too had to wait three months to get on the TM. Actually, TM walking was part of my 3X a week PT. It just kinda snowballed from there. And, well, here I am ....doing the Minnie Sunday, doing the Tot13K in Oct, doing the Half again in January.

PM me if you'd like. I'll tell you anything you want to know.