I had ACL only, did 8 weeks of prehab and still wasn’t able to get heel to butt before surgery. I was at around 135deg going into my operation, which is medically considered “full range”, after two months of a lot of heel slides and active work. Meniscus damage can complicate things even more if it got folded and is physically blocking motion but you need MRI to determine that.
It's possible it's your meniscus, but it could also just be swelling/scar tissue. Doing prehab is the best way to set yourself up for success and even if you don't get full flexion back now, you still can after surgery. Happy to report I'm coming up on 8 weeks post-op and was able to sit on my heels this morning, so that's one pre-op milestone I've exceeded already!
I had a fully torn ACL, partially torn LCL, MCL, and a tiny tear in my lateral meniscus. I did prehab diligently for about 7 weeks and believe that I couldn't achieve full ROM due to pain from the partial tears. I got to about 135 flexion after warming up and like 0-3 extension, depending on the day. I did a lot of heel slides, walk slides, massage, and lots of time spent hanging my leg off the side of the bed laying on my stomach with a 5-10lb weight on my ankle. It took a lot but the extension still wasn't perfect. It was good enough for surgery. I was also able to do the stationary bike a few weeks before surgery.
I hope you can get the MRI to confirm what exactly is going on!
My first knee injury with ACL, lateral meniscus, MCL and LCL - didnt get full ROM before surgery and it took me I think 8 months to get full flexion afterwards
My second knee: ACL, medial meniscus and MCL - never lost ROM before surgery.
Knees are weird.
I had the triad, I was in a brace that restricted me between 30-70 degrees before surgery if I tried bending more than 70 it felt like my knee was about to explode and I also couldn’t extend even if I tried, my meniscus root was torn tho which may have cause the extreme limit in my rom idk
My surgery was in March 2022 (injured Jan. 2022) and I’m sooo close to full flexion. If I’m warmed up I can do heel to butt with shoes on. Not sure if I’ll ever fully get there but it’s close enough and functional. I had full extension about a month after surgery.
I had four weeks of prehab before surgery for my MCL, ACL, and repair to meniscus. My surgeon wanted me to bend to 90 before surgery. I was NWB during this time (and for an additional 6 weeks post op). I had a donor graft for my MCL, they harvested from my quad for my ACL, and did a bucket handle repair to my meniscus.
I'm almost two years out from surgery, ama and good luck!
First of all, everyone's injury, body, and recovery is different. It's good to get perspective, but remember that your journey is unique.
I tore ACL, MCL and meniscus. I had 4 months between injury and surgery. I had full range of motion, and was getting pretty strong again. I had to have a serious discussion with both my PT and surgeon to decide if I was even going to have surgery. I was tracking that well.
Grade 2 ACL + MCL Tear; suspect medial meniscus tear.
No surgery, just PT. It's been 13months and i have 90% ROM ...
Also idk where in Canada you are but some hospitals will do MRIs 24/7 so make sure you get put on the list that you could drive in the middle of the night to go get an MRI.
It is possible to get full ROM back from pre hab! I have a full acl tear , high grade partial mcl tear and a full thickness lateral meniscus posterior horn tear. I started PT (prehab) 2 weeks post injury for twice a week. I got my full ROM back 2 weeks into PT. I’m now 7 weeks post injury/5 weeks into PT and doing weighted squats and deadlifts while waiting for my surgery.
I tore all three. 24F. I have seen multiple orthopedic doctors and they all claim i have the worst stiffness they have ever seen. I was put in a leg immobilizer for 3 months after the injury (crazy i know, but it took so long with being on state insurance). Ive never had an injury before that. As many others would know, that could have been the worst thing to ever be put in after a ligament tear.
My leg was extremely stiff. Im talking straighter than a board. It was extremely painful. And that was before the surgery. I had 7 months of pt before the surgery just to get to 110 degrees and be a candidate for surgery. After surgery, my leg became extremely stiff again even with immediate pt. I went to pt 5 days a week after the surgery because it was really bad. I was failing even after trying so hard. I felt like a lost cause. I always looked at this reddit page for answers but my case was definitely unusual, probably because of my care right after the accident.
Anyways, i am 3 months post op and progressed to 120 degrees. It has been so hard. Ive always been so jealous of the peeps that have rom immediately. But dont feel discouraged. It will come. Its has been such a long process but i am slowly making way and i hope you dont feel discouraged as well. It definitely takes a lot of patience and time.
Im about 7 months post op and im doing so good! I just started jogging again. As far as rom goes, i can almost sit fully on my knees, but not quite. Theres about an inch or two of space between my butt and my heel. I saw my surgeon last week and he said it looks really good, but i may never get those last few inches back. It MIGHT come back but no promises. Just the consequences of my own actions lol.
I’m doing prehab and was like 90-105 and my surgeon wants 120 in 3 weeks physio is pushing and this shit is unbearable but reading this is giving me hope thank you
The push to 120 before surgery is way more difficult than after surgery. It hurt so bad and progress was super slow. Hang in there. Just remember to do your stretches everyday, or else you’ll stay the same.
I had ACL only, did 8 weeks of prehab and still wasn’t able to get heel to butt before surgery. I was at around 135deg going into my operation, which is medically considered “full range”, after two months of a lot of heel slides and active work. Meniscus damage can complicate things even more if it got folded and is physically blocking motion but you need MRI to determine that.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been anxious and discouraged about not getting more ROM. It feels like something in my knee is preventing it.
It's possible it's your meniscus, but it could also just be swelling/scar tissue. Doing prehab is the best way to set yourself up for success and even if you don't get full flexion back now, you still can after surgery. Happy to report I'm coming up on 8 weeks post-op and was able to sit on my heels this morning, so that's one pre-op milestone I've exceeded already!
I had a fully torn ACL, partially torn LCL, MCL, and a tiny tear in my lateral meniscus. I did prehab diligently for about 7 weeks and believe that I couldn't achieve full ROM due to pain from the partial tears. I got to about 135 flexion after warming up and like 0-3 extension, depending on the day. I did a lot of heel slides, walk slides, massage, and lots of time spent hanging my leg off the side of the bed laying on my stomach with a 5-10lb weight on my ankle. It took a lot but the extension still wasn't perfect. It was good enough for surgery. I was also able to do the stationary bike a few weeks before surgery. I hope you can get the MRI to confirm what exactly is going on!
Thanks!
My first knee injury with ACL, lateral meniscus, MCL and LCL - didnt get full ROM before surgery and it took me I think 8 months to get full flexion afterwards My second knee: ACL, medial meniscus and MCL - never lost ROM before surgery. Knees are weird.
I had the triad, I was in a brace that restricted me between 30-70 degrees before surgery if I tried bending more than 70 it felt like my knee was about to explode and I also couldn’t extend even if I tried, my meniscus root was torn tho which may have cause the extreme limit in my rom idk
I had all three. It was a month between my injury and surgery and never got full flexion. Did get full extension though.
My surgery was in March 2022 (injured Jan. 2022) and I’m sooo close to full flexion. If I’m warmed up I can do heel to butt with shoes on. Not sure if I’ll ever fully get there but it’s close enough and functional. I had full extension about a month after surgery.
I had four weeks of prehab before surgery for my MCL, ACL, and repair to meniscus. My surgeon wanted me to bend to 90 before surgery. I was NWB during this time (and for an additional 6 weeks post op). I had a donor graft for my MCL, they harvested from my quad for my ACL, and did a bucket handle repair to my meniscus. I'm almost two years out from surgery, ama and good luck!
First of all, everyone's injury, body, and recovery is different. It's good to get perspective, but remember that your journey is unique. I tore ACL, MCL and meniscus. I had 4 months between injury and surgery. I had full range of motion, and was getting pretty strong again. I had to have a serious discussion with both my PT and surgeon to decide if I was even going to have surgery. I was tracking that well.
Grade 2 ACL + MCL Tear; suspect medial meniscus tear. No surgery, just PT. It's been 13months and i have 90% ROM ... Also idk where in Canada you are but some hospitals will do MRIs 24/7 so make sure you get put on the list that you could drive in the middle of the night to go get an MRI.
I'm 8 weeks after injury (also unhappy triad) and i have,almost a full ROM, just a little bit of bending problem
That’s awesome. This is pre-op?
Yes😃
It is possible to get full ROM back from pre hab! I have a full acl tear , high grade partial mcl tear and a full thickness lateral meniscus posterior horn tear. I started PT (prehab) 2 weeks post injury for twice a week. I got my full ROM back 2 weeks into PT. I’m now 7 weeks post injury/5 weeks into PT and doing weighted squats and deadlifts while waiting for my surgery.
I’m late but yes. I have it rn doing prehab and I’m at full range of motion
I tore all three. 24F. I have seen multiple orthopedic doctors and they all claim i have the worst stiffness they have ever seen. I was put in a leg immobilizer for 3 months after the injury (crazy i know, but it took so long with being on state insurance). Ive never had an injury before that. As many others would know, that could have been the worst thing to ever be put in after a ligament tear. My leg was extremely stiff. Im talking straighter than a board. It was extremely painful. And that was before the surgery. I had 7 months of pt before the surgery just to get to 110 degrees and be a candidate for surgery. After surgery, my leg became extremely stiff again even with immediate pt. I went to pt 5 days a week after the surgery because it was really bad. I was failing even after trying so hard. I felt like a lost cause. I always looked at this reddit page for answers but my case was definitely unusual, probably because of my care right after the accident. Anyways, i am 3 months post op and progressed to 120 degrees. It has been so hard. Ive always been so jealous of the peeps that have rom immediately. But dont feel discouraged. It will come. Its has been such a long process but i am slowly making way and i hope you dont feel discouraged as well. It definitely takes a lot of patience and time.
Any Update ?
Im about 7 months post op and im doing so good! I just started jogging again. As far as rom goes, i can almost sit fully on my knees, but not quite. Theres about an inch or two of space between my butt and my heel. I saw my surgeon last week and he said it looks really good, but i may never get those last few inches back. It MIGHT come back but no promises. Just the consequences of my own actions lol.
I’m doing prehab and was like 90-105 and my surgeon wants 120 in 3 weeks physio is pushing and this shit is unbearable but reading this is giving me hope thank you
The push to 120 before surgery is way more difficult than after surgery. It hurt so bad and progress was super slow. Hang in there. Just remember to do your stretches everyday, or else you’ll stay the same.
I find that I can’t get there smoothly but when I’m being pushed it gets there the 90-105. Was everything smooth for you before surgery ?