Thread: Severed ACL...

Riding a bike is the way my ortho. had me build up my leg muscles after ripping my ACL. It takes some time to recover, but you will get there.

Same, bikes are great for it, its low impact and does all the right muscles, just don't rush into it if the combination of acl strength and surrounding muscle strength is not up to it.

Originally Posted by dooey

Did they use patella tendon or your hamstring tendon? That's what happen, it will be weak. Its at its weakest at about two weeks ( about 20% of normal). From there it slowly builds up and I mean slowly builds up to about full strength at 8-12 months. If you do all your physio. Don't rush getting back on the bike until the physio clears you for it, you really don't want to go back for a second (like myself).

No surgery yet, just physio.
I haven't made the decision yet on if i get surgery, but I'd say I'm 80% there.
I am taking it slow but the pace is frustrating.

Keep going with physio and avoid surgery as much you can and if you are not satisfied with the physio results then you can start to think on surgery.
I had 2 surgerys the last 5 years (one was a rupture of Pec. Major). The results of my surgeries wasn't 100% and the post surgery was very painful.

Just got home from my acl, only one night in hospital. Doesn't hurt as much as the first one but they took the graft from the opposite leg so both legs hurt a bit. But I had done big damage to the medial meniscus due to the loose and sloppy acl. Watch out for that.
All the best with you choice. Hope it comes good, which ever way you go

Given that we're some 10 months after your initial post, how are things? Typically, if the ACL is gone, the knee will exhibit less "front to rear" stability of the lower leg relative to the upper leg. The "Drawer Test" is done by physical Therapists or Sports Med MD's to determine whether it's just the ACL or if the PCL is involved as well. If you elected to forgo surgery then over time the PCL will stretch and likely give way by virtue of pulling double duty. I haven't heard whether or not any of the adhesives have panned out but sometimes staples or screws will buy you some time. Hope all is well either way you decided.