WAG URGENT- torn ACL, but im fine

[Gymnast@<3]

alright i need advice i tore my ACL, like completely, but the thing is im fine. im walking, running jumping, and im trying to convince my trainer to let me warm up and do bars. i know sounds stupid, but i know myself well enough to know my limits. i tried it out, i can do front walkovers, handstands the basic things to keep my strength up. and bars shouldn't be a problem as long as i dont do my dismount. so how could i show/tell my trainer this. everyone's worried that id mess up my knee more, but the ACL is a twisting ligament and i can do anything straight, i just cant pivot or twist.

 

[Midwestmommy]

Get yourself to an orthopedic specialist, as a bipedal critter you will be needing that knee to get around for the next 50 to 75 years....

 

[Deleted member D3987]

that ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Gymnast@<3]

Get yourself to an orthopedic specialist, as a bipedal critter you will be needing that knee to get around for the next 50 to 75 years....

i did, and im walking fine as a bipedaler. surgery isnt for a month and i want to keep my strength up

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you are not a trained physician. Please do what the trained professionals are telling you to do in order to heal.... They have many more years of experience(in the case of your coaches) and expertise (your doctor) than you do. I know it may feel OK right now but seriously, trust people with more knowledge than you on this and help yourself heal without potential risks for life long issues..! I'm coming from a place of caring for young athletes, not trying to be all negative and preachy.

 

[Sari]

^^ What she said.
(And again not trying to preach, this is coming from the girl whose best friend, at age 19, has mucked up knees because she wouldn't go to the doctor for fear of having to stop doing gymnastics for a while.)

 

[auswi]

If your orthopedic specialist gives the ok for core strength workout, get a letter detailing what you are allowed to do, then STICK to the limitations Best of luck with your surgery and recovery!! Remember gymnastics is a marathon not a race

 

[Gymnast@<3]

If your orthopedic specialist gives the ok for core strength workout, get a letter detailing what you are allowed to do, then STICK to the limitations Best of luck with your surgery and recovery!! Remember gymnastics is a marathon not a race

thank you, and i like that, its a marathon not a race

 

[Gymnast@<3]

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you are not a trained physician. Please do what the trained professionals are telling you to do in order to heal.... They have many more years of experience(in the case of your coaches) and expertise (your doctor) than you do. I know it may feel OK right now but seriously, trust people with more knowledge than you on this and help yourself heal without potential risks for life long issues..! I'm coming from a place of caring for young athletes, not trying to be all negative and preachy.

ya, i understand, its just hard to watch everyone and i mean bars would be fine, right?

 

[Deleted member 17723]

Honestly, I wouldn't do bars. A girl at my gym tore her ACL and did nothing but some core conditioning (doctor orders!) Another girl tore her MCL and was not allowed to even condition for two months. Keep it easy, you will need that knee in the future! I tore a tendon in my hand and fractured and chipped a bone in my finger. I felt fine so I did things, but now 3 months later it still hurts. Be smart. It is only gymnastics, what happens now won't matter 100 years from now.

 

[flips123]

As someone who has torn their ACL and is still currently a competitive gymnast, please stay off of it. Sure it may feel fine, but the ACL is a MAJOR supporter of the knee. It prevents the knee from twisting in ways that it is not supposed to, that is at least until you tear it. Without it, your knee is weak and prone to even more damage. You wouldn't want a torn MCL and meniscus on top of a torn ACL would you?

I had 2 months between tearing it and surgery, and in these 2 months I was only permitted to do strap bar and conditioning. Arms and abs are fine, but legs are tricky because you want the leg to be as strong as possible going into surgery, but without the ACL there, the knee compensates and can do some funny things.

Also, bars is not a good idea. At all. What happens if you fall and happen to land on that knee? How about dismounts? Squat ons put pressure on the knees (even if it's minimal). You can be as careful as humanly possible, but stuff happens, and you don't want to ruin your chances of a comeback by further messing up your knee.

From experience, 2 months seems like an eternity in the gymnastics world, but in the grand scheme of healing your knee, it's only a very small time. Focus on getting the rest of your body stronger so that making a comeback will be easier!

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to talk! I know All Chalked Up recently tore her ACL too, so she's a good resource as well

 

[Seeker]

One of my best friends from college was a collegiate gymnast that had injuries to both knees (ACL, MCL, meniscus, etc). They were not as skilled and/or capable with surgical and repair options then as they are now, so she didn't have a lot of options at that time. Fast forward to post-40 life -- she's had 1 total knee replacement (at 35) and the other knee has had multiple surgeries. She is often in pain and suffers from instability in the non-replaced knee. She will likely need at least one additional knee replacement or revisions to the non-replaced knee. That knee has a cadaver ACL in it and she suffered greatly after the surgery with post-op infections.

So the moral of that story is -- listen to your doctor and stay off that knee as much as possible. Good luck to you!

 

[All Chalked Up]

STOP. Seriously. Originally my ACL and MCL were partially torn. I pushed doctor's orders, did a simple standing back tuck wearing an intense brace, my knee gave out and wobbled down and here I am with both ligaments fully torn. Just because I couldn't wait 12-16 weeks... now it'll be at least one year. Let yourself heal so you don't damage it even more. Core and abs conditioning, and that is all.

 

[Amusibus]

It's an extremely important structure. This link tells the basic functions of the ACL:

http://www.sharecare.com/health/bones-joints-and-muscles/function-of-anterior-cruciate-ligament

Just because you feel ok now means nothing. You are in a metastable state, i.e., appears stable but is in reality very unstable, like a book standing on its side.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

ya, i understand, its just hard to watch everyone and i mean bars would be fine, right?

NO!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Honestly, I wouldn't do bars. A girl at my gym tore her ACL and did nothing but some core conditioning (doctor orders!) Another girl tore her MCL and was not allowed to even condition for two months. Keep it easy, you will need that knee in the future! I tore a tendon in my hand and fractured and chipped a bone in my finger. I felt fine so I did things, but now 3 months later it still hurts. Be smart. It is only gymnastics, what happens now won't matter 100 years from now.

well, you're right. 100 years from now we'll all be dead.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

It's an extremely important structure. This link tells the basic functions of the ACL:

http://www.sharecare.com/health/bones-joints-and-muscles/function-of-anterior-cruciate-ligament

Just because you feel ok now means nothing. You are in a metastable state, i.e., appears stable but is in reality very unstable, like a book standing on its side.

THAT was an excellent example. the only thing i would add is that it is a "thin" book.

 

[Gymnast@<3]

As someone who has torn their ACL and is still currently a competitive gymnast, please stay off of it. Sure it may feel fine, but the ACL is a MAJOR supporter of the knee. It prevents the knee from twisting in ways that it is not supposed to, that is at least until you tear it. Without it, your knee is weak and prone to even more damage. You wouldn't want a torn MCL and meniscus on top of a torn ACL would you?

I had 2 months between tearing it and surgery, and in these 2 months I was only permitted to do strap bar and conditioning. Arms and abs are fine, but legs are tricky because you want the leg to be as strong as possible going into surgery, but without the ACL there, the knee compensates and can do some funny things.

Also, bars is not a good idea. At all. What happens if you fall and happen to land on that knee? How about dismounts? Squat ons put pressure on the knees (even if it's minimal). You can be as careful as humanly possible, but stuff happens, and you don't want to ruin your chances of a comeback by further messing up your knee.

From experience, 2 months seems like an eternity in the gymnastics world, but in the grand scheme of healing your knee, it's only a very small time. Focus on getting the rest of your body stronger so that making a comeback will be easier!

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to talk! I know All Chalked Up recently tore her ACL too, so she's a good resource as well

yes.. i agree after yesterday, at practice i felt weak, and knew i couldn't do much, but after my surgery the doctor says that it takes like six months to heal!! ahh

 

[Gymnast@<3]

It's an extremely important structure. This link tells the basic functions of the ACL:

http://www.sharecare.com/health/bones-joints-and-muscles/function-of-anterior-cruciate-ligament

Just because you feel ok now means nothing. You are in a metastable state, i.e., appears stable but is in reality very unstable, like a book standing on its side.

i like that link, thank you. so even though it feels fine.. its probably not.

 

[2G1B]

I agree with the others. My dd is only dealing with a buckle fracture of her tibia up near her knee. We were at the sports ortho yesterday and dd asked if she could do bars, at least low or getting help onto high (so no squat on or any type of jumping to high bar). The doctor said absolutely no bars until at least her next appointment. He said that it isn't worth the risk of a fall and landing on that leg. And he is absolutely right.

My dd is dying right now; but has to only do core and a little of arms. That is it.

Take it easy and get better. In the long run, taking it easy will get you back in the gym faster than trying to push it now.