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Message: [QUOTE="firecracker22, post: 467838, member: 20316"] You will find that each surgeon does it differently. Mine did not feel that passive motion machines were helpful so I did not have one. Instead I started PT on day 5 (she wanted to do it on day 3 but I stayed at my mom's for the first few days). I had a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus. The MCL will heal and I don't think she did anything to fix that. It was actually about 6 weeks older than the ACL tear. She cut off a piece of my torn meniscus; the good news was that it was a fairly small piece; the bad news was that is was in a high wear area, thus ensuring arthritis in about 5-10 years. She used my hamstring as donor tissue because a.) it is a larger tendon from which to take a piece and b.) she felt the long term effects were less than with patellar grafts, like the tendonitis mentioned above. I agree on the PT being fairly worthless; for all I'd heard about slave drivers, I didn't feel they pushed very hard. I went to the gym on alternating days to work out further and I ended up cutting my recovery in half. I was on one crutch after 2 weeks (too early but I didn't know any better--DON'T ditch the crutches too soon!) and off them completely after 5-6 weeks I think. I got rid of most of my limp unless I was tired or carrying something after 2 months and riding again (carefully, and with a brace) at 3 months. The original prognosis was 6-8 months to ride again but at my 3rd post-op check-in she said I looked great and to go ahead and ride if I was careful. I think physical therapists are just trying to get "normal" (non-athletic) people back to their couch-to-fridge shuffle. The initial range of motion was the most difficult and the most painful. Do as much of it as you can stand but as mentioned above, don't go too hard; swelling inhibits healing and motion. Take your anti-inflammatory regularly and supplement (ask your doc but most recommend it) with glucosamine. Once you can move it regularly, start building strength back up and DON'T STOP. It is very, very hard not to let it slack off once you're back to normal. I did and STILL don't have 100% of my strength back, and lots of bad riding habits from weighting my good leg to compensate. I had my surgery on Halloween 01 and am very happy with the results. I still have some soreness after a lot of riding (like several days in a row) or a lot of walking around or standing, but nothing a little Aleve (or generic naproxen) won't take care of. I have full motion back which I thought I would never get but I can finally kneel down and sit back all the way on my heels. That took about 6-8 months to accomplish. My only other complaint is that it crackles and pops when I pivot on it or kneel down, but there is no pain when that happens, and my surgeon said it's normal, it probably won't go away, and unless it starts hurting it's ok. Oh and you might also end up with weird numb spots--where they make the incision they often have to cut through a nerve, and every person has a different reaction to it. Some get better, some don't. I have lots of pins and needles and basically the whole front of my shin is numb. Small price to pay, really, and it doesn't hurt when I bark my shin on things. I would write down all your questions--I kept forgetting all of mine by the time I got to the doctor's office. Many surgeons have crappy bedside manners but that doesn't really matter as long as the do a good job. Don't let him/her leave until you're satisfied though, getting cut open is no minor matter. The good thing about ACL repair is it is common, it's been done a million times, and most docs are pretty good at it. Relax and know they will take care of you. And enjoy the pain pills. ;) [/QUOTE]

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