Acl

[MonkeyBrook]

All:

Wondering if anyone out there has had an ACL tear and opted to wear brace. This is actually the second time that I tore the same ACL (had allo graft two years ago). Too close to ski season for surgery. I tore the last acl in February and skied the rest of the year with only a bit of swelling after long day. Leg is strong, can do pretty much anything on it now but physician suggested a custom brace to help support knee. He recommended a DonJoy.

Anyone have any experience, insight or thoughts? Thanks

MB

 

[RISkier]

I'd kind of go with the docs on this. I might try to get a couple of opinions from some good orthopedic folks. My understanding of the risk of not doing a surgical repair is that it increases the likelihood of arthritis and other knee problems in the long run. But I'm not an orthopedic doc and I won't even claim to have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[JD]

I felt that to get the brace tight enough to work, my leg would crap/fatigue faster. I have been going w/o it for 3 years.

 

[wa-loaf]

From what I've heard braces really don't help much. I think the key is to really keep the hamstrings strong because they take over after the ACL is gone.

 

[Puck it]

I skied tweleve years with an ACL. I wore a couple of differents braces. I don't remember the first. The second and third were CTI's. You can ski but any lateral or twisting motion will pop the knee out. It will swell and hurt, The pain will get better with the number of the ACL after the doc said he would be a knee replacement in the next two to three years. I would not wait for the repair but you can get through the ski season and then do it.

 

[SLyardsale]

You continued to ski with a torn ACL without wearing a brace?? Wow. As my orthopedic reminded me that ACL replacement is an elective surgery, he also pointed out that without an ACL in place, your knee could "pop" out at any time. He did tell me he knew of some who opted for no surgery, continued skiing (or other activity) with no issues - but also explained that a majority would have issues if left unrepaired.

I tore mine April 2007, surgery June 2007, 1st day on skies after surgery was Nov 18, 2007 - skied 34 days in 07/08 without any pain or swelling. I wore a brace (Fusion/Breg), which was custom fitted, at all times while skiing (and playing soccer). Once I got it on, I would forget it was there. It was custom fitted by Rogerson Orthopedic (483 Southhampton St, Boston) and they offer free adjustments, although I have never felt it needed readjustment. It was so comfortable, I plan on wearing this season too although my orthopedic said I could stop wearing it at this point.

One question - if you retore in Feb, why not opt for the surgery right after the season?

 

[MonkeyBrook]

Thanks for the advice.

I tore Feb 05', didnt really know it was torn (skied at least 25 more days),...surgergy in June. Very happy with surgeon (for those in RI, West Bay Orthopedics)...back on skis in in November for opening day... two plus years with no problem. Never wore a brace post surgery, skied 120 days last two years, doc said leg would be strong enough to support...he was right until August 1 of this year. Tore it again playing softball. I plan to have surgery but really dont want to give up the ski season as it is way to important to me. My legs are strong enough to do most anything, with relatively little problem.including running, biking, triathlon, weights, etc...I am thinking of continuing to build leg muscles, wear brace, ski the season and have another reconstruction at the end of the season.

Anyone out there skiing without ACL? Are you using a brace? Thanks again.

 

[JD]

You continued to ski with a torn ACL without wearing a brace?? Wow. As my orthopedic reminded me that ACL replacement is an elective surgery, he also pointed out that without an ACL in place, your knee could "pop" out at any time. He did tell me he knew of some who opted for no surgery, continued skiing (or other activity) with no issues - but also explained that a majority would have issues if left unrepaired.

I tore mine April 2007, surgery June 2007, 1st day on skies after surgery was Nov 18, 2007 - skied 34 days in 07/08 without any pain or swelling. I wore a brace (Fusion/Breg), which was custom fitted, at all times while skiing (and playing soccer). Once I got it on, I would forget it was there. It was custom fitted by Rogerson Orthopedic (483 Southhampton St, Boston) and they offer free adjustments, although I have never felt it needed readjustment. It was so comfortable, I plan on wearing this season too although my orthopedic said I could stop wearing it at this point.

One question - if you retore in Feb, why not opt for the surgery right after the season?

I have about half an acl in my right leg. It's not perfect, but the doc said he wouldn't remove half an acl to then transplant a new one so I'm basically waiting for it the go, then I'll get it fixed. I know more then a few people who ski/ride w/o an ACL, no brace.. As someone mentioned, a tight hamstring will stablize.

 

[Geoff]

All:

Wondering if anyone out there has had an ACL tear and opted to wear brace. This is actually the second time that I tore the same ACL (had allo graft two years ago). Too close to ski season for surgery. I tore the last acl in February and skied the rest of the year with only a bit of swelling after long day. Leg is strong, can do pretty much anything on it now but physician suggested a custom brace to help support knee. He recommended a DonJoy.

Anyone have any experience, insight or thoughts? Thanks

MB

I haven't had intact ACLs for over 25 years. I had one knee less stable than the other and used to ski with a derotation brace. I had an ancient Lenox Hill brace and a CTI. The other knee let go on me at Steamboat in 2000 and I tore the meniscus in it in 2004. I ski without braces now and just keep it dialed back. As long as you don't extend your leg fully, things are plenty stable. Skiing isn't my problem. Wet/icy slippery surfaces like winter parking lots and boat decks are where I have my worst issues.

My orthopedic surgeon is Bert Zarins, the Patriots team physician out of Mass General. He keeps telling me that since I can get by without ACL grafts, I'm better off skipping the operation. He did reconstruct my shoulder after I blew up the ligament that holds the thing in place at Whistler back around 1998.

So.... you can do it but you can't ever get in the back seat and you have to be aware of keeping some angulation at all times to keep your knee in a stable position. Bumps with deep & choppy troughs where the back sides are traversed out are the only thing I avoid since I don't want to risk the instability extending off the back side. At Killington, I don't ski the first few turns on the very top of upper Ovation headwall very often. I'll often finesse the edge of trails that are really bumped up rather than ski the middle.

 

[MonkeyBrook]

Thanks Geoff, that is what I needed to hear. I have more trouble walking on wet rocks in the streams than anything. Most everything else is pretty easy. Worried about the bumps...will dial it back until I feel safe. Thanks again.

 

[hardline]

I have about half an acl in my right leg. It's not perfect, but the doc said he wouldn't remove half an acl to then transplant a new one so I'm basically waiting for it the go, then I'll get it fixed. I know more then a few people who ski/ride w/o an ACL, no brace.. As someone mentioned, a tight hamstring will stablize.

thats so tru i havent had mine since 94. you just need to keep your legs really tone. i didn't like wearing one it was to restrictive

 

[SLyardsale]

thats so tru i havent had mine since 94. you just need to keep your legs really tone. i didn't like wearing one it was to restrictive

Have you tried some of the newer braces? I had mine custom fit specifically for skiing. I also tried to use it while playing soccer and did find it restrictive. But with skiing, I put it on and soon forgot it was there.

So.... you can do it but you can't ever get in the back seat and you have to be aware of keeping some angulation at all times to keep your knee in a stable position. Bumps with deep & choppy troughs where the back sides are traversed out are the only thing I avoid since I don't want to risk the instability extending off the back side. At Killington, I don't ski the first few turns on the very top of upper Ovation headwall very often. I'll often finesse the edge of trails that are really bumped up rather than ski the middle.

See, I just don't want to be thinking about it.. I just put on my brace and ski like I always did before I tore it. Granted - I was very tentative the first few days - but my confidence grew in the surgery and the brace. Perhaps the brace is my security blanket. So be it.

As mentioned, there are plenty out there who ski with no ACL. Most I've talked to seem to have had the injury years ago. The surgery over the last 10 yrs has improved dramtically.

 

[MonkeyBrook]

Who was the manufacturer of your brace? I am going to get one. For the amount of time I spend skiing, it is surely worth it... Question: how do you do in bumps? That would suck if I couldnt at least try to hit the bumps.

 

[hardline]

Have you tried some of the newer braces? I had mine custom fit specifically for skiing. I also tried to use it while playing soccer and did find it restrictive. But with skiing, I put it on and soon forgot it was there.



See, I just don't want to be thinking about it.. I just put on my brace and ski like I always did before I tore it. Granted - I was very tentative the first few days - but my confidence grew in the surgery and the brace. Perhaps the brace is my security blanket. So be it.

As mentioned, there are plenty out there who ski with no ACL. Most I've talked to seem to have had the injury years ago. The surgery over the last 10 yrs has improved dramtically.

they really dont work for snowboarding. they dont allowed for enougt lateral flex and at this point i dont see any advantage to using one.

 

[SLyardsale]

Who was the manufacturer of your brace? I am going to get one. For the amount of time I spend skiing, it is surely worth it... Question: how do you do in bumps? That would suck if I couldnt at least try to hit the bumps.

My surgeon asked me to stay away from bumps initially - but I went at them when conditions warranted. Lets put it this way, I tackled the backside of Sugarloaf whenever it was open. I had more trouble in trees than with bumps where you have to make tight turns with more torque. My brace was custom fit by Rogerson Orthopedic (483 Southhampton St, Boston) but I think there are a lot of orthepdic device people who could do this - just tell them what you are using it for. I'm pretty sure my health insurance covered part of it - but I think the cost prior to the health insurance was around $500. The brace is a Fusion/Breg with 6 attachment points. It looks pretty simple. I believe the key was the precise measurements taken of my thigh and calf which enabled a perfect fit.

they really dont work for snowboarding. they dont allowed for enougt lateral flex and at this point i dont see any advantage to using one.

Right - I have heard that boarders are not as prone to ACL tears, but also that a brace is not as effective (or more restricitive) because of the sideways AKA lateral movement that boarders need.

 

[hardline]

My surgeon asked me to stay away from bumps initially - but I went at them when conditions warranted. Lets put it this way, I tackled the backside of Sugarloaf whenever it was open. I had more trouble in trees than with bumps where you have to make tight turns with more torque. My brace was custom fit by Rogerson Orthopedic (483 Southhampton St, Boston) but I think there are a lot of orthepdic device people who could do this - just tell them what you are using it for. I'm pretty sure my health insurance covered part of it - but I think the cost prior to the health insurance was around $500. The brace is a Fusion/Breg with 6 attachment points. It looks pretty simple. I believe the key was the precise measurements taken of my thigh and calf which enabled a perfect fit.



Right - I have heard that boarders are not as prone to ACL tears, but also that a brace is not as effective (or more restricitive) because of the sideways AKA lateral movement that boarders need.

your right its not as common in boarders but it oes happen frequently. mine was due to a sappling that had bent over and froze that way under a foot of fresh. it really didn't help that that is was going the range 50 mpg when i hit it. most people the broke my leg from the sound that was made but it was just the snap of acl.

the same season jake burton, and like 3 other people at the burton offices had blown acl's

 

[frozencorn]

I forget what grades they were now, but 2 seasons ago I tore my ACL and strained my MCL in Feb. I was out for the season, elected to go rehab and not surgery, which means the tears weren't all that debilitating. Frankly, if the season were any good that year I could have been back on the hill by April. I don't ski with a custom, just the same one I got from my initial doctor visit, and it's been just fine.