The Recognizable ACL Brace

It has been over two years since my ACL reconstruction but I can recognize an ACL post-operative brace from yards away. The four straps, a noticeable scar and the small dial on both sides of the brace that adjust the range of motion. During one shopping trip at the local mall, I saw three people wearing ACL braces. All three individuals were female and appeared to be high school students.

When I was wearing the ACL brace, people would stop me and ask about my knee. Most of the people had the surgery and would tell me their story. One person recounted in detail his surgery, hospital stay, staph infection and overall horrible ACL experience. I have not approached people wearing ACL braces but I silently wish them well.

This article from Reuters states:

The numbers on female ACL tears are astounding. Over 1.4 million women have been afflicted in the past 10 years alone -- twice the rate of the previous decade. It is estimated that more than 30,000 high school and college age females will rupture their ACL every year. In the last 15 years, ankle sprains have decreased by 86 percent while knee ligament injuries have increased by 172 percent.

Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group has developed the PEP Program to prevent ACL injuries.

This prevention program consists of a warm-up, stretching, strengthening, plyometrics, and sport specific agilities to address potential deficits in the strength and coordination of the stabilizing muscles around the knee joint!

My daughter's soccer season starts this week. The team has a new coach. The coach is female, college aged and unable to play soccer again due to knee injuries/surgeries. I wish the new coach and the team all the best!

A Knee Adventure

It has been 21 months since my ACL reconstruction. I have returned to all my previous activities, joined a gym and started Tai Chi classes. On Sunday, I will be embarking on my first knee adventure. My brother called me last week and asked if I wanted to be his racquetball partner. He played years ago and wants to play again. I immediately said yes.

A few days later, the reality of what I agreed to sank in. What about my knee? How will it hold up? I kept thinking about the cutting motion and the quick directional changes. What was I thinking? I sent my brother a worried email about knee injuries and racquetball. His response was "It is up to you". Since I reserved a court for 11:00, I guess I am playing. I just might have to bring my knee brace out of retirement.

On another topic...I have been tagged by Perpetual Beginner to post the 6th picture from the 6th folder on my computer and tell the tale. Here it is:

This fish has been in our tank since we got it from my Uncle three years ago. This fish was in the tank when he got it from someone else. It has to be at least eight years old. It is a silver dollar fish and it has a mean disposition. We think it ate all the other fish in the tank.

It is now a lonely fish.

ACL Reconstruction – Month 15 – Approaching Closure

It is time. I am ready to put this injury behind me.

It has been fifteen months since my ACL reconstruction surgery. When I began this journey, I had no idea how long recovery would take. I scoured articles and blogs to find information about others working through ACL recovery. Everyone is different due to graft choices, brace and PT protocols and the individual patient. There was an abundance of information about the surgery and the first six to nine months. I found very little written about what to expect after the standard six to nine month recovery period.

This weekend I will be attending a three-day training camp. I will not be wearing a knee brace. The brace will be in my karate bag hidden out of site. Someone told me that I should bring it to training for good luck. An ACL brace as a good luck charm … who knew? I have no intention of thinking about my knee. This is the hardest part because thoughts just creep in my brain. When I am tired, I catch myself ascending stairs one leg at a time. I do not do this intentionally and immediately stop when I realize that I am doing it. I will do my best to enjoy the weekend and train in the moment.

Most people find my site searching for knee related information (knee crunching, knee pain, ACL recovery, functional bracing etc.) At the base of the site, there is a disclaimer, which states that I am not dispensing medical advice. The initial purpose of this site was to document my experience with ACL surgery and recovery. The physical recovery has been over for months. My knee is healed with full ROM, no swelling or pain. The mental/emotional recovery took me fifteen months. I worry about re-injury but it is no longer a daily concern. In addition to karate, I go to the gym three times a week to keep my leg strong. I know that I am doing everything I can to keep my body strong and prevent injury.

To those going through ACL surgery and recovery, please remember it WILL get better. This injury will try your patience but with hard work and determination, you WILL get through it!

Bare Knee

Last night my knee was bare. Let me explain. It was the first time since my return to karate that I was knee brace-free. Initially I was concerned, but my front kick finally felt like it did pre-ACL surgery. When I wear the brace, I am unable to get the retraction I need to perform the kick properly. I stopped wearing the functional brace a few months ago. I could not move freely and my leg felt robotic. I switched to a Breg short runner and was able to move better but my kicks were not right. After months of brace wearing, I decided it was time to try karate without the brace.

The last time I saw my surgeon was August 2007. He released me at twelve weeks. He told me that at six months I had no restrictions. I was fitted with my functional brace and was told to wear it a year. I never liked the brace. I had the surgery so that I would NOT have to wear a brace. I created my own brace protocol (I am not recommending this I am just sharing my experience). I wore the functional brace until I felt it held me back. I will wear the soft brace until I feel it holds me back. I am going to experiment with a few more brace-free classes. I will continue to wear the soft brace during sparring or during contact drills.

I never understood the different brace protocols from surgeon to surgeon. I had a complete ACL tear and a tiny (notrepaired) meniscus tear. I wore a post-operative brace that was completely locked at extension for five weeks. Some people only wear a brace for a few weeks while others wear the brace with some ROM. I know that each individual case is different but brace preferences are extremely varied. It seemed like those individuals with less bracing needed to rely more on their own strength than the protection of the brace.

Many posts ago I was concerned that I would have a hard time letting go of the brace. I do not think that is a problem anymore.

I am looking forward to many more brace-free days!

Trying Not to Think

I think too much. It has always been my nature. I am one of those people who over-analyze. I am definitely a planner and like to discuss options. This character trait may be hurting my ACL recovery. I think about my knee way too much. My knee has become its own entity and it has to stop.

Just the other day, I ran up a flight of steps. When I reached the top, I realized what I did. This is a big deal for anyone recovering from ACL reconstruction. Stairs are a pain for a long time after surgery. The point is that I did not think about it ... I just did it (and thought about it later).

Last night in class, I tried something different. I used a different knee brace. I did not ask my doctor or my PT so I did not have any official medical advice. I have read so many different theories regarding bracing after ACL surgery. Some doctors are for it and some doctors are against it. My doctor wants me to wear a functional brace until August. I have been diligently wearing the brace during every karate class. When I first returned to karate after surgery, I really needed the functional brace. It provided so much security and helped with pivoting. Now at 9 months post-op it feels restricting. I feel like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz. I am waiting for someone to bring an oil can to class.

The brace I wore in class last night was my second knee brace. I have had four since my injury last April: immobilizer, soft ACL brace, post-operative brace and the functional brace. This soft ACL brace is a Breg Short Runner. The down side is that it did not provide as much security as the functional brace. I know this because my leg muscles are a little sore today. The plus side is that I could move so much better. I am going to try this brace again tonight and I am not going to think about my knee.

Please note: I am not dispensing medical advice. This is only my personal experience regarding ACL recovery.

The Functional Brace

I have love/hate feelings toward my functional ACL brace. I remember when I first heard about the brace. It was during my 12 week post-op visit. My fabulous surgeon came in and looked at my knee. He then shook my hand and told me to call him if I ever needed any other surgery. He is the surgeon for the local minor league hockey and baseball teams so I guess he gets a lot of repeat clients. I informed him, in a nice way, that I was hoping that I would never see him again. He then proceeded to tell me that I would need to be fitted for a functional brace to be worn for 1 year during karate. I was surprised because the main reason I had the surgery was so I DID NOT have to wear a brace.

A few weeks later I got the call that my brace was ready. I was told that I needed to come in for a fitting and to make sure that I knew how to put the brace on. When I arrived at my fitting I sat down and waited for the man to bring out the brace. When he pulled the brace out of the very nice carrying case my jaw must have dropped to the floor. This brace was not that much smaller than my post-op brace. When I tried it on it went mid-thigh to mid-calf. It was not what I expected at all. I am not sure what I expected but it was definitely not that. I left it in the bag for about two weeks, I did not even want to look at it. This was the only time that I questioned my decision to have the surgery. I felt defeated.


Eventually I took the brace out of the bag and headed to the dojo. It felt awkward at first but it provided an amazing sense of security. Even though the brace is physically protecting my knee it gave me an emotional/mental boost. When I am in class I sometimes forget that I am wearing an ACL brace. When the time comes, I wonder if I will have a hard time letting it go.