Surgery need it / no more tennis after it?

K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
I need a knee surgery for a broken ligament on my knee, its one of the cruciate ligaments on my left knee

Now my doctor tells me i "should" never play contact sports again specially not tennis since the cruciate ligaments are the ones that hold the knee in place when you change your vector, for instance your leg is pointing to the right but your torso is looking forward

So he says that there is a chance even after full recovery that if i keep playing i will again break it again

I didnt break it playing tennis i broke it playing volleyball some years back but didnt have surgery at the time cause it was recommended that way so now i find myself almost crying

I will take the surgery but im totally positive i should keep playing i just need to know what should i do to have my knee work out so badarse that it will never break the ligaments again
 
Mick

Mick

Legend
you should get a second and third opinions. if all the doctors are saying the same thing then you should quit the game.
 
H

hifi heretic

Rookie
KHSOLO said:
I need a knee surgery for a broken ligament on my knee, its one of the cruciate ligaments on my left knee

Now my doctor tells me i "should" never play contact sports again specially not tennis since the cruciate ligaments are the ones that hold the knee in place when you change your vector, for instance your leg is pointing to the right but your torso is looking forward

So he says that there is a chance even after full recovery that if i keep playing i will again break it again

I didnt break it playing tennis i broke it playing volleyball some years back but didnt have surgery at the time cause it was recommended that way so now i find myself almost crying

I will take the surgery but im totally positive i should keep playing i just need to know what should i do to have my knee work out so badarse that it will never break the ligaments again
Click to expand...

I would recommend finding the best sports orthopedic surgeon you can find within a few hundred miles. ...Considering the blown out knees that football players recover from I find it hard to believe there is no hope for a recreational tennis player like yourself.
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
hifi heretic said:
I would recommend finding the best sports orthopedic surgeon you can find within a few hundred miles. ...Considering the blown out knees that football players recover from I find it hard to believe there is no hope for a recreational tennis player like yourself.
Click to expand...

I have found a bunch of articles and videos on the internet that say it takes about a year to fully recover so i think the dtr was being overly protective about my knee

Ill talk to him later with these articles to see what he thinks

Thanxs for sharing
 
B

badcook

New User
really sorry to hear about your knee. i sincerely hope you get better and resume regular duties at the courts again.

i've been off tennis last 4 weeks with a busted left knee as well. damaged/tore my cartilage. first opinion gave me only one option - surgery. second opinion is due on the 9th.

just dry swinging my one handed backhands in front of the mirror thinking if my knee was alright federer would have nothing on me.

should start the busted left knee club.
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
badcook said:
really sorry to hear about your knee. i sincerely hope you get better and resume regular duties at the courts again.

i've been off tennis last 4 weeks with a busted left knee as well. damaged/tore my cartilage. first opinion gave me only one option - surgery. second opinion is due on the 9th.

just dry swinging my one handed backhands in front of the mirror thinking if my knee was alright federer would have nothing on me.

should start the busted left knee club.
Click to expand...

There is a bunch of stuff on the internet about it, just google up things like acl surgery or acl recovery or knee + tennis and you will see

I posted some videos of the surgery im getting here with my 6 raquets im now selling cause when im back ill get the BLX ones :)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000488273909&ref=nf
 
couch

couch

Hall of Fame
khsolo- I had acl surgery (patella tendon graft) 11 years ago and don't feel like I've missed a beat. I was back on the court feeling comfortable in six months and felt like I was pretty close to 100% in about 9 months. I didn't rush my rehab and did exactly what my doctor and pt said. It was a lot of hard work but it was well worth it. As with a lot of things- you get out of it what you put into it. :)

Make sure you see a sports physician who understands what you are going through and what your goals are. As you've mentioned there really isn't any reason you shouldn't be able to play tennis after an acl surgery. Just make sure you have the right physician do the surgery and rehab it correctly.

Good luck!
 
E

El Diablo

Guest
heretic forgot to mention that some of those football players who "recover" develop such severe arthritis as a result of returning to the game that some of them can barely walk. When formulating goals, try to look beyond a mere game and consider if you want to be able to get around comfortably for the rest of your life.
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
couch said:
khsolo- I had acl surgery (patella tendon graft) 11 years ago and don't feel like I've missed a beat. I was back on the court feeling comfortable in six months and felt like I was pretty close to 100% in about 9 months. I didn't rush my rehab and did exactly what my doctor and pt said. It was a lot of hard work but it was well worth it. As with a lot of things- you get out of it what you put into it. :)

Make sure you see a sports physician who understands what you are going through and what your goals are. As you've mentioned there really isn't any reason you shouldn't be able to play tennis after an acl surgery. Just make sure you have the right physician do the surgery and rehab it correctly.

Good luck!
Click to expand...


Thats good to know, cheers :)
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
El Diablo said:
heretic forgot to mention that some of those football players who "recover" develop such severe arthritis as a result of returning to the game that some of them can barely walk. When formulating goals, try to look beyond a mere game and consider if you want to be able to get around comfortably for the rest of your life.
Click to expand...

Sure thing, ill make that a priority, no use not being able to walk after 50 :)
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
couch said:
khsolo- I had acl surgery (patella tendon graft) 11 years ago and don't feel like I've missed a beat. I was back on the court feeling comfortable in six months and felt like I was pretty close to 100% in about 9 months. I didn't rush my rehab and did exactly what my doctor and pt said. It was a lot of hard work but it was well worth it. As with a lot of things- you get out of it what you put into it. :)

Make sure you see a sports physician who understands what you are going through and what your goals are. As you've mentioned there really isn't any reason you shouldn't be able to play tennis after an acl surgery. Just make sure you have the right physician do the surgery and rehab it correctly.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Did you have any feelings of "loosiness" on your knee or have had it since then?

Im terrified of those feelings
 
C

charliefedererer

Legend
Is he going to do the repair arthroscopically?
If so he should get a good look at your menicsi and the overall condition of the surfaces of your knee joint. He can give you more information as to whether you are already on the road to chronic arthritis, or have a pretty clean knee joint. He also should have some feeling as to the quality of the tissues he is repairing in you (i.e. a really shredded tendon or enough healthy tendon to suture to and do an optimal repair).
I'm sure he now is giving an honest opinion on the best thing for your knee over the long term. But he should be able to give you an even better opinion after what he sees at surgery, and in periodic followup examinations as you recover and do your physical therapy.
It is also true when he tells you that a repaired tendon is never as strong as it was before the repair. But I would not yet abandon hope that may be strong enough to return to tennis, albeit after many months of letting it heal.
 
DrpShot!

DrpShot!

Semi-Pro
I tore the acl in my right knee 15 years ago playing basketball, it was a total tear. Surgery with a patella tendon graft. Rehabbed for a year then started playing again, slowly at first. The knee never really felt exactly the same, and I've torn menisucs in the same knee three times since then, all while playing tennis. Over time I've also shredded the reparied acl, there's just a sliver left, looks like a frizzed out rope with one shred left on the MRI images. Doc says 15 years is about the warranty on that type of repair anyway, so its time for a new acl surgery. I still play 3 to 4 times a week though, and plan to keep playing after the next surgery, if I actually decide to do it, or when it becomes unavoidable. Doc said if I didn't want to play then I could avoid the surgery, forget that. Without the surgery I'll keep tearing meniscus or other things since the acl is so weak.

You should have the surgery and plan to be playing again in a year, just take the rehab slow. Plan to keep your leg muscles around the joint strong for as long as you want to be playing - lunges are best - and you'll be good to go.
 
E

EKnee08

Professional
KHSOLO said:
Sure thing, ill make that a priority, no use not being able to walk after 50 :)
Click to expand...

Good point! Thats how I felt after microfracture surgery on my right knee. At a recent follow-up exam by my doc, he told me there is no reason I can't play into my 80s (late 40s now) if I am smart about it. (My left knee has aches and has a similar problem as the right but will not require surgery)
Rewind 20 years ago, I had arthoscopic surgery on my left knee with a well respected sports orthopedist in NYC for a basketball injury. While I was in recovery, he told my family that I would never be able to play tennis again. He kept me on crutches for almost 3 months (different philosophy back then). 1 year later I was fooling around on a tennis court (hadn't played seriously) in over 10 years and the doctor changed his prognosis and allowed me to go back.
Its now been 20 years since the 1st surgery and I can still play. Played last night and have some aches today in the left knee but the doctor said no problem. The one with the microfracuture does not bother me anymore.

Bottom line is your doctor maybe just trying to prepare you for the worst possibility and is giving you a conservative prognosis pre-op. Keep a positive attitude!... and as others have said get a 2nd or 3rd opinion pre and post op!
 
E

EKnee08

Professional
EKnee08 said:
Good point! Thats how I felt after microfracture surgery on my right knee. At a recent follow-up exam by my doc, he told me there is no reason I can't play into my 80s (late 40s now) if I am smart about it. (My left knee has aches and has a similar problem as the right but will not require surgery)
Rewind 20 years ago, I had arthoscopic surgery on my left knee with a well respected sports orthopedist in NYC for a basketball injury. While I was in recovery, he told my family that I would never be able to play tennis again. He kept me on crutches for almost 3 months (different philosophy back then). 1 year later I was fooling around on a tennis court (hadn't played seriously) in over 10 years and the doctor changed his prognosis and allowed me to go back.
Its now been 20 years since the 1st surgery and I can still play. Played last night and have some aches today in the left knee but the doctor said no problem. The one with the microfracuture does not bother me anymore.

Bottom line is your doctor maybe just trying to prepare you for the worst possibility and is giving you a conservative prognosis pre-op. Keep a positive attitude!... and as others have said get a 2nd or 3rd opinion pre and post op!
Click to expand...

...and at worst at some point (when you are older) you could get a knee replacement which I understand has worked out great and allowed older people to regain their mobility as well as play tennis.
 
couch

couch

Hall of Fame
KHSOLO said:
Did you have any feelings of "loosiness" on your knee or have had it since then?

Im terrified of those feelings
Click to expand...

No, I have never felt any feelings of looseness in my knee. From what I understand the graft is actually tighter and/or stronger than the original ligament. I don't think there is any reason to be worried about that.
 
E

escii_35

Rookie
KHSOLO said:
I will take the surgery but im totally positive i should keep playing i just need to know what should i do to have my knee work out so badarse that it will never break the ligaments again
Click to expand...

Get it done. Recovery time will depend on age, your own bod and how well you rehab.

My time line:

4 mo to X-Country skiing
6 mo throwing good tele turns
6 mo starting tennis drills and footwork
9 mo starting a 5000 bike trip
12 mo playing tennis (Application for a ranking drop denied, bastages)
16 mo beating -some- of the people I used to.

Things I don't do anymore:

Downhill ski, Basketball

Oh, Wii tennis + bicycle trainer = good times. Investing in the Wii was one of the best rehab purchases I made.
 
Fedace

Fedace

Banned
Mick said:
you should get a second and third opinions. if all the doctors are saying the same thing then you should quit the game.
Click to expand...

If you keep getting opinion after opinion, you are just searching for a doctor that will tell you what you want to hear. You should seek out a Orthopedic surgeon that specializes in Sports Medicine. I am sure there are some in your city. and tell him what you have done so far and what that other doctor told you. Look at his background and credentials to make sure he is one of the best in the area. and also check out what the reputation or credentials are of your doctor.
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Yeah, Docs always like to prepare you for the worst possible recovery, so they cover their butts. Don't get me wrong, I've relied on Docs more than most, and they do a great job.
Tennis is not a contact sport, unless you count contacting the ground, which you do when you walk to your bathroom. Rugby is a contact sport, as is wrestling, football, karate, judo.
In tennis, when your opponent hits a wide ball, you can choose to say ........" NICE SHOT " ....:shock:
One year recovery is nothing. 3 years after surgeries, then you can start to job, is something.
And it all heals, believe me.
You weren't going to make top 30 ATP anyways!
 
B

BillH

Rookie
I had acl reconstruction in right knee in 2002, left knee in 2004. Each time I took rehab seriously and was playing at 6 months postop and back to normal in 9 months to a year. I'm 56 and play 4-6 times a week. You can return to sports but you must rehab as instructed.
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
BillH said:
I had acl reconstruction in right knee in 2002, left knee in 2004. Each time I took rehab seriously and was playing at 6 months postop and back to normal in 9 months to a year. I'm 56 and play 4-6 times a week. You can return to sports but you must rehab as instructed.
Click to expand...

Thanxs for sharing your experience, its reconforting
 
chess9

chess9

Hall of Fame
El Diablo said:
heretic forgot to mention that some of those football players who "recover" develop such severe arthritis as a result of returning to the game that some of them can barely walk. When formulating goals, try to look beyond a mere game and consider if you want to be able to get around comfortably for the rest of your life.
Click to expand...

Amen to this, except to say that 'mere games' keep people sane! LOL! If it weren't for the games I've been playing for 60 years I'd be in Leavenworth. ;)

Anyway, here's my take:

1. See how it goes, but make sure it goes SLOWLY;
2. Once you can move a little, get back on the courts (basketball and tennis) and just throw some hoops or hit some balls with walking, not running. Your buddies will help out, I'm sure.
3. Medical advances are coming along every day. In five years this may be a non-problem.
4. Lift weights, do re-hab. Religiously! Even if you aren't religious. ;)
5. Be realistic about what you can do. (Diablo's premise, I'm guessing.) Don't run the Chicago Marathon any time soon, or decide you just have to chase a kid around the yard. (been there, done that)

Football players are terrible examples because by the time they finish their pro careers their bodies are in very bad shape, with few exceptions. (When much younger I partied with a bunch of ex-pro football players and most of them had severe range of motion and injury issues.)

Orthopedic surgery is bound to make more advancements, I'm sure, so chin up mate!

-Robert
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
chess9 said:
Amen to this, except to say that 'mere games' keep people sane! LOL! If it weren't for the games I've been playing for 60 years I'd be in Leavenworth. ;)

Anyway, here's my take:

1. See how it goes, but make sure it goes SLOWLY;
2. Once you can move a little, get back on the courts (basketball and tennis) and just throw some hoops or hit some balls with walking, not running. Your buddies will help out, I'm sure.
3. Medical advances are coming along every day. In five years this may be a non-problem.
4. Lift weights, do re-hab. Religiously! Even if you aren't religious. ;)
5. Be realistic about what you can do. (Diablo's premise, I'm guessing.) Don't run the Chicago Marathon any time soon, or decide you just have to chase a kid around the yard. (been there, done that)

Football players are terrible examples because by the time they finish their pro careers their bodies are in very bad shape, with few exceptions. (When much younger I partied with a bunch of ex-pro football players and most of them had severe range of motion and injury issues.)

Orthopedic surgery is bound to make more advancements, I'm sure, so chin up mate!

-Robert
Click to expand...

Im looking forward to a full recovery and now that the AO is on the way ill be looking at more tennis than ever before

:)
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
Well im back, everything went fine according to the dtor, ill check the cd of the procedure later on, need some rest, yesterday i couldnt sleep cause of the pain

Today it doesnt hurt as much, hopefully it will get better fast

Ill post some pics later
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
here ya go

19940_103902202969388_100000488273909_99452_4183757_n.jpg
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
Well im back, its been 2 months and i can walk perfectly

Doing my therapy, already over 14 or so sessions

Dtor says knee is in extremelly good shape and that its very very steady, no pain but maybe a little swelling after long walks

Also flexing is very good, at 100% with other leg, took me 4 sessions of very painfull stretching to get it to flex again like before

Strengh is lacking, everytime i wake up in the morning i limp a bit until the leg gets warm

Any tips for future recovery?
 
C

charliefedererer

Legend
^^^The biggest tip is to keep up the great work you are doing with your rehab program. It sounds like you are doing quite well so far. Keep it up!
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
Jim Hendricks said:
Keep up the therapy. My doctor prescribed a knee brace, which has helped. It is a lot of work, just put the time in.
Click to expand...

I got the brace but my dtor never put it on cause he was very confident that the knee was in extremelly good shape, and it really feels that way

Maybe a combination of being in good shape before the injury and a great surgery is making everything very simple
 
B

BillH

Rookie
KHSOLO said:
I got the brace but my dtor never put it on cause he was very confident that the knee was in extremelly good shape, and it really feels that way

Maybe a combination of being in good shape before the injury and a great surgery is making everything very simple
Click to expand...

There is alot of debate among orthopedic surgeons as to the efficacy of an acl knee brace. My doctor insisted that I wear one during sports activities for a year after both my surgeries. Other doctors argue that the brace cannot provide adequate protection. I think a brace can help with side impact or hyperextension issues but probably cannot prevent the type of "twisting" injury that is the cause of many acl tears, especially when playing tennis. As I said above, I had acl reconstruction in both my knees - the last being 5 years ago and I have zero issues with either knee. I'm 56 play 4-6 times per week both singles and doubles and also club drills. Bottom line, you have to keep the support muscles around the knee along with the hammys and quads strong and you'll probably be able to play tennis as long as you like.
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
BillH said:
There is alot of debate among orthopedic surgeons as to the efficacy of an acl knee brace. My doctor insisted that I wear one during sports activities for a year after both my surgeries. Other doctors argue that the brace cannot provide adequate protection. I think a brace can help with side impact or hyperextension issues but probably cannot prevent the type of "twisting" injury that is the cause of many acl tears, especially when playing tennis. As I said above, I had acl reconstruction in both my knees - the last being 5 years ago and I have zero issues with either knee. I'm 56 play 4-6 times per week both singles and doubles and also club drills. Bottom line, you have to keep the support muscles around the knee along with the hammys and quads strong and you'll probably be able to play tennis as long as you like.
Click to expand...

You do leg weights? bicicle?

What exercise do you do to keep those leg muscles strong?
 
B

BillH

Rookie
KHSOLO said:
You do leg weights? bicicle?

What exercise do you do to keep those leg muscles strong?
Click to expand...

The year after both of my surgeries (2002-03 and 2004-05) I did extensive rehab with all the various leg exercises in addition to tennis after 6 months. Since then I rely on playing tennis and walking daily - I should probably do more but my schedule doen't allow it right now. The rehab phase after surgery is crucial because you will have some atrophy of muscle dus to the surgery and inactivity. Work with your physical therapist - there are different machines to measure quad, hamstring, and other muscle strength.
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
BillH said:
The year after both of my surgeries (2002-03 and 2004-05) I did extensive rehab with all the various leg exercises in addition to tennis after 6 months. Since then I rely on playing tennis and walking daily - I should probably do more but my schedule doen't allow it right now. The rehab phase after surgery is crucial because you will have some atrophy of muscle dus to the surgery and inactivity. Work with your physical therapist - there are different machines to measure quad, hamstring, and other muscle strength.
Click to expand...

Tennis after 6 months? wow
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
I went to the court today and played some 30 mins

I got a couple of new BLX 95 that i wanted to try and everything went out fine

My dtr told me not to move sideways too much but my improvement was great so basically i could hit the wall or a teacher

I feel good, no pain
 
C

charliefedererer

Legend
KHSOLO said:
I went to the court today and played some 30 mins

I got a couple of new BLX 95 that i wanted to try and everything went out fine

My dtr told me not to move sideways too much but my improvement was great so basically i could hit the wall or a teacher

I feel good, no pain
Click to expand...

Sounds great!

If the French Open is too soon, any chance of getting into the draw at Wimbledon?
 
K

KHSOLO

Semi-Pro
fantom said:
Sorry to hear about your knee. You should feel confident, though, that with the right surgeon and dedication to rehab, it will feel strong again in the future. I had an ACL recon done two years ago and I'm playing the best tennis of my life right now. This thread documents my progress:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=182413

Good luck.
Click to expand...

I read you went back to tennis after 4+ months thats pretty good, about the same time i have now

I still dont want to push it, rather just hit the ball with my trainer and keep the lateral movements to the minimum

At least i can hit the ball again, i was desperate :)
 
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