Torn cruciate ligament-any advice or success stories please!

[HeckinMiffed]

Has anyone else torn their cruciate ligament and can give me advice please? Few weeks ago I landed badly and my knee and leg went in opposite directions.
Very sore and swollen. Unable to stand on it as when I did, my knee gave way.
Went to A & E the next day for xrays-all clear, doc thought I'd just pulled the ligament, Got crutches and a support brace.
Back for consultant check up today, my knee is still sore and I'm hobbling on a crutch as unable to bear weight still.
So i have to go for an MRI at big hospital then back to consultant.
This isn't going to be a quick fix is it? I'm up at 230am in pain again.
Has anyone any advice please?

Is it the acl? The middle ligament? Mcl will heal eventually but yes, it takes months. Acl will heal but only enough for "straight line" activities. I had acl reconstruction at the beginning of march, will probably be running in the next couple of weeks but tennis/skiing will take more than 6 months. It's tough!!! But it also depends on what activities you want to be able to do.

That probably wasn't of immediate help...keep icing every few hours and ibuprofen for swelling. Presume that the doctor said it was ok to weight bear so keep trying and keep it moving.

Unfortunately neither the a&e doctor or consultant gave me any advice on walking on it or using it, or resting it. Which is kind of why I'm asking for advice!
I did ask but they are so very busy.
I'm just trying to get on with life/work-I'm pretty active but I can't use the leg as movement is painful and my knee gives way if I weight bear. I'm currently managing on one crutch and hobbling on my toe!
I'd like to get back to walking. cycling, going to gym, just usual!! Driving.
Not sure if its the middle ligament or other, the pain is at the back of my knee, like inside? and to the side of my kneecap.

I completely ruptured my ACL a few years ago when I fell over during a trail race, and had it reconstructed using a hamstring graft. It was painful but I was militant about doing my physio, started running again three months later and have run two marathons since with no issues. I can twist, jump etc without any problems. My teenage neighbour tore hers skiing and has not recovered as well as I have because she didn’t do her physio (I probably wouldn’t have either as an 18 year old just off to uni!) I don’t notice my repaired knee at all but hers aches sometimes and she can’t run or play tennis without pain.

Ice, elevate it and take ibuprofen (if you can). I really feel for you, tearing my ACL was more painful than my c-section! I’m not as confident running on uneven ground now because I’m so scared of doing it again! Good luck.

Thank you @WorryMcGee I did ice it when it happened. The pain was up there with giving birth! I nearly passed out! I used to run until I developed PF but did this on a trampoline!
Should know better at my age! I'm itching just to walk my dogs! or get to work by myself! Its a real blow to independence!
Did you have to wait long for treatment? I've been really impressed with NHS so far (apart from lack of advice!)-only 2 hours in a&e and 2/3 weeks for appointment.
MRI is going to be a while though I think. Looking online this could take 6 to 9 months to heal. Dont think I can sit on the sofa for that long!!

@HeckinMiffed oh noooo ☹️ I love a trampoline, I think they’re ageless 😂 I was running with my dog, he went the smart way round a huge hole and I went the not so smart way 😬 I didn’t go to A&E until the following day because we were camping at the race and by the time I got back to my tent everyone had started drinking so no one could drive me…I was in denial over the damage I’d done so I joined them and had a very uncomfortable night in a tiny pop up tent in the rain with a massive Labrador who doesn’t understand personal space 😂

I was also seen pretty quickly in A&E and after the X-ray the guy told me he reckoned I’d torn my ACL as he’d torn his skiing and it looked the same. After hearing that I went private (I’m lucky to have it through work) so I had surgery 4 weeks later, after I’d done the physio the consultant wanted beforehand.

It did take a long time to heal completely, but I definitely wasn’t on the sofa all that time. I went to a music festival in France 6 weeks after surgery and I was fine aside from the odd trip to the medical tent for an ice pack 😂 you just have to make sure you do your exercises and build up gradually.

I have friends that have also torn theirs but decided not to have surgery - they did some kind of exercise program to strengthen the remaining ligaments and they seem fine day to day - but that wouldn’t have worked for me, I love trail running and I need a stable knee for that. I’m actually stronger on that side than I am on the non-injured side now. The consultant will explain it all I’m sure, I hope you’re seen quickly.

I had a skiing accident and tore completely my ACL, MCL and a further ligament in my right knee. I did it in February 2018and had the operation to fix it in August of that year. This was pre covid, I took 12 weeks off to heal. Had a years worth of physio. I had to fight for the operation (remove some hamstring and screw to leg) it was only when I said I wanted to do extreme sports that they said they would do it. Now 4 years later my knee is great, can't bend it fully (kneeling) but with the exception of that it's great. I think there is a new way of doing the operation now as my friend had it done differently. It's worth fighting for the operation, expect a long recovery time though and I'm sure waiting lists for operations are a lot longer now. Good luck x

Acl complete tear. Swelling subsided in about 6 weeks. Did physio and balance exercises and managed to do sport but intermittently it gave way - which was painful and had swelling (but went down in a week). It was a hard call about surgery because I did manage without - but I decided to have surgery 2years later. Had it done privately - patellar graft. Physio after surgery. It has been fine since. I do some sport and have done gentle skiing, nothing extreme, but I am careful as I don’t want to do things to damage it

I did the same 10 years ago and am now awaiting a total knee replacement- my orthopaedic surgeon said had they done a reconstruction back then, instead of three arthroscopies to 'tidy things up' then I would probably still have knee function. Insist on a reconstruction

@CandyLeBonBon - that is interesting, it was always presented to me as - I could manage without, but I could have surgery if it was problematic. they did not mention long term outcomes at the time.

But I was afraid of long term damage to cartilage if it kept ‘giving way’ and swelling up. So that did factor into my decision to have the surgery. Now my other knee has issues (patellar pain) and I hope to see a physio soon - I am trying to reduce my chance of osteoarthritis - so have stopped doing high impact activities - only in my 30s. I’m probably still at high risk as my mum had early knee replacement, but trying to do what I can.

I tore my ACL, MCL and LCL 3 months ago. I decided not to have reconstruction, as it involves drilling into good bones and can fail. Latest research suggests around 80% of ACL tears heal naturally. I am 90% back to normal now using rehab and a sports physio. I had to wear a locked brace for 7 weeks for my MCL to heal.

i recommend having a look at the ACL & Meniscus tears recovery without surgery group on Facebook, and there is also an ACL recovery group for those who choose surgery. Both very useful.

be prepared for lots of rehab whichever route you take. My legs are actually in better shape now than before my accident!

Thank you so much to everyone for their answers-I've felt so alone and not knowing what to do! Consultant wants MRI before we can decide what to do.
Private is not an option-we've just been let go at dentist, can't even afford private there thanks to cost of living increase!
So its NHS all the way! Interesting to hear different stories especially about risks of repair. I fully intend to push for reconstruction if its an option, my running days are over but I need to walk, cycle, gym etc-my fitbit thinks I'm dead!!
Thanks for FB group-I was given a locked brace at a & e and wore it for a week-really struggled so got a knee support from Boots.
Driving-argh! I want to drive so bad-hate relying on lifts from DH and friends! Its my left knee so it would be my clutch foot. The extending/depressing bit is ok, its the lifting part I'd struggle with. Its uncomfortable and I'd worry it would give way. Should I just forget driving?
thank you, you lovely lot!!

@WorryMcGee the irony is I had my tena lady on as trampolines often make me wee a little! no bloody protection against this tho!

Walking, cycling and gym is probably all fine without the op. It's more unstable activities that are an issue, tennis, trail walking, skiing.

If you can't get private physio, definitely ask for a recommendation of physio on YouTube and follow it every day. I think nhs do some videos for this but rehab and prehab are really important. Strengthen your muscles before the op. I had the op 2 months after the tear and was on stationary cycling every day with high resistance before the op.

It's a bit of a worry that you still can't bear weight. Are you able to call the consultant to talk to him about this? And his guess as to whether it's the acl or mcl? Probably both

I had a full reconstruction. you might have a while to wait for an operation, but you can start rehab and really build up all surrounding muscles to get them in the best shape possible prior to the op.
I got my legs in the best shape of their life just before mine. . then religiously do the physio after.

there were points I was in tears feeling like I would never even walk properly again. . but I did eventually get back to normal, skiing , playing rugby etc and after a while it feels as good as new.

Mine completely snapped op - original surgeon said I'd be fine without it, and I was for a while but I can't run now and even walking is often excruciating- walking downstairs is especially difficult and it regularly gives way. I am often now immobile after a day on my feet and it's very debilitating.

Whether they offer ACL surgical reconstruction depends on your age. Over 40, they’re less likely to do so as it brings other risks with it.

The key thing is to get physio as soon as you can. It will probably have to be sought privately rather than through the NHS. I ruptured an ACL & MCL & was back to fairly normal in 3 ish months before I had surgery & started all over again with rehab.

@CandyLeBonBon - I’m so sorry that you have all those problems. A relative is awaiting a knee replacement as she has OA in knee and torn cartilage and pain that is intermittent but v painful when it flares. I hope you can get your operation soon - in some places the govt has set up orthopaedic specialist units to just do things like knee replacement. In some places they are also pushing people into private sector (but funded by nhs). Phone and ask about waiting times - explain any effect on your life (eg unable to drive manual car, had to miss work due to pain, had to get blue badge etc). After enquiring several times,relative is being considered for private sector (funded by nhs) as waiting lists v long but impact on her life is severe.

@Wasabiprawns no chance calling the consultant-he saw me hobble in and say I'm struggling to walk. He did examine my knee. I probably could weight bear if I had to but the excruciating pain when it gives way means I'm using crutches!!
He mentioned cruciate ligaments but his accent was difficult to understand!

No option of going private if kids want to eat this year sadly but I will look up physio I can do. Currently going with resting! just too painful.

I've joined FB group but mostly US based I think-not many experiences with NHS! Still interesting reading though.

Ah, i am over 40 though not by much. I would hope to be offered reconstruction but it depends what the MRI says.

Just be on top of the prehab and rehab. They shouldn’t do the surgery unless you have full range of movement. I don’t think that it should keep giving way if you’re being really gentle/careful which makes me think it would be both ACL & MCL.

i read that surgery was more successful long term on older people 40+ because they will do less risky activities for it to happen again.

one of the issues if you don’t have surgery is that you keep having accidents and it damages the knee further as per another poster reported.

It’s a shame your consultant didn’t give you a bit more information when you saw them. My DS tore his ACL playing football and consultant knew instantly after examination what had happened, MRI scan confirmed it. He had it repaired, he had also torn his cartilage so that was repaired also. The operation wasn’t successful, personally I think my son tried to do too much too soon and needed another operation 6 months later, which he had a strict rehab program. We fortunately had private insurance as costs for these 2 operations, consultancy visits, scans, xrays etc came to £15,000. He saw a sports physio every 2 weeks, where they worked on strengthening the knee and they reported back to the consultant. This was 5 years ago, although he can do gym work and running, he no longer plays football.

@Mindymomo embarrassingly I didnt quite catch what he said! He had a strong accent but 'cruciate ligament' was in there somewhere!
From the pain I have and inability to bend or straighten my leg, I guess I've torn ACL and one on the side of the kneecap.
Glad your son regained use eventually-I'll bear in mind to stick to physio-thanks.
Quite a few pp have gone private, but its not an option for us! Aberdeen hospital and the pimply wee boy physio at our local health centre it is for me!
Honestly though so far the NHS have been pretty good! just hope waiting times arent too bad.