Anyone Torn a Knee Ligament?

[lawdog1]

I'm wondering what it felt like for you because I think I might have done something like that.  I was playing hoops last night and my knee hyperextended a bit after I got fouled on a lay up attempt.  I didn't hear or feel a pop or anything, but after that I just had no stability in the knee when moving laterally or landing after a jump.  The knee would just kind of buckle in those situations.  This morning my leg is sore and pretty stiff, but there's only minimal swelling.  I'm getting my knee checked out by an orthopedic doctor on Monday.  I'm trying to figure out whether I should expect pretty bad news.   

 

[lawdog1]

I'm wondering what it felt like for you because I think I might have done something like that.  I was playing hoops last night and my knee hyperextended a bit after I got fouled on a lay up attempt.  I didn't hear or feel a pop or anything, but after that I just had no stability in the knee when moving laterally or landing after a jump.  The knee would just kind of buckle in those situations.  This morning my leg is sore and pretty stiff, but there's only minimal swelling.  I'm getting my knee checked out by an orthopedic doctor on Monday.  I'm trying to figure out whether I should expect pretty bad news.   

 

[jch3]

First off, best of luck to you and your knee.

I have never done this to my knee, but my best friend tore his ACL in high school and my girlfriend tore her ACL/MCL in college.

From being around both of them a ton, I can tell you that the pain is excruciating at the very start, and as the swelling goes down the knee will feel better. However, if your ligament is severely damaged you will not be able to make quick cuts/fast movements.

I am obviously no doctor, but it sounds like you may have sprained one of your ligaments, maybe even a partial tear. If one of these things is the case, most likely you will go into rehab and avoid surgery altogether. To me, that is very good news because if they do a re-constructive knee ligament surgery, there are inherent risks as far as where your "new" ligament comes from. My girlfriend had hers constructed from a piece of her hamstring and has had issues (hamstring) ever since.

Hopefully you'll get some good news on Monday - make sure you keep blood flowing in that area to promote healing. And don't forget the ice. Let me know how your appointment goes, I want to see if I was even close.

 

[jch3]

First off, best of luck to you and your knee.

I have never done this to my knee, but my best friend tore his ACL in high school and my girlfriend tore her ACL/MCL in college.

From being around both of them a ton, I can tell you that the pain is excruciating at the very start, and as the swelling goes down the knee will feel better. However, if your ligament is severely damaged you will not be able to make quick cuts/fast movements.

I am obviously no doctor, but it sounds like you may have sprained one of your ligaments, maybe even a partial tear. If one of these things is the case, most likely you will go into rehab and avoid surgery altogether. To me, that is very good news because if they do a re-constructive knee ligament surgery, there are inherent risks as far as where your "new" ligament comes from. My girlfriend had hers constructed from a piece of her hamstring and has had issues (hamstring) ever since.

Hopefully you'll get some good news on Monday - make sure you keep blood flowing in that area to promote healing. And don't forget the ice. Let me know how your appointment goes, I want to see if I was even close.

 

[airblaster503]

You probably have a sprain or a partial tear, if your ligament was fully torn there is no way you would have gone on playing. That is good news though, since if it isn't to bad you might just have to do some rehab and not deal with surgery. My brother has torn his ACL and he said he heard a pop and had no stability in his knee. I have also had my collar bone come fully detached from my shoulder and heard a loud **$ pop, got up and my shoulder just felt like it was floating.

 

[airblaster503]

You probably have a sprain or a partial tear, if your ligament was fully torn there is no way you would have gone on playing. That is good news though, since if it isn't to bad you might just have to do some rehab and not deal with surgery. My brother has torn his ACL and he said he heard a pop and had no stability in his knee. I have also had my collar bone come fully detached from my shoulder and heard a loud **$ pop, got up and my shoulder just felt like it was floating.

 

[lawdog1]

^^^ Thanks to both of you. I appreciate the insight and I am somewhat relieved based on what you said. I definitely did not have excruciating pain. In fact, I felt very little discomfort when I was moving in a straight line. It was cutting and jumping that were problems. Sprain or partial tear do sound like more likely scenarios. I'll check back in when I get some more information from the MD.

 

[lawdog1]

^^^ Thanks to both of you. I appreciate the insight and I am somewhat relieved based on what you said. I definitely did not have excruciating pain. In fact, I felt very little discomfort when I was moving in a straight line. It was cutting and jumping that were problems. Sprain or partial tear do sound like more likely scenarios. I'll check back in when I get some more information from the MD.

 

[jch3]

After thinking about it a little more, I agree with airblaster503 - since there was no "pop", a complete tear is almost completely out of the question. But in all likelihood you will have some physical therapy to do.

 

[jch3]

After thinking about it a little more, I agree with airblaster503 - since there was no "pop", a complete tear is almost completely out of the question. But in all likelihood you will have some physical therapy to do.

 

[ham city]

I tore my ACL/MCL/PCL all in the same injury playin high school football.

if you didn't hear/feel a distinct "pop" then it's pretty unlikely you suffered a full tear.

get that MRI though bruh, it's best to know for certain and stayin active on a knee with partial damage isn't a good look.

 

[ham city]

I tore my ACL/MCL/PCL all in the same injury playin high school football.

if you didn't hear/feel a distinct "pop" then it's pretty unlikely you suffered a full tear.

get that MRI though bruh, it's best to know for certain and stayin active on a knee with partial damage isn't a good look.

 

[nycknicks105]

Originally Posted by JCH3

After thinking about it a little more, I agree with airblaster503 - since there was no "pop", a complete tear is almost completely out of the question. But in all likelihood you will have some physical therapy to do.

I tore my ACL and i didn't hear a pop. My knee buckled, but I didn't hear a pop. MRI will tell you the full story.

 

[nycknicks105]

Originally Posted by JCH3

After thinking about it a little more, I agree with airblaster503 - since there was no "pop", a complete tear is almost completely out of the question. But in all likelihood you will have some physical therapy to do.

I tore my ACL and i didn't hear a pop. My knee buckled, but I didn't hear a pop. MRI will tell you the full story.

 

[draydray87]

Just tore mine a week n a half ago. heard a pop, no lateral stability. Got an MRI which showed that my ACL was gone. from what it sounds like, you might have a partial tear, but get the MRI its the only way to be certain. I've heard that if it isn't dealt with, it could lead to long term knee problems that you probably don't want. i'm goin in for surgery real soon. best of luck to you

 

[draydray87]

Just tore mine a week n a half ago. heard a pop, no lateral stability. Got an MRI which showed that my ACL was gone. from what it sounds like, you might have a partial tear, but get the MRI its the only way to be certain. I've heard that if it isn't dealt with, it could lead to long term knee problems that you probably don't want. i'm goin in for surgery real soon. best of luck to you

 

[Kobekobe]

the best advice i can give you, is get an MRI ASAP.

i landed (not awkwardly) back in may and my knee gave out. i felt two pops and i went down like i just been shot. the pain was excruciating. i had no stability or anything that day. for the next week, i couldn't walk/run or anything. iced every day and took hot baths

went to see a doctor, he said i strained my ACL and i didn't require an MRI.

i was like k cool... so a month later i went to see another doctor and he said the same thing. ACL is fine or it's partially torn (they don't do surgery on partially torn), i should recover over time (from swelling still).. that was back in June.

it's august now and i'm still not 100%. i went to see a physiotherapist and he performed the same tests again and said i might have a meniscal tear and ACL tear... told me to go back and see my family doctor and get an MRI.

so pissed off cause i should've got an MRI back then, but now i'm gonna have to wait even longer before i'm cleared to play. i'm praying to god that i don't have a tear in my meniscus but it's likely cause i can't bend my knee all the way. however, my family doctor said there's no tear there, it's just my swelling that's still hurting (3-4 months later?) because he said on one of the tests he performed that if there was a tear in my menisci, i would feel a pop while he's performing it.

but anyways, that's my story and i would suggest no matter how minor you think it is, get an MRI if you can. you don't wanna compromise your future as an active player.

Originally Posted by lawdog1

^^^ Thanks to both of you. I appreciate the insight and I am somewhat relieved based on what you said. I definitely did not have excruciating pain. In fact, I felt very little discomfort when I was moving in a straight line. It was cutting and jumping that were problems. Sprain or partial tear do sound like more likely scenarios. I'll check back in when I get some more information from the MD.

based on my own research and input from 3 doctors the past few months, you likely stretched your ACL which is causing you problems when you cut. but get that MRI for sure if you can

 

[Kobekobe]

the best advice i can give you, is get an MRI ASAP.

i landed (not awkwardly) back in may and my knee gave out. i felt two pops and i went down like i just been shot. the pain was excruciating. i had no stability or anything that day. for the next week, i couldn't walk/run or anything. iced every day and took hot baths

went to see a doctor, he said i strained my ACL and i didn't require an MRI.

i was like k cool... so a month later i went to see another doctor and he said the same thing. ACL is fine or it's partially torn (they don't do surgery on partially torn), i should recover over time (from swelling still).. that was back in June.

it's august now and i'm still not 100%. i went to see a physiotherapist and he performed the same tests again and said i might have a meniscal tear and ACL tear... told me to go back and see my family doctor and get an MRI.

so pissed off cause i should've got an MRI back then, but now i'm gonna have to wait even longer before i'm cleared to play. i'm praying to god that i don't have a tear in my meniscus but it's likely cause i can't bend my knee all the way. however, my family doctor said there's no tear there, it's just my swelling that's still hurting (3-4 months later?) because he said on one of the tests he performed that if there was a tear in my menisci, i would feel a pop while he's performing it.

but anyways, that's my story and i would suggest no matter how minor you think it is, get an MRI if you can. you don't wanna compromise your future as an active player.

Originally Posted by lawdog1

^^^ Thanks to both of you. I appreciate the insight and I am somewhat relieved based on what you said. I definitely did not have excruciating pain. In fact, I felt very little discomfort when I was moving in a straight line. It was cutting and jumping that were problems. Sprain or partial tear do sound like more likely scenarios. I'll check back in when I get some more information from the MD.

based on my own research and input from 3 doctors the past few months, you likely stretched your ACL which is causing you problems when you cut. but get that MRI for sure if you can

 

[scottyhoward42]

JCH3, your girlfriend should of gotten an autograft rather than an allograft , using a cadaver tendon may initially take a couple more weeks to set in the host's body, but avoiding the trauma of removing tissue from one's own body, especially someone relatively young and active would be ideal, the rehab outcomes are basically the same in the long term, except the patients receiving cadaver tendons dont suffer that hamstring issue

 

[scottyhoward42]

JCH3, your girlfriend should of gotten an autograft rather than an allograft , using a cadaver tendon may initially take a couple more weeks to set in the host's body, but avoiding the trauma of removing tissue from one's own body, especially someone relatively young and active would be ideal, the rehab outcomes are basically the same in the long term, except the patients receiving cadaver tendons dont suffer that hamstring issue

 

[jch3]

Originally Posted by ScottyHoward42

JCH3, your girlfriend should of gotten an autograft rather than an allograft , using a cadaver tendon may initially take a couple more weeks to set in the host's body, but avoiding the trauma of removing tissue from one's own body, especially someone relatively young and active would be ideal, the rehab outcomes are basically the same in the long term, except the patients receiving cadaver tendons dont suffer that hamstring issue

This was exactly what I told her to do. If it was my ACL, I would have had a cadaver tendon no doubt. Faster surgery too.

Only problem is, she's a girl. So it "creeped her out" to have a dead person's ligament in her knee. If she was given the same choice today, she might have felt differently about it.

I went to all of her appointments with her, and when the surgeon mentioned the autograft idea, he did say there was less than a 1% chance of the body not accepting the new ACL. Obviously, that would have been another surgery. And she would do anything to not have surgery again.

 

[jch3]

Originally Posted by ScottyHoward42

JCH3, your girlfriend should of gotten an autograft rather than an allograft , using a cadaver tendon may initially take a couple more weeks to set in the host's body, but avoiding the trauma of removing tissue from one's own body, especially someone relatively young and active would be ideal, the rehab outcomes are basically the same in the long term, except the patients receiving cadaver tendons dont suffer that hamstring issue

This was exactly what I told her to do. If it was my ACL, I would have had a cadaver tendon no doubt. Faster surgery too.

Only problem is, she's a girl. So it "creeped her out" to have a dead person's ligament in her knee. If she was given the same choice today, she might have felt differently about it.

I went to all of her appointments with her, and when the surgeon mentioned the autograft idea, he did say there was less than a 1% chance of the body not accepting the new ACL. Obviously, that would have been another surgery. And she would do anything to not have surgery again.

 

[nikeair45]

when i tore my acl, i didnt hear a pop or anything. I just landed on one foot and felt instability in my knee. Next thing I know im on the floor and need to be carried off the court. I iced it like 10 minutes later and I was moving it on the sideline and even walking up and down the sideline. I was even able to drive home!!

When I got home, I iced it more. By the time it was nighttime tho, my knee was the size of a grapefruit. It was huge...(Thats what she said) But yea if your knee is swollen bad, thats a sign u tore something.

Definitely get an MRI tho to check and go to a doctor ASAP cuz playing on a torn ligament is not a good look It will only give u other problems like easily tearing your other ligaments too.

 

[nikeair45]

when i tore my acl, i didnt hear a pop or anything. I just landed on one foot and felt instability in my knee. Next thing I know im on the floor and need to be carried off the court. I iced it like 10 minutes later and I was moving it on the sideline and even walking up and down the sideline. I was even able to drive home!!

When I got home, I iced it more. By the time it was nighttime tho, my knee was the size of a grapefruit. It was huge...(Thats what she said) But yea if your knee is swollen bad, thats a sign u tore something.

Definitely get an MRI tho to check and go to a doctor ASAP cuz playing on a torn ligament is not a good look It will only give u other problems like easily tearing your other ligaments too.

 

[DeadsetAce]

i tore my entire knee up, acl pcl mcl meniscus. it felt 4 or 5 pops/clicks when i did it. the whole thing went numb after the initial pain. the next morning it was swollen like crazy and i def couldn't walk.

but good luck man. hope the news isn't bad for you on monday. hopefully just a sprain.