Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Health & Fitness => Topic started by: Bianchi Boy on 08 February, 2021, 08:32:51 am
-
On the 5th January I ruptured my left knee ligament. Total separation. It a trip on the first stair and I was turning to get my cup of tea, fell leg bent under me and well that was that. 2 hours under the knife and have been wearing a leg brace and slowly improving.
Has anyone had similar and want to share their ups and downs on the recovery? How long will it be until I can get on my bike? How was the progression to ride distance and intensity? I feel I have lost all fitness, it will be a long road.
Sent from my H8216 using Tapatalk
-
Ouch. Had a similar accident in 2018 but 'only' tore a bit of a quad so can't offer any illumination. Hope you're not off for too long.
-
Ouch. GWS. I damaged a knee tendon which put me off for some months, so you have my complete sympathy/empathy.
-
Which ligament? Your knee has 2 that run down the sides (medial and lateral), two that form a cross in the middle (anterior and posterior cruciate) and the patellar ligament below the kneecap.
I've partially torn both the ACL and the medial one (several times), and I knew quite a few people who tore their ACL completely (and one who tore his PCL) when playing American football. Recovery time depends on which ligament it is, what sort of surgery you had, and also personal healing ability. The good news is that cycling (initially indoors) is one of the processes encouraged during recovery, so long as you stay seated and can get on/off the bike OK. If you haven't already, get referred to an orthapedic physio to oversee your recovery - they will be able to give you a much better idea of how fast you can recover than anyone on the internet.
My partially torn ACL had me off football for about 5 months, but it's the twisting and landing from jumps that carries the risk, so cycling would have been much sooner. The fully torn and replaced ACL guys took about a year to come back (to football), but the surgery has improved a fair bit in the last 10 years. The PCL guy had to quit playing football, because PCL surgery lags behind as it's much more rare. :( I don't know anyone who tore their patellar ligament.
Don't worry about losing fitness - you'll pick it up again pretty quickly, and by the time your knee is properly healed you won't be far off what you had before.
Good luck with your recovery.
-
Ouch.
ouch
I think there is a recumbent trike somewhere adapted for single-leg pedalling.
-
I think he means 'tendon' not 'ligament'.
The quadriceps tendon attaches the quadriceps muscle to the top of the patella.
The patellar tendon attaches the patella to the tibia.
The forces across these attachments are pretty massive.
I have no experience of these injuries and hope you heal well.
I'd go for improving flexibility and improving strength without testing/stressing a new join to destruction.
Cycling in low gears on a turbo trainer will stress the join less than using stairs.
I'd be scared of running for a long time yet...
-
If it's the patellar tendon, then you are in illustrious company: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-joe-gomez-injury-breaking-19553578
As per normal, Helly is right. :) That tendon carries the entire force produced by your quad - it needs to heal and only be gently introduced to work once you medics are happy with it. Running, jumping, landing are going to be the last things you can do - gentle indoor cycling (for short durations to start with) is likely to be the best way to do this (as per the picture of Joe Gomez riding Zwift on a Wattbike).
-
Yes i think I had tendons and ligaments confused. It is the ligament that attaches the quad to the top of the kneecap and I had a total separation. I did not mess around.
Thanks for all the advice. Yes it will be a long road I think. Still cannot bend 90 degrees and if there is a bright side then I have not broken a bone or damaged the cartlidge.
Sent from my H8216 using Tapatalk
-
I'd go for 'static quads' exercises for now, but be guided by those treating you.
These are straight leg exercises eg
Raise straight leg off floor or bed, with a weight on the ankle.
While sitting, hold leg, with straight knee out, for as long as you can, and repeat.
-
GWS Bianchi Boy
-
get well soon. Nasty injury.
-
Just for the record - did you spill your tea? I've found that I'll suffer pretty much any discomfort during a stumble, rather than drop the cup to free the hand to steady myself! Scalds, sprains, all sorts.....
Hope it all goes ok, for you. Time for a cuppa!