ACL Injury

Was wondering if any skiers here could share experience on ACL injuries and recovery period. I ruptured my ACL in left leg, 12 days ago now and will require surgery once swelling has gone. There appears to be some positives, can walk without crutches (slight limp), squat, balance 1 leg etc all without brace. Not enough movement in joint now (swelling) to start biking but hopefully within next week or so should be able to start with low resistance.

Assuming surgery goes well will I be skiing 100% in December?

Have been seeing physio to start pre surgery physio but was wondering if there any moves that people really found beneficial. Only have access to pretty basic equipment (no fancy machines).

Any advice suggestions more than welcome.

After my acl replacement surgery I remember feeling human after six weeks and pretty normal after 6 months. It's a long recovery unfortunately. My consultant told me not to ski for 9 months so I was on the slopes (albeit extremely tentatively) 9 months and 3 days post op :mrgreen: Huge amounts of physio was involved to get me there as well as some amazing support and encouragement from my fellow skiers on the slopes.

Any exercise for the quads will help, squatting, etc. Cold when swollen post workout and warmth when resting was what I was told and it worked for me (although I know there is much debate about this).

That was four years ago and I've just had my first pain free ski holiday. Paracetamol and ibuprofen every four hours helped in the past.

Best of luck :thumbup:

Watched a video clip of a SH skiing very carefully at 12 weeks post ACL rebuild. He's now back to full form, following winter.

My OH skis with one missing. He was unaware that it had been gone for some time when he started to learn to ski. Now uses a Cti brace.

So you will be missing your Mont Blanc trip then? That's a shame. If it's only ACL you should probably be fine by December, but will need to wear a brace for a while. I did mine ages ago when I was 12 iceskating but never had an operation after seeing a number of specialists. Lot of physio though. It's usually worse when complicated by some other tear. A friend tore ACL and meniscus a few years back and switched to snowboarding as a result. She said her knee never regain it's full strength post operation. But it could also be because the wrong choice of graft.

VSB, did just tear yours? Mine apparently is "completely ruptured", but apart from lack of full flexibility (I gained 10 deg in last 4 days so can bike again) due to swelling actually feels pretty good. Surgery is down for early May so no Mt Blanc. Also missed some great skiing last few weeks in Chamonix :-(.

Hopefully will be good for some mountaineering in August, although am now having images of catching a crampon and busting it again.

My advice would be take it easy. It's frustrating, but 6 weeks restriction is better than a lifetime of pain if you overdo it early. I only tore mine, and didn't have an op. but it was definitely 6 weeks before I could walk properly and I didn't ski the next season.

Oh, no, it wasn't partial, and the doctor recommended by a sport club said to operate, but as my attitude to athletic achievments changed slighty after the injury, we took a second opinion, then a third etc, so the balanced view was to wait and see as children generally have a more favourable prognosis for recovery without surgical intervention.