I tore my acl over 2 years ago...

[mrsneakyz28]

I was playing soccer and planted my foot to take a shot after a long sprint downfield when I guess my body rotated, I heard a loud pop and went down in a ton of pain. It was extremely swollen and I could not walk for almost 2 weeks. I did not go to the doctor at all because I had no insurance. Anyway for the next year and a half it felt weak, would pop out of place every now and then and once I thought I reinjured it (got really swollen, but went away after a day).

Anway I started training MT last may but only was able to go 1-2x a week for 2-3 months due to work, distance, getting married, etc. When I started I still felt a looseness in my knee but never hurt it. I started training again in january and have been training 6 days a week both MT and BJJ with no problems at all. I'm doing my first bjj tourny this weekend, and will also start sparring in MT this week. I really want to go full on with competing, so now I wanted some opinions.

I am fully aware that I SHOULD have done something about the injury when it happened but I did not and that is in the past. But since it was so long ago if I am having no problems should I continue to train the way I am for as long as I can, or is it really something that I still need to get looked at asap? I don't think I could take the heartbreak of being out of commission for 6 months+ when I am really just starting to train how I've always hoped I could.

 

[dat1978]

I was playing soccer and planted my foot to take a shot after a long sprint downfield when I guess my body rotated, I heard a loud pop and went down in a ton of pain. It was extremely swollen and I could not walk for almost 2 weeks. I did not go to the doctor at all because I had no insurance. Anyway for the next year and a half it felt weak, would pop out of place every now and then and once I thought I reinjured it (got really swollen, but went away after a day).

Anway I started training MT last may but only was able to go 1-2x a week for 2-3 months due to work, distance, getting married, etc. When I started I still felt a looseness in my knee but never hurt it. I started training again in january and have been training 6 days a week both MT and BJJ with no problems at all. I'm doing my first bjj tourny this weekend, and will also start sparring in MT this week. I really want to go full on with competing, so now I wanted some opinions.

I am fully aware that I SHOULD have done something about the injury when it happened but I did not and that is in the past. But since it was so long ago if I am having no problems should I continue to train the way I am for as long as I can, or is it really something that I still need to get looked at asap? I don't think I could take the heartbreak of being out of commission for 6 months+ when I am really just starting to train how I've always hoped I could.

that fact that you can do anything at all is amazing. sounds like if you did tear a ligament it wasn't a complete tear. otherwise i think your knee would be way to unstable to be doing activity. anyway, if you are training then you NEED to go get that checked out. you only have two knees man and if you screw them up, you'll be effed for life. don't take chances with your knees, or your health in general is my advice.

 

[Oeshon]

like theposter above me said, get this shit checked out ASAP.

 

[Freeman102010]

Hi I have a torn ACL as well;

I was just stubborn and stupid about it to not go tot the doctor (a couple of bad experiences - not the doctors fault. just weird stuff). I'm Canadian so insurance isn't an issue.

finnally it gave in and went to the doctor, got x-ray then MRI. in the meantime getting some physio and rehabbing it proprely on my own.

Specialist wasn't surprised. I think its not that rare that a person can be active with a torn ACL. The physiotherapist said lots of people carry on with perfectly normal lives with a torn ACL.

The specialist said it was entirely up to me if I wanted to have corrective surgery. The fact that I can walk around but it occationally gives out *a bit* is really bad on the joints and can cause arthritis at a very early age.

I'm getting married this year and the rehab, barring any reinjury, can take up to 6 months. I'm getting married in 6 months and want to be able to walk down the aisl (sp) confidently (or as confidently as I can now). I'm getting my surgery next year at the earliest now.

The thing that bothers me about your story is the fact you havn't been to a doctor period. I'm doing okay but you may not be. get the thing checked out...

 

[Freeman102010]

oh yeah and if it is your ACL and your doing MT training your screwed in the head seriously don't F'ing Spar!

I wince at the thought of a leg kick even being checked with my bad knee.

Keep it up and your asking for a wheelchair IMHO.

Go see a doctor

 

[momo203]

Hey bud, I just tore my MCL [meniscus] about 2 weeks ago for good. I suspect that I tore it a while before that because of frequent pops and pains in the knee but I ignored it for too long and one day I was in the middle of a workout and it popped for the last time and the meniscus cartilage folded in on itself causing what they call a "Bucket handle tear". When that happened my knee locked up and would not straighten nor could I put an ounce of weight on it.

I had to get surgery a couple of days later and It felt better immediately after. I understand the whole insurance deal bro. Trust me.. but .. You should save up a few thousand and plan on getting it fixed or stop doing sports all together. If you provoke it... what happened to me could happen to you. Be prepared.

 

[mrsneakyz28]

Yeah I have insurance now. I plan to go to the doctor and get it looked at very soon. Its just that its been 2 years and I feel pretty healthy now. But I definitely don't want to really fuck it up. I need a little more time training before I'm ready to be out of commission for a long period of time. I love training, and besides work and family its all I do. I was devastated when I realized that I will probably never play soccer again, and believe it or not training mma and MT is the only sport that I have yet to feel serious strain on my knee. In most sports you are running and cutting weird angles at high speeds, yes in MT you are getting attacked, but its a much more fluid controlled sport. Maybe in another 2 months I will accept the fact that I need to stop and get it fixed, I just cannot see stopping right this moment. I know I'm stupid and stubborn.

 

[SMillard]

You can function with a torn acl, but Muay Thai and take downs from BJJ are going to be your undoing.

I was in the same situation as the OP, I had previous knee injuries from playing rugby. Every time I had an injury and went to the doctor they would x-ray it, tug on the leg and tell me it seemed fine and I ended up playing the rest of my rugby and ice hockey career with a taped up and braced leg. People called me the bionic man for all the crap I had on my leg.

I stopped playing rugby and ice hockey when I got married and five years later I started doing Muay Thai, BJJ and wrestling with a high school team. Within six months I realized that I couldn't do the six days a week thing because my knee would swell up so I cut back to just doing the wrestling and BJJ. The reason I did that was because during MT classes and sparring I would tweak my knee every once in awhile.

Well about two weeks before Christmas I was practicing some stand up take downs and the instructor demonstrated a outside leg sweep on me for the class and my left foot stayed in place and knee twisted out to almost 90 degrees. I went to the doctor and found out I had a torn acl, couldn't tell how old the tear was but he thought it was 50/50 it was an old injury. I had surgery two weeks ago today and he said there was no acl there so the injury appeared to be an old one along with the bucket tear in the meniscus and a micro fracture in the cartilage which appeared fresh.

So the moral of the story is you can function with a torn acl but if you do Muay Thai and BJJ it most likely will catch up with you. Also believe it or not since your muscles of the thigh are acting as a stabilizer replacing the acl you will have some diminished strength and agility. So I'd get it addressed as soon as you can. Good luck and if you have any questions feel free to contact me.

 

[dat1978]

Hey bud, I just tore my MCL [meniscus] about 2 weeks ago for good. I suspect that I tore it a while before that because of frequent pops and pains in the knee but I ignored it for too long and one day I was in the middle of a workout and it popped for the last time and the meniscus cartilage folded in on itself causing what they call a "Bucket handle tear". When that happened my knee locked up and would not straighten nor could I put an ounce of weight on it.

I had to get surgery a couple of days later and It felt better immediately after. I understand the whole insurance deal bro. Trust me.. but .. You should save up a few thousand and plan on getting it fixed or stop doing sports all together. If you provoke it... what happened to me could happen to you. Be prepared.

just for clarification, MCL does not stand for MENISCUS. it stands for Medial Collateral Ligament. the LCL, ACL, and PCL are the others in your knee.

 

[DEVILsSON]

You may be able to function without it in day to day life but if you want to compete in MMA....then you'll probably will need to get it fixed....there are plenty of people who chose not to fix acl ...however that limits their athleticism and knee stability....with potential for other injuries...

 

[NutFlea]

You *have* to get that fixed. I don't see how you can do MT/BJJ at all! Doesn't it pop out on hard kicks? If you keep going, you're looking at arthritis and a possible full joint replacement down the line.

I had a complete ACL tear from skiing and got it repaired. Good as new.

It's a pretty full-on surgery, but I was working out 3 months afterwards.