bodybuilding/powerlifting after a.c.l. surgery

[hhansen215]

any bodybuilders or powerlifters out there that have had acl surgery? howd it affect you? im about to have surgery in a few weeks and was looking for some feedback on how it might affect my training short term and long term

 

[hhansen215]

no one on this board has had an acl tear?

 

[FeverishFlux]

The hardest part about training after acl is walking with weights/plates/dumbells.
You're going to be stuck using machines for everything. I don't know your routine, but there's noway you're going to be able to walk dumbells from the rack to the bench/seat or walk plates from the rack to the bar.
I've got a lifting partner who had acl/patella surgery. We all got together to make sure he didn't have to walk with weight for 3mos. The funny thing was when he dragged it out so we were his plate/dumbell bishes after a cpl months lol.
If you have access to a pool, take advantage and walk/run in it as much as possible as soon as you're ready post op.:s:ar-wars

 

[gettnlarge01]

best advice you"ll get is not to rush the rehab. You"ll know when you are readay to start using heavy weights again. I"ve had mine done years ago(along with other things repaired) it was a year before I was comfortable with heavy weights. I just adjusted my training and made the best of it.

 

[FRKNHUGE]

a close friend is a 198r n busted up both knees and had surgery, the lil fuc&er can still squat over 7 billz w ease, he said it just takes time. my advice, dont rush

frk

 

[boops]

had mine repaired a few years ago and as said above NO REASON TO RUSH things, you NEED to let it heal and let the graft "take" otherwise youll be getting the knee opened up again.....

the plus to your rehab is in that you should have the mentality needed to push through some pain and understand recovery having been a BB'er or powerlifter.....also having good muscle tone/development prior to the surgery will help as well....

some people refer to PT as "pain and torture" but i looked at it as i would completing a set in the gym and i knew the end result of it all would be worth it...

depending on your doctor you SHOULD be walking or trying to walk on it as much as you can stand....i was walking on mine the next day, all be it very very very gingerly and with the aid of a walker or crutches....also the extent of your injury will dictate walking on it right away....

ILL SAY THE HARDEST PART FOR ME WAS MENTALY TESTING THE KNEE IN THE END AND ALSO GIVING UP THE BRACE, I TORE MINE PLAYING BBALL AND IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET BACK TO PLAYING AND THEN EVEN LONGER TO GET RID OF THE BRACE AND IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD AS I WAS AFRAID (YES AFRAID) OF IT TEARING AGAIN...

well bro i wish you luck in your recovery and if your smart youll listen to some of what i said but above all TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO WHAT YOUR THERAPIST AND DOCTOR SAYS....anything else pm me

 

[hhansen215]

thanks alot all

 

[smootheavy]

any bodybuilders or powerlifters out there that have had acl surgery? howd it affect you? im about to have surgery in a few weeks and was looking for some feedback on how it might affect my training short term and long term

check out the Q&A over at elitefts.com

they are a powerlifting resource...quite a few have had acl/knee injuries/surgery etc...search the q&a first and if you dont find what you need ask.

theyre good people over there.

BTW for anyone else interested in strength and learning some new and unique exercises, check out the site

 

[engbulldog]

had mine done2 yrs ago and my left leg is 1 inch small and still not able to use the same weight as before!!!!Knee still hurts the doc told me to give up bb and dont think about sports anymore as i was a wrestling coach

 

[smootheavy]

had mine done2 yrs ago and my left leg is 1 inch small and still not able to use the same weight as before!!!!Knee still hurts the doc told me to give up bb and dont think about sports anymore as i was a wrestling coach

no offense intended by this but that is the stupidest statement I have ever heard by an "expert" on healthcare!

I am no doctor but I will tell you if it hurts now, stop exercising and see how much worse it gets. seems to me the surgeon who performed the op didnt do a very good job. A friend of mine blew his at the beginning of wrestling season in college his senior year...he got the op right away, rehabbed and still went to nationals and took second!

he's never had a problem since, but if he quits exercising he can "feel" it

some of the best advice I can give (and this is from experience too, I tore my lcl but opted not for surgery as it wasnt a total avulsion/rupture) focus on posterior chain exercises, ie hamstrings and unilateral quad exercises like walking lunges, split squats, step ups at various hights of boxes, and glute-ham raises.

these have worked well for me, I fractured my fibula, tore my lcl and tore my semimembranosus and smitendinosus (hammy muscle/tendons) and tore some medial meniscus...all rehabbed on my own

If I train smart and pay attention to it I can pretty much do it all...

when I dont train for a while though, man it gets tight, aches and gives me problems especially when I wrestle and tran BJJ

 

[phoenix13]

had mine repaired a few years ago and as said above NO REASON TO RUSH things, you NEED to let it heal and let the graft "take" otherwise youll be getting the knee opened up again.....

the plus to your rehab is in that you should have the mentality needed to push through some pain and understand recovery having been a BB'er or powerlifter.....also having good muscle tone/development prior to the surgery will help as well....

some people refer to PT as "pain and torture" but i looked at it as i would completing a set in the gym and i knew the end result of it all would be worth it...

depending on your doctor you SHOULD be walking or trying to walk on it as much as you can stand....i was walking on mine the next day, all be it very very very gingerly and with the aid of a walker or crutches....also the extent of your injury will dictate walking on it right away....

DON'T RUSH RECOVERY. Find a PT you trust and follow the program. Push yourself carefully.

Decide before your surgery that you will be VERY PATIENT. If you let it heal and rehab it properly, you will be as strong as, if not stronger than you were pre-injury.