I BROKE MY QUAD TENDONS ON BOTH MY LEGS - need help!

[bigmax]

I just have my stitches removed

Yesterday I had the stitches removed, the scar was shorter and smaller than I taught, and that's a fortune, now I have only to be patient and wait for my rehab. My surgeon was hyper cautios, he commended me 45 days in bed with legs immobilized and absolutely no load on legs (usually you can put your feet on the ground 3 weeks after surgery), and my rehab at the hospital wil last up to 40 days, I'll keep you updated of my progress, by now every suggestion is over-welcome as usual.

I had'nt enought time to talk to my surgeon but brobably left knee was the most devastated, I still don't know if I had a patellar tendon rupture only or also a quad tendon one, the only thing I remember is that surgeon opened the knee and asked me "What hell did you do to get this damage?" Ionly suppose both tendons reached togheter their breaking point if it is really so its a more unique then a rare situation!

I had no graft, it could be because the surgeon found tendons in good conditions, about rehab I have heard different opinions, many seem to claim the energic way is the best to obtein good and fast results, but I'm scared about a possible damage, so I insisted on the longest time available by the national health service, and if I can make it longer somehow I will surely do it, I'll be scared until recovery won't be really over... I'm worried about the psycological issue as much as the phisical one.

 

[thebrick]

Bro, you will be fine. Glad no grafts were needed too. I didn't need that either. Sounds like your doc is doing the same as mine did. Knees locked in extension with no load for 6 weeks. You want those tendons to firmly reattach to the patellas before you start stressing them!!! You don't want to tear them again!!! You can't rush this. Just let your body do what it needs to do, and it will heal. 6 weeks out should be about the time you start your rehab. Your PT will focus on getting your mobility and strength back. You are going to be very stiff and weak after 6 weeks of being immobilized!!! That's very normal. Its like when you break a bone and after a couple months the cast comes off, the muscle has atrophied. BUT! You do get it back after a systematic rehab. I am here to tell you, I have been down the exact same road. For now.... keep your head up, eat a good diet (and throw in some good junk/comfort food in there for your sanity if you want to) get you a good book, watch TV and think about the day when you get back up on your feet.

PM me if you want... I feel for you right now bro, this 6 weeks is the worse part of this... the waiting!

 

[despo]

weird how doctors treat the rehab in different ways .. i started pt about 2 after surgery ..that really sucks to have that on both legs at the same time . i have that same scar on my left leg , sorry man...
btw sucks trying to take a shit doesnt it!

 

[TeamZ]

I tore my rt quad 11 months ago I'm back doing light leg work but the thing that gets me the most is the loss of balance and coordination, has anyone else experienced this ??? Brick, Massive G ???? It really bothers me, I Almost fell tonight walking up the bleachers at my daughters soccer game.
Brick is right the 6 weeks on the couch is hell but hang in there it does get better!

 

[thebrick]

TeamZ, I did experience some coordination issues and weakness in my knees for a while, but it seems to have smoothed out over time. I remember just walking along in the beginning and one knee would sort of give a bit, like I was about to fall, but I didn't. Even now, the mechanics in my knees feels a little different than before, not really an issue but still kinda weird.

 

[physiqueartist]

bros I feel for you!!! I tore my pec 12 weeks ago surgery almost month ago can look at www.putfile.com/physiqueartist/images. Imobilized for the last 4 weeks- dr said no cardio etc for fear of blood clots.

hardest thing for me is my wife has to dress me for work as I cant use my left arm at all- so when its time to take a dump i have to drive back home- sell pharmaceuticals so I can be an hour from home and have to rush back home. next to feeling like a 3 year old is I hit a huge depression- when i tore it and waited for surgery i couldnt do what i loved got down- hit the junk food and beer pretty bad- had that poor me feeling. now its dealing with the atrophy. I know it will come back when I start. dr said may release me back to the gym next week to start light legsd and cardio so I am praying.


bigmax- sorry for your injury bro- my thoughts and prayers are with you. to get out of depression I actually got ahold of a few bodybuilders who tore pecs and talked to them about supps, time to recovery and what to expect. I worked on reading as much information on how to recover faster, what to do when i am back and watch a ton of comedies- think i watched tommy boy like 10 times in the past month. Like other said listen to your dr and do not start anything to fast- your muscle have great memory and things will come back- try to eat healthy, try to enjoy the rest watch a ton of movies.

 

[dragonfire101]

Wow, I have had my share of injuries, but mothing that major. I wish you guys with those injuries the best of luck. I'm wondering like rotator cuff exercises if their are exercises to stregthen knee tendons for injury prevention. I mean yes there are knee tendon exrecises that I did for my meniscus tears, but will they prevent injury from occuring or is it just an unlucky postition the knee is in that will injure it regardless.

 

[bigmax]

I wasn't bold enought to look at the surgery pics... as soon as had a glimpse of the naked bones I had to close the window, nevertheless i have a strong confidence in the surgeon, he's a a former basketball player (he's terribly tall!) so he understands perfectly what's the meaning of a serious sports activity, and i'm sure he used his surgical skills bearing in his mind my wish to come back lifting in the future.

 

[thebrick]

Wow, I have had my share of injuries, but mothing that major. I wish you guys with those injuries the best of luck. I'm wondering like rotator cuff exercises if their are exercises to stregthen knee tendons for injury prevention. I mean yes there are knee tendon exrecises that I did for my meniscus tears, but will they prevent injury from occuring or is it just an unlucky postition the knee is in that will injure it regardless.

Well, one of the first things the surgeon asked me was if I was using testosterone. I denied it even though I was on a cycle. He told me there are studies that suggested that exogenous testosterone weakened tendons.... but this could probably be another whole new thread....

 

[thebrick]

I wasn't bold enought to look at the surgery pics... as soon as had a glimpse of the naked bones I had to close the window, nevertheless i have a strong confidence in the surgeon, he's a a former basketball player (he's terribly tall!) so he understands perfectly what's the meaning of a serious sports activity, and i'm sure he used his surgical skills bearing in his mind my wish to come back lifting in the future.

I am glad you have a surgeon that was in sports. It makes a difference in the mindset and you know he understands your thinking. Don't think about the old pictures. Keep focused on your recovery. Renting some good movies is a great idea. I remember when I started my PT, I felt like I was out of prison!

 

[bigmax]

I will have my rehab at the Campolongo Hospital, its a big medical center settled between a huge mediterranean pines wood and the shore of the gulf of Salerno, from the pictures it looks more like a holiday camp than an hospital, this should help for mood, but its quite far from my home, so I need to buy a laptop and an UMTS phone just to stay in contact with the rest of the world, I will keep you updated of my progress.


Brick,

I have been looking for the studies you mentioned for a long time, but I cuoldnt find nothing specific, most of the cases they don't specify the kind of aas wich they refer to, if you find something I'll be glad to look at it...

 

[aquaholic]

I watched the video of that guy squatting,
and his legs collapsing.
..and i had a nightmare last night based on this!

It was scary.
Very scary.

 

[Dangkolo]

It will get better in time

I had an open quad surgery April 5th 2007, It had formed a cyst (8mm) from a prior tear where the quad tendon connects to the patellar. Right smack in the middle of the tendon like a boiled egg, On top of that they say my tendon was degenerative, When I saw the MRI, it was like a block of cheese, instead of a smooth clean and straight tendon, mine looked like swiss cheese. I followed doctors orders and didn't train legs until after the surgery, fearing that it could tear at any time. It took two yrs. to finally figure all this out, The first time it happened they said it would heal on its own, well it did and with new problems as well.
Anywayz My doctor said I would wear this brace for 8wks, I had it off in 6wks. I started PT and man let me tell you, it was slow and I had to basically learn how to walk again. I still get pain time to time and there is some clicking in there I didn't have before, maybe just scar tissue but I will find out at the end of the month. As for PT They already kicked me out and I am on my own, I have been doing lunges up and down the basketball court and I have squated on the smith 280lb. It doesn't sound like much but it is progress. My muscle atrophy was eneormous, but now it is starting to look normal, It takes time and my doctor told me the quad muscles are the hardest to bring back after any knee surgery or imobilizing. The real judge will be Mr. Phil Hernon when I send him some new pics and he will probally notice my quad. One more thing, I did blow up as well, I was a fat ass after all this and it took me just over two months to get back into decent shape. Hang in there and everything will be good, myself I just try not to get greedy and push to far.............................

 

[bigmax]

...I'm having some swelling...

I realize now my knees are swollen, it has been a steady process started since I took off bendages, the point is that now it's getting unconfortable: i have a burning and I fear it could get worse, should I use something to get rid of the inflammation, use any retaining bandage or simply do nothing and wait?

 

[thebrick]

I used ice packs religiously after my surgery for the swelling. I also used Tramadol for pain since I don't like pain medication with codeine. It will get better, but its a process you will go through to get back on your feet.

And I forgot to add, they also had me use very tight compression stockings on my legs to help control the swelling. They were very uncomfortable, but it worked

 

[TeamZ]

TeamZ, I did experience some coordination issues and weakness in my knees for a while, but it seems to have smoothed out over time. I remember just walking along in the beginning and one knee would sort of give a bit, like I was about to fall, but I didn't. Even now, the mechanics in my knees feels a little different than before, not really an issue but still kinda weird.

That's exactly what mine does, or on an un even floor like rubber gym flooring I'm always stumbling, Glad to hear it does get better!!!! I was worried!

 

[allbeef]

Take Dad advice

But having siad that this is facinate to speculate about how the specific gear may have dried or weakened the tendons. If things where normal it should have been a muscle tearing first. Thats why I like discusiing our experiences and the medical issues associated. I think you also know that I enjoty talking about busts and how to minimize risk when sourcing. In the later case i am an expert, when it comes to medical issues I am in the medical field and so I may feel like self treatiing and abcess, or I may feel like attributing my own blood pressure elevations to cycles.

I also want to say though yes for all the sides and all the related, confusing medical issues related to AS use like hair loss, acne, HTN, ED, abcess, Sleep apnea, anxiety, These are only a fe of the standouts and it is not a good idea for a young man to have many of these medical issues on his medical record for an insurance company to obtain, becuase when he goes to get life insurance for his family, he may be phucked Probably should add a sexually transmitted diseeaese or two for our hypersexual brothers.

And doctors are fine, I have my own hormone doctor that would keep certain things off record, but you aren't going to have my doc or any other doctore in his right mind aggree to let me take 2 grams of test a week. So there is a place on these boards for trying in a rationale way to discuss or experirience and or thoughts. It is clear we don't have many doctors on board, which would be a wonderful contribution to any medical thread.

So consider using a communiyty healthclinic for the homeless as there are some awful good doctors who truly care providing confidentialservice.

 

[bigmax]

I used ice packs religiously after my surgery for the swelling. I also used Tramadol for pain since I don't like pain medication with codeine. It will get better, but its a process you will go through to get back on your feet.

And I forgot to add, they also had me use very tight compression stockings on my legs to help control the swelling. They were very uncomfortable, but it worked

Pain does'nt scare me, actually it's manageable for me, I'm jus annoyed by a pathology I did not have got few days ago, I admit that despite I'm still with my legs in extension on the bed (I don't get off the bed since august 1st) i'm starting to feel restless my legs are itching badly in the braces and I have to open them often to scratch my skin, moreover here is veery hot... around 34 celsius degrees, its an unbearable situation and I agitate more than usual, these may be included in the possible causes of increased knee swelling.

 

[thebrick]

Pain does'nt scare me, actually it's manageable for me, I'm jus annoyed by a pathology I did not have got few days ago, I admit that despite I'm still with my legs in extension on the bed (I don't get off the bed since august 1st) i'm starting to feel restless my legs are itching badly in the braces and I have to open them often to scratch my skin, moreover here is veery hot... around 34 celsius degrees, its an unbearable situation and I agitate more than usual, these may be included in the possible causes of increased knee swelling.

I understand completely. I went through the exact same situation. I would open my braces just to get some air on my legs. They got very hot and as the incisions heal, your legs itch. I had mine on during the summer too. Plus, just laying there waiting for the time to pass sucks. I remember counting the days I could get started on my PT, literally.... anything to get moving again and out of that damn bed. Some days it REALLY grated on my nerves.

You can try elevating your legs some, that helps with the swelling too.

 

[bigmax]

...It works, thanks!

I understand completely. I went through the exact same situation. I would open my braces just to get some air on my legs. They got very hot and as the incisions heal, your legs itch. I had mine on during the summer too. Plus, just laying there waiting for the time to pass sucks. I remember counting the days I could get started on my PT, literally.... anything to get moving again and out of that damn bed. Some days it REALLY grated on my nerves.

You can try elevating your legs some, that helps with the swelling too.

I tried this night to sleep elevating legs (I'm sleeping around 3hours per night ) It was unconfortable and somehow painful, but after few hours swelling sees to decrease.

This morning I have been talking to the surgeon, and he told me I can start a passive mobilization up to 15" under a physioteraphist supervision, but neither quad contraction nor loading on legs.