Thread: 10 months and still hurting

It is what it is. I tore my ACL 70% of the way and fractured my knee's lateral condyle. Had an x-ray and MRI of course, but the doctors couldn't do anything because I don't use my body for a career. I was on crutches for about 10 months and took me another 2-3 months hobbling around without crutches ( I got tired of using them -- ego etc.) in order to re-learn how to walk. Pain everyday of those 13 months. It took over 2 years for the pain to completely subside and it has been over three years now and I'm basically pain free except for some issues with stiffness.

I, of course, lost all of my gains in the gym as well. Over a year after my injury, I was only really squatting bodyweight. However, I'm back to squatting hundreds of pounds after the years of getting back into it -- the strength came back pretty quickly.

There are tons of people like us with these kinds of stories -- complaining doesn't help any of them (I understand that you are letting off steam and not necessary being whiny).
The best thing you can do is get back into the gym as soon as you are healthy. You need to build back the muscles around your knee in order to provide support for it.

Your post makes me feel better, at least there is hope. How did you manage your pain? Ice packs, pain killers? Did you file for unemployment? Just curious, thanks.

Last september 09 I had a massive back injury and slipped a disk. After it slipped it pinched my sciatic nerver. Easily the worst pain I haver ever delt with in my life. I didnt think I would ever be able to do physical activity again.

I was having pack pain the entire summer of 09 but kept pushing it thinking the pain would heal. Finally eventually it just gave out. First day it happened I could not stand up higher than a 45 degree angle. That night when I went to bed was the most excruciating pain in my life. I could not move at all. Took me an hour to get out of bed and when I did I fell to the floor in so much pain I passed out. Doctors really couldnt do anything. The only thing that helped with the pain was ice. Ice almost instantly made it feel better to reduce the swelling.

Long story short. I ended up having to take it easy and relax for the first time in my life. Sucked because I ended up putting on some fat weight. That was about 7 months ago. I am finally about 97% healed and just now started working out again. Sometimes you just have to take it easy to heal. Hope this helps.

Don't give up hope. I've heard of people coming back from worse, trust me.

I hear you on the whole healthcare problem. I actually had healthcare when I had my knee surgery. Well good ol' insurance company dropped me right after they paid for everything. They didn't even inform me; I just stopped getting bills. I called them up and they said if you retroactively pay the last couple of months we'll reinstate your insurance at your old rates and you won't have to re-apply. I did just that, they cashed my check, but they didn't reinstate the insurance coverage. I goto get insurance from a new company, and now they want me to sign a waiver excluding my right knee and anything related to it, except for cancer, from the coverage they are to provide for the next two years. If I smash my knee on the dashboard in a car accident, according to the addendum, they can deny my claim because of this preexisting condition. Too bad it's not a preexisting condition because I had it corrected by surgery, went through with all my physical therapy sessions, and got clearance from my surgeon for full functional use. Fuck insurance companies.

Originally Posted by DesertFox

Your post makes me feel better, at least there is hope. How did you manage your pain? Ice packs, pain killers? Did you file for unemployment? Just curious, thanks.

I didn't do much to manage the pain, I just stubbornly dealt with it. Narcotics were available but I didn't take them.

I wouldn't recommend following that path though. I'm a student (I had a near full time job at the time, but I had to leave, no unemployment too) and I had to do a lot of walking around campus on the bad knee. It's obviously miserable to not treat the pain -- I'd recommend just doing whatever the doctors recommend.

As ComPimp said -- no need to give up hope. You have all your fingers and toes, and in time, this will heal and you'll be back to normal.

Thanks for the responses, I know I am not the only one who is going through this or has gone through this. I appreciate yalls stories, I really do and I give yall props for getting through it I used to hear while watching soccer on tv about how some players just aren't the same after an injury. I never really knew why, I mean if they are 100% then what is to be afraid of? Now though, I know exactly what they mean and I completely grasp the concept. Once going through a traumatic and stressful experience is enough that nobody wants to go through it again.

I know for myself that if and when I recover I will never go overboard again. I just don't know how I will be able to deal with another harsh injury again. It really is a pretty depressing and stressful thing and I wouldn't wish this on any decent person. I've gone from 225lbs and about 17% body fat to 191lbs and about 30% body fat in these 10 months. I have really let myself go, eating greasy food of all sorts and not burning it off but there is nothing I

Well, I bought some Super Cissus RX and I applied for a discount at the hospital and I haven't gotten a response yet. The Cissus has helped with the pain and my knees are popping less, they still pop alot just not as much. I've also been using Flex RX from ironmaglabs and I believe it has helped a bit.

I think the real culprit on the topic of less pain is the super cissus though. The Flex RX helps with the joints and all but the cissus helps with ligaments and tendons and thats what I am pretty sure I injured, or tore or whatever. Hopefully I will be able to get news from the hospital soon, any discount would be nice. I am a college student, work part time at minimum wage and I pay bills so its hard to dish out large amounts of money at once.

Could anyone recommend some exercises that strenghten the muscles around the knee? Would be nice to know for when and if I recover, thanks.

I did machine-assisted quad and ham work until I was able to get depth on the squat. Once I was healthy enough to walk properly, the strength came back pretty quickly.

Originally Posted by ectomorph141

Last september 09 I had a massive back injury and slipped a disk. After it slipped it pinched my sciatic nerver. Easily the worst pain I haver ever delt with in my life. I didnt think I would ever be able to do physical activity again.

I was having pack pain the entire summer of 09 but kept pushing it thinking the pain would heal. Finally eventually it just gave out. First day it happened I could not stand up higher than a 45 degree angle. That night when I went to bed was the most excruciating pain in my life. I could not move at all. Took me an hour to get out of bed and when I did I fell to the floor in so much pain I passed out. Doctors really couldnt do anything. The only thing that helped with the pain was ice. Ice almost instantly made it feel better to reduce the swelling.

Long story short. I ended up having to take it easy and relax for the first time in my life. Sucked because I ended up putting on some fat weight. That was about 7 months ago. I am finally about 97% healed and just now started working out again. Sometimes you just have to take it easy to heal. Hope this helps.

What did you have to do to recover? And where was the slipped disc?

I hear you man. Two years ago I fractured my left humerus right clean in half and the bone didn't want to heal for nearly a year. Basically my arm shrank to the size of a pencil literally. Just over a year ago I had surgery to correct it (plate/screws/bone graft) and it healed well. Nevertheless, it hurt like hell trying to workout for a few months especially going on little heavier weights. I was persistent and now my workouts are pain free. I would wait for the MRI results before getting fully down on yourself. X-rays show damage to joints and bones so you know you don't have anything wrong there. Perhaps it's something that can be corrected so keep the hope.

Well I found something out today I didn't want to hear. It turns out I have a torn meniscus and it looks pretty bad...they referred me to a specialist to see if I need surgery and by the looks the GP gave me, I definitely do.. I also found out something that got me depressed, turns out I have an early case of rheumatoid arthritis. I am only 21 yrs old....what kind of future can I look forward to? sigh...

Sorry to bump an old thread but my post count wasn't high enough to PM this.

I really hate to hear that but don't give up hope. My sister was diagnosed with that at 18 years old and while it's definitely something tough to deal with it is manageable. She's 40 now and while she does deal with daily pain she is still very active and mobile. Of course some days are better then others.

My point is don't quit fighting!!

Originally Posted by DesertFox

I was 20 when i injured my right knee i was doing some squats when i felt something pop in my right knee. There was immediate pain but 4 days later I felt like new so I went at it and pretty much fucked both my knees up. Pain is on daily, the popping in my knees is endless. I went to a local healthcare clinic where i get discount and had some x-rays done.

Everything came back fine but now I had to get an MRI at the hospital where I dont have a discount. I never went for lack of money and no insurance. I look like an old man when I sit down or get up, I have lost all my gains. What a fucked up country this is where people without resources are pretty much fucked. Yeah, the healthcare bill passed but it wont be effective til 6 more months. Great, and not to forget its 50 years too late.

I feel like shit, and this is why I made this post. I probably will never be pain free again seeing how I have walked on injured knees for so long. There is most likely permanent damage. If only i could turn back time.

that sucks, have you tried massaging your tfl, piriformis, quads, abductors, VM, etc...to see if that will decrease the pain and make you feel better? I do that before I stretch my quads/hip flexors or I will feel strain on my knee when stretching, which is weird. and when my knees are bothering me and I massage the tfl or piriformis with a tennis ball, lacrosse ball, golf ball, softball, or whatever kind of ball you want to use, the ache is gone. its just really weird how a trigger point can do something like this. but...you did say you heard a pop sound..could be a torn ACL or torn MS and in this case, massaging probably won't work if something is torn. Without an MRI, it is hard to diagnose.


One thing you did not mention though is..where exactly is the pain? kneecap itself? outside of knee? inside of knee? What kind of pain? sharp? dull? ache? What cant you do now that you used to be able to do before the pain started? I am not a doctor or a therapist, but mentioning the details like these questions I asked will help those that do know a lot about knees and are physical therapists be able to help you.

all you guys came back from bad injury , the back is bad and acl is worse. i just cant walk for 1/2 after i get up then i slowly move around in bed to a standing postion. just overuse injury in my case so i feel blessed i didnt suffer only minor bad knees from yrs of squating. i wish all you guys the best of luck with all your injuries you recovered or are recovering from. just keep training they say.