100% ACL tear, questions.

How old are you? If you want to keep running I'd do it. With no ACL you're going to tear the meniscus again if you keep doing anything remotely athletic at all.

The exact situation happened to me. I tore the ACL many years ago (no meniscus) and the doc said I could do a short rehab and keep going without surgery (college athletics) or do the surgery. I probably wouldn't have kept a spot on the team if I did surgery, so I did the PT rehab. Made it through college with no issues. But literally as soon as I stopped training as much post-college, I re-injured the knee and that time blew out the ACL, meniscus, and patella.

Had first surgery almost 6 years ago now. It didn't work. I just had my second reconstruction about 5 months ago. Doc was better the second time, but it's incredible the difference in the recovery. The first week was pretty miserable but it got better in a hurry. You're probably looking at it impacting your day-to-day walking around for 6-ish weeks.

I'm back to jogging now. Strength is not quite even in both legs yet, but getting very close. I can just about do a single leg squat on my surgical knee which I couldn't even do pre-surgery.

If you're less than 40 I'd definitely say go for it. As I said, I'm on number 2 and only 5 months out I think I'd be willing to give it one more go if this one doesn't work. So it can't be all that bad haha.

My understanding is they want to build up the supporting muscles, especially the quad, pre-surgery to help with post-op recovery. Kind of give you a jump start, and fight some of the atrophy.

I worked at a PT clinic for two years and I would recommend going. I’ve come across too many people who never wanted to go and now they walk like they have a stick up their arse.

I had a daughter that had a 100% ACL tear 14 months ago. She was in shape but the surgeon still wanted her to complete 4 weeks of pre-hab at the PT prior to the surgery. Those muscles will go into atrophy quickly and the stronger they are the quicker the recovery is how it was described. They will have you walking immediately and in PT immediately after surgery but it is a lot of hard work. She came back stronger than before with the weight room work that was required to pass the "return to play" testing.

You'll be fine without it I can do everything I could with it with the exception of lateral cutting while running. If you plan on doing anything that requires that movement basketball for example you can get a really good brace to help. The braces are pricey but worth it.

I currently powerlift without an ACL, jog occsionally, bike, play with the dog in the yard, etc. I haven't had the slightest bit of problem with it in the last 20 years since I tore it.

Thanks all for the replies. I figured this thread would be very one sided, not split like it is. I am 30 years old and on one hand figure that if I can just change what I do, I would be happy. On the other, I do not like having to settle and not do things that I enjoy at my age.

I do not beleive that physical therapy is overly effective, but I told myself that I would give it a chance this go around. My first session is Tuesday. I will listen to the PT and ultimately listen to my doctor.

TideSaint, not calling BS. Did you disclose your injury to the Navy? I thought that an ACL level injury was an auto disqualifier?

If the PT is done correctly before surgery it will help decrease swelling and inflammation and increase muscle tone and strength, rather than increase swelling longer. Doctors do that because they have seen that it helps.