ACL reconstructive surgery

[Mary]

<font color='#F52887'>I've just been given the news that I no longer have an anterior cruciate ligament in my knee and as such am going to have a reconstruction to stop the nasty symptoms I get now (like my leg just giving way when I'm walking along) &nbsp;

Was chatting with the surgeon about time off work and recovery etc and asked him about diving, he was of the opinion that no active sports for 6 months, I did point out that diving was low impact but he has no experince of divers before.

Has anyone had and ACL reconstruction and what happened to you?

[Helen F H]

<font color='#000080'>Nope but it sounds REALLY nasty!

Cant you do it yourself if you give a local anaesthetic?

Thats not helpfull is it?

[DiveBuddy2]

<font color='#000080'>My regular buddy had it done last year and was a good 6 months out the water. If you push it and try to dive too early you will undo all the repair surgery.

[Juz]

<font color='#000F22'>Mary,

Whilst I agree diving is low impact in the water, I'm sure it couldn't be counted as such out of the water.

Kitting up on the boat, walking to the entry, climbing a ladder, walking to the waters edge at stoney etc...... And all of this perhaps whilst fully kitted and with a weight belt.

Juz

[Mary]

<font color='#F52887'>I know the only way admittedly that I was even considering getting back in the water earlier was with my very own dive sherpa to carry kit for me, and on boats with lifts, plus from what I can gather, it may be possible to get one of those magic blue stickers for your car.

[neroage]

<font color='#FF00FF'>Hi Mary, I'm a physio, and I've also had reconstruction on my knee. Once the inital post-surgery symptoms have settled (6-8 weeks, depending on skill of the orthopod), diving should actually help (low impact etc, and fins should actually help with your proprioception).......however......shifting kit and actually getting in the water could be a problem.

Feel free to PM me if you want any specific advice. I also did my undergrad research on conservative management of the ACL deficient knee, so can give you some pointers while you wait.

[hazey]

Guy in our club got the same advice - gentle finning but no lugging heavy kit about. &nbsp;So for a while he ditched his twin set and went paddling with a single 12, gently rolling back of a rib.

[japandiver]

Last August, my wife had the ACL operation and 3 months later she was diving (a little). She was happy in the water but unhappy on land with tanks / weight belts etc.

From her experience, doing lots of physio / leg strengthening exercises both before and after the surgery is really important - the more obessive you are about preparing and strengthening the muscles, the quicker you`ll heal.

Good luck with the ACL op.

Hugh

[Mdemon]

Guy at work is facing the Op - exactly as the others have said, 5-8 weeks before being up and about and 6 months before impact sports can start, preferably 12. &nbsp;Nice to have a physio on the board too, Neroage!

Adding to what the others have said, be aware that it's not just undoing the repair that you need to think about. &nbsp;I have just had my chest x-ray'd and been put &quot;off diving&quot; for 2 weeks - the reason they gave was that ANY tissue injury restricting blood flow could be a cause of bubbles and you could get bent! &nbsp;They said you could get bent from a twisted ankle FFS... &nbsp;(They also went into tension pneumothorax and how getting one underwater was a really, really BAD thing! )

However, as long as you are all healed up/bruises gone etc, you should be OK - you're a quack, you know the score.

I may regret this, but seeing as gentle finning will speed your recovery, and since you are going to be diving down here soon, I'll offer you my services as dive sherpa on the understanding that you don't take the p*ss!!! &nbsp;Can I suggest using a hardboat with a lift by the way? &nbsp;A revelation, I can tell you.

[beanie]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Mdemon @ April 27 2004,11:56)]I may regret this, but seeing as gentle finning will speed your recovery, and since you are going to be diving down here soon, I'll offer you my services as dive sherpa on the understanding that you don't take the p*ss!!!  Can I suggest using a hardboat with a lift by the way?  A revelation, I can tell you.

<font color='#8D38C9'>wouldn't a RIB and kit off be better?