Should I get surgery?

[Lazarus]

Football has been my sport for a while now and some friends and I kinda put together a league and were playing every Saturday, flag. Well on September 29th 2007 I dislocated my patella playing. A visit to the Ortho and MRIs revealed a torn MCL, PCL and yes ACL, an unhappy triad they call it. Along with that I torn my lateral menicus (cartiledge), had a slight fracture of my femur and a Baker's cyst developed in behind my knee. I was told I'd need surgery by one doctor and another one said to go conservative with some PT first and see what happens. Well I did some PT and about 4-6 weeks afterwards I was back out on the field playing the line.

I havent been back to the doctor sense but I've playing football and basketball but not on the level of competition I'm used to. I also sometimes get pain on the left side of my knee but it might be due to the torn cartiledge. Now when I was laid up and on crutches I lost alot of muscle and developed a limp which I got rid of for the most part but I cant run full speed. I dont know if its because I'm afraid to or because of the pain. Pain I can take but I'm afraid I might reinjure myself.

Now heres the thing, I have insurance, good insurance, so I can get the surgery and the associated PT but I'm concerned that even after surgery will I be any better. I know professional football players get injured like this all the time and they have surgery and go back to compete. Jerry Rice is one of them, but I've also heard that once you get cut open you're never the same and that scares me. I might never be the same but should I atleast try? It breaks my heart when I cant go out and do what I use to could do.

Btw, I had an appointment with the Ortho last week but I was feeling good and cancelled it but I'm going to reschedule.

[ArmyGuy45]

will it get any worse.. can you live if the pain
if you said yes then no.. go with the surgery

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by ArmyGuy45

will it get any worse.. can you live if the pain
if you said yes then no.. go with the surgery

As far as I know I can live with the pain just not my current level of play. I will get worse regardless I think. Arthritis is sure to set in by the time I'm 40.

[XDConvert9mm]

FWIW, I had a similar situation when playing ball in college. I used PT to treat and things got back to 90%...for about 10 years. I wound up having the surgery after things had degraded (cartilage) so badly that it was the only option. Back to about 90% after surgery but no further worries about future damage. If I had gone the surgery route to start with I might have been better off, but this happened in 1984 and the procedure was alot more invasive than today. If it were me, today, I would probably go ahead with it and get back on the recovery road with no future worries.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by XDConvert9mm

FWIW, I had a similar situation when playing ball in college. I used PT to treat and things got back to 90%...for about 10 years. I wound up having the surgery after things had degraded (cartilage) so badly that it was the only option. Back to about 90% after surgery but no further worries about future damage. If I had gone the surgery route to start with I might have been better off, but this happened in 1984 and the procedure was alot more invasive than today. If it were me, today, I would probably go ahead with it and get back on the recovery road with no future worries.

Yea its a little better nowadays because they make smaller cuts and do things with the scope.

[alan0269]

I've had knee problems for many years and was told at one point that I should probably have surgery on one of themby one Dr., but that I didn't "have to" get it done by another. I was OK for about 10 years, but eventually did need to get it operated on because of discomfort and my knee would occasionally lock up or give out. Now that I've had it done, I wish I would have opted for surgery when it was first an option for me. Good luck with whichever you decide to do.

[DanTheEldest]

I am in every way completely unqualified to render an opinion on this subject, therefore, I like pie.

[1lowlife]

Originally Posted by Lazarus

It breaks my heart when I cant go out and do what I use to could do.

As my wife tells me "Suck it up Buttercup"....

Join the club Bro, it is part of getting older.

Since I've gotten into my 40s, I seem to gain weight even though I don't eat any more or work out any less.

Since you have the insurance, I would say use it.
That might delay that knee replacement until you get in to your 60s..

Good luck with it Laz................

And, like Dan, I like pie too..........

[rogerxd45]

i tore my meniscus and i also streatched my acl and mcl they werent torn but i did have the surgury on the meniscus but the the acl or mcl and i really wish i had my knee hurts every day and i cant do nearly as much stuff i i used to be able to do. and the sad thing is im 22 and it just keeps getting worse.

hey on the plus side you get a few bottles of fun pills

one recomondation after your surgery when you start to walk wear crocks. i know they are ugly as hell but they help my knee alot. its the differnce between poping vicodin all day and just dealing with it with advil every now and then

[rogerxd45]

Originally Posted by Lazarus

Football has been my sport for a while now and some friends and I kinda put together a league and were playing every Saturday, flag. Well on September 29th 2007 I dislocated my patella playing. A visit to the Ortho and MRIs revealed a torn MCL, PCL and yes ACL, an unhappy triad they call it. Along with that I torn my lateral menicus (cartiledge), had a slight fracture of my femur and a Baker's cyst developed in behind my knee. I was told I'd need surgery by one doctor and another one said to go conservative with some PT first and see what happens. Well I did some PT and about 4-6 weeks afterwards I was back out on the field playing the line.

I havent been back to the doctor sense but I've playing football and basketball but not on the level of competition I'm used to. I also sometimes get pain on the left side of my knee but it might be due to the torn cartiledge. Now when I was laid up and on crutches I lost alot of muscle and developed a limp which I got rid of for the most part but I cant run full speed. I dont know if its because I'm afraid to or because of the pain. Pain I can take but I'm afraid I might reinjure myself.

Now heres the thing, I have insurance, good insurance, so I can get the surgery and the associated PT but I'm concerned that even after surgery will I be any better. I know professional football players get injured like this all the time and they have surgery and go back to compete. Jerry Rice is one of them, but I've also heard that once you get cut open you're never the same and that scares me. I might never be the same but should I atleast try? It breaks my heart when I cant go out and do what I use to could do.

Btw, I had an appointment with the Ortho last week but I was feeling good and cancelled it but I'm going to reschedule.

its not once you get cut you wont be the same its if you damage you wont be the same
most of the time surgery helps but it will hardly every make you the same as you were before the accident