Has anyone else done Glasto post ACL Knee Reconstruction?

[In transit]

http://www.milletsports.co.uk/fitness/athl...d-knee-support/

Is this the kinda Vulkan knee brace I should consider getting?

Cheers

[TheBigJT]

Well done for making it to the gym so much in the past month! Good effort

I hate gyms (I always played team sports when I had good knees cos I just found it much more fun / bearable / social) & having to go to the gym regularly now cos of this injury has been really tough. Don't get me wrong, I know there are many people way worse off in the world & that going to the gym isn't exactly a terrible thing to have to commit to...but for me, well I struggle a lot.

I can't even squat at present due to my patella laterally tracking but I think - & what everyone here with similar problems should think - is that we still have nearly 3 months in which to work on our injuries, to get in a much better state for Glasto! & that kinda motivation makes it worthwhile for me. Whereas just thinking about more boring things, e.g. being able to squat / run, doesn't really inspire me to get on a leg press.

[4AssedMonkey]

http://www.milletsports.co.uk/fitness/athl...d-knee-support/

Is this the kinda Vulkan knee brace I should consider getting?

Cheers

[dvjj]

Paula, you need to try to get a taller tent than a small dome, even if you can't stand completely upright in it, the doorway is the most important bit, the higher the easier it will be to get in and out, last year I fell over the Saturday before Glasto, nothing as terrible as your injury but nonetheless extremely painful at the time and I was so glad I didn't have to get down to enter the tent, I just freefalled into the lower bit bedroom onto the lilo/mattress thing each time!

[Ray Sheep]

I had reconstructive knee surgery last april (about the 18th I think). I'd torn my cartilage and had to have it repaired etc. - I was on crutches for a few weeks and in a knee brace for even longer - I had the knee brace taken off on the friday before glastonbury.

I did find it hard work - I spent a lot of time sitting down with the coldest things I could find pressed onto my knee to try and reduce the swelling that I'd accumulated. You have to be careful as a lot (in not all) of the walking is on slopes which puts added pressure on the knee. By sunday I didn't want to stand up - I took the stuff back the car which was agony - came back, watched the end of status quo - then headed straight to the other stage where I remained sat down all afternoon until it was time to head back to Madness - and I then stayed at the pyramid for the remainder of the evening.

I suffered from naivety - I did far too much walking too early which damaged my enjoyment towards the end. You may have to miss certain things that you'd like to see, just to give your knee a rest. But I think if you keep that in mind you will still have a great time.

[jonbob]

Has anyone else got any experience of going to Glasto with this kind of injury?

[Ray Sheep]

ACL rupture in July 1999...

ACL reconstruction operation - November 2007 (long story)

Went to Glasto 2008 7 months after the op and was fine. Brought my fold-up stick but didn't need it.

I don't like the way you describe your rehab as "behind schedule", what do you mean exactly? Is it your complications meaning you aren't at the progress level you'd hoped?

Edited April 4, 2010 by Ray Sheep

[Ray Sheep]

Paula, you need to try to get a taller tent than a small dome, even if you can't stand completely upright in it, the doorway is the most important bit, the higher the easier it will be to get in and out, last year I fell over the Saturday before Glasto, nothing as terrible as your injury but nonetheless extremely painful at the time and I was so glad I didn't have to get down to enter the tent, I just freefalled into the lower bit bedroom onto the lilo/mattress thing each time!

[Ray Sheep]

Goodness, you went for a long time without an intact ACL Glad to hear you managed so well at Glasto relatively soon after your op

Yep...due to moving home in Brisbane twice post-op, then moving back to the UK, then going to the States, then needing to find work, etc. etc. my rehab has been constantly disrupted & consequently the schedule of progress that I was given as a 'guideline' by my orthopaedic surgeon, well I am a million miles behind where that says I should be.

I'm now 8.5 months post op, I've only been able to walk downstairs one foot per step for a month or so (& still it can be quite painful); I can't squat, jog, or run; there's a hole / gap in my left leg where my VMO muscle should be; this weird little bone occasionally kinda flicks / clicks out of the side of my knee when I bend & then straighten it (very annoying!), etc.

My UK assessment is that I have certain secondary complications that hadn't even been picked up in Oz. The schedule says that most ACL rehabbers should be able to make a light return to contact sport at 6 months' post-op...I can't imagine ever being able to even jog again, let alone anything else.

I'm now settling in London for the forseeable so hopefully I can get into a routine & focus on sorting my knee out once & for all!

[TheBigJT]

Oooh where are you travelling in from? That's a good idea to watch travel stuff for motivation whilst exercising - unfortunately I'm not up with the iPod generation (had an iPod shuffle thing for 3 months before working out how to use it!) but I do agree that listening to great tunes whilst on the bike / leg press helps a lot with the boredom / repetitiveness.

I don't know much about tents but I'd recommend getting one that's tall enough for you to stand up in, to minimise the amount of kneeling you need to do.

Let me know if you need any tips on other things to do in London, it's my home city

[RJN123]

My husband had ACL reconstruction in February last year and he just about managed at Glastonbury. He took a chair around with him and the tent was standing height. He was okay until the Monday when his knee gave up. I think he had just carried too much. He also didn't wear a knee brace which I think was a mistake. Everything was fine though afterwards.

I'm confident this year will be okay.

My advice is; don't carry too much, Knee brace, sensible footwear, standing height tent, chair and just take it easy- don't rush from one place to another.

[adjwholovesmusic]

I had ACL done about 2 years ago. I suppose i was quite lucky really because i was back in work after 6 weeks with no brace or anything. The only problem i had was i pulled my hamstring 10 days after the operation which set me back a little.

The company i work for have health care cover and the after op physio was excellent.

It was about 7 years when mine snapped until the op. I was playing football when it happened and i carried on playing for 2 years which looking back was unbelievable. The local doctor told me i was to young for knee trouble when i initially went to him. Eventually i had a scan and got it fixed up.

Thankfully its solid as a rock and the hamstrings are fine.

I found using a trampoline was a really good way of strengthening the knee and the muscles and is low impact also. You can get the small exercise for about £30.

Anyway best of luck Ray Sheep with the rehab!!

adjwholovesmusic

[Ray Sheep]

I'm coming from Southern California, via London. Booked myself a few days there to buy camping gear before I head out to Glastonbury.

The iPod is really easy if you have a shuffle. Just gives you a screen and actually a bit more control. Are you going to camp with the e-Fests folks? I plan to and I'll have mine along if you want to look at one a bit to get familiar with the controls and such.

Thanks for the offer of advice, mostly my time in London this trip will be trying to sort out my gear. Someone here recommended Decathlon, so I plan to try there for a tent. It looks like I could stand up in their Quechua 4.1 they sell. It's discussed in a thread on the Questions Forum. I'm thinking about buying some sort of fold up trolly with big wheels to hold the tent and my pack to drag it all in....that seems to me like less stress on the knees that way.

I'm thinking about a camp chair too so I don't have to get up and down off the ground all the time...but some folks say things like that can best be bought there at the festival...then I would only have haul it away or to donate it somewhere after the show.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Ray Sheep

[Howl]

I don't know if you are but I'd offer some advice to anyone taking crutches to Glasto. Take replacements for the rubber ends! A few years ago I did Glasto on crutches after a broken ankle (which though out of the cast hadn't actually started healing to any degree) and on the first day the metal pushed a hole in the bottom on the rubber meaning for the rest of the festival I was either jarring my hands as the crutches hit the metal walkways or sinking a foot into any soft ground.

Its well do-able but beware that you will get much more tired than usual and it'll be a slightly more sedate festival. To make yourself feel brighter why not spraypaint your crutches bright colours and/or wrap battery powered fairy lights around them? The latter are great if you get seperated from friends in the dark or trying to move through crowds. People tend not to react very well to you pushing through crowds with your reduced mobility (its hard for them to see crutches in the dark. Mostly people don't look down in the crowds) until they see crutches covered in flashing lights at which point they're usually more than accomodating.

Edited April 6, 2010 by Howl

[cham08]

I've not done my ACL before but have friends who have done. Whilst talking to one of them about knee supports he said for him they were not really much use as, even the custom built ones only restrict 95% of the lateral movement and it is that first 5% that caused him the pain.

They will however keep the joint warm which will help if it is raining/cold etc and if you are more confident when you are wearing one then go for it.

Regarding having to have the hamstring graft replaced in the future. As far as I am aware this should not be the case unless the first one was not done correctly in the first place.

Anyway, I hope you all make it to the festival in the best of health.

[Scoobs]

I smashed my knee cap to pieces in a motorbike accident about 5 years ago. They removed just under half of my knee cap and twisted the remainder at an angle to give me better movement. I was told I'd never bend my knee past 80 degrees, which sounds a lot but if you measure the angle its a lot less than you would think. Also told I would never run again.

After 6 months of physio and, to be honest, hard work in the gym I could get a decent flex in my knee. 18 months after doing it I was back playing football and have been ever since. The only issues it gives me is a bit of stiffening after matches and in the cold.

I would foresee problems if you don't pick your campsite careful but you should be fine. I went to V on crutches and, although hard work, it was well worth it. Trick is don't kid yourself, if your still not comfortable with how your knee feels near the time then test it locally. You'd rather not go than go and either have a horrible time or worse, injury yourself again.

[Billy09]

I always find it amazing when people say that they carried on as normal, playing sports etc. after mashing their ACL...

Also thinking of getting a balance board cos my balance is still all over the place as a result of the op.

[hazey_jane]

Shall we keep this thread going as inspiration to get us all us better in time? I have *got* to see a physio. And I'm going to jump on my exercise bike for a bit this evening.

[Ray Sheep]

I don't know if you are but I'd offer some advice to anyone taking crutches to Glasto. Take replacements for the rubber ends! A few years ago I did Glasto on crutches after a broken ankle (which though out of the cast hadn't actually started healing to any degree) and on the first day the metal pushed a hole in the bottom on the rubber meaning for the rest of the festival I was either jarring my hands as the crutches hit the metal walkways or sinking a foot into any soft ground.

Its well do-able but beware that you will get much more tired than usual and it'll be a slightly more sedate festival. To make yourself feel brighter why not spraypaint your crutches bright colours and/or wrap battery powered fairy lights around them? The latter are great if you get seperated from friends in the dark or trying to move through crowds. People tend not to react very well to you pushing through crowds with your reduced mobility (its hard for them to see crutches in the dark. Mostly people don't look down in the crowds) until they see crutches covered in flashing lights at which point they're usually more than accomodating.

[indiesfa]

ummmmmmmm i'm getting my ACL reconstructed next thursday.... and im hoping to be passable for glastonbury this year - what are the chances? this thread isn't filling me with hope! wish me luck

[hazey_jane]

Ouch- good luck indiesfa (reference to super furry animals perchance? A band i have tried to see twice and failed due to extreme drunkeness)

Read through all the thread and the tips, and talk to your doctor/physio and do what they say to the letter!

[Ray Sheep]

ummmmmmmm i'm getting my ACL reconstructed next thursday.... and im hoping to be passable for glastonbury this year - what are the chances? this thread isn't filling me with hope! wish me luck

[hazey_jane]

*Small bump*

How'd you all get on? Thank god it was a dry one and my knee held up fine. Was hurting a bit on Saturday afternoon after too much walking and knowing I'd want to bop around I stuck my brace on for the support and did again on Sunday night too for jumping about to Faithless and I could manage it but apart from that I was fine.