Torn knee ligamnet - how long to repair ??

O'Leprosy

Had a post a month or so ago about a torn knee ligament. I've been to my GP and he tested it and said it wasn't a bad tear, but nevertheless would take a long time, maybe 6 months plus etc Took people's advice from the forum, went to a physio near where I live and sure enough it did seem to improve it, told me a few excercises to do etc.

Thing is, I'm still a bit peed off at how long it's taking. I said orginally I would wait until after Xmas, but since it must be at least 4 months since I got the injury, although improved, well as I said I'm a bit fed up of it's progress.

I nearly question, if it takes so long surely the ligament has been permanently damaged and I'd better stay away from BJJ for good

So any of you ever had similiar ( torn ligamnet on inside of right knee ) and how long were you affected by it ??

Or if anyone can tell me is there any good sports injury forum/site I could pose the questions ? ( boards.ie has just general medical problems )

mark.leonard

Is it your medial colateral ligament (sp?), I damaged that in TKD at one stage and it kept me out for quite a while.

Are you getting regular sports massage?
This will improve your recovery but is expensive
Do you want to give up BJJ?
If not then it doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as you rehab correctly you will be fine

Everyone gets peed off by injuries, try to stay positive and play more Call of Duty 4 to pass the time.

The first time I hurt my knee in TKD I was out for about 6 months. The second time I refused to stay out that long came back after a few weeks but had to stop for two months later as it never healed fully.

My advice to you is stay off it as long as you need to, do all the rehabbing you can get your hands on to strengthen it and you will never look back.

Jason Mc

The ligaments get a very limited supply of blood, hence take much longer to repair than muscle damage

FruitLover

Your GP or physio should be able to give you a timescale (did you get x-rays?). Healing time can depend on a number of factors, including severity of the tear, where on the ligament the tear is (the edges will have a better blood supply than the centre), how still you can keep the joint in question, etc.

Was it the collateral or the cruciate? IIRC, cruciate ligaments have a lower blood supply than collaterals.

dunkamania

I tore the ligament on inner side of my right knee earlier this year. It was a mid level severity tear, i.e., ligament was partially ripped but nerve was still intact. It took me just under two months before I was back on the mats.

Its all about the exercises, you gotta be doing them at least once a day.
I still do the exercises to keep my knee strong.

As far as physio goes, make sure you have a good one, because their can be big differences in treatment quality. I have had injuries misdiagnosed before.

O'Leprosy

mark.leonard wrote: »

Is it your medial colateral ligament (sp?), I damaged that in TKD at one stage and it kept me out for quite a while.

Are you getting regular sports massage?
This will improve your recovery but is expensive
Do you want to give up BJJ?
If not then it doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as you rehab correctly you will be fine

Everyone gets peed off by injuries, try to stay positive and play more Call of Duty 4 to pass the time.

The first time I hurt my knee in TKD I was out for about 6 months. The second time I refused to stay out that long came back after a few weeks but had to stop for two months later as it never healed fully.

My advice to you is stay off it as long as you need to, do all the rehabbing you can get your hands on to strengthen it and you will never look back.

Yeah I'll visit the physio again, maybe next week if I have the dosh. I'd like to keep up BJJ, I've been doing some weights twice a week at home to keep in some shape bench, triceps etc swimming also ( physio said swimming would have no effect on ligament repair ). BJJ was going well for me at the time, was getting in regular training for a few months and then this ......

BTW, I also drive a taxi for a living which certainly didn't seem to help.

FruitLover wrote: »

Your GP or physio should be able to give you a timescale (did you get x-rays?). Healing time can depend on a number of factors, including severity of the tear, where on the ligament the tear is (the edges will have a better blood supply than the centre), how still you can keep the joint in question, etc.

Was it the collateral or the cruciate? IIRC, cruciate ligaments have a lower blood supply than collaterals.

Don't know if it was the collateral or the cruciate ligamnet. I'll ask physio the next time I visit.

dunkamania wrote: »

I tore the ligament on inner side of my right knee earlier this year. It was a mid level severity tear, i.e., ligament was partially ripped but nerve was still intact. It took me just under two months before I was back on the mats.

Its all about the exercises, you gotta be doing them at least once a day.
I still do the exercises to keep my knee strong.

As far as physio goes, make sure you have a good one, because their can be big differences in treatment quality. I have had injuries misdiagnosed before.

" It took me just under two months before I was back on the mats. "

That's why I'm getting peed off. But as I said, I have to drive a taxi for a living, so maybe that's what is slowing it up :rolleyes:

ross-a-palooza

hi if its your inner right knee most likely its your Medial Ligament as i think someone stated above, i actually had an 80% tear in mine end of august while snowboarding and waited 4 weeks before getting to a doctor (i was backpacking n couldnt afford it)...anyway guy i went to is an Orthopedic Specialist n said that the best thing to do for it is friction massage (rub ur thumb hard across the ligament from back of knee to front and back again) physio probably did this already, but if u do it urself it'll help to free the fibres causing the stiffness and pain!
i was also told to go back training but at 50% of speed because the motion will help restore confidence and also help strengthen ur knee...like you said swimming n weights will strenghthen it too, but try to do the execises to exhaustion rather than loading a heavy weight!

hope that helps...it took me about 6 weeks!

then i hurt my other knee...damn it!