Torn ACL

Discussion in 'Injuries' started by kurty, Mar 15, 2018.

  1. lostLore

    lostLore Regular Member

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    Whats considered a good knee support or brace for badminton?
     
  2. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Depending on how much support your knee needs, there are various levels of support. Best is to try them out at the store, eg. pharmacy, medical supplies store, etc.

    I find that for me, the elastic fabric type with side supporta are the best at providing enough support and stability at the joint (which is where we need it). A good brand that makes it is "Tensor" or "ACE" which are both owned by 3M.

    I've tried the much more expensive Bauerfeind, and they don't provide enough support.

    There are also the ones with solid steel side supports with hinges, but those are too bulky and limiting for our sport.

    Also don't go for the one size fit all style with adjustable straps, because again not enough joint support.
     
  3. spidey

    spidey Regular Member

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    I have used a couple of them and mainly from the sports shop near my place....most are good enough to support the knee, but I just got one recently on-line and finds it really good...
    Those that i bought from the sports shop are decent, with prices ranging from US$15-20, but didn't lasted me long, the velcro, came loose after a while.
    But the recent one cost me US$30 on-line which I was not sure of the quality.. when i got it, and examined it, found it to be worth the cost as it as gel lining on the knee cap. Used it and found it a lot better than the rest....I can't remember the name though...
     
  4. kurty

    kurty Regular Member

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    yeah.. what you just mentioned, hit the core..

    if i were to heed the advise earlier, by now, i should be fully recovered..
    :(
     
  5. spidey

    spidey Regular Member

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    have you done yr surgery? Rehab now or still thinking about doing?
     
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  6. spidey

    spidey Regular Member

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    mine was immediate....monday injured knee, saw a 1st Dr, says ok, go back and rest, should not be a major issue, PCL looks ok, no damage....went home feeling sore and in a wheel chair.
    Tuesday day saw a 2nd Dr, asked to go for a MRI scan - and waited 3 hrs, and confirmed ACL tore.....immediate signed up for surgery.
    Friday surgery...ham bundle...13th mths now....rehab, consistent rehab and did my running too. Did a biodex test, 15% below good knee, Dr says is normal and good. Need to strenghten Quads...

    Now my right knee hurts and confirm is fatty pad inpingment...:-( Dr says Ice and rest it for now, don't take medication, hope to heal on its own....well, I am hoping to take arcoxia to clear it...cox I am now preparing for my 1/2 marathon end of this month, have been training for the past month and consistently running 12-15km...

    Started on arcoxia and the pain is gone....hopefully no more inflammation...
     
  7. LenaicM

    LenaicM Regular Member

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    I didn’t mean to sound too much like « you should have done this and not that » but really, 9 months are quickly gone : ) on smaller injuries you can risk playing on it but on a torn ACL... I’m already surprised you managed to go on for 2 years without further damaging your knee. Whatever is your decision I hope you take the one that is best for you.
     
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  8. kurty

    kurty Regular Member

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    nope, still thinking about it.

    intend to do but don't seem to find a best time especially when i have just picked up badminton and having fun.
    furthermore, i'm engaging a coach to train us up..

    hence.. i'm kinda confused actually..
     
  9. kurty

    kurty Regular Member

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    no worries, i'm cool. i know you meant well and i'm actually very appreciated with all the encouraging words and valuable advises. ;)

    in fact, for the last 2 years, i didn't really exercise.. i only hike and leisure cycling..i'm out of shape, slight obese for my height..
    i also hang up my boots and stop watching soccer on TV..

    i actually thought badminton would be a much easier sport in my scenario as it's less contact but again, i was wrong..
    you actually need a lot of good footwork and my knee.. from time to time, it's hurting me..

    i guess you are right, i disregard the ACL portion and unknowingly, causing damage to the other portion of the knee.
     
  10. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    When you get your next injury, then you will know when to do the surgery ... :)
     
  11. LenaicM

    LenaicM Regular Member

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    I think you know that you need to get this surgery done but may be you’re a little bit scared of going through the whole surgery process and the months of rehab but I can guarantee you that 1/ it’s the only thing to do 2/ 9 months will pass by so fast and you can do sports during rehab including hiking and cycling! (Still ask your surgeon and kinesiologist first) 3/ you’ll come back stronger than you are now.

    Lastly you should also take in consideration your age. You’re still young and rehab will be faster at your age. The longer you wait the longer and harder surgery and rehab will be.
     
  12. Citizen Kane

    Citizen Kane New Member

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    Could not agree more with what people have been saying, yes there are some examples of prefessionnal players having played with a torn ACL (mainly in football and rugby) but this is not a long term solution, you might irremediably injured your ACL and your knee...

    I had the exact same injury in November 2016, surgery beginning of 2017, back on court in October. 8/9 months rehab is the minimum for us non high trained athletes. 9 months may seem long but trust me it is worth it, you won't regret and it's a blink of an eye in your life.

    Regarding knee support, if you want to play anyway, (which again I would not do), Bauerfeind manufactures great products, among the best. I have the Genutrain S Pro, expensive but I really felt secure when I was using it. Not anymore since I have enough confidence in my knee, and myself :), to play without any support.
     
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  13. guitar_pic

    guitar_pic Regular Member

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    I always tell people who started playing badminton that say they thought it would be a good way to get exercise: "You don't play badminton to get fit, but you have to be fit to play badminton".
     
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  14. Renmazuo27

    Renmazuo27 Regular Member

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    Speaking from experience, I have done both knees and had them surgically reconstructed, both hamstring grafts. The 1st, right knee in 2012 at the age of 26, the second in 2014, left knee with partially torn Lateral Cruciate Ligament at the age of 28. Both gave way during back hand shots...right knee lunging deep retrieving a smash down my backhand side. The left knee gave way jumping back and across to my left.

    Lack of leg strength, fatigue and excessive dynamic movement (I used to play my doubles games as if I was LYD) were the contributing factors.

    I love badminton too much to give the game away. I didn't hesitate when asked if I wanted surgery, I just wanted to play again. Probably my 1st mistake after the 1st reconstruction was that I focused on strengthening the right knee and didn't do anything about the left. Got back on court about 6 months later with a knee brace and quickly got back into the swing of things. Stopped rehab once I started playing again but was warned to be cautious of over compensating with my left and injuring it.

    Was very distraught when the left knee gave way. My surgeon advised me to rethink my 'badminton career'. My physio had other ideas and said that if i stick to a strict regimen of strength work and weights, I could resurrect my so-called career. I was doing strength and proprioception exercises on one day and weights on another (two nights a week). Took a conservative approach to coming back to badminton, I came back after 8-9 months of non stop rehab. I still do all the exercises as part of my fitness and maintenance regime now.

    Totally ditched the knee braced and refined my footwork. Have been playing pretty much pain free since my comeback.
     
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  15. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Icing. And use this type of strap.

    https://goo.gl/images/7jdK8p
     
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  16. kurty

    kurty Regular Member

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    i hope by now, you have fully recovered.

    You are much younger than i am and really into badminton.
    Although i admit i am but not as much as you. :p
     
  17. kurty

    kurty Regular Member

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    how you actually survive 8/9 months without any sports..

    correct me if i'm wrong, ACL surgery is done within a day, your leg will be in crutches etc for another month or so?
    After that, its rehab and more rehab?

    was told will be given 2 month of medical leave.
     
  18. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Actually, that's an erroneous assumption. You can do sports gradually building up to your previous capacity and 8-9 months is predicted for you back to your previous state.

    If you were physically deconditioned e.g. Very heavy workload, other injury or family commitments preventing you from exercise, it would take 3-5 months of regular exercise to start feeling fit again. So factor in the healing process of two months and then relearning some movements and you get the approximate the time frame.

    Since you are a beginner at badminton, you would probably get back earlier to your previous state as the bar is not so high.

    It's those working people who play at a high intermediate competitive level who have difficulties. They don't have the time to put in the rehab unless they are extremely disciplined. As an anecdote, one of my middle-aged friends who has three kids would get up really early to do her gym work. She was doing so much, the surgeon asked her to reduce it back a bit - he was a bit cautious because an older person maybe has a bit slower healing and she wasn't strongly sports orientated in the past.
     
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  19. Raph

    Raph Regular Member

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    As was pointed out, you can do other sports and maybe fall in love with them too : I discovered that quite swimming when rehabing an old injury. I know it can be hard to go under the knife or even just take time off, but you know it needs to be done, so do it now and then you'll come back stronger (and do your physio right). You're still a beginner, bite the bullet and have the surgery, you'll improve much more rapidly and soundly if you have both knees healthy than if you are favoring one or playing around your limitations.
     
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  20. Renmazuo27

    Renmazuo27 Regular Member

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    I spent the first two weeks in crutches and with my leg in a splint post surgery. Then gradually began to weight bear. About a month after surgery i was close to walking normally. My surgeon said to me that the quicker i can get out of the splint, the sooner my recover begins.

    The dangerous part of rehab is the 8-10 week post surgery period. Your knee is moving well and it feels great but (assuming you go hamstring graft), it is where it is weakest. Your graft 'dies' before regaining its blood supply to enable it to grow again.

    The initial post surgery period was hard as i went from baddy sessions three nights a week (2 hours each) to nothing. But once i started physiotherapy and rehab I spent those 8-9months on my home gym and doing the exercises my physio would give me. I took it a step further in that i saw it as an opportunity to improve over all fitness and strength, not just stronger legs.

    But aside from that, i reacquainted my love for fishing and spent the summer months (right knee was done in march so end of summer here and left knee in november, beginning of summer) wading the river flats while fishing. I did a lot of pool work, running laps in the pool as low impact rehab exercises and pretty much learnt how to run properly too.
     
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