ACL LCL Windsurfing injury

[Floyd]

Hi
Knee support was fine until I tried to sail in it.It would not stay in correct position.(It always worked down my leg!!!)For walking etc it was ok . Suspect only thing they offer is confidence.Not sure of make but it was fully adjustable for knee reflex angle and had titanium arms/carbon fibre plates. (Cost circa £400)

As poster above also says reckon best bet is loads of cycling with as little impact as possible.

PS I worked my but off as well but in our group at physio (all ACL replacement/rebuild) I was last to get back to something approaching full recovery but mine has continued to improve. (I might have been doing too much at physio ; and doing things I should not have,(according to private physio) I was told (At NHS) to go on jogging machine at every session ; I`m pretty convinced it was making me worse !!! But I certainly cant grumble now. Its great.

Good luck

Am having my surgery this friday, after 5 months of putting off, mind you during that time I have been able to get out, but no wave sailing, just short blasts on the lake (probably not a good thing, but I can't stay off the water!!) Next 6-12 months are going to to be frustrating.

Thanks for the advice, I too have been on the bike to get strong before surgery.

Cheers

SC

[Charlie360]

best of luck with the operation.
I broke my ACL skiing 5 years ago and needed keyhole surgery to clear out bits of torn miniscus etc. However I have avoided reconstructive surgery so far (mainly because I'm a chicken and also because of all the stories of the rehab period preventing me doing the things like windsurfing and skiing which I love for a whole season) I have only managed to dislocate my knee twice since the original injury playing squash so I've given up doing that now!
I tend to agree with Floyd, I had an expensive brace, which over time I have concluded really only gave me mental confidence, so I have disposed of it for skiing now and find the best form of preventing dislocations is to spend plenty of time building my quads and hamstring - I have never worn a brace windsurfing though and never had any problems, having said that I've spent more time speed sailing than in the waves since and given up looping!
I still consider having the ACL repair surgery - so will be interested in your experience, please keep us up to date.

I had an ACL recon about 10-yr ago. My knee has never been the same...not sure if I had a botched repair. Seems the scaring and time to rehab after may out weigh the benefit...perhaps the surgery is better nowadays. I've had many braces for windsurfing. Started with a custom-fit townsend? I think that was the brand. After a few years my leg changed in shape so much I had to get a new brace...a custom fit Generation II. Recently I've worn-up my GII...purchased off the shelf CTI from ebay. Sailed with it for the first time last week. Seems like a good fit and didn't slide around much. With my other braces I had a cut-off wetsuit leg that I used to use to keep the brace in place.

I'm the basketball player from above.

My Donjoy brace is highly recommended. Virtually no slippage.

I think in the few months after surgery, it provides than confidence. I would wear it.