Training with ACL/MCL?

Greeting all!

This is a fantastic forum and full of great info.... Thank you all! My first post and definitely not my last.

I'm curious if anyone is/was able to paddle with a completely torn ACL/MCL??? Not sure I can even get in a ski, but damn sure going to try until I get cut. The huge challenge is I'm completely unable to flex, or engage quads, to get my foot under the foot straps.

Hope the winds behind you wherever you are.

Thanks,
Matt

Hi Matt,

I can't directly answer the paddling question with ACL/MCL because I haven't done it - mine were all repaired (soccer injuries). I'm also only a beginner paddler, but it does seem to me that it paddling is pretty much 'closed kinetic chain' - IE the foot is actually planted, with no rotation.

My knee fear as a beginner would be more around getting knocked about when getting in/our of the ski in some wind/surf more-so than when actually paddling.

What I can say, is that extension and quad contraction is really important, more so than flexion, because it affects gait and many other things. My suggestion would be to 'prehab' towards extension and decent quad-contraction in advance of any surgery - unless there is tissue locking the joint and preventing it from happening.

FWIW, there is a site called kneeguru with an awesome community/forum on ACL, which is worth checking out.

Good luck paddling and with your op.
Feens

I agree with Feens in that my concern would be getting knocked out of the boat in waves and hurting the knee even more.

If you're considering paddling on flat water, it would probably be ok. You might want to consider removing the footstraps altogether.

But the thought of getting your foot hooked in the footstrap to be dragged along by your damaged leg in surf is just too horrible to contemplate!

@Feeny & RM....
To your points... Yeah, I'm pre-habing on a mission and it is absolutely affecting every aspect of daily living. Gait, sleep, driving, sitting, let alone working out.

As for paddling this morning. Needless to say getting in and out was an absolute spectacle of spectacles getting my foot under the strap. RM...taking them off is a brilliant idea, Saturday it will come off, even though I said to myself, "Self, you got this." Frick! And the thought of going out and flipping , being dragged, remounting, well, I don't want to think of it so I'm confining to the flats of the harbor.

Thanks for suggestions, appreciated & for Kneeguru website, it's perfect!

venicebum wrote: Greeting all!

This is a fantastic forum and full of great info.... Thank you all! My first post and definitely not my last.

I'm curious if anyone is/was able to paddle with a completely torn ACL/MCL??? Not sure I can even get in a ski, but damn sure going to try until I get cut. The huge challenge is I'm completely unable to flex, or engage quads, to get my foot under the foot straps.

Hope the winds behind you wherever you are.

Thanks,
Matt

Hey Matt,


Sorry to hear about the injury. We went through it in our house a few years back when my better half completely ruptured hers playing football (soccer). A day after the recon, she was on the exercise bike under physio supervision. She was also given a list of activities with time frames around them when they could be attempted again. Wearing football boots and surfing were two of the last on the list. However, she was ski paddling again within a few weeks and actually got lots done. She does almost all of her paddling on Sydney Harbour, so surf wasn't an issue. With paddling being a closed chain sport she had no pain fortunately while paddling.

All the best with the recovery.


Cheers,


Stew.

Thanks Stew.....

Stoked to hear how quickly she progressed. It's unfrickingbelievable how frustrating simple lack of mobility. I have to remember it's a speed bump in the scheme of things. At least I can quasi flop in a ski and paddle in the harbor, better than nothing... Totally grateful for that!

Thanks again,
Matt

Matt,

In a lot of cases, you'll be back with a stronger knee than before, so you may very well find the same. The only thing is to not rush the rehab. The ACL will be fine from the off, it's the supporting structure you need to be careful of, especially the hamstring if they use it to reconstruct the ACL.

The good thing is you can paddle from very early in the recovery!

Thanks Stew!

I have a difficult time not pushing too hard in rehab, definitely a fine line. Thanks for the reminder!
Now, official, it's 100% tears of ACL, MCL, PCL and majority posterior root of lateral meniscus.
Hoping you're correct about paddling early on.