No surgery, no physiotherapy - how I overcame an ACL tear

Thread

TLDR I kept training

https://kfscian.medium.com/no-surgery-no-physiotherapy-how-i-recovered-from-an-acl-tear-85301a86777

Sept 8 my knee tried to bend the other way, I tried to turn.

Everyone hear the snap, crackle and pop, followed by my screams, not from the pain but the realisation of what I had just done.

I was playing football for fun, this was NOT part of the plan.

I calmed myself down and reassured myself it would be okay. I woke the next morning to what I thought was a normal looking knee with some restricted movement.

I moved it through the limited range I had. I took a picture of it, sent it to a physiotherapist friend.

Up first I was going to try to walk, using crutches to unload my injured leg similarly to what I think an alter G treadmill would.

I trained my upper body that day, and continued to move the knee. I finished just shy of my 10k 'step' target.

A day or two later I squatted.

It was partial range, and assisted but it was a squat non the less.

A few days later and I squatted below parallel, and loaded it.. Guess what happened?

Nothing. My experience improved. I then put together the first template for my rehab, exercises were categorised by goal.
1. Range - increase range of motion. E.g. assisted heel elevated squat.
2. Strength - increase load. E.g. 1/4 front squats
3. L sit (max iso contract quad)

Over a few weeks this changed to three distinct days.

This quickly began to look like training.

Every session was productive. I didn't 'need' my crutches after the first few days, but I continued to use them to unload the injured leg, just in case.

It took 4 weeks but I had my MRI, and I needed another MRI.
"Subchondral impaction fracture of the anterior peripheral medial tibial plateau.."
"Intermediate grade partial tear ACL"
"complete tear of the fibular collateral ligament, intermediate grade partial tendon..."

Fuck

I was worried that I had messed up. Big time. But after some more reassurance it was clear I didn't.

I did not once go into pain. I only worked through available ranges of motion, and while the loading might look heavy to an untrained individual it was incredibly light for me.

At my surgical consult I had only one question - 'can I have my surgery that week?'.

But I didn't get to ask that question. You are not your diagnosis.

First my surgeon asked me what happened, how I was, and what I was doing for it.

I explained the injury etc. before explaining how I approached it with my 10k 'steps' on my crutches, he looked up from his clipboard.

I then explained that I had two 'traditional' days focused on increasing strength and range of motion, and finally the piece de resistance..

The L sit.

I explained how I was looking to load the quad, and work on terminal knee extension without having to put force through my foot.

He smiled.

I went on to explain my plan for progression and he examined my knee

My knee was stable.

It wasn't the same knee he saw in the images, and he told me I was in the wrong office, that he has no use for me.

And I avoided surgery. When leaving he remarked that he wasn't sending me for physiotherapy because it didn't make sense from a cost:benefit

I celebrated with a slightly more aggressive progression on my training session for the day.

I continued this template for almost 3 months. By December I was lunging 100 kilos. January looked a lot like 'real training', and by February I had PR'd by Deadlift and Front Squat

By April I PR'd my FS a few more times adding 17.5 kilos to it. PR'd my clean by 6kg , my back squat by 10 kilos and Snatched my old max without really training them.

Yesterday I got the all clear in my first physiotherapy session since my knee exploded.

This would not have been possible had it not been for people like @GregLehman @AdamMeakins @BarbellMedicine @larsavemarie Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

A quick apology to physiotherapy. I know what I did essentially was physiotherapy, albeit in the absence of a physiotherapist.

I did want the thread to reach more, and a lot of people I know have the wrong expectations/beliefs of what physio is - hence click bait title.

This is what I think of when I think of physiotherapy now. I refer my coaching clients to physiotherapists who take a similar approach and provide resources too.

I was once afraid of certain exercises/movements, I relied on physio's elbows and needles to fix me.