ACL Reconstruction Surgery & Possible Side-Effects of Numbness...

Hi, I had an ACL reconstruction in Sept. of this year, Yes I to have that burning sensation along the shin bone and around the inside of the ankle. I also have red markins that covered this area after the surgery.. which i gather is from the never dmaage of constructing the graft.  As the weeks passed, I bathed my leg in extreme hot water and then I would place a "colpac" that I bought from the REHAB center on the knee.. creating a icie/hot method for the swelling and pain.  I would also massage the leg in an upward motion to help the flow of blood through the leg. Keeping the leg elevated and massaging the leg helps with the pain and the swelling.  Since the third week of my surgery the red bruising is fading and the pain is gradually decreasing.

In my three week process I have learnt that movement is the key to this helaing process..  Even though the pain kept me deprived of sleep, I walked alot to subside the pain.  Iced the knee when i didnt have a colpac, and kept rotating the feet to help with the flow of blood to the leg.

Mejoishi from Nassau Bahamas

Oct 8th 2012 

It's been a month after I had my ACL reconstruction surgery by means of Hamstring Graft. I have the lingering feeling of numbness from my shin to the inside of my foot. The severity of the numbness varies where in some parts about half a hand in size I have close to no feeling, but majortiy of the lower leg has some feeling albeit reduced slightly. I also on occasion get these ant bite type sensations where the numbness resides but it has become less frequent now. The numb area is also hypersensitive at times like when I am wearing Jeans or covered by a blanket and if the material brushes against my shin I get a heightened pain feeling.

When I brought this up with my surgeon about 2 weeks post op he immediately had me go see a doctor from the Pain clinic in the hospital. The diagnosis was obviously some form of nerve damage most likely caused by the surgery and not the nerve block (local anesthesia) I had gotten just before surgery from my hip area because all the numbness and hypersensitivity is limited to areas below the knee.

The Pain clinic doctor prescribed me some medication to deal with the numbness while we wait and see if my condition improves by the next appointment in 6 weeks time. The medications are:

1) Amitriptyline - It's an antidepressant and pain control medication. He said it was to prevent my brain from getting used to the constant hypersensitivity which may lead to my entire body feeling hypersensitive. Which I believe is called Common Regional Pain Syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_regional_pain_syndrome)2) Neuroforte - Essentially a supplement that contains all the ingredients needed for nerves to be made / regenerated much like Protein is for Muscle.

I'm already in physiotherapy (started 12 days after my op) . I go for 2 sessions a week whenever I can. And I try to do the recommended exercises at home by myself.If you tore your ACL and are thinking about getting the surgery at least know the risks first. You may get numbness caused by the surgery in your lower leg like me or even your entire leg if it's caused by the Nerve Block prior to surgery; surgery is risky and invasive to the body and I may never get full feeling back in certain parts of my shin ever.If you don't want to give up sports that involve a lot of twisting and turning and go for the surgery like me then some tips i can share Post - op are:

1) ICE ICE ICE. You have to ice the knee every single day post op. I was given a special knee icepack thingum by the hospital and I freeze the packs and slot them into the knee wrap. You have to do it as often as you can 10-15 minutes at a time every 1 to 2 hours when you are awake. This helps reduce the swelling down and can shorten your overall recovery time. Even now I'm already a month after the operation my physio keeps telling me to ice as often as I can as I still have some swelling that hinders my knees range of motion, meaning i can't fully extend it / bend it back yet.

2) Get your knee bending again! This is absolutely crucial. You must bend and stretch your knee everyday and push the limits where u can't straighten your knee any more or bend your knee anymore. How you do this:STRAIGHTENING  - Roll a towel so it's about a curled up fists height. Lie down on a bed with your legs stretched out (you can sit up too). Put the towel under your ankle and slowly using your leg muscles try to push down and straighten your knee. You don't have to do it fully, just pushing to the maximum and hold it there for a bit before relaxing and repeat. BENDING - While sitting up on a bed, legs stretched out on the bed. Put a towel under your thigh muscle. Relax your leg and using only your arms pull the towel and your leg towards you, while resting the heel of your foot on the bed so your leg is not working to carry any weight. This should make your knee bend. to your maximum point. Hope this helps. If any of you aren't going to physio for some reason drop me an email and I'll share with you the exercises they are making me do there.  ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

hi



had similar symptoms after surgery. The sensation goes away as swelling reduces however I do still have a numb spot on my knee

Heya, I had an ACL reconstruction just over four weeks ago. When I went in for it the doctor said that it would be a serious undertaking if I was going to get the full benefit from it in terms of applying myself to the physio after the operation and suggested that if it didn't affect my every day life or my choice of sport (it did both) then he would advise leaving it. I had a suspected clot a week after the operation but besides that complication it has been relatively fine.

Week one was tricky and leg straightening was near impossible. By the end of the week I had over done the physio and was in quite a lot of pain. Clot suspected.

Week two, clot was ruled out at the beginning of the week but my leg freed up. I was then up to about 110 degree bend and could straighten with a cushion under my heel toward the end of the week.

Week three. Movement was far easier and standing straight was far more comfortable.

Week four. Down to one crutch when walking ongoing distance. 120 degree bend and can manage stairs without crutches at all. Wall slides and step exercises form a large part of my exercises along with one legged balancing

Hi 

i had my acl surgery two years ago this June and still have no feeling in my leg from just below the knee to the before the bottom of my foot and still suffer from stiffness when I bend my knee can any one else tell me if they have the same problem as my surgeon said it will be back to normal within one year obviously not in my case !!!

I have numbness and tingling from the knee to the inside of my ankle 4 months after ACL reconstruction. Also a bit around where they did a femoral nerve block every now and then. The first three weeks this area was on fire and spooked me a bit:). It gets better, just a bit annoying sometimes. Hopefully it fades with time? Anyone tried acupuncture for this symptom?

"

Hi

i had my acl surgery two years ago this June and still have no feeling in my leg from just below the knee to the before the bottom of my foot and still suffer from stiffness when I bend my knee can any one else tell me if they have the same problem as my surgeon said it will be back to normal within one year obviously not in my case !!! "

 

Well fee fee i am now one year out of my ACL reconstruction surgery and still unable to neither bend my knee completely nor extend it fully. My PT said that i need to do more stretches and keep pushing so that I restore full ROM "but u gotta watch out not to over do it". Plus, she said that i should continue to strengthen my quad and hamstring muscles.

 

Hope this helps and good luck for both of us :) 

4 weeks into my combined acl/pcl surgery, have some numbness arround the cuts only, ancle is fine

I am having the same problem except im on my 5th week :( and i hae no feeling below the knee all the way to the tip of my toes.

I am starting my 3rd week post ACL surgery, complete tear with MCL, complete tear, MCL not repaired in surgery. General anesthesia. PT and Surgeon both say this numbing and tingling will go away. What I experience is from the knee all the way to ankle, inside of shin. It is not as bad in the morning and after PT, the longer I'm walking around on one crutch, the worse it gets. I still have a lot of swelling around the graft site and behind the knee, all supposedly normal for this stage. Was told the numbing is from inflammation but still worried. As I'm a therapist and athlete I've been diligent about all PT exercises and started them the day after surgery. YES. :) Trying to keep the leg up and iced as much as possible but even icing makes it more numb.

For those with lingering stiffness you cannot be a couch potato. (not saying you are) You have to be dilligent with the Physical therapy. You have to do your exercises every day. I am having ACL reconstruction in 5 days. I will be at PT on the 5th day post op (Surgeon recommended day 3 but the weekend prevents that) with an aggressive PT plan. Aggressive but not overdoing it. Including HGH throughout the first 4 months. I will not be having the femoral nerve block. I do not want to heighten the risk of numbness.

yes, I am about 10.5 months out and still have numbness in certain spots....takes a while for the nerves to grow back

I am 6 weeks out and this is absolutely normal! These nerves are growing back:) I've regained very little feeling back, BUT! The rugburn like feeling is normal and just a sign of aggravated nerves. It will go away by 6 weeks , that's how long it took me but it varies !:) the nerves take a long time to heal because they are farthest from your heart. Hopefully I was of some help:)

listen everybody. ACL injury is very serious in fact is probaly top 5 hardest injuries to recover from. It take awhile to rebound from usually 8-12 months. You have to be patient keep Ice on it to keep swelling and numbness down. Do your exercies your doc.therapist give you. look on youtube at other acl exercies to figure out what 1s work for you the best. Leg extensions and leg curls are the most important 1s youll do for the next year! When its tired n hott it means its being worked so fight thru it, it wil not give out dont hesistate! Ive torn my acl twice both in same knee. Im getting better wveryday tho.

daniel ,i m also in the 14 day of the acl reconstruction surgery ! i feel numbness too as u feel , but my doc plaster my whole leg