I'm wondering how you are doing now? I'm 40 years old, and a runner... need to have both knees done as well. Are you back into running?
Are you back into running now? I need to have both knees done this fall. Uggghhh. I Love love love running.
I am not running right now . I am scheduled for surgery in a month.
ARe you running now? I am considering this surgery but all the comments on here are scaring me to death.
How are you doing now? Considering this surgery on both knees this fall.
After 18 years of knee pain and doing all the conservative approaches I just had lateral release done this past Friday (03/14/2014) and I'm already walking short distances, and bending my knee to 90 degrees. I did make sure I went into the surgery with very strong quads (especially VMO), and my doctor gave me certain goals to hit each day after surgery before I start PT. I am still in a bit of pain, but I figure that's pretty normal when there has been trauma to tissue in your body. I went back to CrossFit three days out from surgery, but heavily modified the workout and the coaches at my gym are programming workouts for me that I can do with a focus on rehabbing my knee. I think the biggest advice I have is make sure you're strong going into the surgery, both mentally and physically.
Hello,
I was 17 years old when I had this surgery. My doctor believed this to be my problem so did this procedure, during the surgery he found that my ACL was actually torn.He cleaned out the ACL and performed the lateral release. This surgery really was a piece of cake. I was very surprised with it being so easy; even to recover from. This surgery was like night and day with my ACL reconstruction. Don't worry about it; take the pain meds before you hurt and do your PT and it should be a breeze!!
hi just read your story about your lateral release .i have had this operation done 6 weeks ago .and i am in a lot more pain now than before the operation. just wondering if you can give me any info to ease the pain. it hurts when i walk,getting up after sitting for a period of time ,going up and downstairs ,driving,almost everything in so much pain can you help.i have seen my Doctor he has told me i now need a knee replacement.or if anybody else reads my post i would appreciate any help.
regards
Steve.
I had my surgery after a car accident in 2014. My surgery was 8/2014, and it's 4/2016 and I have pain and swelling every. Day. Of. My. Life.
I wish I'd never had it done. I have gel injections, cortisone injections, meds, physical therapy. I refuse to have more surgery after doing so badly after this.
I'm 46 and lost the ability to do the things I love the most: hiking, walking, and gardening. I can't even do basic things like volunteer at events in which I have to stand or walk around. My life has totally changed for the worse.
I wish I'd never had it done. I have gel injections, cortisone injections, meds, physical therapy. I refuse to have more surgery after doing so badly after this.
I'm 46 and lost the ability to do the things I love the most: hiking, walking, and gardening. I can't even do basic things like volunteer at events in which I have to stand or walk around. My life has totally changed for the worse.
I hope your surgery went well! I know this was posted a year ago but am only replying for those others who may be having this surgery soon and would want to know. I had this surgery on my right knee two weeks ago and I am back to most of my normal activities. Some people were not this way but I walked into my house the day of the surgery when I got home. It's still swollen but I don't have much pain. The surgery shouldn't be too bad if you are healthy.
how are you doing longterm after this surgery??
I had a meniscus tear from a work injury 4/2017 and after going to 3 orthopedic specialists, I was scheduled for surgery to clean up the meniscus tear and do a lateral ligament release due to my patella not tracking properly. I had been to 6 months of physical therapy with no improvement. I had surgery January 19, 2017 and I was up walking (not very gracefully) the same day with the use of crutches and within a week without crutches. I started physical therapy again early February 2017 and it is now mid May 2017 and I am still in physical therapy (this is my 10th month of physical therapy from the injury in April of 2017). I have never had knee issues before this and they do not seem to be resolving.
I still have medial pain occasionally that is sharp/stabbing pains when walking, sitting, getting out of a chair or climbing up or down stairs. I have pain within the kneecap still and pain on the lateral ligament that is felt 1/3 way up my thigh and 1/3 way down my calf, the pain feels like burning and will get sharp pains along that side of my knee. I am unable to twist my knee towards the medial side, as it results in sharp/sheering pain that about makes me cry. I cannot get on the floor and doing lunges, wall sits, getting up out of chairs or off the toilet (or going down into any of these positions) causes a lot of pain. I have been told my ortho surgeon that I am healing slower than expected and that he is unsure what is causing the ongoing pain.
In addition to the above, I know have been diagnosed with Tibial Tendonitis and the foot/ankle doctor wants me to wear a boot to immobilize my foot/ankle for 6 - 8 weeks, but due to my knee injury I cannot proceed with this treatment as it will further complicate the knee (according to the doctors). I am using SuperFeet arch supports, but with little relief. When I am doing my physical therapy program in addition to increased knee pain and swelling, I know have burning pain in the arches of both my feet and cramping in the calf of my left leg (the leg that had knee surgery). I also have knee pain in my right knee that started in July of 2017, when prior to left knee injury I never had knee issues. The doctor states that eventually I will need knee replacements, but I am too young for that atm. I have not done cortisone injections due to the lack of success in them (they can work for a long time, a short time or not at all) and with women it causes osteoarthritis. The doctor informed me that if i was an 85 yo woman, that he would give me injections in my knee every week or two, because at that age osteoarthritis won't impact quality of life compared to me being in my 40s.
I do not know my long term prognosis or if I will every fully recover. I still have swelling in my left knee and a Baker's cyst behind my left knee. I was informed by my physical therapist at I will likely experience swelling for the next year or more in relation to the left knee lateral ligament release. I do not have an improved quality of life from before the surgery and I will not return to pre-injury condition either. The left knee injury and the surgery have further negatively impacted my left and right arches of my feet, issues with my calf muscle on left side, ongoing knee pain, stiffness, and swelling in left knee, popping of knee over scar tissue from ligament release, poor patella tracking still, pain below left knee and in the medial region and behind the knee cap. I also have right knee medial pain, crackling underneath the kneecap. I am unable to walk more than 1/4 mile without increased symptoms and require to take anti inflammatory medication (ibuprofen is all I can take due to pain medication allergies).
I do not regret the surgery, as the pain isn't as bad in the way it was. The pain is different (if that makes sense) and I figured at 4 months out from surgery that I would be able to mow my lawn, go on hikes, play with my dog, etc., but I am still limited to not climbing stairs, ladders or lifting over 15 lbs and pushing/pulling over 20 lbs.
I still have medial pain occasionally that is sharp/stabbing pains when walking, sitting, getting out of a chair or climbing up or down stairs. I have pain within the kneecap still and pain on the lateral ligament that is felt 1/3 way up my thigh and 1/3 way down my calf, the pain feels like burning and will get sharp pains along that side of my knee. I am unable to twist my knee towards the medial side, as it results in sharp/sheering pain that about makes me cry. I cannot get on the floor and doing lunges, wall sits, getting up out of chairs or off the toilet (or going down into any of these positions) causes a lot of pain. I have been told my ortho surgeon that I am healing slower than expected and that he is unsure what is causing the ongoing pain.
In addition to the above, I know have been diagnosed with Tibial Tendonitis and the foot/ankle doctor wants me to wear a boot to immobilize my foot/ankle for 6 - 8 weeks, but due to my knee injury I cannot proceed with this treatment as it will further complicate the knee (according to the doctors). I am using SuperFeet arch supports, but with little relief. When I am doing my physical therapy program in addition to increased knee pain and swelling, I know have burning pain in the arches of both my feet and cramping in the calf of my left leg (the leg that had knee surgery). I also have knee pain in my right knee that started in July of 2017, when prior to left knee injury I never had knee issues. The doctor states that eventually I will need knee replacements, but I am too young for that atm. I have not done cortisone injections due to the lack of success in them (they can work for a long time, a short time or not at all) and with women it causes osteoarthritis. The doctor informed me that if i was an 85 yo woman, that he would give me injections in my knee every week or two, because at that age osteoarthritis won't impact quality of life compared to me being in my 40s.
I do not know my long term prognosis or if I will every fully recover. I still have swelling in my left knee and a Baker's cyst behind my left knee. I was informed by my physical therapist at I will likely experience swelling for the next year or more in relation to the left knee lateral ligament release. I do not have an improved quality of life from before the surgery and I will not return to pre-injury condition either. The left knee injury and the surgery have further negatively impacted my left and right arches of my feet, issues with my calf muscle on left side, ongoing knee pain, stiffness, and swelling in left knee, popping of knee over scar tissue from ligament release, poor patella tracking still, pain below left knee and in the medial region and behind the knee cap. I also have right knee medial pain, crackling underneath the kneecap. I am unable to walk more than 1/4 mile without increased symptoms and require to take anti inflammatory medication (ibuprofen is all I can take due to pain medication allergies).
I do not regret the surgery, as the pain isn't as bad in the way it was. The pain is different (if that makes sense) and I figured at 4 months out from surgery that I would be able to mow my lawn, go on hikes, play with my dog, etc., but I am still limited to not climbing stairs, ladders or lifting over 15 lbs and pushing/pulling over 20 lbs.
Original injury was 4/2016, not 2017...sorry
Doing some research and stumbled across your post. Thought I would reply even though it was quite a while ago.
I started out having surgery on my L4/L5 disc space in 1995, twelve months later I was in having an arthroscope on my right knee, woke up to a lateral release performed on this knee with a diagnosis of severe CMP. 2010 back in hospital having an arthroscope and lateral release performed on my left knee. I have been having intermittent bouts of bad pain and swelling in both knees ever since. I now know that if my treating doctor back in 1992 had investigated why a 23 year old was having severe back problems he would have discovered that I had tight hip flexors and with appropriate physical therapy none of my musculoskeletal issues would have occurred.
Now sentenced to a life time of on going pain, depression and anxiety.
Some people require lateral release due to birth defects, but not in my case. I can only suggest to anyone that they explore all the possibilities prior to going under the knife. All surgeon's want to operate, it is financially beneficial to them.
Regards
Messed up Body
I am in the same boat as you! I had a lateral release 7 months ago and I am much worse now then before this surgery. I feel like I am disabled as I cannot walk up and down stairs and any amount of exercise causes extreme pain and swelling. My doctor tells me this is something I will have to live with. I am only 40 years old and I refuse to believe I have to live like this the rest of my life.