# Riding after ACL Reconstruction Surgery



## mrsh2010 (5 March 2015)

I know people will read this and the first thing they'll say is give it time.

But I'm missing hacking out, I'm missing being able to do what I love best and having lessons with my lad.

I had my surgery on 31 October, was originally told 6-9 months before I would ride again, but with permission of my physiotherapist, I was back on for 10 minutes in walk at the end of January. I'm now up to 30 minutes, but have to box and hire an indoor school, as my physiotherapist has said I need to be in a safe environment whilst riding as she doesn't think my leg is strong enough if he was to spook, and he always naps / spooks right and it's my right leg I've had operated on.

I have had a little trot, the physio thinks it will be good for my muscles to start rising trot, but I just can't seem to do it, so I wimp out and go sitting trot. I feel I hold my boy back in sitting trot though, but mum reckons he looks fine. I tried a cheeky canter and boy that hurt 

So really my reason for this post is - if you've had ACL reconstruction Surgery, how long did it take you to get back to "normal" riding duties. And how did you overcome the rising trot issue. I feel like it's not 100% through pain, I just feel like I'm scared to over use my knee if that makes sense?


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## Charmin (5 March 2015)

I had my ACL operated on September 12th last year and haven't been allowed onboard yet. They say my knee is stable and secure enough but don't want to risk a fall.

I'm allowed back on in a weeks time, so 6months post surgery. I've been going to the gym, to Physio classes and doing my Physio a lot so it's feeling good right now. Maybe you need to come off and do more strengthening with it to get you back up to speed? I had a bit of a mental block but in the Physio class I have to hop around and rely on it a lot more and that's really helped. One legged squats and lots of lunges also help.

However I could very well be back here in a week saying the same as you so don't take my word as gospel!


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## mrsh2010 (5 March 2015)

6 weeks before me!  Nice to have someone in the same boat.

I have physiotherapy and I've been going to physio based pilates. Both are helping.

I think I just get down because my boy is looking and doing so well, I'm just frustrated that I can't kick on so to speak!

Good luck with your first ride! Just remember to build yourself up. I started at walk only for ten minutes. Now upto 30 minutes on board with a small amount of trot


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## Petal77 (5 March 2015)

I had mine done 12 years ago. Thinking back it was 5 months until I rode again, but I really pushed myself on the physio during that time. I was probably an idiot as I gritted teeth and ignored my body shouting at me to start slow, and I still pay for it now! I can twist it getting out of the car or kneeling down to pick something up and almost throw up with the pain - and that's twelve years later... 

So please take the advice of your physio and take it easy - I understand the temptation SO well, but not looking after myself has ruined my knee for ever, and whilst it doesn't hinder my riding so much these days it is permanently swollen and weak. Rubbish!


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## marmalade88 (5 March 2015)

my fiancé damaged his acl skiing, he's never had it repaired as the op and recovery weren't worth it in the consultants opinion. Most rugby players have town acls which are never repaired apparently. 

He has worked hard in the gym and does a lot of squats and weight lifting to ensure the supporting muscles improved the stability of his legs. He runs and climbs most weekends. 

Squats, lunges and one legged balance exercises, all core work will improve your stability. Hit the gym and get fit before riding.


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## LCH611 (5 March 2015)

I have had my right ACL repaired twice (probably because I overdid it and snapped the first one). I lived with no ACL for about 10 years and was just reconciled to the fact that I had a very wobbly leg (although I never found it a problem riding). Then a dog cannoned into the back of my leg which went in 2 different directions and the cartilage tore and hooked over my knee cap which was jolly sore. Whilst they were tidying that up they mentioned that it would be worth redoing the ACL reconstruction. They were absolutely amazed how wobbly my leg was when I was under a GA, as sheer reluctance to let it move meant that whenever it was examined it didn't "give" very much. That was about 8 years ago now...... I don't remember riding especially quickly afterwards but my leg hardly ever gives me any gyp now - I just can't contemplate the thought of mounting from the wrong side though as I think it would feel horrid pivoting and pushing off it. I also wear a big Don Joy brace to ski


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## mrsh2010 (5 March 2015)

I've actually found the getting on no problem, and it's my operated leg I bounce off the step with. Getting off I worry about, but so far so good. 

Can I ask whether you used stirrups straight away or not? I have, downed them one extra hole. Maybe that's why I feel insecure in my rising trot?! having read through google at lunchtime, I'm also wondering whether I would benefit from putting my sports brace on over my jods - might try that this weekend


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## Dexydoodle (6 March 2015)

I had surgery at the end of September (ACL, MCL and meniscus!) and got back on for the first time in a school a couple of weeks ago (earlier than I should have done).  I've done masses and masses of physio, religiously, and it still hurt.  interestingly - not the rising trot but the act of squeezing to get her to move on.  So we just pottered around in walk and did a bit of trot (to prove to myself a can) - the physio has now given me some new exercises to do in the gym to replicate the squeezing movement and they really hurt!  It is time and physio physio physio!  He said the quads need to be as strong as possible to make up for the instability in the knee.  

If you're not going to the gym in addition to your physio - i'd really recommend it.  i'm currently 'hopping' off a step and doing one legged squats to really strengthen the knee up.  Be patient, do the physio etc and take it steady, its not worth pushing it.  I just kept saying to myself - the risk wasn't worth it, if it goes wrong and you have to have surgery again and another x months off riding - build it up and only when you're confident and secure, push on


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## Cowpony (6 March 2015)

I had mine reconstructed about 5 years ago and was told no riding for 6 months after surgery. Not because I couldn't ride but because it counts as a contact sport in case you fall off. It was very frustrating but I did the physio religiously, did a lot of walking and when I did get back on I was able to do an hour's lesson straight away. It still gets sore sometimes, especially if I'm in the saddle for two hours non-stop, and my quads still aren't as good as the other leg, but it functions fine. I would suggest listening to your body and putting the time into getting fully fit.


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## JoClark (9 March 2015)

A few years ago now I had a fall and managed to completely ruin my ACL along with my post lateral corner and meniscus. I remember doing it in June and have the first op in July, I then had to build up my muscles and have my 2nd op in November. This was a serious op, took just under 7 hours, they used my hamstring as my new ACL and done it quite tight and used more than normal as I ride.  I didn't get on my horse until April, first walking and started trotting in the May. This was all in a school. Mine is also my right knee and its taken a long time to get stronger again, my advice would be get a good physio and train, you need to build the muscles as much as you can or there will be a lot of strain. I have a small plate just under the knee to the left slightly with 2 screws holding my new ACL and 4 more screws on the right of my knee, holding the LCL and ACL in place.

Make sure your not compensating with your weight to much now you can use it, I would always rest on my left leg and now my hip has shifted a bit and I need to manipulate it back to being even again, I feel more comfortable laying on my left and leaning to the left which isn't ideal. I will be getting another physio to try to fix this, my poor horse must have to compensate for me to.

I also have a point two back protector that I wear the majority of the time, especially hacking, XC and jumping; it really helped my confidence again, ive fallen 3 times now in that and have just rolled with minimal aching.  I do find my foot sticks out more rather than being straight forward, so would advise on doing exercises to train your leg to drop how it should, because of this I end up kicking my horse every stride  

With the hamstring I know it takes 4 months before its strong enough to be used again, then you just take it easy. It took me a long time to hack mine and I've only started jumping again towards the end of last year. Baby jumps, max I've done is 1m and I still get scared lol. I have also bought Jin stirrups that have a wider tread and good grip,  I also have a dressage saddle as well as a jump, the dressage is a suzannah and gives my knee a nice amount of support so it doesn't hurt so much, I tend to hack in that to. 

Good luck, its not a nice injury and is a very long recovery, I know with mine it will never be ok but I have to live with it  got XC this sat, wish me luck lol x


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## nianya (9 March 2015)

I had ACL reconstruction surgery about 14 months ago.  My surgeon didn't want me on at all for 6-9 months no matter how good I felt because it takes even longer than that to fully heal inside.  I did physio 2x a week and went back to the gym I think by day 21, though I did only what they said I could do.  So I didn't get on my horse until it had been about 6 months I think.  I could very clearly tell that I wasn't 100% on that side.  On my little mare the rising trot was ok, on the big warmblood I rode it was nearly impossible as I just didn't feel stable.  Honestly, right now you're not quite 6 months out?  Your knee isn't healed yet, and the new tendon is still more likely to be retorn.  So I wouldn't be pushing to do a rising trot.  

Now at 14 months my knee feels very stable.  My hamstring on that side continues to be weaker and I can tell the difference in the saddle, so I continue to focus more work on that leg.  But I no longer feel any instability in the knee.  It just takes time!  Keep working with your physio and go to the gym.  The muscles around the knee need to be strong to support it.

I sympathize for your frustration though.  I did my knee just about a year after finishing physio for breaking my back.  It was 10 months after doing that before my doctor let me back on the horse and it took me a long time to feel stable again.  Just take it slow, you'll get there and better too slow than too fast and re-injuring it.



The reality is it takes time.


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## Jnhuk (9 March 2015)

My hubby did his ACL about 14 years ago now but also a tibial plateau fracture. He was intense physio for about a year at the hospital with their physios. It took him over a year before he could run at all. Cycling is very good exercise for the knee so he was told to do a lot of that as well as sliding his leg with a doofer on his heel on some kitchen lino whilst sitting. He was told not to ride for about a year but think he was hacking out a little on our safe ID before that but certainly a good year before he was back jumping.

I suspect his fracture probably delayed his recovery as well so for just a ACL repair I suspect things would be quicker but advise would be get a darn good physio used to working with this sort of injury


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## Chottsy (10 March 2015)

Hello! I had my ACL reconstructed just over 2 years ago (January 2013). I did it skiing, torn ACL, cartilage damage and bad sprain to MCL.

I had 6 months off riding as advised but didn't own a horse at the time so it was a little easier. I timed it to the day and got on on 21st July for a little walk hack on one of the horses at work. 

I progressed bit by bit to doing more and more with it ridden but by this point I had regular physio on top of 2 months of working on a yard 5 days a week. This helped strengthen everything. 

I found that it shifted my balance a little as you subconsciously protect it by putting more weight left. (Now I've buggered my left ankle so hoping that will even me out).

I had a plateau from about 8 months to a year where it didn't feel 100% but was physically fine. But after a year I just stopped worrying and it felt perfect! 

If it helps I don't think about my knee at all now. The only time it's even vaguely ached for the last year is the last 2 weeks that my horse has been off work. As it's not getting enough use. The more exercise I do, the better it feels. (I have been randomly doing squats if it aches and that sorts it out)

Be careful. I listened to what my surgeon said but pushed my knee as much as possible. I was walking normally from 3 days post surgery and could bend it to 120° from day 5 so mine healed back to normal quite quickly. So it was a case of getting th strength back! (My hamstring is still not as strong as the other but I'm very left side dominant anyway)


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## mrsh2010 (10 March 2015)

Thank you all for your replies!

It was my physio that insisted I got back on when I did, but under strict instructions that I only ride in an arena. So I box and hire a school every Saturday morning. It's definitely helped improve the straightening of my knee.

I do miss hacking out, but like you all say, better to be safe than sorry!

Good Luck JoClark in your XC

Nice to know there's so many ACL riders about


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