Riding without an ACL
 

Just wondering about this. Trying to see some thoughts on this.

So back in May I'm involved in a head on collision car accident that buggers up my left knee (which was already a problem from a stupid-when-you're-16 accident that left me with a LOT of arthritis and some injury to the knee). So this accident revisits similar injuries I had back then.

One MRI later shows a fully torn ACL and a lateral tear in the Meniscus with a Femoral Condylar head fracture (which was a hairline fracture so it healed up in a couple weeks, so no biggies there).

The kicker to this is, the physician spearheading the treatment doesn't want to do surgery to replace the ACL for his fears that it will be cause more problems than it's worth (more arthritis down the road, which to me is a whatever, since it's already a problem now). I'm taking him on his word since he's one of the head physicians for the UF collegiate sports teams, so he knows what he's doing obviously, and was top recommendation for the treatment. the treatment only consisted of a 3 round shot of U-flexall and 8 weeks of physical therapy to straighten the knee (which I still have to continue the exercises at home to keep the knee strong)

So, being I am sans one ACL in the left knee, and I'd STILL like to continue riding, I'm wondering if there's anyone else in this kind of predicament, and if they are still riding or not.

Thanks in advance

When my wife tore her ACL and did damage to her medial and lateral meniscus, her surgeon said that she could live her life with a torn ACL and give up snow skiing, or she could get surgery and get it fixed and continue to ski.

I would get the opinion of another surgeon.

I recommend you only ride with a really good brace. Otherwise you risk doing more meniscus damage.

Yeah, those were some thoughts I've been thinking on whether to ride with a knee brace or look for a second opinion. Thanks.

Yea don't risk your meniscus. I tried to rehab to ride without an ACL and it just caused more problems.

BenAx is going without surgery... I wonder where he is at...

I have torn both ACLs and continue to ride. Now my joints are trashed. I made it to 60 but I am scheduling knee replacement surgery.
I didn't have a choice in the 70's. Only elite athletes and rich folks got replacement ACLs.

A few questions here
1)How old are you
2)Did the MRI show arthritic changes?
3)any prior knee injury?