clunking- 8 weeks post ACL reconstruction

[clarky_vl]

hi! i am new here, this is my first post! Well, i am 8 weeks post op ACL reconstruction, using hamstring tendons, and also had 2/3 of some kind of meniscus removed and some microfracture treatment, (this is what happes when doctors explain things to semi conscious people )and i seem to have a very annoying clunk in my knee. it started pretty much as soon as physio started, maybe because i was doing more with it, i dont know, but it was pretty strong, but seems to have become worse. it happens when i straighten my knee, just before it gets to being straight, and has now become very loud! i wasnt really concerned because i know all these noises are common, and i have several other small noises (although not the same...)but now this clunk has become painful because it is so strong, especially when i have been sitting down for more than about 5 mins (not good for school...) when i go to get up, the knee is very stiff, and i have to push it so hard to get it to straighten to walk on, and the clunk is very painful, and recently also has become sore to weightbare after all this

i mentioned this to my physio soon aftr i started, but she didnt really investigate it much saying it was normal, but now everyone is getting more concerned, but still dont really tell me much about anything . does anybody know what this could be?

apart from this, i think everything is going well, i can almost straighten leg, though somedays more than others, and definitely not as much as my other knee which can hyperextend quite a bit. i can bend it to 125 no problems, and i have had no falls or other problems. just curious and abit concerned i guess!

thanks for reading-hope it makes sense
vlc

[feeny]

Glad to hear everything is going well!

I had a clunk develop at about the 3 month mark and it stuck around for 8 months or so! Maybe Im exaggerating when and for how long, but it certainly came, clunked and took its time about shutting up!!

I believe that many of these clunks are adhesions. Thats what mine was - as our knee heals we get a bit of scar tissue in a place that basically rubs one something every time we move the knee. They eventually grind down and can be painful when they contact etc. It is even possible to find the adhesion and actually "grind" it down with your fingers in some cases - thats what my PT showed me how to do with mine.

I'd ask your PT next time to put her fingers on your adhesion if she can, ask if you can massage at it - and most importantly, confirm for you that its nothing more htan an adhesion

Sounds normal to me - and lastly - as a mate of mine said to me who'd been through all this before I had - "when it comes to clicks and clunks in the knee - get used to em" The good news with the noises is that most of them are nothing but bark - no bite (harmless!)

[cudos]

I have heard that a cyclops lesion can cause that clunk on extension that you are talking about. I had a cyclops lesion but had no clunking. Research "cyclops lesion" and i think you will find the symptoms are what you are experiencing. That does not mean it might not be something else however.

Good luck

[Salmo]

Can you "feel" the clunk? I have developed a small bakers cyst behind my knee. It is slightly audible when I extend and I feel it as it moves back and forth to each side of one of my tendons. OS is telling me to let it go for now as any further intrusion at this time (I'm 9 weeks out) is not smart. Best of luck!

[clarky_vl]

hi, thankyou for the replies! still clunking away...
i guess i just have to wait and see what happens!

salmo- i am now almost 9 weeks, i notice you had yours done the day before mine! hmm... i can feel the clunk inside the knee as it is strong, and if you place your hand anywhere on the knee and straighten it, you can feel it very strongly with your hands. although it is strong and can easily be felt and heard, i really have no idea where in the knee it is, although it feels quite deep... its just so strong!! grr i am sorry about your bakers cyst! i hope everything else is going ok...

cudos: thanks for that information, it doesnt sound nice, i hope thats not what it is! also hope you are doing ok!

feeny: you had your clunk for ages! mine is driving me mad already.and thanks for the good advice!

i will ask the physio to spend some time on it tomorrow i think,

[knee-will-be-great]

Hi Clarky,

I am glad that you had the ACL reconstruction done ... it certainly is a blessing to have this surgery available ... I know; I have had three ACL allografts.

In the first stages of ACL rehab, you will find yourself obsessing about perceived failures of the ACL graft - and wondering / getting concerned about the various clunks in your knee. All that I can say (from experience in this regard) is to give your knee time to heal. I will echo what Feeny said and state that most of these issues resolve themselves with the body's natural healing process - which comes of course, with time.

Check out my ACL allograft #3 diary ...

I am still recovering (healing) from this surgery, in that my surgery was June 14th of this year.

I am six months post-surgery give or take a few days.

I have had my ups and downs, (concerns about laxity and concerns about clunks) the most recent being caused by a small trip over a carpet - however I am now doing fine again.

______________________

My advice - take it slow. Don't expect your knee to be at 100% within the first three months - or in fact the first six to nine months.

Understand that your knee (although repaired) may always feel (and sound) differently than the non-operated knee - because nothing is better than the parts that were originally in our knee - although autografts and allografts come a close first and second place.

Be optimistic - and be careful; time and time again we A personality-type Kneegeeks want to get out there doing everything we did prior to our respective injuries and our knee surgeries - but we must be careful especially during the first 9 to 12 months - else we will risk re-visiting surgery.

Best wishes to you on your knee healing.

Knee-will-be-great!

[celinenj03]

I had clunking from 6 weeks out too. Or rather a pretty loud clicking. It turned out to be a cyclops lesion and my graft was catching. I had it cleaned out. 6 weeks later, clicking returned and I still have it. Since you have articular cartilage damage, it could be just about anything making the noise. Mine doesn't hurt and it never did, though it is very annoying. Not sure what to do about it now since I already had it cleaned out.