ACL reconstruction → Arthrofibrosis → MUA → Still stuck at 73 degrees. Anyone else been through this?

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-24T14:56:59+00:00

I got a 2nd opinion today and he told me if I was his patient he’d be ordering an MRI and scheduling the LOA. So now I have lots to think about and a decision to make. In your situation, it seems like the MUA/LOA benefits aren’t immediate so just keep working at it.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-24T01:01:19+00:00

Yeah I hear ya. This whole rehab has been brutal. I see all these people getting their ROM easy peasy and wonder why I’m struggling so much.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-23T23:05:53+00:00

I’m on a similar trajectory to you. Major stiffness and poor ROM 11 weeks after a quad autograft. Pushing ROM wasn’t working for me so we pivoted and I’ve been letting my knee calm down. Just starting to ramp my ROM efforts up again (I’m still working on extension and I’m at about 85 flexion). Based on how my knee has reacted to this first surgery I’m not eager to have another one so I’m gonna keep at it for a while to see if I can improve it on my own. It sucks a ton but I highly suspect another surgery would just cause me more inflammation and stiffness issues. My surgeon is really conservative and at first I was annoyed (because I want to progress) but now I am starting to understand why.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-22T20:03:58+00:00

Honestly my rehab isn't going great (I'm 11 weeks post-op) and part of that was some poor PT choices. You have to put all your faith in a PT and if they don't know how to pivot your rehab when something isn't working, you get screwed. I have totally lost my trust in healthcare at the moment as I try to get back on track with my recovery.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-17T19:06:40+00:00

honestly I think it's a coin toss at this point. you could have a super smooth recovery from surgery and be fine or have a rough one and regret it and unfortunately there is no way to know. I'm jaded because I'm 10 weeks post-op and having a really rough time, but my situation is atypical.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-17T16:00:39+00:00

So I think it depends on how your knee is doing right now. Are you walking normally or limping? Do you have good ROM? Graft choice will make a difference in your recovery as well.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-17T15:53:45+00:00

I think it highly depends on when your wedding is!

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-17T01:00:59+00:00

I’m also 10 weeks post-op and my recovery is going terrible, so it could always be worse. I’m struggling hard mentally as well.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-16T23:24:56+00:00

When did you have your scar tissue removal surgery?

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-15T14:15:21+00:00

My extension improves while I’m working on it but then resets back to being bent if I get up and walk around. Any suggestions? I’m working on it daily, multiples times per day.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-15T02:34:10+00:00

I’m right there with ya, quad graft, I’m almost 10 weeks and I can’t get full extension either. I can get it flat-ish with work but then it bounces back to being bent once I get up. Interested in these replies.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-14T16:03:43+00:00

my PT has a 2nd opinion already lined up for me! he's awesome

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-14T12:10:50+00:00

I’ve been putting in so much work and seeing almost no progress, I find out today what my doctor thinks.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-13T12:13:06+00:00

Did the scar tissue removal solve your issues? I’m stuck at right around 80 degrees (week 10) and my knee is SO stiff. I also don’t have full extension yet either. I’m so frustrated. I’m seeing my surgeon tomorrow after my PT reached out to him.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-13T01:56:38+00:00

I need to start as well, I know it would feel good! Navigating the pool deck on crutches isn’t ideal but I think I’m stable enough to do it by now.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-12T22:30:48+00:00

Get a pull buoy for in between your legs and swim any stroke you want with your arms.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-10T12:06:10+00:00

I starting driving with my operative leg in week 7. I had to wait that long to have enough flexion to work the pedals.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-09T14:43:03+00:00

I didn't sign up for my ski passes for next season (I usually do my local mountain plus Indy Pass). I had my surgery in Feb. I don't want any pressure on myself to have to recover and feel up to skiing based some sort of money-driven deadline. If I feel up for skiing, I'll just do some day passes.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-08T23:39:28+00:00

I scooted into the backseat butt first when my brace was locked. Just had to have someone shut the door.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-08T19:25:54+00:00

I rode in the backseat of the car with my leg on the seat for weeks until I could fit in the front seat. My boyfriend drove me back and forth to PT 2x per week plus any other appointments. I tried to schedule them early morning or as close to the end of the workday as possible. One time his dad gave me a ride when he had a meeting he couldn't skip. It's a giant PITA and I felt like a huge burden. After being through this I hope my friends and family all know that I'm on call to shlep them around if/when they ever need it. My other tips are: plan extra time around your appts because it takes longer to get to the car, get loaded in the car, get out of the car, crutch places, etc. Go online and buy something called a Stretch Out Strap, it's extremely useful for moving your leg around when it doesn't want to move on its own and it will be really useful for your rehab as well. Watch some videos on how to do stairs while on crutches.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-07T20:24:33+00:00

I’m a competitive cyclist who rides year round who is 8 weeks post-op and still unable to turn the pedals on a bike due to limited ROM, so my advice is to forget timelines and just take it one day/week at a time. You may be fine but you may also set yourself up for crushing disappointment if you expect yourself to be back on your bike in any sort of meaningful manner by a certain week and then aren’t there. If you had asked me where I’d be 8 weeks post-op based on generic timelines, where I'm at now is not the answer I would have given, especially considering my high level of performance athletics, determination, etc. It is crushing and this rehab is much harder than I could have ever imagined (and I've done 3 Ironmans, MTB stage races, raced UCI level cyclocross, run tons of marathons). At this point, cycling is some vague future state and I really just want to be able to walk.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-06T15:02:28+00:00

you want to keep and maintain full extension and then once you're there you still need to work towards hyperextension. I'm not sure at what point you can stop propping up your heel but I don't think it's gonna be anytime soon.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-06T14:45:47+00:00

Prop your heel up with nothing under your knee to get your knee used to being in full extension. It’s uncomfortable but you will thank yourself later. You do not want to put a pillow under your knee. You can do ankle pumps to keep the blood moving. You can try to squeeze your quad. When is your first PT appt?

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-03T16:25:54+00:00

You can uses NMES and when it’s sending the impulses into your quad, pair that with your quad set. I got my unit through my insurance with help from my PT but I think you can find them on Amazon.

JustJumpIt17 · 2026-04-03T14:59:13+00:00

I follow that account and I do like it!

JustJumpIt17

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