Twisted My Knee 8 Years After ACL Surgery. Meniscus Tear + Cartilage Wear. Worried
Hello everyone,
I am not a super athletic person, but I enjoy sports for fun. I have played recreational volleyball for years and run regularly.
At 26, I tore my ACL on my right knee while playing basketball and had surgery. I was able to return to pivot sports after some months and honestly never really felt weakness or instability afterward. I got back to sports and functioned normally.
That said, I remember the strength testing showed I never recovered 100% symmetry in my operated leg, and that is something I keep thinking about now.
Earlier this year, at 34, I badly sprained my ankle on the same leg and had to stop sports again. I did about 6 months of rehab and gradually returned to running and volleyball. I increased everything slowly and carefully, and I felt stable. No pain, no instability, no warning signs.
I will admit that I stopped physiotherapy before fully finishing, partly out of laziness and partly because I genuinely felt fine.
Now, 9 months later, during a volleyball match, I twisted my knee during a landing/pivot movement after a small pass at the net. The MRI shows a bucket handle meniscus tear and grade III cartilage wear behind the kneecap.
I am seeing the surgeon tomorrow, but it sounds like surgery may be likely.
Mentally, I am struggling a bit. I keep replaying everything in my head and wondering how avoidable this was.
Did I never fully rehab my ACL?
Should I have continued physio for my ankle?
Did I not warm up enough?
Was doing a long run the day before a bad idea?
Should I have done proper strength training (which I honestly hate)?
I keep thinking maybe this was preventable, and that thought is pretty constant right now.
What scares me most is the future. I really do not want to stop running or playing volleyball, but I wonder if it is still worth the risk. How much does grade III cartilage wear affect you long term? Have I already set myself up for mobility issues later in life?
Has anyone dealt with something similar, especially meniscus tear + prior ACL + cartilage wear, and still managed to stay active? I would really appreciate hearing your experiences.