I have ruptured my ACL and Medial Ligament

Dear Gary,

About 11 years ago I suffered a serious injury to my left knee while playing sport, rupturing my ACL and medial ligaments, which left me bed-ridden for a month and on a long, long road to recovery. I was eventually seen by an orthopaedic surgeon who opted not to operate and told me to strengthen it with exercise.

I continued to play sport (mostly rugby and touch) and train at the gym for another 3 years, with the knee always giving me problems. It was often painful, would 'click' out and then back in, and the leg was obviously alot weaker than my right.

Then, at the end of 2000 during a touch game, my right knee gave way and I was diagnosed with a ruptured ACL. The injury was nowhere near as bad as the first one and I got by with some physio and rest. A year later I did the right knee again in a touch game and this time I had it checked by another orthopaedic surgeon (XXXX) who recommended surgery. Since I couldn't walk without it locking up on me I agreed and ended up having a full reconstruction.

While the right knee is as good as it can be, the left knee has continued to give me problems and over the last year has worsened. I get very sharp pains under my knee cap and too much activity on it (running, touch etc) often results in swelling and/or restricted movement. I saw XXXX again for advice and he recommended against any surgery and after x-rays diagnosed osteo-arthritis. He advised me to strengthen my leg through exercise in order to support the knee.

I am now 41 and still very active, training regularly at the gym and playing touch. I spend alot of time on the exer-cycle trying to strengthen my quads without stressing my knee joints too much, as well a doing leg exercises - limited due to the pain I get in my knee. I realise I need to take supplements to aid in the repair of my cartilage/joints and help my osteo-arthritis, so I have been reading through your website for advice.

It would seem my best options are either the "joint factors 4500" or the "joint food for athletes" but I'm not completely sure, so thought I would check first with you before purchasing. Which would you recommend given my history? And is there anything else I should look at taking?

Thanks for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Darren
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Gary Moller comments:
Darren, Let me start with a few observations and comments:

It is a shame that your injury was not properly assessed and treated all those years ago when you first damaged it. There is little question that surgery to repair the damage was warranted.

It is absolutely critical that you look after your knees. They have decades yet to serve and there is nothing like the original. Plastic ones are your last resort.

Any physical activities, including Touch, which involve forceful acceleration, deceleration, twisting and turning and the possibility of violent contact with another player should be avoided for as long as there is joint pain and/or instability. If there is anything more than dull pain in the knee, the pain is telling you that damage is being done and you really should stop.

If there is ongoing knee pain, it is best to rest the joint for as long as it takes - be that 5,10,15 or more years. That means staying away from activities that cause joint pain. This includes most running sports, many gym exercises. Some cycling may be OK in your case; but do not overdo it.

Replace with sports like kayaking, swimming, snorkling, scuba diving, aquajogging and cycling. Rowing may be OK. In the gym, concentrate on the upper body. Sure, strong legs are important; but there is no benefit going beyond what is necessary to maintain stability.

It is time to give the Touch away. While you may find this hard to accept, the change will be exciting and refreshing, once you get into it. How about Waka Ama? Embrace change throughout life.

Which Joint Food is best for you? Definitely go with the JF4500 as your first and best value choice. Take the maximum recommended dose daily for at least 3 months. You can add 5-8 capsules of a quality fish oil per day or, preferably, with some daily flax oil. I also recommend that you complete the Active Elements Mineral Assessment because a mineral imbalance/deficiency can affect joint health and healing. You could also try wearing a quality elastic knee bandage - the ones with a small hole for the knee cap. This design may help to stabilise the kneecap during exercise as well as countering any swelling.

I hope this helps Darren. Please let us know how you get on.

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