My ACL Tear: A Dancer's recovery Journey (without surgery)

[@quietspace7853]

I have my ACL repair at October..complete tear for 1,5 years.Didn’t have health insurance to fix it because surgery is 90k… now I do, but my ballerina career is over :( I’m so scared. About everything

[@BrownBuddy-rc1be]

Thank you so much ❤❤❤ This video really helped

[@movewithmasha]

💛🙏🏼

[@johannaolombel]

Thank you for this video ! I litteraly typed : "Dancer ACL tear no surgery" and found your video. I actually experience a complete ACL + MCL tear (injured 2 weeks ago). I dance a lot (even if it is not my job) but it is still a question for me to become a dance teacher so it is really important. First big injury for me, I am obviously very worried, and I want to avoid the surgery. Thank you for your sharing, it helps a lot ! I also saw on some studies about this surgery that a spontaneous healing can happen for ACL.. so I guess the best is to wait and double check with another MRI My physio also told me I have to wait 6 month to know how I feel about my knee and if I need surgery or not. Wait for your next video :) good luck !

[@movewithmasha]

You’re welcome! Oh wow, I wish you a nice recovery 💫 I had a relapse in February (my knee gave way, during a game in a kids dance class); after that I really understood that i have to work hard on my rehab and really strengthen the Quad (i still had 1 cm muscle difference in comparison). Luckily I found a very good Physio place, so I will see how my training there will go :) Staying optimistic, but it is definitely not a quick fix mindset. But i’m willing to commit and try without surgery and see how far I manage 💪🏼 (Will record the update in a new video soon😅)

[@johannaolombel]

Thank you for your answer ! Oh yes I can see how the rehab is important too. I don't feel my knee stable for now, and as soon as I want to straight my leg and put weight on it, it is wably. 💪 it is helping to know in those moments that we are not the only ones going through this. I also want to see how the rehab goes before deciding for surgery even if everyone else around tells me it is a better option... Take care, I wish you a good rehab and will wait to see how things evolves for you ! ❤

[@movewithmasha]

@@johannaolombel Yes, I was also missing finding people who didn't do surjery. It is a tough journey, and I will see how it evolves :) Keeping my mind open for different options... Thank you! I wish you a good rehab too! 🙏💪

[@natsskates]

Yes, exercises and supplements! :D

[@movewithmasha]

Yeah! lets see where this will lead… Soon will update on my movement capability 😁

[@andrewhadjimichael9616]

You mentioned supplements. What supplements have you tried? I've tried everything. To some extent collagen helps. I am now taking something called cissus quadrangularis which has supposedly benefits for the ligaments in the knee.

[@movewithmasha]

Very interesting! I haven’t hear or tried that one yet, but will look into it! Thanks! I was taking collagen, MSM, Chondroitin & Glucosamine, as well as Omegas and basic vitamins (C,A,B and Zinc)

[@Bob-ru6nw]

Pulling a sled backwards (kneesovertoesguy) ? Platelet Rich plasma injections? BCP157?

[@movewithmasha]

Yes, I am slowly getting into Kneesovertoesguy exercises :) They’re great! For now i do the backwards walking on treadmill and slowly staring my journey with the lunges. The sled is interesting - do you mean pulling it behind you but walking front; or the opposite? Rich plasma injection I did 2 times… I will do some more this summer. BCp157 i haven’t heard of yet - will check it out. Thanks for your tips!

[@Bob-ru6nw]

@@movewithmasha also check out bridge enhanced ACL repair (bear) implant. Heal your ACL with your own blood

[@movewithmasha]

Oh wow, didn‘t hear about it yet! Thanks!

[@dhruvsharma2108]

hey miss i hope youre doing great :) actually i have partial acl tear grade 2 and there is pain during knee folding and i cant sit on my knee how did you manage to get rid of this . which exercises and stretches did you perform and would it get better over time ?and how are you progressing nowdays ,have you managed to get to pre injury level ? plz give me some suggestions how can i return back to sports and stuff

[@movewithmasha]

Hi! I managed to get rid of the pain with the help of my manual therapist (the released some blocked places that were pulling and causing pain). Tapes helped me too, as well as giving it time and letting it heal 😌 I‘m currently working on my strength, but as i‘m going to the gym not regularly, it‘s taking time… I‘m not to pre-injury level (i’m not strong/stable enough to do big jumps from/to my injured leg; but as i‘m freelancing its not an issue as i can decide how to move and just leave the elements that feel risky out). Regarding returning to sport - It‘s very individual and depends on how stable your knee is… I would really recommend to do a lot of strengthening exercises to stabilize the knee before getting to run and do explosive and jerky movements on the leg.

[@ivonadownunder3536]

Hi. Was your acl partially torn or completely ruptured? I’m currently rehabilitating from complete acl rupture that happened 5 weeks ago. I still can’t decide whether to replace the acl or not to have surgery. I’m not a professional dancer but I am quite active and this injury really stopped me from doing many activities. My thigh muscle shrunk quite a bit in the week of being immobile and then weeks after when I was in crutches. If you could let me know which supplements you’re taking, that would be awesome.

[@movewithmasha]

Hi! 2 doctors said complete rupture and 1 said he’s not sure (looking at the same MRI!). I am ~7 months after injury and it’s really progressed. I am focusing now on strengthening exercises to see if i can stabilize my knee myself & will do an MRI to see if it healed or not. (My manual therapist said that in takes 6 month and then you know if it heals or not). Supplements: Collagen, Biosil, Glucosamine 1500mg (6months), Chondroitin 1500 (6months), MCM (6months), B50 (1 month then break, repeat 3 cycles); C1000 (6months), omega3-6-9, lecithin 1200mg 2xday 3-6 months.

[@ivonadownunder3536]

@@movewithmasha thanks so much!! This really gives me hope as I’m very much on the fence about the surgery. My boss had this done years ago and she never got the full range of motion back, and she still gets horrible cramps in her hamstring from where the doctors took material for the new ligament.

[@movewithmasha]

Oh wow! I see. I will soon film new videos about my training, progress and supplements. I hope to help others by sharing my experience.

[@veritystorrie8457]

@@movewithmasha hi! In march I injured my ACL. I went to two different physios and they both didn’t mention surgery and said it was a grade two tear. However I went to a doctor for an MRI and before the scan said I need surgery. When getting results he didn’t say it was fully torn but said is be silly not to get surgery. However, not even 3 months post injury and i can almost do everything my non injured leg can do. I can sprint on a running machine and do splits etc. I still have some restrictions but considering it’s only been 10 weeks and my knee seems 80% stable I’m not sure if im willing to go for surgery. I was also told though apparently ACL tears never fully recover, and really don’t want to re tear it, especially since I’m moving away in September for dance college. Any advice would be great

[@movewithmasha]

Hey! @veritystorrie8457 The most common advice is to get surgery is if your knee is unstable. If you are willing to put in the work to prevent re-injury, I would say strengthen the muscles around and see how far that takes you.. my physio said i need to leg press 1.5 x my weight with one leg in order to be strong enough to stabilize my knee with muscles and im currently in process of getting there. But I was really amazed at how strength training can really make a huge difference! (I am currently editing part 2 video :) ). From what i read tears can recover in most cases, but it takes time - full ruptures don’t (but theres also a new study showing that some do…). I had dance friends do surgery and tear it again… and each time its a new ligament from your own leg, so that makes other places weaker… i also know cases where surgery was done and everything was fine. So it’s really individual and depends on many things.