4 weeks post-injury: MRI is a total wreck, but my function isn't. How is this possible?
Hey everyone,
I’m 4 weeks out from a football (soccer) injury (foot stuck in soft turf + tackle from behind), and I’m having a hard time reconciling my MRI report with my actual function.
The MRI report:
• ACL: Complete rupture.
• Meniscus: Radial tear (lateral).
• Bone: Grade 3 bone bruise (femur and tibia).
• Cartilage: Fissure on the femoral condyle.
The Reality:
On paper, this looks like a surgery-tomorrow kind of deal. But in the gym and in daily life, I feel... weirdly good. I can do almost any exercise as long as it doesn't involve full flexion. I’m doing BFR (Blood Flow Restriction) training with step-ups and box squats. I’m performing Snap Downs, Pogo Hops, and Lateral Hops with zero pain and almost total stability. My LSI (Limb Symmetry Index) on triple hops and crossover hops is already at ~90%.
The "Standard" Symptoms:
The only things "wrong" are what you’d expect 4 weeks out: I still have some swelling above the kneecap and probably intra-articular swelling and my flexion isn't 100% yet (though it's improving week by week). Other than that, my stability is pretty solid. I'm passing stability tests (Lachman and Drawer) and meniscus tests seems negative as well.
My Question:
Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I shouldn't be able to do what I do this early with these specific injuries.
I’m basically wondering if I’m an "extreme coper" or if the MRI is making it sound worse than it feels. For sure I'm sceptical about surgery with how I feel at the moment. My goal is to be able to play padel tennis and soccer, at least with my kids, again. Anyone else felt "too good" despite a shredded knee?
Thanks.