Pitching after ACL surgery

[DianneD]

My 15yo DD had ACL & meniscus surgery 9 weeks ago. Ortho says best case scenario she can possibly return to game play at 5-6 months postoperative. She has started doing some standing still pitching drills but it's going to be a few more weeks before she can use her stride leg in the pitching motion. Does anyone have any words of wisdom, inspirational stories, or good jokes to share ?

 

[Southernmost]

Be patient. That's what I've has to do. My DD had osteochronditis dess cans repair in April. We still haven't been released to play. We have been cleared to start hitting and pitching lessons. Will have to complete a running program with no pain before returning to the field. We have been doing drills the whole time but it's difficult on crutches. So be patient and good luck.

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[95mustang]

We have a 15 y/o girl here locally that had that surgery a year ago July and came back pitching in January. When she returned her fastball was 3-4 mph faster on average. She struggled with accuracy the first week or so she was back. The benefit to setting out several months allowed her shoulder from over use to rest and become stronger. Best wishes to your daughter

 

[Greenmonsters]

Be patient, but work as aggressively at the physical therapy program as your therapist allows - more than that can be counterproductive! Catcher DD was cleared to return to play without restriction 6 months to the day after her ACL surgery.

 

[chinamigarden]

My 15yo DD had ACL & meniscus surgery 9 weeks ago. Ortho says best case scenario she can possibly return to game play at 5-6 months postoperative. She has started doing some standing still pitching drills but it's going to be a few more weeks before she can use her stride leg in the pitching motion. Does anyone have any words of wisdom, inspirational stories, or good jokes to share ?

Here is my words of wisdom. Do not let her do a single thing beyond what the doctor says. If he says no pitching, do not pitch even just standing still drills. Unless you have specifically said, can we do this.

Here is the second part. Do not fear that your dd will fall so behind that she will not catch up to the other pitchers, so therefore we must rush things. Your dd will be back to her old form in a few weeks after she begins pitching again, she will quickly regain what she lost and as many have learned the time off and the rest may benefit her game.

 

[sjross96]

So one thing I learned from my own ACL surgery is that right around 3 months after surgery is the danger zone...she will start to feel great physically and it will be hard to resist starting to be more active. The problem is that this is the weakest point for the ACL. Since the replacement ACL is not living tissue, it actually degenerates over time and is replaced by scar tissue. At around the 3 month mark, the scar tissue is just starting to take hold, but the replacement tissue is getting weaker. So, as people have said, follow the doctor's instructions and she will be fine.

 

[DianneD]

Thanks y'all ! The recovery is slow progress & the doctor has given his ok to do pitching standing drills only at this point. We are hoping to find a therapist who has some experience with pitchers. So far, they all seem to have a different opinion about when she can resume pitching. The ortho is sports med & he has been more optimistic about resuming pitching in 3-4 month postop, but no game play. We've talked to lots of adult athletes who've recovered well from ACL but no pitchers. The unknown is scary stuff - she broke her thumb last Spring & missed 4 weeks of school ball but came back stronger from that injury. At the time, we thought being out of the game 4 weeks was awful...

95mustang - she would love for that to be her experience - Fingers crossed !

China - You hit the nail on the head with the fears part ... She has been so worried, thank you for sharing that.

 

[slingnit]

Which repair did she get; patella, hamstring or corpse? The hamstring is much slower going than the other two. Around that 2-3 month the knee may start feeling like it is great and she will want to get going. But this is when it is at it's weakest. Listen to the doc, keep the rehab going and don't rush it.

 

[slingnit]

So one thing I learned from my own ACL surgery is that right around 3 months after surgery is the danger zone...she will start to feel great physically and it will be hard to resist starting to be more active. The problem is that this is the weakest point for the ACL. Since the replacement ACL is not living tissue, it actually degenerates over time and is replaced by scar tissue. At around the 3 month mark, the scar tissue is just starting to take hold, but the replacement tissue is getting weaker. So, as people have said, follow the doctor's instructions and she will be fine.

Haha, just seen i repeated what you said, you must be a genius. lol

 

[DianneD]

Which repair did she get; patella, hamstring or corpse? The hamstring is much slower going than the other two. Around that 2-3 month the knee may start feeling like it is great and she will want to get going. But this is when it is at it's weakest. Listen to the doc, keep the rehab going and don't rush it.

Patella & lateral meniscus repair, which we have heard is a better scenario than medial meniscus.