I had an ankle microfracture surgery following injury during race. Took 9 months to start running now running 50-60 a week with no pain. It's been four years.
I had an ankle microfracture surgery following injury during race. Took 9 months to start running now running 50-60 a week with no pain. It's been four years.
Ankle Microfracture,
That's awesome! Very happy for you!
I hope one day to run 50 mpw's!!!!
Heard a tremendous amount of horror stories about never being able to run again, etc,etc.
I had a 1.5x1.5cm lesion on medial femoral condyle ( inner knee, weight bearing portion) so I have an up hill battle.
I never lifted legs or did any lower body stuff before; just upper body strength and running. Maybe now; I will build up some beefy legs to help keep my knees healthy.
Ran 3 Bostons with a PR of 2:57.
Just hope to get back out there and enjoy the freedom of running!!
Anon wrote:
Any updates on your current status after about 3 years following surgery. Would be very interested.
Just saw this question 3 years after it was posted. It's now been 11 years since I had microfracture surgery and the knee is still going strong. In fact it is the "undamaged" knee that gets cranky these days. I just finished the Blue Ridge Relay, raced a trail half marathon and a very hilly road half in the last 6 months, have done probably a dozen runs of 13 miles or longer this year, plan to hit the track for 400s tomorrow, and will go 14 on the Creeper Trail in Damascus, Virginia this Saturday.
As far as I'm concerned, all the doom-and-gloom posters are full of crap.
Ankle microfracture wrote:
I had an ankle microfracture surgery following injury during race. Took 9 months to start running now running 50-60 a week with no pain. It's been four years.
Say what? Did you have osteoarthritis of the ankle? I'm in my late 50s with MRI-verified OA of one ankle. Saw three specialists who all consistently said microfracture surgery for the ankle doesn't have a favorable outcome. So, I'm stuck with running very limited mileage and pain meds...how did you luck out so well?
Blowing Rock Master! wrote:
Just saw this question 3 years after it was posted. It's now been 11 years since I had microfracture surgery and the knee is still going strong. In fact it is the "undamaged" knee that gets cranky these days. I just finished the Blue Ridge Relay, raced a trail half marathon and a very hilly road half in the last 6 months, have done probably a dozen runs of 13 miles or longer this year, plan to hit the track for 400s tomorrow, and will go 14 on the Creeper Trail in Damascus, Virginia this Saturday.
As far as I'm concerned, all the doom-and-gloom posters are full of crap.
Count your lucky stars then...others aren’t so fortunate:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25416965Blowing Rock!!
That's excellent man!!!
Was Your microfracture on the trochlear groove or on a weight bearing area( medial or lateral femoral condyle)?
Mine is on the medial femoral condyle.
If anyone has returned following medial femoral condyle microfracture; I would love to hear your story!!!
BTW grew up in Asheville and running the Blue Ridge Relay would be an awesome way to return!!
Disregard Blowing Rock;
I see yours was on the trochlear groove.
Still; that's awesome!! But due to your procedure on that area is the reason you have had suck good results.
Also; you're probably super tough and well trained!!!!
Any medial or lateral femoral condyle microfracture runners back to running?
If so;
Please list mileage per week and how long it has been since your microfracture!!
You all feel free to email me:
I'm only 4 weeks post op and losing it on the crutches!!!
Joint Replacement Nation wrote:
[
Count your lucky stars then...others aren’t so fortunate:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25416965[/quote]
You could make that statement about a zillion other things too.
According to your link they didn't find any problems for 60 out of 110 patients after 12 years. That sounds like a pretty successful procedure to me.
Johnny8818 wrote:
I'm only 4 weeks post op and losing it on the crutches!!!
At 4 weeks I had given up on ever running again and was just hoping that I could eventually walk pain free. It's gonna be a slow recovery, Don't rush it and don't give up hope!
Blowing Rock Master! wrote:
You could make that statement about a zillion other things too.
According to your link they didn't find any problems for 60 out of 110 patients after 12 years. That sounds like a pretty successful procedure to me.
Say what? ~55% success rate after 12 years? Sounds like rolling the dice for a long-term success rate. Btw, microfracture surgery has a very poor outcome for athletes over 40. So, it's not answer for DJD for people over 40. Medical science needs to start growing cartilage from stem cells. It's 2017 and were still replacing joints were artificial parts. But it's an extremely lucrative business for the medical community, so a lot of profit would be lost from joint replacement nation.
Year 0 - 0% can run
Year 12 - 55% can run
You're right. That's an abysmal failure.
Hey guys,
4 month update!!
Knee is getting better every week or 2.
Once I was able to do 5 unassisted pistol squats with the affected knee my ortho cleared me to go “easy and no more than 4 miles”. I have run 5 times now; all 3.5 to 4 miles.
The first run was pretty uncomfortable but seemed to improve the longer I ran. Last few runs MUCH better; have to stay up on my toes/forefoot and with uncomfortably fast cadence but I’m getting used to it!
I’m slow but around 8:30s is fine for now!
I’m running in Hoka Vanquish FYI.
Still doing PT and leg workouts.
I’m just so d...n stoked to be back at it!!!
If you’ve had microfracture and your in doubt; there is light at the end of the tunnel but youth is your best friend.
FYI I’m 42 .
First race this weekend!!
I’m happy to answer any questions!
Johnny
Had the medial femoral chondryl micfracture surgery exactly one year ago. After 5 months started jogging 2 -3 days a week for 30 minutes. Hopped in an indoor mile in January and ran a 5:53. Also ran a 10k, 8k, and a couple 5k road races this spring. I am running 30 seconds slower per mile on average where I was previously. Staying off the asphalt except for road racing and now running five days a week 30 - 35 miles a week. Longest run of 13 miles on a soft trail I am a 56 year old who has been running seriously since '77. It's good to be back running/racing, but take one a time.
This is a crazy coincidence that this thread shows up the day I got told by my doctor that I have a lesion in the cartilage for my medial femoral condyle. Unlike you guys, I’m 21. My lesion is a little less than 1 cm.
How bad was your pain before surgery? Are you expected to make a full recovery?
I still have a year left of collegiate running and I’m really hoping to be running in that year.
Sorry to news about your knee, especially at your young age at also competing at the collegiate level which is so enjoyable.
Mine was 2 cm and doubtful will make a full recovery, but recovered enough to run with friends and race on Saturdays.
Had no option, but to have the surgery as my knee had a hard impact on my sons's trailer hitch of his Jeep.
Everyone has a different/unique injury and there is often not a way that I am of knowing how the outcome will be long term.
I chose an OS who was a former D1 runner and really appreciated the honesty throughout the process which gave me hope.
Most important thing I heard was a simple one liner of "Listen to your knee".
Hey guys!
10 month update.
I have been able to run 7 miles 3 days a week over the past month. It seems to be getting easier and easier.
I’m still forced to have an altered gait and can’t quite push off real hard, however; I can maintain around 7:40 pace. I will give it a few more months before I even attempt any speed work or hard stuff.
I’m doing 1-2 days of light squats; heavier straight leg dead lifts and all seems okay.
Thank you guys for your encouraging words!
Ramster 770!! Your my hero man!! That’s fast work. I hope to be in that kind of form in a few months! Great work!
I had mfx in the trochlear groove (a non-weight bearing area) 10 years ago. My injury was due to twisting my knee while running alongside my bike years before that. It was about 8 months before I could start running consistently again, and I thought I'd never run again for quite awhile. Then all of a sudden one day it didn't hurt anymore. I definitely had to change my form and stop overstriding, so I'm sure that has contributed to my longevity. In any case, I run much higher mileage now, including ultras. So don't give up hope! I think there are vast individual differences in recovery time.
Hey Guys!
FYI been able to consistently run 25 miles a week. Three 7 milers MWF and an easy 4 miler either Saturday or Sunday depending on how I feel. The knee continues to improve. I have been able to run a very hilly 8 miler without much of an issue other than the weak leg is still hard to push off with up hills.
I have completely switched to a forefoot strike and have been switching btw Altra Torin 3s, Hoka Vanquish and Hoka Huakas.
The forefoot strike has been the saving grace. I was a heavy heel striker all my life and in the past thought the whole foot strike thing was bogus.
It isn’t.
I’m running the Blue Ridge Relay in about a month and a half and couldn’t be happier.
It has taken a very long time, but make sure you do the physical therapy to a T and switch to a forefoot strike and you can make a comeback.
I still don’t quite have the speed yet; ran a hilly 4 miler in 27:30; but my PR is only 25; so I’m happy.
I hope to gradually increase my base miles and head back to Boston; but if not; screw it! I’m just happy to be out there again!!
Hey how are you doing? Well I had a micro fracture 13 weeks ago. My doctor told me the other day that I shouldn’t run again. Did your dr say the same thing?