5 Years After ACL and Meniscus Surgery

by Rashida Bealin ACL and Meniscus Surgery, monthly updateson Posted on
holding knee 5 years after ACL surgery

As of April 2023, I’m officially 5 years post-op after ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair! My ACL surgery recovery has certainly been a wild ride with many highs and lows. It definitely has not all been smooth sailing, but I’m happy to be back playing soccer professionally (currently in Turkey).

Despite all of the updates I’ve posted, I always get asked “how are you now?” So, in this guide, I’ll share my current update 5 years after ACL and meniscus surgery. I’ll review major events that have happened over this past half-decade (wow!) as well as my usual notes about anything different now than before surgery.

However, I have already taken the time to break down every stage of my recovery. Before diving into this update, it may be helpful to first view

Major Events

Anyone who’s seen my prior updates may already know this, but these past 5 years have NOT been a smooth recovery. A lot has happened since my initial ACL and meniscus surgery back in 2018. Here’s a brief overview of the major events:

Phew! I told you it was a lot. The good news is that I have several updates and a lot of information on each stage. If you want to learn more about my recovery at any point, head to my YouTube channel and check out the playlists and shorts.

How I Feel Mentally

I’m currently 5 years post-op after ACL surgery, but keep in mind that I had two more surgeries between now and then. The latest surgery was only 6 months ago. All that being said, I still am in a good place mentally again.

Honestly, the second partial meniscectomy was very hard mentally, partially because I was alone in another country. Coming back to sport with the pressure of a professional season was also scary at times. Even so, I am now feeling pretty good.

I always have a slight worry. I worry, in part, about re-injury or another surgery now. But I also worry about my future. I don’t even know how much meniscus was removed at this point, but it worries me for the future of my knee.

Still, I am beyond happy to be back in my sport and doing well. I don’t think about or worry about my knee when I play (except on occasion when I’m fouled badly). The experience has made me more grateful than ever do to what I love.

How My Knee Feels 5 Years Post Op

My knee does not feel identical to the other one. Since this second meniscectomy, it has felt better and more similar. I think I was dealing with another meniscus tear for a while. But lately, I have not struggled much with knee soreness or patellar tendon issues as much as I have in the past.

The biggest difference I notice is that this knee is a little stiffer. As you’ll see later on, the flexion is not exactly the same. It’s enough for my sport and it doesn’t keep me out of activity, but I notice a slight stiffness with some stretches. In general, though, I don’t feel a difference in my knees when doing activities.

How I Manage My Knee 5 Years Post Op

compex stem machine on quads

How much I’ve had to do to “manage” my knee after my initial surgery has changed a lot based on the various life events above. For example, soon after my first and second meniscectomy, I was having to do a lot more. But in the three years between those operations, I sometimes neglected gym work or other important things.

Now, I feel I have a good balance of what to do. Here are some of the things I commonly do to manage my knee 5 years after ACL surgery:

Overview

right leg extension
Right Leg Extension
left leg extension
Left Leg Extension
right leg knee flexion
Right Leg Flexion
comparison of flexion after ACL surgery
Left Leg Flexion
Flexion Comparison
  • ROM: My ROM is back to what it was after my ACL surgery, but not pre-op. My extension (hyperextension) is the same in each knee. However, my surgery leg lags behind a few degress of flexion. I feel that it’s tighter when trying to push end-range flexion. This difference does not prevent me from doing sports or any other activity.
quad view from front
Both Quads
right side quad view
Right Quad Side View
left side quad view
Left Quad Side View
  • Quad: Considering I’ve had 2 other knee surgeries in this time, I still struggle a bit with my quad size and strength. I’m back to prioritizing my quad after my second partial meniscectomy.
  • Pain: I do not really experience much pain, especially since my second partial meniscectomy. Unlike some previous years, I also have not been struggling with patellar tendonitis lately.
  • Swelling: I have not experienced swelling since my second partial meniscectomy.
  • Activity: I have fully returned to professional soccer, and am almost done with my third season.

What’s Next?

1v1 defending during soccer match

Many people constantly ask “how are you now?” Unless there is a major update, I won’t be posting another update until 6 years post-op (April 2024). I plan to do yearly check-ins as a general reference.

As for my knee, I have to continue to focus on keeping it (and my entire body) healthy. I am now 28, which means a large part of my professional career is recovery and injury prevention. While there is always some small fear about my knee, I don’t think of it when I play and it does not hold me back.

For the foreseeable future, I plan to continue playing soccer professionally. After this season, I will take at least 3-4 weeks of rest before beginning my training again. During the break, I will prioritize strength training around 3x per week. Of course, I’ll also get back to individual soccer training and some amateur games as well. Around the end of the summer or early fall, I plan to head out for my next professional season wherever that may be!

To see more about how I am 5 years after ACL surgery, check out my update video on YouTube!

Frequently Asked Questions About ACL and Meniscus Recovery

Did you ever have doubts/ how did you overcome them?

Yes, I had doubts, frustration, and bouts of low motivation throughout recovery. If you look back at various updates, this is obvious. I think watching through those can show you how I overcame those things. Focus, discipline, and having a clear purpose. In this recent blog post, I talk more about how to stay motivated throughout ACL recovery.

How was your knee at X weeks or months?

Since my surgery was now 5 years ago (and I’ve had two other operations since then), I cannot recall details of my recovery. BUT that’s why I documented it! If you have a question about a certain week or month of my recovery, please check out the corresponding video and blog. If I didn’t address what you’re looking for, then unfortunately I probably don’t know anymore.

How is your knee different after ACL surgery?

I’ve eluded to this above, but my knee is not 100% the same anymore, even 5 years after ACL surgery. The biggest difference is that I’ve had several meniscus issues since then, resulting in 2 other surgeries. While I can’t say for sure, I doubt I would have had those surgeries otherwise. Some other differences include:

  • A small difference in quad size and strength
  • Struggling on and off with patellar tendonitis
  • Stiffer feeling, especially during flexion
  • Aches and pains in the cold

When could you [run, walk, etc]?

I answer a lot of FAQs about my surgery in this post. There you can read all about when my various milestones happened.

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