My ACL injury and possible surgery-looking for suggestions

by Ryan
(Houston, TX, USA)

My name is Ryan and I'm a 22 year old college student. Over a year ago I tore my ACL hiking with my friends. I didn't do anything that would be considered typical of an ACL injury. The path was really rocky, so we were jumping from rock to rock to save time and on one jump I guess I kept my back foot planted but rotated the rest of my body and POP!

I didn't think anything of it at first. I was on the ground for a few minutes in blinding pain, but then got back up and kept hiking. It continued to slip in and out causing a lot of pain, but I seriously just thought it was a sprain. I always hear of this dibilitating pain in ACL injuries, and I was really quite fine and able to walk around pretty normally. Because of that, I waited about 7 months to go see someone about it and I only did it then because the occasional pain was just getting annoying. They did an MRI and my doctor said I most likely completly tore my ACL hiking but since I waited so long to see someone that it has started to regenerate some weak tissue.

My doctor said that if I want to continue to be active that I should have reconstructive surgery. I am little hesitant because I am, for the most part, completly fine. When I play sports I can feel a lot of weakness, but it's not too bad. So given my story and experience with ACL surgery, what is everyone's opinion on what I should do?

My doctor also said he would do a hamstring graft and I would be on crutches for 6 weeks. Has oneone else had that long of a crutch time? Maybe I misheard him because everything I read says 2 weeks at the longest. Finally, how long should I expect to refrain from activity. My job requires a lot of hands-on activity and I really don't want to lay out long.

THANKS!!!