When can I ride a road bike after ACL surgery?

by Clay
(Boone, NC)

I know it all depends on your therapy and your doctor but I am trying to figure out when I can start doing stuff again.

I tore my ACL mountain biking a few days ago and am told I need surgery. I am getting it in May, right at the beginning of the summer. I had a job lined up as a raft guide, and a summer full of kayaking, mountain biking, and skateboarding lined up but I guess it looks like none of that is happening. I am looking onto other job options but i am just going back home with my parents for the summer now...

So I guess I have a few questions:

1) when would I be able to work? I think I can get a job in the local bike shop again, as a mechanic and in sales. I would be standing up and walking around all day.

2) when can I do ANYTHING active? I have been riding a road bike, when can I do this after surgery? I am told its low impact on your ACL.

3) when can I mountain bike again? I usually do a lot of downhill freeride kind of stuff, its how I injured it in the first place.

4) kayaking. I do a lot of whitewater kayaking, more than anything else. When do you expect me to be back doing this???? I run class V creeks a lot, with 30+ ft waterfalls and slides and such. It can be violent. I dont want to hurt it doing this but I want to be back as soon as possible!

I cant stand not doing stuff, I'm not one to sit around and watch tv or play video games...

thanks for your help!

- Clay