Knee Surgery and Ice Fishing

[bassin212]

Hey everyone, just looking for some tips or words of wisdom for anyone who's had knee surgery around the ice fishing season. I tore my ACL and inner/outer meniscus. I can actually walk around pretty decently with a brace. Anyways, trying to decide if I want to do surgery ASAP and try to hit the hard water by January 1st or get surgery late in the season so I can get in some fishing...... thoughts?

[OldSailor]

What does you Dr. say?? Putting off surgery just increases the risk of doing more damage!! Your health and well being come first. Talk to your Dr.

Edit... My wife has had both knees totally replaced, so that's where my input comes from!!!

[bootstrap]

i would take a year off and so something else. ice fishng and bad knees dont mix.

[appleye]

i would take a year off and so something else. ice fishng and bad knees dont mix.

What he said! The cold on joint injuries sux.

[skifisher]

I had a partial done in June, and by the middle of August was good to go! Funny thing is, since I had one done, the other knee seems to be doing just fine. Everyone heals differently, but my suggestion would be to get it done ASAP. The ice fishing can wait. Tough decision!

[FG Steve]

I had to make that decision last year (not ACL), and I opted to wait for late-March surgery.  But that wasn't against Dr. advice or anything.  Had to change some habits and carry a chair around to bait rods.  Kneeling no workie.  I was happy that I waited.  By the time weather was warm enough in April to get into the boat I was functional enough to keep my normal Spring schedule.  At my 3 week check when the doc asked what I was planning to do I said sit in the boat and fish.  He said "sounds good to me." 

[Hoserman]

I agree with the rest, get it done and don't wait. I tore mine and didn't do anything for almost a year. Doc told me I would get arthritis and he was right.

[UFCreel]

Had to jump off a falling ladder at work 3 years ago September. Landed on my feet and knew right away something was wrong with my left knee. After going to the Hospital it was confirmed Tibial Plateau Fracture Non Displaced in left knee. I was lucky. I was able to ice fish wearing a brace that next season. Thing was i could kneel down to scoop up my crappie. But getting up was a real pain. I was lucky and fished with a few guys who would help me up when i needed it. Or who would bend down and get my fish for me. Bending my knee was a real pain. So sometimes they would tie my boots for me, as we never put them on till we get to the lake. I learned to keep my bucket near as i could use that to get up with. It took two years to completely heal. As in i can do like i did before. Do not mess around. Get it fixed. This season may or may not be shot. But there is always next year.

[MT204]

My son tore his acl last fall.
We tried ice fishing a few times and as long as it was smooth not slippery ice it was OK, but the first time there was a crust on the snow and would break through it was all over.
Had the surgery done this spring and is no 100% ready for this year.
This physical therapist felt that bass fishing in the boat this summer might have actually sped up his recovery after surgery!

[brujharr]

Get the surgery asap. Health  is number one, Mess around you'll  miss more than  one  season.

[bassin212]

Doc says there is no harm in waiting. Since i'm young and healthy my knee is surprisingly pretty stable for the damage done. walking around won't make things worse and actually might help me rehab post surgery faster! Probably going to get it done in late Feb, early March. Just going to wear a brace and some creepers! 

[matzilla]

I'd do surgery asap if the doc agrees! Missing the front half of ice season might suck but it is going to be much better than prolonging things

I'm in the same boat and have some crazy kidney stones, blockages, swollen kidney, etc. I'm knocking out all of my surgeries (up to 6 so far) asap so I can get back to normal life

[fishnhawk]

Take the year off. As painful as that may sound, trying to speed up recovery to get on the ice or holding off on surgery and creating greater damage simply isn't worth it. I have had ACL surgery on my left knee and the recovery is a bit long but not nearly as bad as a patellar tendon rupture like i had on my right knee (which could happen to an unstable knee due to putting off ACL surgery). That recovery and process it 1000% more challenging...
My 2 cents