 Poster: A snowHead
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AndAnotherThing.., Thanks, yep I think being sideswiped by someone else would be my main concern too, maybe the physio doesn't have much knowledge of dryslopes? Mine although a skier and boarder said that I should go on the nursery slope so I don't build up too much speed... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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gatecrasher, It's a tricky one. I ended up shadowing a Level 1 instructor refresher my first time back which was useful as we went through the whole progression - straight running, plough, etc. etc.
The following week I joined the 'top group' at our local slope and spent a fair bit of time doing agility and balance drills, mostly at low speed. I guess it's a case of building slowly and seeing how it reacts but you are in a different situation if you have not had surgery - presumably you are more at risk from instability ?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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AndAnotherThing.., Yep, tbh it all feels pretty stable, I guess I'm a bit wary about catching an inside edge, I think I'll just start with plough/parallels etc. and slowly work up over a couple of sessions!
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Went for a slide last night, didn't quite stick to the plan but not too shabby and feels pretty good! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi everyone, have read through this thread with interest. I managed to tear my medial collateral ligament and chip a bone on one knee with possible meniscus damage and quite badly sprain the same ligament on the other knee on Friday after a rather dull fall in deep powder. Now at home in UK and intending to see the GP tomorrow to get the ball rolling with physio, MRI and ortho on my private healthcare, but what should I do in the meantime? I can barely walk and can't get up from bed without assistance due to the 2 dodgy knees, one with a soft full length cast and the other heavily taped by the French doctor. I was given codeine, anti-coagulants and have developed an enthusiastic relationship with Voltaren cream. Iced it heaps on Fri but not since due to transfers and flight.
Should I just keep lying still til I can get to the physio? I'm very conscious of not making it worse but am keen to get life back on track as well.
I have to also recommend my insurers - Insure & Go. They were super quick to get me a row of seats on a flight, airport assistance and new transfers for me - absolutely no fuss at all. Very pleased with their help.
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aussie82, rotten news but the great thing is you have private healthcare so you shouldn't have too long a wait. I would have thought rest, ice, elevation and a nice glass of something is all you can do over the next few days. My doctor did tell me that - as long as my knee was immobilized by the brace - there was nothing I could do to make it better or worse, although standing around and walking too much was only going to make the swelling worse and some surgeons won't deal with a still-swollen knee (I knew straight away it was a fully ruptured ACL). I run a chalet, so sitting around wasn't much of an option but it sounds like you are less mobile at the moment due to having both knees out of action.
After the fall, seeing doctors abroad, flying home etc., perhaps you are best just to sit tight til you see the UK doctor and try to remember to be glad it wasn't worse and that the reality is nowhere bad as it can seem when you first injure yourself - once the MRI has confirmed what's happened, it shouldn't be long before you can get on with more stuff. Let us know what happens - I wasn't allowed to start physio for a few weeks after the injury, but that was in France, so maybe the UK followers of this thread can be more helpful. Good luck with it all - you do need to be patient for a while, but it's not as bleak as it might feel right now.
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aussie82, Keep the leg raised and ankle pump like you were bailing out the sinking Titanic. Ice the medial area for 15 to 20 minutes per hour to reduce the swelling. Do not support the knee under the knee itself. Rather make a ramp of cushions along the whole length of the leg to raise it. They may not operate on the MCL as it has a good blood supply and can often heal itself, albeit quite slowly. The main aim for now should be reduce the swelling, get the range of movement back, passively preferably until you have a clear diagnosis. And get that MRI done at the best possible place you can afford under your insurance. Good luck 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Oh thanks guys, I really appreciate your help. I will get back onto the icing and elevate the leg. The French doctor's report says "immobilise for 4 weeks" so I don't think I'm going to be doing cartwheels any time soon
Can anyone recommend a good MRI place in London? My boss had a knee reco recently so I will ask for referral to the same ortho - the same surgeon has been recommended on this thread, and I think the physio I usually see is covered by AXA, but being "not from around here", I don't know about MRI scans.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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aussie82, There is a predominately Aussie set up in London that comes highly recommended from all those who have been treated by them? Here is their web site: http://www.puresportsmed.com I think they have a variety of centres throughout the capital. I have never used them but I correspond with a number of people who have used them and they all got back to sports much faster than most. At least the accents will make you feel at home!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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AndAnotherThing.., Great news.
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You know it makes sense.
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AndAnotherThing.., that just sounds absolutely brilliant! All the hard work you put in has clearly paid off big time and it's so great to hear that you have no hesitation going back to the scene of the crime! I needed to hear your good news today, actually, as was planning to get my skis on in the next day or two as the New Year guests leave...
Thank you too for your encouragement and advice - you've been extremely helpful to me through the process too and I'm sure others reading this thread will take heart from your speedy progress and realise that ACL injury isn't as bad as it can seem when you first do it! 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Samerberg Sue, Yep, Scarpa's been telling me about his plans so another reason to sneak out...
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| Mind you your location close to Lilleshall helped a lot |
That 'final' stage rehab guidance from the sports injury guys there made the difference in getting the strength back and ready for skiing. £35 per session (basically working through the next sets of drills to do at home) every 4 or 5 weeks is a no brainer.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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et c'est parti pour le ski! 1.5 hour lesson that I was expecting to spend on a green (I was feeling very nervous this morning)... did two runs of that and then onto a couple of blues and then - albeit a short section of - a red. Piste snow was absolutely lovely and chalky, glorious blue skies and sunshine, no pain, no wobbles, big smiles, and finished off with a vin chaud in a deckchair. What a relief!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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miranda, great to hear!
AndAnotherThing.., ^^^ ditto!
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I now realise I awarded miranda more happy smilies than I awarded to AndAnotherThing... Sorry, didn't mean to be divisive! Really, really happy for you both.
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Thanks for the good wishes! Today had all the great aspects of being a beginner again and none of the bad bits - a day to remind you of those early holidays when you fell in love with skiing in the first place! I'm lucky enough to have the pistes there all season so didn't push it beyond 2 hours today but, equally, can't wait to get back out there and (slowly) progress a bit more each day.
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miranda, Superb, I'm really pleased for you
The beginner thing is so true. Like learning to ski again...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| miranda wrote: |
aussie82, rotten news but the great thing is you have private healthcare so you shouldn't have too long a wait. I would have thought rest, ice, elevation and a nice glass of something is all you can do over the next few days. My doctor did tell me that - as long as my knee was immobilized by the brace - there was nothing I could do to make it better or worse, although standing around and walking too much was only going to make the swelling worse and some surgeons won't deal with a still-swollen knee (I knew straight away it was a fully ruptured ACL). I run a chalet, so sitting around wasn't much of an option but it sounds like you are less mobile at the moment due to having both knees out of action.
After the fall, seeing doctors abroad, flying home etc., perhaps you are best just to sit tight til you see the UK doctor and try to remember to be glad it wasn't worse and that the reality is nowhere bad as it can seem when you first injure yourself - once the MRI has confirmed what's happened, it shouldn't be long before you can get on with more stuff. Let us know what happens - I wasn't allowed to start physio for a few weeks after the injury, but that was in France, so maybe the UK followers of this thread can be more helpful. Good luck with it all - you do need to be patient for a while, but it's not as bleak as it might feel right now. |
Just as an update - once back in London, my MRI confirmed a grade 2 torn MCL in each knee and a torn ACL in one knee. However the consultant reckons there's a fair chance I've actually done both ACLS (I sincerely hope not) but that will be looked at again in a few weeks.
I am currently perfecting the art of working from home in my pyjamas (desk job) and work is kindly ferrying me around in taxis when I need to be there in person. I'm starting physio tomorrow to help heal as much possible and expect to have surgery on my ACL in March/April sometime. Surprisingly the knees are starting to feel loads better now that I've hit the 2 week mark - I had a hinged brace fitted and in a matter of days have managed to get 90 degrees back.
Next year I will stay upright on my skis! I am reasonably cheerful/pragmatic about it now and genuinely grateful for private healthcare/a desk job/very understanding employers, as it could be so much worse. Thank you very much for your advice Miranda and Samerberg Sue.
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aussie82, great to hear that you are managing to get on with stuff and remain cheerful (you may even miss the working from home in pyjamas bit when it finishes)! March/April surgery also gives you loads of time to recover and strengthen up your muscles before the next ski season!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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aussie82, private healthcare is a winner. I left my job to do the season and had to rely on the NHS really could have done with my private healthcare as took ages on waiting lists. get the op done asap, you will have a good chance of being ok to ski next season.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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hi there
sorry to hear about your injury, i sympathise, ive had both knees operated on and in fact i had an accident at 11.00 in the morning and the operation at 4 that same day in austria i couldnt have had better and also a better outcome i am able to ski and do everything. the second knee injury again in austria and i had the op 12 hours afterwards. i think there is a window of opertunity up to 24 hours after an accident and then after that it is weeks or maybe months. so if you want to get better quickly you must have the op asap. i went to elite physio after for rehab and couldnt be in better shape now. they are marvelous. as for the n h s , well i think they will keep you waiting and waiting . sorry i havent much faith in the nhs after being misdiagnosed on several occasions both myself and my family. best of luck with the knee.xxx
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hi there again
just to say both of my knee injurys was ruptured a c l with torn miniscus. also i started physio a s a p started off with straightening the knee. very dificult . very hard also ice ice ice practically all day with ibruprofen , taken 4 times a day full strength . elevation . and gentle walking but only after a couple of days and only around the house.
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You know it makes sense.
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powder.jan, Thanks for posting. Was the operation funded by your travel insurance ? When I did mine there was no interest from them in terms of a local op.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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AndAnotherThing.., I think it depends on the hospital doing the diagnosis. If they say they want/have to operate now, there is not a lot the insurer can do about it surely? My very first knee injury back in March 1989 while working in St Johann in Tirol was like that: injury in the afternoon when someone hit me, went to the local hospital that afternoon and was operated on within 12 hours. My husband could not get hold of anyone at the insurance company in time but the hospital were happy with the proof that I had insurance. I then spent 5 or 6 weeks in that hospital before being shipped back to the UK via BA (First Class with 3 seats as I was in plaster from hip to toe).
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Poster: A snowHead
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Samerberg Sue, I wonder if it makes much difference if you pitch up at a private doctor at the bottom of the slopes or to a 'state' hospital \ clinic ?
Certainly the private clinic in France wasn't interested in sorting additional treatment. Now I know the process I'd probably be up for 'local' treatment were it to be offered. I doubt it would be 3 weeks in hospital now ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Samerberg Sue, eak !
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Quick update for some of you that may not know........
Not so much like father, like son; but like father, like daughter !
She's out in Tignes on her second season and on Xmas eve went to the park, did a jump, looked back to see her mate and went over, and in her words heard a feckin loud "pop".
As this was all over Xmas luckily there was no one in head office that demanded she returned home, and the team around her out there did really well by helping her out, and for the last couple of weeks she's been back at work.
We were out there last week, and good news was that she'd arranged for an MRI in Albertville on the Friday, I didn't attend as I was doing other more important stuff (see vid link below), and my other half went along.
The MRI cost 69 euro which she can claim back, and she's been having physio out there as well, though as she has chicken legs with no muscle it's much tougher for her than it was for me, and knee has collapsed a couple of times.
Doctor on Friday has confirmed a complete rupture and I'm now taking hard copy images and CD to my knee consultant for confirmation, and we'll start the process of getting her on the list for an NHS op when she returns after the season finishes.
She's going to be far more happier working out there, even though she can't ski, as she's with a great bunch of mates rather than moping around back home. And she'll be doing far more walking around and stuff than she would if she was at home, only issue is that she has to be careful when walking around on the ice. I took ice grippers out for her and she's found that so much better.
As for me, my knee is still no way 100% (still wearing my brace), as I've done some other stuff me thinks, but I was skiing hard and fast with no real worries on piste, though was a little concerned that I had my bindings on quite a low din setting which was more as a precaution for the off piste as I'm still lacking in confidence a little when it comes to crud, but good news was that as it was so cold snow was not heavy, though we did encounter various snow pack off piste.
Little bit of skinning and skiing getting away from the hordes and finding some fresh from Weathercam http://vimeo.com/57785822
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Weathercam, good luck to her, I hope you get her on the waiting list OK for NHS op OK. Sounds a sensible plan.
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Weathercam, 69 euro for a MRI - can't complain at that ! Hope she gets it sorted soon.
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And just in from my friendly knee surgeon after I dropped it all off at the hospital yesterday !
Hello. Sorry to say but definitely a complete ACL rupture. Medial and lateral collaterals are good. Patello femoral joint has excellent articular cartilage, well positioned patella. PCL is normal. Quite extensive bone bruising indicative of quite a lot of energy absorbed by the knee (probably more than a blue run)
Meniscii are good.
In summary an isolated ACL complete tear.
So hopefully we can get the referral sorted, only issue is the pre op ?
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Weathercam, well that's good news that it's an isolated ACL complete tear and that everything else in good shape. That's exactly the position I was in and my knee really does feel 99.99% normal (I'm leaving off the 0.01% as it made a nice clicking noise when I got out of bed yesterday, although it feels absolutely fine).
Glad to hear she's managing to get on and enjoy herself with her friends in France. Will she carry on with the physio there?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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As for me... I'm just getting ready to go out for another lesson. Have been told I have to swap my skis for intermediate ones now as the beginner ones are too soft for what I'm doing, but I'm staying on piste and keeping my bindings loose!
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Same here thankfully mine was a nice(?) clean ACL rupture. That is good news and encouraging for a good recovery
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FAQ
And they were a pay up front with a credit card place. They would not contact my insurer first! 
