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HELP - Anterior cruciate ligament destruction

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Just got back from Courchevel with Peter B- completely destroyed my ACL - anyone provide any guidance or suggestions on how to help it recover quickly - desperate to get back on mountain bike and ski's ASAP!!!! Surgeon reckons 6 months - got to be able to do it quicker than that. Pleeeaaassseeee. Evil or Very Mad
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
beanie, ACL rupture is a major injury. Sad Sorting it out will take time. Hurrying the treatment will just make it worse. There are hundreds of sites out there to help you. Try these three:
http://www.stoneclinic.com/aclrep.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001074.htm
http://yourmedicalsource.com/library/acltears/ACL_whatis.html
Be patient now, and you should be skiing next season. Be silly and you will never ski again. Crying or Very sad
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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?
Ouch - bad luck beanie. Heed the wisdom of Jonpim and your doctors. I know nothing, but these people do!
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beanie,

Grim that Sad

You don't say whether you are planning to have it surgically reconstructed or go the intense physio route??

I have 2 friends who had same problem. One snapped hers when she was taken out from behind skiing in Whistler, had it reconstructed back in the UK by the surgeon using pieces of plaited hamstring. I am not sure the length of the recovery period but her knee is great now, she has no problems whatsoever and has continued to ski.

My other friend had a persistent problem following a RTA. He initially went the physio route and got good results, this is ok if you don't need to make lateral knee movements or make quick changes of direction etc. However chasing his daughter in the garden one day it snapped out again and so he then went the reconstruction route. I think his surgeon used a different technique, using a tendon to 'recreate' the ligament, and his outcome has not been so good.

6 months recovery sounds about right I guess, I expect you could return to gentle exercise such as swimming, exercise bike or gentle jogging after 4 months but leave the tough stuff til 6 months.

I think choice of surgeon is very important indeed. Good luck with it Smile
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Beanie - on that subject, are you private or NHS? I had an excellent experience with a private surgeon a few years back with my MCL. He did work for the England rugby team as well, as I understood it.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
beanie - I'm sorry it happened. Listen to Jonpim, he's very right.

My girlfriend tore her ACL last year. She is a doctor and was very concerned about leading an active outdoor life for many years. After listening to a lot of advice, she opted to have it surgically reconstructed (some people advise to leave it alone, it's your decision but I understand there are some negative effects on the meniscus in the longer term).

The operation is delicate and unfortunately recovery time is indeed at least 4-6 months, with 4 months for the most enthusiastic and fittest people, who take their physiotherapy very seriously (I understand that doing the prescribed exercises after the op hurts like hell). BTW, she was put on exercise bike the day after the operation, not after four months. But she was on crutches for a month.

Sorry I'm not giving too many good news. The only positive thing I can say is that you can go back to previous levels of fitness and activity. But don't do anything foolish like rushing it.

Oh, you can also search on www.epicski.com for a lot of good advice on this.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks guys.

Having seen the surgeon privately last night (seems good - does a lot of surgery on footballers up in the northwest & being a nurse myself with orthopaedic experience) was quite pleased to get your comments tonight when logged in. It's great to hear other people's experiences - I was so pleased in Courchevel to see someone else on crutches - sounds cruel - but at least it was someone else to race down the road at our own pace with.

Jonpim the sites are great. It also explains why the surgeon wants me with 4 weeks intensive physio first which started today to regain full movement first - sitting here now with brace off continuing to practice the exercises. Little Angel He'll then review need for reconstructive surgery then.

I know you are all right, although it's frustrating, I know I've got to take my time - just annoyed I won't be able to ski at Xscape in May - at least I can come and watch and laugh if Peter B falls over instead!! Wink Nothing to stop me having a taste of Apres ski a la Castleford style though!! Hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Thanks again. xxx
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Bit of an update, as we just got back from the consultant yesterday. Beanie had an operation in June. When they went in, about 50% of the ACL remained, but was badly stretched. The damaged ligament was removed and the remaining bit was zapped with electricity to shorten it as it was so badly stretched, it was incapable of holding the knee joint correctly.
Well, after hours of physio and exercises, the knee was still unstable, and got hot after very little exercise and began to swell. The Consultant saw her again yesterday and confirmed that it was "chuffed", and that he would have to do a full reconstruction on 15th November.
Please feel for us. That's no skiing this year whatsoever. Sad
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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.
Sad

For what it's worth, I've known people who have played rugby happily after a full reconstruction, so here's to a full and effective recovery. snowHead
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Peter, my sympathy, you might want to cantact Masque for physio etc. He tore his hamstrings in April and has now got the go-ahead to ski (board) this season.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
David@traxvax, Thanks for the tip. Angie is very well connected in that regard. She is the head of Occupational Health for MBNA Europe, so is responsible for employing Physios that are used throughout their European operations. She'd undergo physio three times a week, followed by some for of specific exercise programme where a private trainer would work on VMO and quad development using some form of exercise called closed chain kenetic ( that means nothing to me!)
BTW, I'll give you a call in a few weeks once I've spoken to the kids and Angie has made some progress when I receive the brochure for your chalet.
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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.
Peter B, beanie, I'm gutted for you both.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Sorry Peter, classic piece of back-seat driving!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
David@traxvax ! You muppet, I ruptured my achilles and had it stitched together at the end of May.
I've not seen the surgeon since, only registrars who hadn't even read my notes and as for the consultant! Arrogant, ignorant, sociopathic prig! I’m just lucky that I’ve a very good background in remedial therapy and a very close family friend who’s an orthopaedic reconstruction specialist who had a word in the surgeon’s ear.

There is one thing you HAVE to do: REASEARCH!

Get a full diagnosis of the damage, then spend a week on the net and learn about ALL the different reconstruction treatments for your condition, make a choice and don’t swallow the bullsh*t that may well be tossed your way. Remember that the NHS is ‘bottom line’ driven, BUT ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease’ and if you’re strong you can get the right treatment to suit the activity level you want to achieve. There’s no reason why there shouldn’t be a 100% recovery. I wish you luck
Little Angel

edit: just seen the above, I'm redundant but still . . . best wishes.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Peter B,
Mrs Hywel has just returned from hospital today after having her ruptured ACL reconstructed yesterday. She completeley knackered it skiing in Obergurgl last year (bindings didn't release) and since then has tried the wait and see/physio/athroscopy route but to no avail. The knee was still unstable and the change in her gait has started to give her acute back problems. The long term wear and tear on the meniscus would also be a problem.

Anyway, as I said, she's just had the ACL completely reconstructed using a piece of hamstring. This was done as an arthroscopic procedure, and apparently is less disruptive and allow for a quicker recovery. (she was even given a DVD of the procedure) She is already walking with the aid of crutches, no knee brace and wieght bearing is encouraged almost immediately. The alternative method of reconstruction involves using a part of the patellar ligament, and is far more invasive with a longer recovery procedure. The surgeon is a specialist in knee surgery, which gave my wife a lot more confidence than seeing an all round orthopaedic consultant.

Now we have to wait and see what happens. We're off skiing in January, where Mrs H will be an observer only, but hopefully she'll be back on skis for the winter after next.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I had a similar injury (through rugby) and now have half my left ACL.

No matter how well the rehabilitation goes I'd suggest getting a brace, a real one not such some neoprene support job.

It's not cheap (mine cost £400) but it makes a real psychological difference, as well as a physical one. I got mine from a physio over to Deeside, which is obviously quite close for you. It's surprisingly comfortable and I don't really notice it unless I've stopped. The name of the company was something like innovation sports and the brace is called Edge (?). Snow and Rock used to sell them, though can't find on their website but you needed to go to London for a consultation/fitting.

For general info see:
http://www.kneeguru.co.uk

Irritatingly I can't find Innovation Sports' UK supplier's website. They pointed me to the Deeside physio.

If you're interested let me know and I'll checkto see if I've got any paperwork at ome.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:

Anyway, as I said, she's just had the ACL completely reconstructed using a piece of hamstring. This was done as an arthroscopic procedure, and apparently is less disruptive and allow for a quicker recovery. (she was even given a DVD of the procedure) She is already walking with the aid of crutches, no knee brace and wieght bearing is encouraged almost immediately. The alternative method of reconstruction involves using a part of the patellar ligament, and is far more invasive with a longer recovery procedure. The surgeon is a specialist in knee surgery, which gave my wife a lot more confidence than seeing an all round orthopaedic consultant.


That's what one of my mates had and also by a knee specialist. He was told that as his hamstring was so big, his knee was probably stronger than the other one.
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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?
beanie, If you are still reading this thread, it has been about 6 months. How are you feeling?
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
I'm sorry to hear you both wont be skiing this season still better to get it sorted properly before you go peter you deserve a medal for not going too i think i'd have to say i was working away for a week and slope off somewhere think the panda eyes might give it away though Laughing
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks folks. It is proposed that beanie has the hamstring version of the reconstruction, but as the consultant said, if the graft is not satisfactory, he'll have to use the patella tendon if he can't harvest a good enough replacement.
NickW, thanks for the tip on the brace. She has one already provided but it is a "neoprene" job with side hinges, but the "Snow and Rock" ones look much better.
bootneck, I have tried desparately to persuade her to come for some apres ski, but she says she'd be too sad at the prospect of missing her ski-ing, so I'm doing the decent thing. As David@traxvax, can confirm, I'm already making plans for 2005/6, so at least we'll have something to look forward to.
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