Knee injury?

A snowHead

Greetings all,

I'm out of my usual summer hibernation and back on Snowheads a little earlier than usual this year due to sustaining a knee injury playing rugby. I'm going to work my way through the ACL thread, but as I've not much else to do would like to hear other peoples experiences and arm myself with as much information as possible.

The injury was non-contact think I slipped then twisted and felt a definite 'pop' managed to get taken by ambulance but more for a suspected concision. X-ray confirmed no break, as it was the weekend I couldn't get into the fracture clinic for a couple more days, give crutches and pain killers and sent on my way. First FC appointment wasn't too helpful, the Dr. said it was too swollen to assess (it looked like I'd swallowed a melon and it somehow became lodged in my leg) so said come back in a week. That was yesterday, different Dr/consultant this time did a bit more prodding etc but also said it's still swollen and sore but expected it was my ACL. He's ordered me an MRI, suggests it will take up to 7 days for them to contact me, then I have a follow up in the FC in 4 weeks time.

I'm a total whimp, every time I look it up online and at pictures etc it makes me feel queezy. I hate knees.

The first few days it was too painful to move much, spent a week virtually in bed. Last couple of days I've been moving around the house a bit more but can't put much if any weight on it-is this normal if it is an ACL? I've been trying to ween myself of the pain killers.

I'm concerned this is going to be time consuming if I wait for the NHS to come to a conclusion. The local hospital does not have an MRI, one comes on a truck every so often. We have a physio at the club but they're not around until next Thursday I've spoke to them on the phone and said if it's still swollen after this length of time it could be bad. I don't mind paying to grease the wheels but don't want to waste money either.

I'd really like to play rugby again but realistically don't have that many years left in me anyhow, while I hope to have 30+ years of skiing ahead of me.

I've never been injury prone, a cracked knee cap playing rugby when I was younger, and 20 odd years of skiing with no significant injuries.

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

A snowHead

I was able to limp ie put weight through my knee a day after the rupture (still painful but poss). Swelling stayed until I started Physio exercises to reduce the swelling and get the ROM back. That is going to be IMO the most helpful thing you can do at this point is get some Physio. My consultant said that he wouldn't operate to repair the ACL until the swelling was down and I had full ROM back.

However it is possible you have other damage along side rupturing the ACL... So that may complicate things.

If the forum on kneeguru very helpful as well.

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@NickyJ, Thanks for the advice. I'll check that forum out.

The thing that is worrying me is I still need both crutches to even think about getting to the next room. Anyhow will not get too carried away with different scenarios until I know more.

I'm signed off work for another 4 weeks and get paid so at least that's one less thing to worry about as no way I could drive or even sit at desk at the moment.

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@Grizwald, which does imply that you have done more with it, by all accounts it was quite rare that I had such a "clean" ACL rupture the first time around.

Is your knee locked? Ie can you bend and straighten it?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@NickyJ, I can straighten it, I have a brace on now that allows up to 30 degrees so have a bit of movement in it up to that.It's just that swollen! Physio said it's difficult to suggest anything when it's so swollen. At least I can get x2 physio sessions a week on the club on top of whatever else I can get.

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@Grizwald, that's encouraging. Unfortunately it does take time. It took me 3 months to get full ROM back and the swelling down. By which point it was almost feeling normal.... Except the incessant figure of 8 motion I could feel every step I took (within the knee).

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|sorry to hear about your injury - be positive - hopefully its not your ACL, I have a bit of experience with bad knees recently, while its possible you've ruptured your acl in a fall it is possibly more likely to be a meniscus cartilage injury or a MCL/PCL tear or strain. My son strained his ACL (no tear evident from the MRI & other structures appear in tact) in early September and was on crutches for 4 weeks with massive swelling. His consultant put him off sports for 12 weeks. He is now making great progress but this only started once the swelling started to subsided.
My advice - be positive and hope for the best - try to get it/keep it moving and use lots of ice and elevate to get shot of the swelling in the meantime consider paying for a private scan. Good luck and lets us know how you are doing.

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@Charliee, Thanks for your reply. I'm hoping for the best certainly but as it drags on it's difficult. Also spoke on the phone to the physio last night who was a bit concerned it was still swollen nearly 2 weeks on. I'll wait until the MRI guys get in touch if it's going to be more than a week I'll ask about private.

Cheers

I was still swollen a month after my injury when it was the ACL rupture.

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don't worry too much about the swelling - just work on getting it down, its just an indicator you have some damage - its not a diagnosis tool to say you have a damaged ACL - do you have feelings of the knee giving way as it would be a much stronger indicator.
I had significant swelling from a torn meniscus and a grade 1 tear to my MCL.

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I had a dog related knee injury. I was told after X-rays and some swinging about on my knee in A And E that it was probably ligament damage, go home and take painkillers. My knee was so painful that I could not walk. It turned out that I had broken both bones below my knee, undisplaced, and although did not find out for 6 months, also my ACL. I also had a severe mcl tear. The MRI confirmed the fractures, it picked up the bruising I think. My knee never did become normal before it gave way on a slope and the force of the fall refractured my tibia, undisplaced again. I have now had an ACL reconstruction privately as I was too old for the NHS. My knee truly became unstable as the swelling decreased, swelling protects the knee. The second fall tore my meniscus. The hardest damage to recover from is muscle wastage, most else can be fixed with expertise and time. Good luck.@Grizwald,

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Thanks for the additional replies guys.

It's got a lot better over the last few days, swelling down and able to put weight on it. I have an MRI appointment next week although they say to allow 2 weeks to get these to your consultant but at least that's something as I was told there was a 5-6 week wait so went through some rigmarole this week trying to sort a referral from my GP to get a private scan-only for a letter to land from the NHS yesterday!

I'm remaining optimistic until I hear otherwise!

I'm going to see the physio at the club tonight, the muscle wastage is frightening! Despite being welded to the sofa I've lost something like 5 pounds so I suspect it's all muscles. I'm a fairly big bloke and now my right leg looks like a twig!

Oh well the worst was confirmed today, ruptured ACL and both meniscus torn.

The guy I spoke to wasn't a knee specialist so I'll see someone who's local and appears to have a good rep. I can then commit or shop around if I want a different surgeon.

You know it makes sense.

Sorry to hear your news - that sucks - wishing you a speedy recovery. Sad

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Charliee, Cheers I'm going to try and get out a bit more, can't drive etc still but thinking of getting the bus to the local pool to do some swimming etc. Will wait and see what the physio says.

A snowHead

Sorry to hear of your knee problem, possible ACL rupture.

Not knowing is very frustrating. What seems to be often lacking in this situation is clarity.

Here is how i simplify your situation. You need a:-

A clear diagnosis ( History , examination and probably a scan)

An idea of severity of injury

Treatment options/ pros and cons of surgery vs nonoperative treatment/ length of recovery/ prognosis for all options.

Then someone to help you make a decision on what is best for you.

The only person who can give you all of those in a couple of appointments is a knee specialist who has seen lots of ACL ruptures.
You need to see the same person for both appointments. The person seeing you is more important than the scan.
See if you can find someone who can do that for you.

Hope that helps.

Jonathan Bell

A snowHead

@Jonathan Bell, Thanks for your input-from my vague memory of being around Snowheads for a while you're in the field?

I had an MRI scan last week and the follow up appointment today. The doctor who saw me today admittedly was not a knee specialist/surgeon but showed me the images. There was basically no ACL to be seen, and what looked like two tears to the meniscus.

As it is I've been referred to a local specialist who can hopefully provide me with some idea on the best way forward. The Dr I saw today said given my age, and desire to remain fit and active would be a candidate to have surgery.

Many thanks

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Bit of an update as I'm bed bound for Christmas.

Had the first of two planned operations on Thursday. Basically after seeing a specialist I have 2 issues, the ACL rupture and damage to the meniscus, part of the cartilage has became dislodged and was preventing me from having full range of movement in the knee/leg. The surgery was to collect that. The surgeon was pretty up front stating that over the age of the 30 repair is more difficult, I was a bit apprehensive about this as taking cartilage out can mean the knee wears out ahead of time. He'd said he'd always leave stuff in rather than take it out where possible. Luckily the operation went well and he was able to repair the cartilage.

I'll now get the ACL reconstruction in February. At them moment I've been told to only partly weight bare for 6 weeks. Would have been nice to get it over with in one operation but that wasn't possible.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Best of luck for the op and recovery! If it's any consolation I had an ACL reconstruction in Jan and am skiing again this season

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@Grizwald, I don't feel Inwant to know what you wear when your on your bathroom scale and confess I don't understand what it has to do with your rehab Puzzled

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@BobinCH, Cheers It's the first time in over 20 years I'll have not skied in a season so will be difficult. I was hoping to get back to rugby but the length this has laid me up I'm starting to think it's now the time to retire!

@under a new name, sorry but you've lost me.

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Grizwald,
I think under a new name may be suggesting that "weight bare" means stepping onto the bathroom scales while in a state of undress....

@Grizwald, it must be a bit of a relief to get started. There are plenty of people on here and not that are over 30 and have recovered fine. You must have good base strength from the rugby and strong hamstrings so you are as well set as you could be I'd imagine. Which brings me to two positives. Firstly, you'll be skiing next season and you're really not missing anything at all this year with the conditions as they are. The second is that you'll be legitimately sofa-bound for the entire six nations with no guilt. The last day of the 6N 2015 was the highlight of my first 3 weeks post op.

Good luck with the rehab.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@22 dropout, Cheers mate appreciate the kind words wink

wish I could have had the one op as I have it all to look forward to again in the not too distant future.The cryo cuff has been a good investment though, after a week I'm reasonably back on my feet so expect similar after the ACL reconstruction so it's not too bad. Just on top of the 2/3 months it taken to get the diagnosis, appointments etc sorted.

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Grizwald - best of luck with your next op-

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When I had an acl injury to recover I bascally only used a cheap knee compression sleeve heres the one I used >> http://edunonline.com/product/knee-support-compression-sleeve/?revi and did lots of body weight squats.. worked a treat! Sometimes you can rely too much on super expensive braces and unnecessary physio that can do more damage than good.

Help!!

Knee injury?

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