 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone. I went through a lump of soft snow, my ski came off and my knee turned inwards and I fell. Ouch. I carried on skiing for the day, I could feel a bit of pain but not enough to stop me getting home. The next day, my knee was very stiff and painful and I didn't ski, it was our last day anyway and the weather was awful so no big deal.
Now I am home and I'm walking around and taking ibuprofen but my knee really is quite painful. It's painful to touch it on the inside, and I can't fully bend or straighten it and in bed at night if it 'bends' to the side it's agony. I've googled and it looks like an MCL injury. Once I'm walking around it feels better, if I sit at my desk for too long it stiffens up and hurts.
Yes, perhaps I should go to the doctors, or even a&e, but the googling has just led me to think it's rest, ice, compression and elevation treatment, which I've been doing. I'm also wearing a neoprene knee support.
Am I ok treating it myself do you think? Will it be about 6 weeks till it stops hurting?
Thank you for reading.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Is it swollen?
I would recommend seeing a physio, personally.
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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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Thanks Nicky, it was a bit swollen last week when I did it but I'd not say it was badly swollen now.
Can a physio give a diagnosis without having to do an xray or mri scan?
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Hi My son hurt his knee in a similar way - playing badminton whilst on a ski season! Physio in resort said he was OK - I didn't think so and got him looked at when he came home a couple of weeks later - mri and rapid surgery required to stop long term damage! I'm no doctor but it's best to be cautions and get it looked at - I toughed it out before and now have a duff knee! Best of luck - trust the doctors though!
Geoff
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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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@Zayna99, just had MCL diagnosed and treated by physio . . . much better than Doctor route and in fact it was MCL plus the hamstring attachment. Essentially six weeks' posy injury and now almost fully better.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks all. We have a physiotherapist nearby, I will pop in and make an appointment. I can't face a 5 hour wait at a&e, nor do I think my gp will just refer me to a consultant which will probably take weeks.
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@Zayna99, Physio probably the best port of call. Sounds like an MCL sprain. A sprain is where there is tearing of ligament fibres - It just depends how bad and extensive the tears are. Some are mild and some can be more severe. The best way to recover in the 1st instant it to get it in a brace to keep the joint as stable as possible and let the fibres heal. Physio seems a good starting point as they can check the stability and generally the grade of sprain.
Even if it feels better I would let the Physio assess it before returning to skiing as the knee will be less stable until it is fully healed.
PS Written as someone who has no medical qualifications but has had a lot of knee problems.
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| Zayna99 wrote: |
Thanks Nicky, it was a bit swollen last week when I did it but I'd not say it was badly swollen now.
Can a physio give a diagnosis without having to do an xray or mri scan? |
That's is very encouraging. Good luck seeing the physio.
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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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Thanks Frosty. I won't be skiing again until next year so I have time to recover, thanks. The pain in bed last night was worse than when I'd been using my leg all day, it needs sorting. I'm going to ring the physio for an appointment, the one I am going to try specialises in sports injuries so that should sort it, hopefully.
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Fingers crossed it's something minor.
From my own personal learning, getting it diagnosed is key. A good physio or specialist knee surgeon may be able to tell you by discussing how you sustained the injury, examining you etc.
Other course of action is MRI which I was told are 90% effective for diagnosis. Failing that a camera to have a good look around!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you do need an MRI in a hurry you can get one for about £215 at Vista diagnostics by Waterloo. They will take referrals from physios. It doesn't break the bank and will reassure you as to what is going on.
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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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I'm with @22 dropout, if I had my time again I'd would have paid to see a specialist sports knee surgeon pronto. This doesn't exclude you from getting anything else done on the NHS.
My surgeon has been great once he finally saw me he expedited things quickly.
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Thanks everyone. I've booked an appointment, the physio said that she knows exactly what I have done from my description and she's seen it many times before. I'm also in Bupa so will give them a ring, physio says they will pay but at the end of the day it's not fortunes so I don't really care either way, I just want it fixing.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Zayna99, a physio appointment is a good start, as would an A & E diagnosis. I injured my mcl 3 years ago, went to A & E who confirmed it wasn't ruptured, and booked private physio thereafter. After ice etc, the hard work was regaining range of motion in the knee. IIRC it took a few weeks of daily effort to get the leg fully straight and a couple of months to get full flexion.
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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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Thanks Stu, I really couldn't face a trip to A&E, let alone spare the time.
I injured the other knee last year, not skiing, it was red wine related. 
It took weeks and weeks and weeks to get better on its own and I don't want to go through that again. I've been icing it every night after work and it's strapped up so hopefully I've given it a good start.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@22 dropout,
MRI may be required but should only be part of a diagnostic process. ive written a number of blogs - see below. I'd suggest the physio route for now.
Jonathan Bell
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thank you Mr. Bell. I'll report back on the outcome of my appointment, it might help someone else.
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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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I did both mine (lowest grade left side, grade 2 right side) at New Year and skiied eight weeks later. Lots of physio and lots of effort to keep the muscles strong including tedious, mind-numbing hours on the turbo trainer. I agree that the pain at night is some of the worst and I had a pillow between my knees to stop that.
Full extension can take months. Mine still ache at full extension but i'm back to 'ass to the grass' squats with weight so rehab can be quite quick if you put the effort in. I'm 49 but always been fit and healthy.
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Back from physio thanks to you lovely lot for recommending that I go.
The lady physiotherapist is a keen skier and recognised my symptoms immediately. She says there is plenty of movement and some inflammation but it's not the worst she's ever seen. She did some massage, ultrasound and short wave therapy, put some of that adhesive strapping stuff on and said another couple of sessions should cover it.
I've to do ice, gentle exercises and try not to limp. She said that I should keep it exercised because (as has been mentioned) the last thing I need is to have the tendon shorten itself and build up scar tissue. I'm there again next Friday.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for your comments and help on this, I wouldn't have gone to the physio if you all hadn't said it should be my first port of call. I feel so much better for a professional telling me that though it's jolly painful, it's not terminal and it will get better by itself and even quicker with a little assistance.
Happy days. 
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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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@Zayna99, excellent news!
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