 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
I'm not based in the UK but I found your forum very informative so decided to share my accident. Some of you might find it helpful if they found themselves in a similar situation.
I had a very slow fall, felt pain for literally 10 seconds while twisting my knee 180° and faceplanting into the snow. I stood up and felt OK but when I tried to bear weight on my knee, it just collapsed. Up until early December 2022, I didn't really know what all those ACLs were but it didn't feel right. I said "my kneecap just moved!".
Another step, knee collapsed another time. When patrol got to me I was all smiley, they said to other patrolers I was in a good spirit, enjoyed my ride in a tobogan and I thought things were fine.
Long story short I went to emergency at local Hospital and was diagnosed with MCL sprain and was told it's gonna heal itself. Got referred to physio where I was told it feels like partially torn ACL so I started to worry.
As I am in Canada, public MRI waitlist is around 8-12 months (NO JOKE) and doc wanted my MCL to heal before referring me for one anyway.
Have been doing physio all that time and it has been going ok, lunges, squats, leg extensions, biking. But EVERYTIME I stopped exercising or using my leg in general, it has been stiffening up right away. Couldn't extend it fully even tho I was close, same for bending.
Last time I saw doc before I get my MRI done privately ($730cad), he said my leg felt almost as good as my ok one and if I didn't tell him my pain episodes, he wouldn't have thought it is fully torn.
When I said I had a great workout of 2 hours, no pain, leg felt strong but when I got off the treadmill (had my brace on) I felt a shooting pain and my leg fishtailed, it was a warning sign to him.
My MRI showed fully torn ACL with its remains flipped forward and jammed in an intercondylar notch, preventing me from fully extending my leg and probably causing me all this pain when I i.e. by accident straightened my leg fully when I tried to open a car door and felt pain way worse than on a day when I fully torn my ACL.
I am awaiting a consultation for a surgery. It may take time...
But without it I will probably never regain a full range if motion.
When I tore my ACL I didn't feel or hear a common POP. I was not in an excruciating pain. I didn't swell like a baloon.
It is not always that obvious your ACL is fully torn.
You might stand up and feel the buckle without pain.
You might feel like your leg stiffens up and locks itself no matter how long you work out, how great your squats and lunges feel.
You might feel like there are permanently attached heavy hinges to the both sides of your knee pulling it down when you walk.
Get MRI done.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi @Izzy, welcome to the forum, and thanks for posting. Hope the rehab goes well 
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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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Sorry to hear of your injury.
The ruptured ACL can prevent full locking out of the knee ( loss of extension). Initially it may be from pain and swelling. Also a mild injury to the MCL can make it painful to fully extend. One situation that can occur is that over the first few weeks after injury a blob of scar tissue forms in the end of the ACL stump and blocks extension. If this is what has happened removal allows full extension. There is really no reason not to try and gently stretch, even with assistance, to get the knee straight. It may be uncomfortable to do so but is worth trying. Get someone at home or a physio to help you. Hope you get it sorted eventually.
Jonathan Bell
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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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| Jonathan Bell wrote: |
| One situation that can occur is that over the first few weeks after injury a blob of scar tissue forms in the end of the ACL stump and blocks extension. If this is what has happened removal allows full extension. |
Thank you for your advice Jonathan.
As a few days ago 3rd month since injury happened passed and I still feel the same stiffness and weird pain in the back of my knee (more like just below the back of my knee that shoots down half way my calf and sometimes to the outside of my calf/shin) I started wondering if I also don't have a problem with arthrofibrosis? I have a great difficulty contracting my quad while standing (can do it while sitting with my leg extended, not as tight as my other leg but pretty much can contract it well) - there is no way I can engage the lower (closer to the knee) part of my quad (upper one kinda contracts).
My leg still stiffens up very quickly after like 20mins of not moving it and feels heavy, all over my knee.
I am having a surgical consult on 20th of March so would like to ask an appropriate question, should I ask about a possibilty of arthrofibrosis that could have occured?
It's mostly coming from the back of my knee though, preventing me to i.e. "sit" on this leg - can bend it fully to touch my buttock, but there is no way I could put my weight on it, shooting pain in my calf occurs every time.
Thank you for any further advice!
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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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I’d describe your symptoms and problems as you have here and let them decide what the problems is.
As long as you see a knee specialist they should be familiar with your problems.
Jonathan bell
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