View Full Version : Busted
Mumster
08-12-2003, 10:23 AM
Finally broke down and MRI’ed the knee - fractures of both the tibia and fibula, an ACL and a joint effusion.
:cry:
Things could be worse - both legs., etc. Any stories? Ones with happy endings... A bunch of you must have had much worse injuries and bounced back to perfection....
Freakin’ annoying....
Fib/Tib is pretty common... So is ACL.. But you already know that...
If I had a dollar for every person i know that had knee surgeory, I'd have 15 dollars... at least :)
For ACL replacement - most people I know go for the harvested tendons(or DMT - Dead Mans Tendon)...
Good luck with that... You'll be back on skis before you know it...
ski&ride
08-12-2003, 10:41 AM
Oh no! :eek: I'm so sorry, SkiMum. Don't fret, you will heal. My mother broke her knee 3 years ago while skiing: Fractured Tibia & ACL tear. She had surgery, & was on the slopes the following season (gradual increase of activities). Aside from some occasional stiffness & weather-related aches, she's as good as new. My ice hockey goalie from college played again within months after tearing her ACL. She still plays now, in a men's league. I'm sure you are very frustrated, it stinks. But since it's only August, perhaps by spring you can still go "to the top". Good luck, feel better, heal quickly!
Find the top Sports orthopods in your area, travel if you have to, and go for it. First interventions usually scare folks a lot. Okay, it scared me, but I had cycling plans....
That surgery was just for a meniscectomy and happened in late spring of '78. I was rehabbing all summer and racing again in the fall. My '79 season saw me back on form, better than ever and racing in Canada and all over NE. '79 - '82 saw me racing and training for well over 10,000 miles a year. In '83 I fractured my fibula and evulsed my biceps femoris playing soccer, bike milage dropped, but I was running under the watchfull eye of Coach Squires and swimming with the old crocodiles at the "Y"*. I became a dad in '82 and dipped under 8,000 miles until I was "retired" by a Chevette in '88.
Since then I've had to have a few return visits to "the table", but I'm still hauling my own stuff to Tux... and no fancy brace ...yet.
*About the "old crocodiles": That's a term of respect, they really helped with my stroke and that was important to me as I was doing triathalons at the time. Crocodiles because they didn't make a lot of noise but cruised effortlessly for a long time ... gradually I built a little speed in the water ... but that was all I needed for my triathalons.
elwood
08-12-2003, 11:36 AM
Don't worry mumster, you'll be alright. Orthopedic surgery has come a long way from RR's experience even. I broke my tibia in Feb of 98. Hauling ass on a snowmobile and hit a tree. Snapped the tib in half. Had a metal rod put into my leg and a couple of screws in my ankle. I was walking within 2 months, and running within 4. (Running meaning playing rugby, so you do the math). My leg is better than ever now! With a metal rod and all of the calcium buildup fromt he break, my leg will never break again!
Bannick
08-12-2003, 12:11 PM
Wow...what a drag. Everyone I know that has had knee surgery has bounced back surprisingly fast. I am sure you will be back on the boards in no time.
One question tho.....how the hell have you been walking around with a tip/fib fracture, never mind the ACL and joint stuff. Jeez you are one tough mum!!!!!
Hint: Guys, all Mums are tough!
Mumster
08-12-2003, 12:36 PM
Bannick:
One question tho.....how the hell have you been walking around with a tip/fib fracture, never mind the ACL and joint stuff. Jeez you are one tough mum!!!!! Bannick - lol, that's exactly what the radiologist said when we reviewed the films. Admitedly, walking is probably an exaggeration - didn't I call it hobbling? In any event, RR is right. It's considered bad form for Mum's to whine over minor aches and pains...
Anyway, thanks to everyone for cheering me up - feel better already. :D Being connected in the local medical community my MRI is being passed around determine how unstable the ACL is - it isn't completely ruptured - just torn - so perhaps I will escape surgery. (I wrecked the other knee previously and was lucky enough to escape surgery.) Either way, I have nearly 4 months until the snow :snowflakes: hits.
Bannick
08-12-2003, 01:38 PM
At least you got an MRI. When I compressed/crushed??? the cartlidge in my left knee It was elevated, rested, physioed and better before the MRI could have been schduled. Public healthcare is great up in the north but only if you are important.
Frankontour
08-12-2003, 02:34 PM
Well, I don't understand any abbreviation on this thread, but I would like to wish you to have a fast and good convalescence, Mumster ! At least, it's in mid-summer, so you won't lose an interesting period of skiing !!
kmrnskier
08-12-2003, 09:47 PM
Mumster - a friend of mine completely tore her ACL, and a partial tear of her MCL a couple years ago skiing. She had a graft done, but I don't think it was the DMT that DMC is talking about. Anyway, she was up and running in no time, with no problems since!! By the way, you ARE one tought Mum!! :skiplow:
Skilasnow
08-12-2003, 11:00 PM
I sliced open my right knee with the edge of my left ski 2 Marches ago. It cut 85% of my MCL and about 60% of my MC. The cut went to the bone and chipped it (I don't remember which bone). The surgeon said that because my skis were so sharp (a very good reason to keep your skis well tuned) and that I must have had a slicing motion (versus a chopping motion) the cut was almost as clean as a surgeons scalpel and was therefor easy to put back together. I was only on the table for 35 minutes, awake to watch the whole thing, really cool.
I was fine by Aug, with only occasional soreness when I over exerted myself. Skiing the following season I never would have known I had done anything to it at all.
So, Mum, I am sure that you will find no ill effects once ski season hits. My one piece of advice is do EVERYTHING the PT tells you to and you will be right as rain in no time.
Frankontour: ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament ) and MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) are two major ligaments in the knee. MC is the Meniscus Cartilage that seperates the upper leg bone from the lower.
Mumster
08-13-2003, 08:41 AM
Ouch. You guys are tough.
SkiLas - I went thru the same thing last fall after fracturing my other tibia (+ joint damage) skiing last summer - no one knew if I'd be able to ski last winter. I did better than anyone expected, so I'll do whatever, to be ready to roll by November. It's harder mentally since my bad leg is now my good leg - things add up .... But, with the Snow Gods on my side, I will prevail. :skifemcool:
Obey PT. It's hard, but worth it. My guy told me, "You can be a wimp, and this'll take about 6 months, or you can do everything I say and I'll clear you to ski in 2 months." (not so many words, but that was the idea) I obeyed and was able to use about 1/2 of my ski pass season.
Two folks in my office had major knee surgery this year, neither skiiers, but they're both running now.
M@
BladeGirl
08-13-2003, 10:25 AM
I guess I should read ALL the backlog of postings before adding notes to individual threads. Just cought up with this one. OUCH, Mumster! And you skied on it? *You're* the tough one!
M@:
Obey PT. It's hard, but worth it. My guy told me, "You can be a wimp, and this'll take about 6 months, or you can do everything I say and I'll clear you to ski in 2 months." (not so many words, but that was the idea)
M@ I have to agree. I injured my ACL & medial meniscus (sp?) (I hope I never hear/feel that "pop" sound again!) skiing and did intensive PT (once the swelling had gone down) and have kept up quad exercises and feel the knee is better than ever. The hubby broke his tibia and fibula very badly skiing as well (separate trip) in September in Chile and had a plate put in and was back on the slopes by the season's start (ok, a little bit of a late start). Good luck and fast healing.
-BG
rollinroc
08-13-2003, 05:34 PM
Like RR, I had a meniscectomy a few years back after a twisting injury. Now I'd never know the difference.
I got to schedle one of these -ectomies my self... see if you can guess which one. Here's a hint: Two healthy kids.
M@ :eek:
Mumster
08-13-2003, 07:22 PM
Hmmm...how about a discectomy or herniectomy? Horsing around with the little banana, eh :ma: ?
Are you sure you can't just :ducttape: it?
Mumster, if another life you must have been a nurse....I work with bunches of them...you'd fit right in!
PAskier
08-14-2003, 05:43 AM
Wake up RR, Mum's a doctor. She's a neurologist i believe.
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