Knee Ligaments - MRI Scan - Ruptures, Undersurface tears, tearing, the lot...

[W.C.]

It's the kicking action that does me, I am right footed so the left knee takes all the twisting through it. On a squash court, I am lunging, twisting, turning all the time, and generally am I absolutely fine. Football though causes a real problem, which is a shame because I was a bloody excellent footballer*!!




*part of this statement is a lie.

ok, that's interesting, not the part about you being an excellent footballer, I'll take that as read I'm right footed too, but my left knee is strong as (touch wood). It's the leg I've always relied on for support.

Anyway, I'm just happy I've got it back to the stage I am at. Felt like a 70 year old a year back.

 

[dougdeep]

I've got an MRI scan later this week on my left knee as well......
The appointment I got sent is for 4.10pm on Sunday !!! Never heard of Sunday appointments before......

I expect they'll move it before then. They did mine.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

My only advice is don't carry on/take up running and do the physio, you are f**kd if you don't!!!!

I completely ruptured my PCL, tore 75% of my medial and about 25% of my lateral ligament playing rugby. Normally this type of injury is found in car accidents and amercian football! For whatever reason they didn't diagnose the PCL injury until some 15 years later, when they cleared up a cartilage tear. I gave up rugby and took up running, the lack of PCL and the fact that I suffer from hyper mobility (double joints) means that the running ruined the cartilage in my knee (3 ops in 7 years, of which two were in 18 months). I'm left with aknee that wobbles all over teh shop and a nice bit on bone on bone action!

Good luck with the recovery

 

[Hungry Joe]

I've got my first physio tomorrow following weeks of pain and only being able to walk about 5 minutes before my right knee seizing up. Slipped on the stairs and jarred and twisted the knee. Haven't had an MRI yet, but I guess I'll get referred for one if the physio is concerned. Been doing the exercises the A&E nurse gave me but it's getting worse rather than better. She said there was likely anterior and medial ligament damage and possibly cartilage damage too. Feels like it rocks back and that's when the pain shoots down the tibia, and like a knife being stuck in the inside of the knee when I twist or turn. Getting in and out of cars is the worst. Annoying as I'm used to speed walking 3 miles a day to work.

 

[maglers]

My only advice is don't carry on/take up running and do the physio, you are f**kd if you don't!!!!

I completely ruptured my PCL, tore 75% of my medial and about 25% of my lateral ligament playing rugby. Normally this type of injury is found in car accidents and amercian football! For whatever reason they didn't diagnose the PCL injury until some 15 years later, when they cleared up a cartilage tear. I gave up rugby and took up running, the lack of PCL and the fact that I suffer from hyper mobility (double joints) means that the running ruined the cartilage in my knee (3 ops in 7 years, of which two were in 18 months). I'm left with aknee that wobbles all over teh shop and a nice bit on bone on bone action!

Good luck with the recovery

This. I snapped my ACL playing rugby 18 years ago. I did the rehab religiously and got back to playing again within nine months. I even topped up the NHS physio with a private session every week. It would also help to build up the quads before going under the knife because the muscles will waste quickly after surgery. Now I do (sprint) triathlons, squash, a lot of cycling, a few football games a year and still play vets rugby. Sometimes the knee gets sore, but recently I was told that it is more stable than the "good" one. DO THE REHAB.

 

[Spun Cuppa]

If they do operate, be sure to ask if you will be able to play the piano afterwards. If they reply in the affirmative, affect incredulity and say you couldn't play one before you went in

 

[sam86]

So, I had my followup consultation today. As expected, the findings weren't great. Unfortunately my ACL is completely ruptured and needs to be reconstructed. The medial collateral ligament tearing is also worse than the letter makes out and probably needs operating on.

I was basically given two options (as some suggested in this thread):

1. Have key hole surgery to reconstruct the ACL. Meaning I should be able to play contact sports again, but 9 - 12 months down the line. This would obviously include some time on crutches, some time unable to drive, some time unable to work, and many many months of physio.

2. No surgery, just physio for 3-4 months, meaning I'll have no ACL, and never be able to play hard contact sports again. Sports such as Tennis should apparently be OK.​

At 27, I think I have to go for the surgery, I'm just finding it hard admitting it.

I'm not doing it any further damage, so I have time on my side. What isn't helping my decision making is that I'm due to go on holiday for 2 weeks in September, and then off to Australia for several weeks in January. I figure if I have the surgery straight after my September holiday I should be in decent enough condition to still enjoy Australia. I appreciate holiday comes second and all that.

It proper sucks I tell ya'.

 

[Seasidesage]

Results of my MRI scan:

Obviously it's pretty ****ed, but what should I expect wise old hobbling users of NSC? Got to wait a week for my follow-up appointment.

12-14 week rehab, high chance of arthritis if you have the op, quite a bit of pain too. All good stuff. I had two done not pleasant. I would strongly recommend not having it done unless you really have to!!!

 

[Seasidesage]

So, I had my followup consultation today. As expected, the findings weren't great. Unfortunately my ACL is completely ruptured and needs to be reconstructed. The medial collateral ligament tearing is also worse than the letter makes out and probably needs operating on.

I was basically given two options (as some suggested in this thread):

1. Have key hole surgery to reconstruct the ACL. Meaning I should be able to play contact sports again, but 9 - 12 months down the line. This would obviously include some time on crutches, some time unable to drive, some time unable to work, and many many months of physio.

2. No surgery, just physio for 3-4 months, meaning I'll have no ACL, and never be able to play hard contact sports again. Sports such as Tennis should apparently be OK.​

At 27, I think I have to go for the surgery, I'm just finding it hard admitting it.

I'm not doing it any further damage, so I have time on my side. What isn't helping my decision making is that I'm due to go on holiday for 2 weeks in September, and then off to Australia for several weeks in January. I figure if I have the surgery straight after my September holiday I should be in decent enough condition to still enjoy Australia. I appreciate holiday comes second and all that.

It proper sucks I tell ya'.

Sam seriously, unless you are getting paid to play. I strongly recommend going for option 2. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to get back to what you were before the op. It takes professionals with the best surgeons, dedicated physios and lots of time to work on it a year to recover. You will get none of those. As you have probably guessed I went for option 1 and regretted it. Of all the people I know who had it done none have been pleased with the outcome.

Sorry to be the harbinger of doom!

 

[Bozza]

I had ACL reconstruction some years back - the one where they take a hamstring out, stitch it together and screw it in place as an 'artificial' ligament.

Seemed to do the trick - I managed to go snowboarding which I doubt I'd have managed before and generally twisty actions seemed ok.

However, twice in the last year my knee has popped out again, whilst doing innocuous twists on the kitchen floor do it seems my knee is ****ed again. Annoying.

 

[Ali_rrr]

Had it when I was 11 after jumping for a ball and then landed awkwardly. I was out for 4 months, and I had lots of physiotherapy, still dodgy now but I would've been out for a lot longer if I wasn't that young.

 

[Da Man Clay]

I'd be having the surgery mate. You know what I'm like for contact sport though...

 

[smalldino]

Sam, I am waiting to have a full ACL reconstruction. Should have been in today but they cancelled it last week. I had my cartlidge operated on in January and the surgeon said to me that my ACL was "hanging on by a thread" (medical term i think). I am 38 and was told without the operation the chances of needing a knee replacement withion 20 years were quite high.

But what ever you do, DONT and I repeat this, DONT watch an ACL reconstruction video on you tube. It is grim.

 

[helipilot]

Sam, from experience of both option 1 and option 2 I would go with option one.

I ruptured my ACL in my right knee some years ago and made do without a reconstruction for about 8 years. I was fairly active but my knee used to give way on me every so often such as stepping off a curb etc. I wanted to be able to play contact sports and wasn't able to so I had it reconstructed (patella tendon graft, which seems to be the preferred method these days rather than what bozza had done above) and it was/ is great.

In 2007 I ruptured my left ACL and tore my medial meniscus (bucket tear). The meniscus required operating as it was blocking my knee from fully straightening (I had a limp for 4 months). They took out all of my meniscus but have not reconstructed the ACL. Without an ACL you lose stability and your knee joint will wear out faster (particularly as you have damaged the meniscus which is the joints shock absorber). This will lead to an early onset of athritus for me and possibly for you too. I would definitely take the hit now at your age and get it reconstructed.... it could pay significant dividends down the line.

 

[Originunknown]

Did mine last year early september, had reconstruction mid october and luckily lots of private physio. I'm back to all sports now but stopped playing football competitively.

Get a swiss ball for the rehab, lots of remedial exercises you can do with that before you're ready to cycle after the OP.

Try and build up as much leg muscle bulk as possible before the OP. Doesn't seem like it now but when it settles down you will be able to train again with the rupture. Focus entirely on your ruptured leg, go to the gym religiously and bulk it up as much as you can before the OP. You will be very very thankful afterwards.

 

[mistahclarke]

Why do you kneed to know?

 

[Dr NBC]

I had an ACL bone-to-bone patella graft in 2009. I damaged my knee in 2002 playing hockey (proper hockey on ice). The idiot surgeon told me I was fine and it wasn't until moving here and having more problems was I able to get it reconstructed. Most sports were difficult without an intact ACL. Tennis, with all of the twisting and cutting, was particularly difficult. My mobility was poor at best. Hockey? Forget it. Even baseball was problematic. Since you are relatively young, I'd recommend surgery as well. The only thing I will suggest is to go into the surgery as strong as possible. Do as much rehabilitation prior to surgery as you will lose a not unsubstantial amount of muscle mass on your affected leg.

Best of luck.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Did my medial at 36 and the other knee medial at 39. 12m for full recovery including physio. Make sure you do the exercises and build up your quads to give the knee stability. However, strap one of those big knee supports around the knee, get crutches for support and hit the rides at DisneyWorld Paris. You and a mate get called to the front of every queue. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

 

[sam86]

Cheers all. For those that have had it reconstructed, how were you 3 months after? Well enough to get on a plane and walk at least most days?

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Thanks for all the serious replies chaps.
I guess thanks for all "other" replies too, one does need cheering up in times of trouble!

Sorry to hear about your Knee troubles, i snapped my ACL some 15 years ago and have had no work done on it apart from blowing out the crap. The jury is still out on whether i should have had it repaired, initially i retired from footie i was 35, but i did go on to play a non contact twisting sport(Squash) it took sometime to adjust as i could not physically stop as quick as my head suggested that i could so it meant i had to smash my forearm on the right wall all the time,(this did work to a degree) but i have not played anymore than golf on it for the past 10 years and it appears fine, i do worry that i could be wearing away my cartilage without knowing it, but the doctors won't give me a MRI to check it.

So to summarise i haven't got a clue after 15 years whether i did the right thing or not, but what i will say think long and hard and make sure it is your decision.

Ps i am not overweight so that may well help me.


Good luck Sam.