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Thread: MCL and PCL

  1. #1
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    MCL and PCL

    Tore my mcl and pcl. Ortho says I can get surgery for the pcl or just wear a brace for my mcl. Any advice? Anyone done something like this before?

  2. #2
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    So sorry to hear this Ted. The pcl is like the acl in that you need surgery to reconstruct it as it does not heal or grow back. The mcl can and probably will heal on it's own as long as you protect it and don't keep irritating it. It may even heal up by the time you get surgery depending on when that will be. Huge bummer, I will miss your pics this season, but come back strong you will. Don't try skiing on it. See a physical therapist asap and start doing the pre-hab you will need to do before surgery.
    "The skis just popped me up out of the snow and I went screaming down the hill on a high better than any heroin junkie." She Ra

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by tone capone View Post
    So sorry to hear this Ted. The pcl is like the acl in that you need surgery to reconstruct it as it does not heal or grow back. The mcl can and probably will heal on it's own as long as you protect it and don't keep irritating it. It may even heal up by the time you get surgery depending on when that will be. Huge bummer, I will miss your pics this season, but come back strong you will. Don't try skiing on it. See a physical therapist asap and start doing the pre-hab you will need to do before surgery.
    Do you know anyone who's had the surgery before?

  4. #4
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    I do not. It's much less common of a ski injury than the acl. Basically it is just like the acl in structure, but it prevents different movements of the tibia in relation to the femur than the acl. Do as much research as you can, and be prepared to ask lots of questions to your doctor and physical therapist. ...And by all means get a second opinion if you are feeling uncertain or uncomfortable with the way things are going. Keep us up to date here and hopefully others with more experience with pcl injury can chime in. Don't worry too much right now, just understand this will be a process, pretty much a full time job for a while. However, you will come out the other side stronger for it in ways you won't realize until you complete your own personal path to recovery.
    "The skis just popped me up out of the snow and I went screaming down the hill on a high better than any heroin junkie." She Ra

  5. #5
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    Will post some updates here in case anyone else suffers this injury as there's not much info out there.

    About ten days now since hurting my knee. Knee is still somewhat swollen but the swelling has gone down considerably. Slowly regaining some range of motion, can go from about a 90 degree bend to almost straight outstretched. Doctors put me in a Jack PCL brace to take the load off the pcl and allow it to heal. Walking about 3 miles a day from my house to campus and back and feel good. Still unclear if I will need surgery, but hesitantly leaning towards no as my knee feels relatively stable for the most part.

    Talked to another skier who tore their pcl last season and did not get surgery, just did pt and still wears a brace when skiing hard. Hopefully this info helps anyone else out there looking for info on pcl tears.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ted26 View Post
    Will post some updates here in case anyone else suffers this injury as there's not much info out there.

    About ten days now since hurting my knee. Knee is still somewhat swollen but the swelling has gone down considerably. Slowly regaining some range of motion, can go from about a 90 degree bend to almost straight outstretched. Doctors put me in a Jack PCL brace to take the load off the pcl and allow it to heal. Walking about 3 miles a day from my house to campus and back and feel good. Still unclear if I will need surgery, but hesitantly leaning towards no as my knee feels relatively stable for the most part.

    Talked to another skier who tore their pcl last season and did not get surgery, just did pt and still wears a brace when skiing hard. Hopefully this info helps anyone else out there looking for info on pcl tears.
    I did have some damage to my PCL when I tore my ACL. My brother (who is a radiologist) read my x-ray and MRI and noted the PCL damage (his was a second opinion--the original guy who read the MRI didn't say anything about the PCL). I told my surgeon about it and he never seemed concerned about the PCL, which I thought was odd but I didn't push it. He repaired the ACL, did some trimming on the MCL, and left the PCL alone. Presumably this means he felt it would heal on its own, which sounds somewhat similar to the path you are taking. I haven't had any issues with it so I guess he knew what he was doing (or not doing, as the case may be).

  7. #7
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    A little less than four weeks now since hurting my knee. Making strong progress on range of motion (can go 0 - 120 degrees) and can now bike on a stationary bike without difficulty. Went up and took a few groomer runs at Bridger this morning and felt pretty good, knee did not feel unstable but I also didn't push it. Hoping I'll be able to salvage the rest of the season, we shall see...

  8. #8
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    Had a follow up appointment with the dr today. He said my ligaments have tightened up, my grade three tears now feel more like grade 1 or 2 on each ligament. My range of motion is probably 90% of what it was before. My mcl region is still somewhat sore but it's inconsistent.

    Dr said not to ski for the near future, but I've already skied four days in the past week so...

    Will probably just try to skin a lot and ski mellowish backcountry before hopefully turning things up a notch come spring.

  9. #9
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    well good luck! since you already did it and all!

  10. #10
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    That sounds reasonable. Glad to hear you didn't completely tear anything. I would have advised against skiing the deep cold smoke in that condition but glad you got away with it! Be patient and get strong for second season.
    "The skis just popped me up out of the snow and I went screaming down the hill on a high better than any heroin junkie." She Ra

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ted26 View Post
    Had a follow up appointment with the dr today. He said my ligaments have tightened up, my grade three tears now feel more like grade 1 or 2 on each ligament. My range of motion is probably 90% of what it was before. My mcl region is still somewhat sore but it's inconsistent.

    Dr said not to ski for the near future, but I've already skied four days in the past week so...

    Will probably just try to skin a lot and ski mellowish backcountry before hopefully turning things up a notch come spring.
    listen to your doc. I just reinjured my knee (acl + ?) at 4.5 weeks after being told I could ride groomers by my physio, who thought it was a grade 1 (so did I). happened on the second day, not even the first. Did all my rehab. I'm back to day 3.

    Look up some return to sport tests. There's no way I would have passed the ones for acl. If you can't do them then I wouldn't ski.

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