My messed up knee

[Idris]

My left knee is a little messed up so I thought it's time I posted here.


What happend.

My ski released during an avalanche toe upwards on old Salamon 857's on DIN 9 doing about 40 mph, the ski has a core shot in the tail from rock strike.

After getting out of the avalanch I first hobbled 300ft (distance) uphill in 3 foot solp then skied 500 ft (vert down) ending in a fall with both tips dug in and me face down in the snow...I hobbled 3 miles over very rough terrain to the car.


What the doc said

After lots of twisting, pushing and tweaking (but no scans) the doc said i haven't done any major damage to ACL or PCL, but have probably partialy torn/streched my lateral ligaments? and bruised or torn my meniscus.


What hurts/moves

My knee will go almost straight (probably 5 degress from straight) and would until last night go to 90...now its almost there....last night I woke having nocked or twisted my knee the wrong way and it was trying to bend too far - the way if you bang your knee you normally bend it closed all the way and. I had to force it straight with right leg. Once it was back beyond 90 and the pain subsided it stopped trying to clench.

I can push twisting outwards with my toes with no pain but it hurts to do the oposite. There is a dull ache under the front of my knee cap on both sides but not in the middle. My thigh muscle on the inside rear of my knee cap is tender and ocasionaly sewlls a little (less than 1cm)

the leg will bear weight without pain but not for any extended amount of time without pain. Twisting hurts a lot more than putting weight on it.


I am trying to use crutches all the time but due to the configuration of the house I am in it isn't always practical. I am moving to victoria this weekend and hope to move into somwher more practical

I am not taking any pain meds, I very occasionaly (less than once a day) take some ibeprofen (sp?) to make the dull ache subside.

Any ideas on what I've done to my knee? or what I should do to make it better bar just staying off it?

[Vinman]

from the sounds of the it I would say there is a possibility that you have torn your meniscus. The fact that you can not get full flexion or extension without a lot of pain is what makes me think that. It's also possible for some of those symptoms to be caused by spraims to various other ligaments.

Its kind of tough from you description to nail down any one thing.

Was this doc your family doc or orthopedic surgeon?

[truth]

The fact that your knee is locking up seems almost 100% meniscus. Also, the pain around the kneecap describes where the meniscus is...so. I think an MRI is in order if you can get one. MCl sprains will heal on thier own, torn meniscus only gets worse and worse until the joint is totally trashed, which is a BAD thing.

[Idris]

Was this doc your family doc or orthopedic surgeon?

ER doc at Canmore hospital - used to daily ski injuries

[RockBoy]

Get an MRI. I know that it can be $$$$ if you don't have good insurance, but it is the best way to figure out what is wrong with your knee. I've heard a couple stories of friends who have been told "Nothing seems to be torn", but after they get the MRI it is usually clear as day whether something is torn is not.

[Kellie]

I agree with Rockboy . . . ER doc in Jackson told me my ACL was fine and I probably had a torn MCL . . . turns out ACL was gone and MCL was fine . . .

Best of luck, but remember that the sooner you have info, the sooner you can get on the healing path if you have to have surgery. I'm sure Mr. Tyrone Shoelaces can share some thoughts on this one.

Also, once the swelling goes down, an orthopod can do functionality tests on your knee to determine better what the issue is . . . most will trust this as much or more as an MRI, in my experience.

Here's to a speedy recovery . . .

Kellie

[Mtn Man]

Definitely sounds like a torn meniscus, I have the same problem and they confirmed it in the MRI. My extension is around 5deg and flex around 110 with help. i can hold it at 90 on my own, but it isn't the most comfortable. I take it that you didn't hear or feel the dreaded "POP" that I felt. That would be your ACL rupturing, then the burning is edema setting in from the artery that's been severed in you ACL. They pulled about 40ml of fluid from my knee a couple days later, pretty chunky stuff.

Hope that helps! Sounds like you need an MRI to figure out what to do. I'm going in for the Patellar Graft and they're repairing (shaving) the meniscus down.

B)

[Kellie]

I take it that you didn't hear or feel the dreaded "POP" that I felt. That would be your ACL rupturing, then the burning is edema setting in from the artery that's been severed in you ACL. They pulled about 40ml of fluid from my knee a couple days later, pretty chunky stuff.


B)

Damn! That sounds brutal! Haven't heard of them pulling fluid out before! I definitely had the burning - didn't know exactly what it was at the time . . .

[Idris]

I'm heading to Victoria to live for the summer...will be going to a knee dock and probably MRI there next week.

[Vinman]

Yeah, definitly see an ortho. As good as some ER docs are with musculoskeletal injuries it is best to go see an ortho for this type of thing. From the sounds of it, you may have more going on there than just your meniscus and a good exam by an ortho can be very accurate. The MRI is really only needed to confirm what the doc already thinks/knows is the problem and to see if there is more or less damage than they expected. good luck mang.

in the mean time. Make sure to stay on the cruthces if it is painful to bear weight. If you have sprained or torn your MCL/LCL you won't be doing it any favors by trying to walk. Ice, compress and elevate.

[skifishbum]

If it is just torn meniscus. It can usually just be scoped. Had mine done in Oct and was 100% by Thanksgiving a few years ago. MRI only real way to tell damage. Heal well and git some

[truth]

Damn! That sounds brutal! Haven't heard of them pulling fluid out before! I definitely had the burning - didn't know exactly what it was at the time . . .

Aspiration is no fun...the basically take a syringe, and pull rather than push...it hurts. compound fracture of the humorus back when I was 14...got get drained weekly for about 5 weeks.

[Mtn Man]

Aspiration is no fun...the basically take a syringe, and pull rather than push...it hurts. compound fracture of the humorus back when I was 14...got get drained weekly for about 5 weeks.

Luckily, he gave me a small local in that area. He then proceed to "massage" the fluid out, pushing down my knee, getting the clots to go through the needle. I gotta admit, it freaked me out when he did it, but it felt A LOT better afterwards. My lower leg was swollen like a sausage for about a week, but at least the knee didn't hurt as much after that.

B)

[Vinman]

Luckily, he gave me a small local in that area. He then proceed to "massage" the fluid out, B)

Happy Ending?

[Mtn Man]

Happy Ending?

Hehe, I guess you could say that, but the fluid was a chunky red instead

B)

[Yeti]

Agree that you should get it checked out again -- Alta clinic doc (theoretically used to daily skiing-related knee injuries) diagnosed me with complete ACL rupture with certainty; upon further evaluation, final conclusion was minor (grade I) ACL tear with grade 2-3 MCL tear. Big difference in course of treatment between those two calls; I'm glad I had it checked out a second time.

[Idris]

When to see another doc. Thinks that knee just had a good bashing, possibly some lateral ligament damage. Gave me strong anti inflamitory meds (arthritis meds) and a strech compression bandage. Knee now extends fully and beds to 80-85 degrees. I will now take weight but I'm told not to walk without crutches if possible.