Severe Knee Injury

[AnneBrooks]

Yes, Frank. Thanks for asking. I have been crazy at work lately and have not been able to get online at all. In any event, the knee is FINALLY moving pretty good!! I am walking with no assistance and not much of a limp (only when I sit too long) and I am at 124 degree bend and climbing!! I am riding the mountain bike as much as possible and can finally clip into my pedals. The more I bike, the better I feel. The strength is there, too. I am able to do all the exercises at therapy with little effort. EXCEPT, that damn stairmaster!! What kind of sicko invented that thing?!!! :scream:

Last week Bob decided he better start getting my bike ready, so he was going to drop the oil, etc. He rode it up and down the street a few times, so I put on my brace and went outside. He killed the engine and said "You can't ride it if you can't start it." :think: So, it took me a few kicks to get my butt off the seat and it started right up. I rode it up and down the street a few times and even started it a few times. It is now just a matter of getting my clutch fixed and off I go!! WooHoo!! I never thought I would be riding this year, much less in the month of July. I am very thankful that I am able to walk, much less anything else!! The rest is just a bonus!

I heard you are back on the bike and doing well also. Glad to hear it!!! Are you going to race again? How is the wife taking you riding again? And how is the little guy doing? Hope all is well.....talk to you soon and thanks for asking!!

 

[Dennis Meyers]

I'm 4+ months post-op from my ACL reconstruction and my OS just released me to return to regular "atheletic" physical activity with a brace. My quad strength in the involved leg is back to 111% compared to the uninvolved leg (the involved leg was also my dominant leg). He says that I should wear the brace for mountain biking and riding and that after 1 year post-op I won't need it at all. He has mixed feelings about them and now I'm beginning to wonder. For the time being though, I'll continue to wear mine.

 

[612]

AnneBrooks:
How about an update, Anne!
I hope you are still doing well.
Let us know!

 

[AnneBrooks]

Hello Frank! Yes, doing very well. Almost 6 months post op now and finally done with physical therapy! Just going to the health club to keep the knee moving. Riding a bike as much as possible and yes, I have even gotten back on the bike a few times. Riding is going pretty well, however, I have overdone it a few times and paid for it. My endurance has suffered quite a bit, but that will come back in time. At least I am getting back on the bike!! I am getting fitted for another CTI (for the good knee) on Tuesday, so I can have piece of mind when I ride. Hope all is well with the rest of the injured souls.....take care.
Anne

 

[Roughrider]

what up dog? how is the ole rubber leg. is it hampering the golf game. do you ever plan on doing any competetive riding at pm.

 

[motoXXX649]

I guess Im lucky.... I was practicing one day and of course riding the ride of my life running 1st place in practice......Hey practice is like a race when your leading right?? ahahaha... went down in a turn as my knee went eye level and my bike lay on me...off to the hospital... no breaks.....orthopedic doc next week....MRI the following week..compresed tibia fracture and bad knee bruze....I lucked out and of course I was wearing some fox/shin.knee guards but I stepped it up at bought CTI2s

 

[luvtolean]

Ow. That sounds bad. I tore my ACL a few years ago wakeboarding. I now have a CTI brace for it. I have since torn it up again, and my surgeon tells me I need to go through it again. I've been holding out on that.

I'm back into the sport after many years off from the dirt. I've been focusing on roadracing as it's easier on my knee. But, I really felt the need to get back on the dirt. The first day I had my new bike I went for a little ride without my CTI. Off of maybe a 4 foot high air onto flat ground my knee just buckled. I didn't crash but it hurt like a ******* and was as swollen as the first time I tore it. Now I'm riding with my brace and it is much better. But I'm still very gun-shy of jumping my bike.(A pity as my 03 CR250 has awesome suspenders I'd like to try out!) I really don't know what to do, as I don't want to completely mangle the knee, but surgery didn't help me much the first time.

Whatever you do, work hard at your therapy, I found it really helped.

 

[Thyruz]

In 1999 I was preparing for a competition and the day before I was out testing/setting up my new Öhlins suspension. All of a sudden, the frontwheel washes out under me, i put my left foot down and the knee goes: SNAP! followd by some interesting pain (weakness leaving my body) ;) Yeah, no bones but all other things in the knee was broken ACP, PCL, LCL and so on...
I did no surgury but i put myself under a hard training program to get the muscles to get realy strong and 8 months later i went riding with no supportive kneebraces and man, it was a good feeling. Ok i didn´t go as fast as i used but have i missed the sound, the strength, the smell, and the feeling of jumping. I did have some crashes and did hur my knee again (hyper-extended) so now i use Breg Knee Braces. > BREG. < Now its 2002 and i go ride 2 days per week and my knee works fine using the Bregs. I don´t know if my leg would be more injured in a crash using the Breg braces but this far, it has only being helpfull giving me the confidence to go fast and helping my knee staying in place.
Well thats my story i hope you all with knee injurys get well and there is no "shortcut" to sucsess, the way goes over TRAINING!
Hope you can reed and understand what i am writing (it was a long time since i went to scool studying english, 15 years ago :scream: )

Heal up!

//Thyruz

 

[Kiwi MX]

Well on August the 5th 2001 I had the race of my life. I got hit on the start and ended up a lap down at the Manawatu MX Champs at Taikorea, New Zealand. I race as No.6 (my real number is 767 - 6 being easier to replace when scratched) in the B 125 class and ended up racing the NZ No.6 in the 125 All In race. This lasted for two laps of the ugliest sand track out, with us looking at each other over the table tops and whipping it in opposite directions - Supposedly looked awesome with 2 No.6's. I got passed, lost concentration, and somehow managed to drag my foot in the sand, ending up pointing it 180 to the rear with my knee still pointing to the front!
I haven't raced or ridden properly since.
I've had arthroscopy already and my lower cartilage is described as being cracked like a glacier. The ligaments have all healed up, but are still a little stretched. I'm due back into surgery to remove a tear thats getting jammed up in the joint soon.
Unfortunately I tried to quit MX but have recently returned to riding. I can't help it. Its one of the few things that makes me truly happy, no matter whats going on.I was told I wouldn't even be able to run anymore yet I run 8mins 45sec RFL (2.4km run) times in the Army still.Will I ride again... HELL YES!
I say stay focused on your full recovery, and go hard. If they say you can't ride, they mean "as far as they are aware". They don't ride. You do. If you want it enough you'll do your best to stay positive, adapt and get fit.I have seen a guy with one arm ride, and ride fast on an MX track! Nothing is unachieveable with the right mental attitude and determination.

Simon
Slydesigns

 

[Kiwi MX]

I must have double clicked it or something and now it won't let me delete it...could a moderator delete one of my posts please...just so I don't look like a total gumby

 

[BillyWho]

Happy to ablige Mister :)

 

[firecracker22]

Originally posted by Brett
My Orthopedist (sp?) also said that a knee brace would have done nothing for my ACl and that i tore it by hyper extension . . . What I am curious about is what good does a knee brace actually do? Is it laterral support or what?

I hope your surgery went well. I'm sure others can provide better answers technically but basically this is what my surgeon told me: I will not need to wear a brace unless I want to. Once I healed, I will be at 95 + % of what I was before. However I am chicken to ride without my braces (Asterisk) now. They are basically preventative equipment, like a helmet. Braces can't protect against every injury but they will prevent or lessen many types. Some braces (like mine) will limit hyperextension, which might have saved or helped you. They can't protect 100% from twisting injuries but they do help. I have crashed a couple of times since my ACL tear/surgery where without the braces, I would have been back in the OR. (like when I landed with my foot out in front of me and the bike on top of my leg--ouch) So it is up to you. Yes they can transfer some force and cause a break instead of ligament damage . . . but after comparing notes with friends who had done one or both, I think I'd rather break a bone.

Hope this helps. How's rehab going?

Luvtolean: Get that ligament fixed! Every time it buckles or collapses under you, you run the risk of damaging the cartilage further, which does not grow back. All they can do is cut off the torn piece so it doesn't interfere with joint movement or bolt it down if it is big enough. And that is what gives you arthritis when you get older.

 

[luvtolean]

Yeah I know. :( I just can't bear the thought of being gimpy for 6 frigging months again! That's what is really irritating. I haven't had any hard hits worked hard in therapy, and quit running but stayed in better shape after that. And it still just gave out on little stuff with the CTi on. I'm not wholly convinced that surgery is gonna fix my knee, since it didn't the first time.

 

[Roughrider]

frank, hows the old gimpy knee doing. are you riding any.

 

[Roughrider]

frank, does the cells seem to help any.

 

[612]

Roughrider:
The knee is doing fine. I do ride occasionally. I am looking forward to some local events in th near future. The cells help a lot. Thanks!

 

[Roughrider]

been a while since i have talked to you. Are you up to speed yet?

 

[AnneBrooks]

Hey Frank! Long time no talk! Hope you are doing well! I am doing much better also and riding as much as I can. I even raced a few weeks ago! I was able to get another CTI2, and they definitely help.