Severe Knee Injury

[612]

How is your post maniupulation coming, Anne? I hope things are going well. Keep that knee bending! I got some bad news today on my sister. Apparently last night she fell and broke the lower part of her tidia and fibula, also breaking something in the ankle. She has gone to the same hospital that I did, but she has an ankle specialist, rather than a knee specialist. I hope her ordeal goes as well as mine has. Let me hear from you!

 

[AnneBrooks]

So far, so good. Therapy was VERY painful last week, as the numbness wore off. I am still having some trouble straightening it, however. I have kept the 90 degree bend all week, so that is positive. And, I was able to go backwards on the bicycle all the way. Hopefully this week I will make it forwards on the bike! I will try to give you a call this week also.

Sorry to hear about your Sister! I hope she has your good luck, too!

Take care!
Anne

 

[Cisco43]

I'm 7 weeks post-op now and about 120-125 degrees. I met with my DR last week and he said I'm doing very well. Things are comming along, slower than I anticipated, but I guess that the way this type of surgery works.

 

[Yamaboy]

I hear you Whoops.

The plateau of my left tibea basically exploded. The word "shattered" still makes my skin crawl a bit since that was the word the Doc used in the ER. Had a good ortho. surg. though. Two titanium screws and some temporary pins later, my leg is doing pretty well. That was about 1.5 years ago. Leg muscles still aren't to their max yet, but that is just me being a bit lazy.
I was wearing the EVS RS-6 braces, but my leg twisted and the full weight of my body fell on top of it. The only other possible outcome would have been shredded ligaments and/or a snapped femur. Doc. said that the brace probably kept my ligaments from tearing. He said that there were about 7 peices of bone that he could reassemble during surgery. Lots of cracking and grinding, but it feels pretty good considering the extent of the injury. Hope to be riding this summer.

Here is a pic after surgery.
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/95b71fc9/bc/Injuries/Busted+Leg.jpg?bcuc3G9AqZF8ww9s

 

[Whoops]

Yamaboy,

I have found that more execise (low impact) equals less noise and less pain. Get yer behind on a bicycle and rehab! :) There's still alot of ridin to do!

Whoops

 

[Yamaboy]

Thanks whoops. This is a rather uncomon injury. It's nice to know that there is hope for more recovery. Probably the scariest part of major injury is not knowing how far you'll recover. You have inspired me.

 

[hemeroid 911]

back in january I to severly injured my right leg.I tore all the ligaments and cartelage and broke my tibial platue the bone cut the artery in half and I almost lost my leg.don't give up. through hard work in therapy I now have more movement than the doctors and therapists thought I would ever have and they at first said I would never wrestle again. that has been my motivation because I was having my best season ever when I broke my leg and next year is my senoir year.so if you have some motivation it helps. I have been riding my 426 but I have to get my dad to start it for me.good luck in your recovery things should speed up once you can walk on it and fully weight bare. :aj:

 

[612]

Same here, I started this topic, and I am now kick starting my KX only a little over three months since I went down! My doctor is also allowing me to play golf, again. So far, so good!

 

[Cannonracer]

612, how do you get all this pity? :( :whiner: :(

 

[612]

At least I know how to do it up right? Not just a little punctured lung!

 

[Cannonracer]

All the babes like the scare!!!

 

[dell30rb]

I witnessed a cti2 brace break yesterday. I didnt see what happened, but the guy who did it did not crash, he stayed up, but still managed to bust his knee. I dont know what happened to his knee (dont know if it was acl mcl etc...). The guy rode his bike back to the pits, where he stopped and leaned over in pain. We lifted him off the bike, and set him in the tailgate of a ford explorer. He was in so much pain he drifted in and out. He was out cold for about 30 seconds. We called the ambulance (cause he passed out) and took his boot off slowly. We took his riding pants off, and since he had torn his acl before in both his knees he was wearing 2 ctI2 braces. The one on the injured knee had snapped above the hinge.

 

[Roughrider]

Hey, 612 is my horse if he never wins a race! He should'nt even be walking on that gimpy leg, let alone beating me at golf (with my Asterisk on) I'm going to predict that he'll be racing by end of summer.

 

[Cannonracer]

He shows a great passion for racing, or just play riding in is burmed up back yard.

 

[Roughrider]

frank, how is the old battle wound coming along?

 

[612]

Roughrider:
I am rolling! I really can't believe that I am doing as well as I am. my riding is gettting more intense, the golf game is as good as before(maybe a little more control than before), I walk farther distances each day, and I am grateful for every step. Thanks for asking!

 

[fragildan]

I;ve been watching this forum closely. the last thursday in may I was riding a dirt road to a riding area. was in third gear doing a fairly slow balance wheelie. got a little past the balance point and when I went to tap the brake my toe hit it and slid off. I knew I was going over but it happened slow and just figured it would mostly be embarrasing. Ha! I hit my left toe and felt my lower left leg snap completely through. I had time to push the bike away and land on my right side. long story short my riding buddy got me to the hospital. shattered top 1.5" of my tibia, then the tibia split down the middle about 1.5" and broke cross ways. also broke the small bone in half about 2' below my knee. had compartment syndrome, have had three operations, next week will be my fourth to put internal pins and plates in. as that heals we'll be able to see how much ligament damage there is and whether I'll need more surgury for that. doctor said aknee brace would have done nothing to prevent any of this and the only reason I would get one is for the recovery process.I don't think he's against them but says they will only help during the rehabilitation process. the best thing is if this next surgury goes well and no ligament damage I could be riding by late fall. not racing but back on the bike. keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the rest of you the best. after 35 years of riding I've broken my collar bone and a few ribs. those didn't bother me much but this one has me kinda freaked out. just want to heal and get back on my bike. good luck.

 

[AnneBrooks]

Frank----great news! glad to hear you are golfing good and riding the Kaw so well!

Fragildan--Wow! Hang in there! Keep us informed as to your progress and hopefully there will be minimal or no ligament damage.

 

[Whoops]

fragildan,

Real sorry to here about your break. I had a very similar break on the left tibia plateau. It took two oprations to get it straightened with no ligament damage. Your situation makes me look lucky.

Anyway, it's 2.5 years later and I'm back in the saddle. My advice is rehab, rehab, rehab. Work with your physical therapist to build a routine then get a good excercise bike and some weights. You can over come the injury but you've got to work at it.

612,

Did your doctor know you golfed before the operation? Maybe he dialed in a slight draw. :) Keep up the good work!

Whoops

 

[fragildan]

just to give an update, I've had my 4th operation to put all the internal pins and plates in. I'm on a machine to flex my leg. up to 70 degrees. I didn't know till after the surgery that my lower knee was also crushed. spent a few days really down in the dumps, but have my head back on now. doing light physical therapy to just get movement in my foot and knee. just gonna take alot longer to get back on track. no pun intended. the surgeon who only works on serious trauma said mine was one of the three worst damaged legs he's ever seen. the most amazing thing is I've literally tripped harder walking over parking curbs. I just can't explain how this much damage occured in such a slow speed crash. doc said my bones are fine[not brittle,etc.] but I will be back as riding is my #1 hobby.my question is my doctor insists knee braces will not prevent injury. I see reps from brace companies on this site and would appreciate some honest info. not trying to start something between brace companies and doctor. I just want some honest answers and all the protection I can get when I can finally get back on my bike. thanks for everyones support. Dan.

 

[Cisco43]

I'm 12 weeks post-op ACL reconstruction. I just had my 3rd post-op visit with my OS. He too does not want to give me a knee brace. He is so against them. He tells me, once I'm 100% I will not need one. My thoughts are I just don't want to re injure it. Anyway, things are moving along well. PT is going well and I'm really getting back to a normal life style. No dirtbike riding or surfing yet :ugg: , but he said I can get back to light mountain bike riding. Well for now I have to concentrate on my wedding that is comming up in two weeks and then the honeymoon, that will give me another month of healing.
bye for now. :moon:

 

[Brett]

Hey guys,
Been reading this post a lot seeing that I tore my ACL about a month and a half ago and am getting Reconstructive surgery tomorrow, (the 10th). My Orthopedist (sp?) also said that a knee brace would have done nothing for my ACl and that i tore it by hyper extension. He said that I will probably not need a brace during recovery because I am only 17 years old and the supporting muscles on my leg are very strong. What I am curious about is what good does a knee brace actually do? Is it laterral support or what? Not trying to bag on Asterisk or CTi or anything, just curious what kind of twist/ligament tear they prevent. Also my ortho. said that knee braces just transfer the force below or above the knee and possibly breal the tibia,fibia or femur and that major artery's are located there so therefore a ligament tear is safer?? One last question, I am getting the patella tendin graft where they take 1/3 of the patella tendon and bone sections from each end and "bolt" it to my femur and tibia or fibia along the sane route as the pre-existing ACL. Whate are the advantages/disadvantages to this? Thanks a lot to everyone and hope everyone heals quickly! Brett

 

[zcookie49]

Originally posted by 612
PATMAN

My therapist and doctor both said that having the brace on could have actually hurt my worse, at least bone wise anyway. they said a brace could have possibly caused the femur to break above the knee, as well as the middle to upper part of the tibi and fibula. I can't help but wonder!

HMMMMM, Makes me WONDER now... I had on a pair of CTi2's when I wrecked, and BOTH of My Femurs were broken.......the right one compounded...the CTI2's were cracked apart (Innovation sports replaced them for me free :) )...... My knees werent hurt, but now I have metal rods in both of my femurs and are 11 weeks recovering...... just wanted to answer that question you stated.
/.
Good Luck... I have had both ACL's done, rehab before and after... before is important, believe me.....I hope you pull out soon, keep your head up.
Sounds like it was quite an experience you had...

 

[Okiewan]

Originally posted by AnneBrooks
I know LOTS of people who have been riding and racing for 20+ years and have NEVER worn knee braces and don't see the need for them.

Yup, I know lots of people who have never needed their helmet or seatbelts in their car for that matter :) Having gone under the knife with a knee, and the months of recovery, I'll take my chances breaking a bone, thank you very much. As much force as it takes to snap a femur, I'd be (and am) willing to bet my cells would fail first.

 

[612]

AnneBrooks:

Are you still out there? How's the knee?