Close call, disaster averted

[Glenn]

We were up at Mt. Snow last week, doing a little skiing. On Tuesday, my wife had a fall in the Morning on "Ridge". The snow was soft and she bascially made a left turn, went in a little hard and fell right into the face of the slope. The fall didn't look bad at all. But she said she herd a "pop" and her knee hurt. :-o We clicked off her skis, she walked around a bit and seemed pretty good aside from some soreness and skied the rest of the day. Due to r__n Wednesday, we took the day off and went to Manchester. We did ski a good day Thursday. She was sore, but OK.

Fast forward to this week. The knee is bothering her again...and it's awollen. She's an Occupational Therapist, so she's somewhat hypothisizing as to what's wrong. A few of the physical therapists at work looked at it and thought something was up with the ACL. She had an MRI Wednesday and got the results yesterday. Results: Partially torn ACL, a bruised bone and something with the patella. Cliffs: She can ski, she'll just need to wear a brace. For now, she needs to hold off on skiing. This actually works out fine due to Christmas and all; we probably won't be on the slopes again untl around 1/1-ish. I was sweating this out a bit. I know how much she loves skiing and this being serious would have been devastating to her. She's a hell of a trooper though: "I don't really care what the MRI shows...it hurts, but not enough to keep me from skiing. I'm not having the operated on!"

 

[Greg]

Good news.

 

[drjeff]

We were up at Mt. Snow last week, doing a little skiing. On Tuesday, my wife had a fall in the Morning on "Ridge". The snow was soft and she bascially made a left turn, went in a little hard and fell right into the face of the slope. The fall didn't look bad at all. But she said she herd a "pop" and her knee hurt. :-o We clicked off her skis, she walked around a bit and seemed pretty good aside from some soreness and skied the rest of the day. Due to r__n Wednesday, we took the day off and went to Manchester. We did ski a good day Thursday. She was sore, but OK.

Fast forward to this week. The knee is bothering her again...and it's awollen. She's an Occupational Therapist, so she's somewhat hypothisizing as to what's wrong. A few of the physical therapists at work looked at it and thought something was up with the ACL. She had an MRI Wednesday and got the results yesterday. Results: Partially torn ACL, a bruised bone and something with the patella. Cliffs: She can ski, she'll just need to wear a brace. For now, she needs to hold off on skiing. This actually works out fine due to Christmas and all; we probably won't be on the slopes again untl around 1/1-ish. I was sweating this out a bit. I know how much she loves skiing and this being serious would have been devastating to her. She's a hell of a trooper though: "I don't really care what the MRI shows...it hurts, but not enough to keep me from skiing. I'm not having the operated on!"

Goood News! And if worse came to worse, you could always send her on "prime table requisition" duty at Cuzzins while you were on the hill

 

[Glenn]

I told her if it really hit the fan, I'm buying her a snowboard. I could teach her how to ride in a matter of days. LMAO!

 

[Warp Daddy]

Glad to hear she's ok -- skiing with the brace isn't that bad have several friends with KNEE replacements who use them

 

[RootDKJ]

Wow, glad to hear she's gonna be ok.

 

[vcunning]

Glad to hear she's ok. She can hang out with my wife who is doing Cuzzins duty until she gets her medical clearance (expecting February). However, my wife told me today that she plans on ignoring medical advice this weekend. I think it has something to do with the dumping we're seeing right now.

 

[severine]

Results: Partially torn ACL, a bruised bone and something with the patella. Cliffs: She can ski, she'll just need to wear a brace. For now, she needs to hold off on skiing. This actually works out fine due to Christmas and all; we probably won't be on the slopes again untl around 1/1-ish.

I did the same thing in February. Except my orthopedist was sure it was just a sprain and didn't order the MRI until a month had past with no real improvement. I had no instability in the knee so he didn't recommend a brace, but I did 10 PT sessions. I was off skis for about 6 weeks or so, all told. Tell her to keep up with the PT exercises. I laxed on them over the summer and I'm having knee soreness again. It's a little nerve-wracking; sort of like waiting for the other shoe to drop knowing that I have a partially torn ACL and it won't be fixing itself. Another bad fall and it's toast, KWIM? But it's still better than having the surgery for now. My orthopedist felt that there was no need for it at this time.

Good luck to her!!! May she heal quickly and thoroughly!

BTW, the pain from the bruised bones takes a long time to go away. I was originally quoted up to 6 months. I think it was around 6 or so weeks post-injury that it stopped hurting so much. Arnica is a great thing!

 

[JD]

We were up at Mt. Snow last week, doing a little skiing. On Tuesday, my wife had a fall in the Morning on "Ridge". The snow was soft and she bascially made a left turn, went in a little hard and fell right into the face of the slope. The fall didn't look bad at all. But she said she herd a "pop" and her knee hurt. :-o We clicked off her skis, she walked around a bit and seemed pretty good aside from some soreness and skied the rest of the day. Due to r__n Wednesday, we took the day off and went to Manchester. We did ski a good day Thursday. She was sore, but OK.

Fast forward to this week. The knee is bothering her again...and it's awollen. She's an Occupational Therapist, so she's somewhat hypothisizing as to what's wrong. A few of the physical therapists at work looked at it and thought something was up with the ACL. She had an MRI Wednesday and got the results yesterday. Results: Partially torn ACL, a bruised bone and something with the patella. Cliffs: She can ski, she'll just need to wear a brace. For now, she needs to hold off on skiing. This actually works out fine due to Christmas and all; we probably won't be on the slopes again untl around 1/1-ish. I was sweating this out a bit. I know how much she loves skiing and this being serious would have been devastating to her. She's a hell of a trooper though: "I don't really care what the MRI shows...it hurts, but not enough to keep me from skiing. I'm not having the operated on!"

Get it scoped. MRI reading are educated guesses. Scope it, and know for sure what is going on, get the shrapnel cleaned out. My advice after going thru the exact same injury.
Did I mention getting it scoped. It's basicallt out patient and she will be out 2 weeks if she's in reasonable shape.

 

[Euler]

Sorry about your wife's injury. I suffered a sprain (partial tear) to my MCL two years ago and was off skis for 6 weeks. No surgery. I had it checked out by the Doc at the med. center at the mountain when it occurred, and then again a day later by my own doc. Both diagnosed the same injury based on x-ray and physical manipulation of the joint.

I did a lot of physical therapy with the leg during the healing time, including a lot of time in the pool. I don't know if therapy for an ACL injury is the same as for an MCL, but I think the time in the pool, mostly just doing flutter kicks against the wall or with a kickboard, was a huge part of my being able to get back out on skis pretty successfully during the same season I injured the knee.

Good luck to your wife in her recovery.

 

[JD]

scope it!

 

[Glenn]

I did the same thing in February. Except my orthopedist was sure it was just a sprain and didn't order the MRI until a month had past with no real improvement. I had no instability in the knee so he didn't recommend a brace, but I did 10 PT sessions. I was off skis for about 6 weeks or so, all told. Tell her to keep up with the PT exercises. I laxed on them over the summer and I'm having knee soreness again. It's a little nerve-wracking; sort of like waiting for the other shoe to drop knowing that I have a partially torn ACL and it won't be fixing itself. Another bad fall and it's toast, KWIM? But it's still better than having the surgery for now. My orthopedist felt that there was no need for it at this time.

Good luck to her!!! May she heal quickly and thoroughly!

BTW, the pain from the bruised bones takes a long time to go away. I was originally quoted up to 6 months. I think it was around 6 or so weeks post-injury that it stopped hurting so much. Arnica is a great thing!

Wow! Thanks Carrie! I appreciate the insight; especially the duration of soreness from the bruised bone. That's really good to know and I'll pass that along to my wife. I'll also see if she can have on the PT's at work work on the knee and/or give her a good home exercise program. One of the PT's told her these things (ACLs) will actually heal over time?

JD,
Thanks for the tip! I guess it all comes down to what she wants to do and her level of pain.

 

[Trekchick]

Glad she's okay. Carrie's recount of her incident is a good scope of what to expect for healing, but its the head games that play havoc after such an injury.
Good vibes to you and her!

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

R-I-C-E!!!!! but being a OP I am sure that she Knows that already.
One thing i know for sure is if the ACL did go she would have let out a yell that would have been heard two county's away!
Make sure once the swelling goes down that she makes both legs stronger, that in effect will take some of the weight off of the P-torn ACL.
Good luck to your wife.

 

[automagp68]

OUCH!

Glad its not worse, sorry to hear that

 

[Glenn]

Thanks everyone. I really do appreciate the advice and the well wishes!

Carrie,
Did/does your knee feel weak at times? My wife's gets swollen at the end of the day. Last night, she said it felt like it was going to give out a few times. She's now all nervous to strap on the skis again. We're going to start looking at braces. Probably a hinged on to wear right against the knee. We're also kicking around getting one of those "robo braces" that you wear over your pants. Pricey, but that's what we have pre-tax Flex Spending account for. :smile:

 

[psyflyer]

I told her if it really hit the fan, I'm buying her a snowboard. I could teach her how to ride in a matter of days. LMAO!

I've skied all my life, started @ 4 years old and year-in year-out I would ski in the best places in the Alps (St. Moritz, Cervinia, Cortina etc.). Last year I put a snowboard on and will never switch to skiing again, for me skiing is dead.

I live on a mountain in northern VT (Burke). Its coming down HEAVY.

 

[severine]

Carrie,
Did/does your knee feel weak at times? My wife's gets swollen at the end of the day. Last night, she said it felt like it was going to give out a few times. She's now all nervous to strap on the skis again. We're going to start looking at braces. Probably a hinged on to wear right against the knee. We're also kicking around getting one of those "robo braces" that you wear over your pants. Pricey, but that's what we have pre-tax Flex Spending account for. :smile:

I had some weakness initially, but no instability. It never gave out on me; just hurt and I couldn't do what I used to do. I stayed off skis for 6 weeks and I'd recommend the same. Using a stationary bike, doing strength exercises, and basic PT stuff helped immensely. I should have kept up with it over the summer though. Now it's still not unstable, just gets sore. If she's feeling instability, then a brace will absolutely be helpful.

 

[Glenn]

I had some weakness initially, but no instability. It never gave out on me; just hurt and I couldn't do what I used to do. I stayed off skis for 6 weeks and I'd recommend the same. Using a stationary bike, doing strength exercises, and basic PT stuff helped immensely. I should have kept up with it over the summer though. Now it's still not unstable, just gets sore. If she's feeling instability, then a brace will absolutely be helpful.

Thanks Carrie. I have a feeling her being on her feet all day, getting stuff ready for Christmas is making things tough. We picked up a hinged brace yesterday. I'll see if I can get her to start wearing it. I'll but her to have the PT's at work put together some exercises for her to do. Maybe I'll get her to try the bikes at the gym.

 

[Glenn]

First day on snow since this happened back in December. She wore her hinged brace and her knee did just great all day. She said it's a little sore today, but nothing bad at all. Talk about a relief.