Torn ACL - Out for season

[lerops]

Enjoy the new snow guys, split my share among yourselves.

ALC is torn, starting PT and will see the doctor again in a few weeks to schedule surgery. He said he recommends surgery to young and active people. And I'd like to get surgery. Not that I am not entertaining the idea of skiing out the season and getting the surgery afterwards. The danger is doing further damage to other parts of the knee. I don't know how high the risk is though. Any experiences?

If anybody has any recommendation for a PT specialized in knee injuries (preferably skiing-related), that would be great.

Now that I won't be checking weather every half hour Monday-Friday and making plans for the weekend, I can at least get some work done. uke:

Let me go try to cancel my first Rockies trip ever.

 

[Grassi21]

That sucks. Best of luck with the PT.

 

[2knees]

Enjoy the new snow guys, split my share among yourselves.

ALC is torn, starting PT and will see the doctor again in a few weeks to schedule surgery. He said he recommends surgery to young and active people. And I'd like to get surgery. Not that I am not entertaining the idea of skiing out the season and getting the surgery afterwards. The danger is doing further damage to other parts of the knee. I don't know how high the risk is though. Any experiences?

If anybody has any recommendation for a PT specialized in knee injuries (preferably skiing-related), that would be great.

Now that I won't be checking weather every half hour Monday-Friday and making plans for the weekend, I can at least get some work done. uke:

Let me go try to cancel my first Rockies trip ever.

sucks to hear this. I've had both my acl's repaired. 1st suggestion would be not to ski on it before your surgery. chances of doing more damage if it buckles on you is pretty good. You can easily tear cartelidge and or your meniscus (sp) if your knee goes out. Trust me, i skied on my torn left acl. I got up from the crash, didnt want to admit what i knew had happened, took about 4 turns and knee went out again. 2nd time, few weeks later, i tried to ski very conservatively but the knee still went out. ended up in the sled both times.

Not sure where you're out of, but one of the best knee doctors around is Dr. Gordon Zimmerman. Not much in the way of personality but his work is top notch. He's known as Dr. Knee. He has offices in hartford and i believe Avon or Simsbury. He did mine right knee in 1990 and it has never given me much grief. I had the left knee done in 98 by another doctor and have had no where near the results. lots of arthritis, popping, clicking etc. A good doctor makes a huge difference. as does your pt.

Good luck and you'll be back stronger than ever next year.

 

[lerops]

Thanks guys. Forgot to add, I am in New York.

 

[Paul]

Ruptured my acl one year ago this coming Monday.

Like 2knees said, DON'T SKI ON IT. Hate to say it, but your season is officially over. The good news is, if you do get a good doctor, and keep up with PT and strengthening exercises, you'll be back on the hill in December.

Feel free to PM me with questions, I know 2knees has done it twice, but my one was a bit more recent. How old are you? How active? Most likely you'll be deciding between the Patellar Tendon Autograft, or using the tendons from your hamstrings. Pros and cons to both. Probably the most important aspect is which method your doc prefers and recommends. I had the Patellar Tendon done. It sucks. It sucks long and hard. But in the end, it is supposedly the better fix, so we'll see.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Thanks guys. Forgot to add, I am in New York.

http://www.hss.edu/index.htm
If your in NYC you will want to go to this hospital.....Second best is not even close.

 

[deadheadskier]

Sorry to here that. As hard as it might be, staying off the slopes is probably the best option. You're not Phillip Rivers and this isn't the AFC championship game. At least I don't think you're Phillip Rivers, you might be for all I know on this crazy internet :lol:


Try and get the surgery done quick and who knows, you might be able to make turns in early May. Most of the time it takes close to a year, but miracles can happen. A friend of mine in Colorado had a complete tear, had surgery and was back on the slopes in 7 weeks, which is unheard of, but can happen. His doctor was out of Vail and I think he was also known as Dr. Knee.

 

[frozencorn]

Boy do I sympathize. Two years ago tore my ACL and MCL and was done, despite a Tahoe trip laying just days ahead. I can tell you officially how painful it is to be at Kirkwood in a blizzard, hearing explosives going off in the distance, and knowing you'll spend the day reading in the lodge. There was beer, sure, but it all hurt terrible. Not good times.

On the bright side, the rest of that season back East was awful.....sorry I can't wish the same on you this year.

 

[Paul]

Try and get the surgery done quick and who knows, you might be able to make turns in early May. Most of the time it takes close to a year, but miracles can happen. A friend of mine in Colorado had a complete tear, had surgery and was back on the slopes in 7 weeks, which is unheard of, but can happen. His doctor was out of Vail and I think he was also known as Dr. Knee.

I would guess your friend was probably in amazing condition pre-injury. 7 weeks and I was barely off of the Oxycontin, and still popping Vicodin like it was candy.

Boy do I sympathize. Two years ago tore my ACL and MCL and was done, despite a Tahoe trip laying just days ahead. I can tell you officially how painful it is to be at Kirkwood in a blizzard, hearing explosives going off in the distance, and knowing you'll spend the day reading in the lodge. There was beer, sure, but it all hurt terrible. Not good times.

On the bright side, the rest of that season back East was awful.....sorry I can't wish the same on you this year.

Yeah, by the way, sorry to hear about this, nothing sucks more than the injury happening right before a trip. Mine was 3 days before the Epic V-Day storm last year, and 6 days before a week at Sugarbush and MRG. I feel for ya!

 

[Warp Daddy]

Sorry to hear bout your injury . Take care of yourself , forget skiing this year and focus on getting yourself healed there'll be plenty of time for skiing later --first things first

Heal well

 

[powers]

Right knee ACL's, both replaced. One hamstring graft in 1990 and one patella in 1995. Don't ski on it!!!!!!! The only way you MIGHT be able to use it is if you get a presciption brace made for ACL instabilities, which you might need any way even with surgery, especially if you charge hard. Call it a season, get cut and rehab the heck out of it. You will be damn near 100% by next season and probably stronger than you entered this season. You should be able to ride a bike w/o much issue this summer and build back some muscle mass. Just remember, your muscles will get stronger faster than your ligaments will heal so don't over do it when you start feeling good. It will take about 10 months for a ligament to reach full strength. As far as grafts are concerned, ask about an Acheillies tendon from a donor. Big, beefy and you won't have to sacrifice any other part of your body. I'm looking at a third in the future so i might go this route. Good Luck!

 

[kingslug]

My condolences on the ACL, and being in NY.

 

[mlctvt]

Sorry to hear about your knee. Definately go for the surgery but you should research the different forms of repair and talk it through with your surgeon. My wife fell last Sunday and twisted her right knee. It was a simple fall and her ski didn't even release. She's going in for an MRI tomorrow morning to find out what's damaged, she may be in the same boat.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would guess your friend was probably in amazing condition pre-injury. 7 weeks and I was barely off of the Oxycontin, and still popping Vicodin like it was candy.



Yeah, by the way, sorry to hear about this, nothing sucks more than the injury happening right before a trip. Mine was 3 days before the Epic V-Day storm last year, and 6 days before a week at Sugarbush and MRG. I feel for ya!

He was young, early 20's and in fantastic shape. The doctor couldn't believe it. Perhaps he was like Elway and his other ligaments were very strong. Most people don't realize it, but Elway played his entire career minus an ACL in one of knees.

I had a trip scheduled to visit and ski with him in Colorado at A-Basin. He calls me in the middle of December and says he blew his ACL completely. He had surgery the last week of January. When I got out there the third week of March he was back on the hill. The irony? Five days prior to my departure I slightly tore my MCL while sledding when I crashed into a tree. No surgury was needed, but my season was done. I went anyways and spent the entire trip on crutches.

So, lerops, I feel your pain. I know full well what it's like to spend my 'ski vacation' out west on crutches.

Hope your recovery is swift

 

[2knees]

He was young, early 20's and in fantastic shape. The doctor couldn't believe it. Perhaps he was like Elway and his other ligaments were very strong. Most people don't realize it, but Elway played his entire career minus an ACL in one of knees.

Hines Ward has no acl in one of his knees either. some people are freaks. When the olympics were held in utah, forget the year, some guy competed in the mogul comp who had torn his knee like 2 months prior. That one didnt end very well as it buckled on his second air. not a pretty sight.

 

[MRGisevil]

Sorry to hear that you're out this season. Good luck on a speedy recovery for next year!

 

[lerops]

My condolences on the ACL, and being in NY.

I am determined to fix both. :idea:

deadheadskier, funny you should mention philip rivers. my doctor was quoted in the media during his injury, and he also mentioned philip rivers today.

guys, thanks for all the advice and good wishes. I guess I will just concentrate on rehab. Who knows, if I do well post-op, I might be on the hills by next season's opening!

 

[ozzy]

When the olympics were held in utah, forget the year, some guy competed in the mogul comp who had torn his knee like 2 months prior. That one didnt end very well as it buckled on his second air. not a pretty sight.

The year was 2002. The skier was Evan Dybvig

 

[ozzy]

I had the Patellar Tendon done. It sucks. It sucks long and hard. .

same here and yep it sucks. I had mine done by Dr Boyton at Vermont Orthopedic Clinic in 1997. Funny thing is that thet knee feels better than my other

 

[2knees]

The year was 2002. The skier was Evan Dybvig

isnt that the guy who owns or runs whaleback now?

I just remember him saying he was retiring after those olympics so he went ahead and competed with the blown acl. ballsy move.