Ski injury - update

Some of you may remember my post from January describing my suspected ACl rupture?

Well after a lot of 2ing & fro-ing and differences of opinion my MRi resluts clearly show that my ACL is completely bust (almost totally atrophied) and my medial meniscus is badly torn.

So it's surgery for me later this year (can't be before August as we've a major sailing trip planned and I need to be reasonably fit for that) and no skiiing till Jan 09 :cry: What on earth to do......I can't believe it and I'm still haunting the weather sites...

Maybe I can get my forecastitis treated at the same time.....Anybody out there who's returning to skiing after a long gap through injury? I need to talk to you whoever you are.

Sharon

Sorry to hear that!!!

Thats bad, no skiing till Jan 2009. Try get out to the resorts even if you dont ski so you get your snow fix and ski resort atmosphere! there are many ways to have fun even if you cant ski, but obviously it will never be quite the same as skiing!!

Hope the operation all goes well, and they bring the "skiing date" forward considerably!! Good luck :-)

Sorry Sharon there is no cure for forecastitis ...

For getting you your snow-fix, would you fancy having a go on one of those scooter things that adaptive skiers use? Like this :



I've always thought they looked like fun, and you could ski with your leg strapped up... just a thought.

They look like good fun...I'd feel a bit of a fraud coz by next season I would look to be in good shape, it's just that the graft would be no where near strong enough to support skiing.

But I just can't bear the thought of not going at all so although I swore I'd never do another ski trip and not ski (had a girly weekend in Morzine 3 weeks ago was torture!) it looks like I will be next winter. So will be looking for recommendations of places with good non skiing things to do or at least with good pedestrian access to mountain resturants to meet my family for lunch.

So I may be out, but not down and will still be lurking and asking questions.

Sharon

So sorry to hear your knee news - Jan 09 - arrggghhh! Can just imagine how you must feel!!

Is there really no specialist physio that can speed things up in terms of regaining your strength?

You sound like a positive soul so fingers and toes crossed that you'll be up and running (errrr rather skiing), sooner than the Doc's say.

Best of luck!

KP Ski

KP Ski wrote: Is there really no specialist physio that can speed things up in terms of regaining your strength?

You sound like a positive soul so fingers and toes crossed that you'll be up and running (errrr rather skiing), sooner than the Doc's say.


KP Ski

Sadly there's no amount of exercise you can do that will speed up vascularisation of the ligament graft and until it is fully vascularised it is not totally secure - this can take 12 months. My physio (who is a skier and competitive sailor herself) has recommended that if I have surgery Sept 07 I will be at least 16 months post op and there should be no issue with the graft faililng. Although it hurts to contemplate it hurts more to consider going through surgery and extensive re-hab only to have it fail because I'd been impatient.

I am a positive soul but in the wee dark hours of the night it is sometimes tough to hang on to. But as my little girl said when i told her my scan results 'well mummy, at least you've still got the leg'.

What could i say?

Sharon

I'm new to this - only joined because I'm desperate for information and advice relating to my injury first week in Jan 09 (fortunately on last day - last run down, lifts were closed!). French clinic diagnosed ruptured ACL and possible MCL, said I should start physio 3 days later. On returning home, in a brace, my physio said to do nothing for 5 weeks, except for ice/heat and try to keep my muscles twitching (no such luck), and said she would refer me at that time because she only trusted one surgeon locally (oh great). Decided to get referred by GP after all - intially she referred me to wrong clinic (my confidence slipping), then when referred to correct clinic (and fortunately with same surgeon my physio recommends)could not get NHS appointment for 13 weeks (come through now as 1st April) - but I have got a private appointment end of Feb. Met an acqaintance today who had a similar injury 2 years ago and has absolutely slated my physio and chosen surgeon for not getting it right! She eventually went out of the area to a specialist for a second opinion and of course thinks he's the only answer. My husband is berating me for listening to everyones opinion, but it's all so confusing and I'm so worred I won't ski again.

So I was hoping you may have some update 2 years later - have you done your first skiing since your injury yet? I'd really like to know how it went and what worked for you ?

Thanks

Slamb, I feel your pain :cry:
I had a 100% acl tear in my right knee last april skiing and had the reconstruction opperation 8 weeks ago. I had the hamstring graft and even now I feel great. The reason I waited so long to get the job done is cos it gave me a great chance to build up my leg muscles pre op and started a new job so had to put it off for a while.
I went to the gym 4 or 5 days a week and uses a exercise bike for as long as was possible (about 30 to 40 mins) and this has made a huge difference to my recovery. I was off my crutches in 4 days and was walking without a limp in about 2 weeks. Now I can cycle for about 30 mins and the leg feels strong but I cant ski untill December. I know the graft takes a long time to bed in but I have a lot more movement even after 8 weeks than I have had in the last 8 months.
Its Sh1t but give yourself a while to let the swelling go down and get working on the leg muscles before you have the op.
Best of luck