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Old 04-02-2007, 06:02 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by JiriHrdina View Post
Sorry to bump an old thread guys but had my surgery on Tuesday.

AC - the cryocup is great. Can't imagine going through this without it. Thanks for the tip.

My main problem right now has been the nights. The pain gets really bad and I'm unable to get any sleep at all. How long until you guys found the pain started to subside?
Glad you picked one up!

The bad pain for me only lasted a few days, after that it was quite manageable. Good luck! And feel free to ask any other question.
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Old 04-02-2007, 09:55 PM   #22
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You bruise the femur (on the ball part)? Or did you even get an MRI on the initial injury?
Never got an MRI on the original injury. My surgeon figures I probably partially tore the ACL 4 years ago and its been getting worse since - kinda like slowly tearing a piece of paper I guess.

But couldn't get them to do an MRI no matter how much I pressed. That's the frustration.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

The swelling has gone down, my challnege now appears to be bruising. My entire leg is one big ass bruise.
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Old 04-02-2007, 10:05 PM   #23
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Mine was at work, saw a doctor at 2pm, they had me in at Canadian Diagnositcs at 7:30pm that night
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Old 04-02-2007, 11:23 PM   #24
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Just so you know in the states having top flight insurance doesn't even net you great service. My brother who is a producer for ESPN which is a subsidiary of Disney and has supposedly great insurance went to the doctor because his knee buckled everytime he played basketball. After repeatedly stating he thought he needed an MRI the doctor continuously stated that it wasn't anything serious, which they try and prevent MRI's because it costs the HMO's money, finally he said he demanded an MRI and after getting it done found 3 torn ligaments in his leg PCL, MCL and ACL. The specialist said it was probably originally just the ACL that was torn but because he kept playing on it because the other doctor told him it was nothing serious he ended tearing all 3 ligaments... So i would rather pay $700 and get the MRI then be talked out of it and cause serious damage to your leg. Fortunately after about a year of recovery he could play sports again but his leg still hurts him after 4-5 years.
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Old 04-03-2007, 10:16 AM   #25
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So i would rather pay $700 and get the MRI then be talked out of it and cause serious damage to your leg.
.

I totally agree. It's the rule of insurance (From the buyers point of view), if you can afford to retain your losses you probably should. It's why car insurance has deductables. It goes back to why you insure things. It's always a bad bet you're entering when you purchase insurance. This is why if you can afford anything out of the blue that might cost $1,000 or so, you don't insure it. The reason why I have car insurance isn't for the fender bender that costs $1,500 to repair but rather the settlement payments I might incur should I be found liable for any serious damage to a thrid party or property. In health you shouldn't be looking at insuring minor diagnostics or GP visits, but rather for the times in which you need surgery, specialist visits, expensive drugs etc.

Some posters here get confused about what 'should or shouldn't be included in insurance' from the perspective of the employee on what the employer 'should' provide in their plans for employees. This isn't the proper way of looking at insurance as employers treat these expenses as a form of your compensation in addition to your salary.
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Old 04-03-2007, 01:43 PM   #26
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Seeing as we have a few vets of the knee wars on this thread, I'd like to ask a question:

In late November, I was playing street hockey with my kids, and I fell directly onto my right kneecap. No twisting, just boom, directly down onto my knee. The pain was unreal and I had to have a little liedown in the the middle of the street. I eventually got up and limped around for the rest of the evening. I woke up in the middle of the night for a drink of water, put weight on my right leg and buckled. I could put no weight on it whatsoever. My wife dug out a set of crutches, but by noon or so I could put weight on my leg. In a couple of days, the pain was gone completely, but a couple of movements would cause extreme pain, even now four months later. If I wiggle my foot - you know, like you're shaking off a loosely-tied snowboot - it still hurts like hell. If I stumble - let's say I'm stepping over something in the dark with my right foot and misjudge and have to lift my foot abruptly - the pain is still pretty bad.

Obviously, I'm not looking for a diagnosis............I just saw this thread and was curious. Does this sound like I might've damaged my ACL or MCL? Like I said, it's gotten much better, but it still troubles me on occasion.

I hope you make a speedy recovery, Jiri.
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Old 04-03-2007, 01:47 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pope04 View Post
Seeing as we have a few vets of the knee wars on this thread, I'd like to ask a question:

In late November, I was playing street hockey with my kids, and I fell directly onto my right kneecap. No twisting, just boom, directly down onto my knee. The pain was unreal and I had to have a little liedown in the the middle of the street. I eventually got up and limped around for the rest of the evening. I woke up in the middle of the night for a drink of water, put weight on my right leg and buckled. I could put no weight on it whatsoever. My wife dug out a set of crutches, but by noon or so I could put weight on my leg. In a couple of days, the pain was gone completely, but a couple of movements would cause extreme pain, even now four months later. If I wiggle my foot - you know, like you're shaking off a loosely-tied snowboot - it still hurts like hell. If I stumble - let's say I'm stepping over something in the dark with my right foot and misjudge and have to lift my foot abruptly - the pain is still pretty bad.

Obviously, I'm not looking for a diagnosis............I just saw this thread and was curious. Does this sound like I might've damaged my ACL or MCL? Like I said, it's gotten much better, but it still troubles me on occasion.

I hope you make a speedy recovery, Jiri.
Nope dosen't sound like an ACL or MCL, unless your knee lacks stability. Could be a torn (spelling error in advance) miniscus, or cartlidge damage.

but if the knee's structure is still holding its not a ligament injury.

I think
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Old 04-03-2007, 01:48 PM   #28
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It is usually diagnosed as Youareanoldfartitis!
Hey! I represent that comment!!
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Old 04-03-2007, 01:52 PM   #29
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Nope dosen't sound like an ACL or MCL, unless your knee lacks stability. Could be a torn (spelling error in advance) miniscus, or cartlidge damage.

but if the knee's structure is still holding its not a ligament injury.

I think
Thanks.

My wife's a registered nurse, and she thinks I am the most idiotic man in the universe for not getting it checked out immediately.

My attitude? Meh. It only hurts once in a while, and that burst of pain (when I shake my leg or stumble) is lessening as time goes by.
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Old 04-03-2007, 02:02 PM   #30
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Thanks.

My wife's a registered nurse, and she thinks I am the most idiotic man in the universe for not getting it checked out immediately.

My attitude? Meh. It only hurts once in a while, and that burst of pain (when I shake my leg or stumble) is lessening as time goes by.
Just a side note, if it is any of the above minor injuries, your probably still looking at surgery to clean your knee out, or you'll be bothered by it forever. Nothing more unpleasant then that.
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Old 04-03-2007, 02:16 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pope04 View Post
Seeing as we have a few vets of the knee wars on this thread, I'd like to ask a question:

In late November, I was playing street hockey with my kids, and I fell directly onto my right kneecap. No twisting, just boom, directly down onto my knee. The pain was unreal and I had to have a little liedown in the the middle of the street. I eventually got up and limped around for the rest of the evening. I woke up in the middle of the night for a drink of water, put weight on my right leg and buckled. I could put no weight on it whatsoever. My wife dug out a set of crutches, but by noon or so I could put weight on my leg. In a couple of days, the pain was gone completely, but a couple of movements would cause extreme pain, even now four months later. If I wiggle my foot - you know, like you're shaking off a loosely-tied snowboot - it still hurts like hell. If I stumble - let's say I'm stepping over something in the dark with my right foot and misjudge and have to lift my foot abruptly - the pain is still pretty bad.

Obviously, I'm not looking for a diagnosis............I just saw this thread and was curious. Does this sound like I might've damaged my ACL or MCL? Like I said, it's gotten much better, but it still troubles me on occasion.

I hope you make a speedy recovery, Jiri.
All I can recommend to you is going to your GP about it and come prepared with referral forms from one of Calgary's private MRI clinics (because sometimes GPs don't have private MRI referral forms and this saves a second visit to the doctor), get booked for an MRI in the public system and get a referral for a private one and see if reducing the wait for an MRI is worth $800 to you. Many people on here have testified that if there's an ACL or MCL problem with your knee it will get worse while waiting. If everything doesn't go swimmingly for you after everything's said and done you'll never forgive yourself for cheaping out for $800.
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Old 04-03-2007, 02:37 PM   #32
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.

Some posters here get confused about what 'should or shouldn't be included in insurance' from the perspective of the employee on what the employer 'should' provide in their plans for employees. This isn't the proper way of looking at insurance as employers treat these expenses as a form of your compensation in addition to your salary.
Employers look at secondary healthcare insurance on two fronts, comprehensiveness and affordability. Typically, desirable workers will not tolerate a piss poor health plan. Therefore, the question of how long before private imaging is covered is a valid one.

Say I'm a top architect, and I'm offered a job from two companies, one offers me $125k a year, plus benefits, but my health benefits come from Joe's Discount Health. The other company offers me $120k a year, plus benefits, but these health benefits come from a top insurance firm, with very comprehensive benefits. Its a tough call... is that 5k extra worth the cost of having lousy coverage and taking the hit when Junior needs uncovered dental work, or you need an MRI... or is it better in the long run to make 5k less, and not to have the risk of sudden costs? Its a personal choice. We aren't talking basic blue cross offered by Safeway, I'm talking quality secondary insurance from top brokers.

Again, I remind you that health coverage is more akin to a lifetime warranty than insurance. They are made to cover costs that are not covered by basic healthcare, such as prescription costs, physiotherapy, dental, ocular, etc, unlike insurance which is designed to protect in case of expensive, unlikely and/or disasterous events. To continue with a car analogy... its like spending $3000 a year to have all your basic maintenance covered, but being forced to spend out of pocket for what actually needs to be done.
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Old 04-03-2007, 03:49 PM   #33
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Thunderball: I'm with you on the whole HR prospective. But from an efficiency prospective as in the 'if you worked for yourself what should you do' case I would retain MRI and other diagnostics. And BTW there already are companies providing private services as part of their benefits. It even includes a free trip to Vancouver. Check this out: www.specialistclinic.ca
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Old 08-31-2010, 09:45 AM   #34
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Sorry to bump an extremely old thread chaps, I just had a couple questions

It seems that I may have torn my ACL, or that is what the doc thinks anyways. IT happened a couple of months ago and my MRI is scheduled for the end of October. (About a 3 month wait from the original appointment)

I am wondering for those that paid for an MRI, was it worth it? I can afford it, but I only have 2 more months to wait, it sounds like a couple of you guys had 6 months.

Also how was the pre-surgery physio? I might be crazy but it seems like I have lost some mass in my quad muscle.

And how long after surgery were you able to drive? I'm just wondering how long I'll be off work, I'm a pilot and we have rudder pedals and stuff like that....

Anyways it sounds like there are a number of people who have ACL injury experience, just looking for some first hand accounts.

Thanks
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Old 08-31-2010, 09:58 AM   #35
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That's a tough one Jiri, I had my ACL repaired just over two years ago (blew it playing arena football).

The biggest thing I can say for you with regards to recovery is to make sure you really work your quads, hamstrings and surrounding muscles BEFORE going in for surgery. Even with you doing this, your muscles will atrophe, and it will seem like you have lost all muscle mass in that leg. Not to worry, with some work the muscles come back fairly quickly.

Make sure you follow your rehab procedures, and make SURE, I can't stress this enough, to get your leg STRAIGHT as early as possible. If you need to get someone to push it down so that it straightens, do it, as this will be the biggest limiting factor to a full recovery. Range of motion (ROM) is the biggest thing I found that led to me being able to run about 1.5-2 months after surgery.

The recovery isn't much fun for the first couple weeks, but if you really follow your rehab procedures, and stretch alot and do the little strengthening exercises, you will be well on your way to a full recovery.

Biking is also very very good for your rehab (stationary biking of course).

Best of luck with the surgery and recovery!

Last edited by IliketoPuck; 08-31-2010 at 10:01 AM. Reason: realized the thread was from 2007.
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Old 08-31-2010, 10:03 AM   #36
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Ahh just noticed the original date of the thread.

After my surgery, I drove a 5 ton truck a few weeks after (3-4) and it was painful having to clutch with the left leg.

Pre-surgery, work out in a controlled environment and stregthen your leg muscles.

I never got an MRI, but it was pretty obvious to any doctor that looked at my knee that I had no ACL anymore.
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Old 08-31-2010, 10:05 AM   #37
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I'm having my ACL reconstruction surgery September 28th.

I've never EVER been under the knife but I'm not too worried about that.

I'm very nervous of the recovery, especially the first week or two. I've been running a lot and working leg muscles with weights and will continue to do so, but man, I've got a manual transmission car and I'm worried I won't even be able to drive that for weeks afterward.
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Old 08-31-2010, 10:10 AM   #38
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You will likely not be able to drive for a few weeks, and it will be painful for a few more weeks after that. If it is your left leg you could get by, but if it is your gas/brake foot you wouldn't be able to move it fast enough if you had to brake quickly..

Keep up the running, weights, etc. the first weeks after surgery are not fun, but it gets better fast if you stick to your rehab and do physio etc.
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Old 08-31-2010, 10:23 AM   #39
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It is my left leg at the very least, I was the same as you, I didn't need an MRI, the doc just moved it around and went "yeah, you don't have an ACL".

Did you do anything special that really helped out in the recovery period after surgery other than straightening the leg and stretching? My buddy says tension related exercises helped him immensely.

Did you get decent painkiller drugs after surgery? How long were you on crutches for?

Am I going to cry multiple times like a little girl?
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Old 08-31-2010, 10:39 AM   #40
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I was on crutches, for sure.....and percocet . Just don't think that you are healthy after 1 week and decide to stand up without crutches while on percocet and bbq yourself a steak. My leg swelled up so bad I could poke it and see the finger mark for a minute afterward.

I did lots of stretching, and light strengthening for the first few weeks. I had a very light tension band from physio as well. Once the knee was reasonably stable, I went to the gym and did light work on the quads and hamstrings and increased gradually until I had my muscles mass back.

The biggest thing was stretching a ton. Range of motion is #1 to recovery in my mind.

You will be a little girl for a few days, but the percocet makes it ok. Get yourself some good video games and movies... (Halo comes out on the 14th )
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