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Re: [pct-l] Torn ACL - what to do?



Joanne

I lived without a ACL in my right knee for 17 years, I could not run, I was
uncomfortable on rough ground, did not do much backpacking. Then one day my
knee popped out like it would every 6 months or so and I would drop to the
ground and rither in pain, then get up and walk it out so it would not swell to
the point that I could not move it. . but this time I was holding my 1 year old
daughter and I dropped her on the sidewalk. I still remember the look in her
eyes  . . . why did you do that! then she started to cry. The following week I
went to the doctor and had a MRI and with in the year I had it repaired, had a
very fast recovery and was hiking in the Grand Canyon within 9 months of the
surgery and am leaving for the 3 time since the surgery on the 26th of Dec :)

Owen K

Joanne Lennox wrote:

>
> Well, it seems right now that next summer's adventure is more dependent on
> what happens with a lame self and not how sound my horse(s) is.
>
> During a vet prepurchase exam (on a horse that turned out to be lame, and
> did not want to trot) more than two months ago, I tore my Right Collateral
> ligament in my Knee.  I could hardly put weight on the knee for almost a
> week, but it slowly got somewhat better after that.  I went to an
> Orthopedic Surgeon and she said that I should do hamstring strengthening
> exercises.  A brace might be farther down the line, but that surgury was
> out because I had some arthritis in the knee ( this was the knee that I
> felt  was misaligned through most of my thruhike - it was probably the
> result of an old "clipping" type of Aikido injury - an inept Aikido
> practitioner attempted to sweep my legs out from under me during a multiple
> person attack, and my knee locked and the ligament tore).
>
> The real problem is that it seems so weak that I can not strengthen it
> without reinjurying it.  After more than 10 weeks, I can hardly handle
> rough ground, snow, going uphill or downhill, carrying heavy objects,
> kneeling or getting up and down off the ground much, and I am awaken
> nightly by the aching.
>
> I have scheduled an appt with another Orthopedic Surgeon for a second
> opinion - I do not trust my HMO (Pacific Medical Center) for this.
>
> I know a lot of people go through this.  But I don't know of any right now,
> and I am just getting really discouraged and  feeling hopeless.  Most of
> the things that give me satisfaction are physical activities and everyone
> of them is really limited for me right now.  Fortunately, I can ride my
> horses usually(too snowy right now) - but the PCT would be out until I can
> walk better (for saftey if for nothing else, although I planned to walk
> downhills and rough trail and when the weight got too high on my horse).
>
> I am not asking for a medical opinion, just what has happened to others,
> what their outcome was and how long the healing took, how they handled the
> stress of limited exercise, what kind of options they found that worked.  I
> really feel that my HMO will be happy if I  am limited to strolling down
> the Mall , there seems to be no incentive for getting more than some
> functioning back.
>
> I had planned to start off from Campo beganning of April, and I need to do
> a lot of planning with a horse along.   I don't know what is realistic at
> this point, but I am not willing to give up my dream, and have just been
> going forth with hope and a prayer in my heart.
>
>
> Goforth
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