Just back from the doc..

[Szyslak]

and have the results of my MRI. I have a complete ACL tear, MCL sprain, and severe bone bruising. At this point surgery is imminent, however I have a decision to make. The doc says that I can ski this season with a brace and have surgery in the spring, or I can have surgery now and possibly rehab in time to make a few turns in the spring. Has any one tried skiing after an ACL tear with a brace? After reading through Basom’s thread about his ACL injury and surgery and recovery, I have an idea of what is in head of me, but I am not sure what to do this season. WWMD?

[altachic]

Get the surgery, despite the option of skiing. You'll thank yourself later for it.

Sorry about the injury, there are so many of us on here that have "been there, done that" as you are facing right now, we feel your pain.

Get it fixed and make some spring turns if possible.

Best of luck to ya.

[Vinman]

go for the surgery. The risks of further injury outweigh any other arguements for skiing with a brace for the season. I personally have spent two seasons like this. It is only one winter you have many more to go on that knee. Get it fixed as soon as it is feasable to do so and get on with life.

[Szyslak]

Thanks for the comments. I have spent most of the morning reading through past threads about all the ACL repairs and braces. What a great source of information. I have read all these threads before, but they mean so much more to me now.

I am leaning more towards surgery right away, but I am struggling greatly with the thought of missing what has started out looking like it is going to be one of the greatest seasons ever. I am already so tired of hearing comments like “I hope it was worth it” and non-skiers laughing at me for ruining my ski season before it started.

The afternoon that this happened I had to keep myself busy or I would just sit and think about what I had done and fall into deep depression. What hurt the worst was when my 4 year old said to me “we’re not going skiing this year, huh Dad?” with a look of disappointment in his eyes. That is another reason I am considering postponing surgery until the end of the season. I may not be able to ski the way I want to, but at least I can ski with him. I hate these decisions.

[altagirl]

I just went through this myself. It's agonizing, and so tempting to think.... ooohhh maybe it would work. This is my second time going through an ACL recon. First one was on my other knee like 5 years ago.

I skied on my other knee with no ACL and it didn't work very well. My knee blew out/gave out regularly. It'd swell up, I'd get it back to where I could walk again and over time it would collapse easier and easier. At first I just couldn't ski powder, then it started giving out on groomers, then it would give out if I carried a box around a corner just walking. Fix it. It's not worth doing more damage. Bring your kid up to the mountain and put him in lessons or something, maybe? I'm sure it's not the same, but you want good years in the future of skiing with him, right? Postponing things and potentially causing more damage isn't a good idea then. This isn't the only ski season you need to be thinking about. Plus, I'd think skiing with your kid is one type of skiing you should be able to do by spring.

I totally sympathize with you. It's a tough decision to make. Just stay positive. I do think it helps to feel like you've gotten the surgery done and now you're on your way back, not just trying not to hurt yourself more so can start to really recover some time later.

And like you've already found, this place is great resource for knees. Lots of firsthand experience and support like nowhere else. Knee related boards are useful, but you get so many depressed, inactive, non-athletic people on them that it skews the perspective.

[Free Range Lobster]

altagirl pretty much hit it on the head.

You WILL have problems all season with it, and its more frustrating than anything when your friends are just burning you or having to wait for you.

Continuing to ski on it can only make it worse, so go get it done, and enjoy a few spring turns on your new bionic knee.

[easyrdr]

I did a complete tear of my ACL and about a 50% tear of my MCL last january, had surgury a week later, and now what, 9 months later I am 100%, pain free, brace free, and ready to ski my ass off. At the time of the accident I was in the same boat you were-you have to look at the long term, forget this season, suck it up and do it right. The rehab is the most important part, you cop out on that and the pain will be there forever. I'm sorry if this comes off sort of harsh, but I'm totally against putting off the surgery, the chance of further injuring your knee is not worth the risk

[teledave]

Go for the surgery, it sucks but it will give you a much better season next year with a full year of recovery under your belt. I; too, would echo the thought of getting your 4 y/o out skiing with someone else, instructor, friend, spouse, whoever. You might even find someone around these parts.

Oh, and it will give you a chance to post more.

[Szyslak]

Surgery now is probably the best option. What has been really pissing me off the last few days is the amount of people who think that at my age (30) it is time settle down and live a sedentary life style (Why do you even need surgery?). 30 is not even close to being old, hell I am in much better shape now, except my knee, than I was at 25. Anyway, thanks again for the comments. What an amazing place this is to come to with all the collective knowledge and experiences.

[altagirl]

I get that too. A friend we used to race DH with stopped by and asked if Mr.AG and I were selling our DH bikes after our injuries this season. Uh, not unless it's because I need the money for a better one next season...

I'm 30 too. And I'm in better shape now (minus the knee) than I've ever been in in my life. There's no reason you can't come back stronger than ever. I know I did after my first ACL recon. Just work hard at rehab.

When are you looking at surgery and what graft are you thinking? (Mine was last week/patellar allograft.)

[Mr. Altagirl]

Surgery now is probably the best option. What has been really pissing me off the last few days is the amount of people who think that at my age (30) it is time settle down and live a sedentary life style (Why do you even need surgery?). 30 is not even close to being old, hell I am in much better shape now, except my knee, than I was at 25. Anyway, thanks again for the comments. What an amazing place this is to come to with all the collective knowledge and experiences.

Don't listen to anyone who says you are getting too old and need to settle down. As a matter of fact, punch them square in the face. I've had more than a few people tell me that I have to stop doing what I love to do because I got hurt. If I didn't get hurt, I was probably not trying hard enough. Being hurt sucks but it is a lot better than giving up on what it is that makes you happy in life. So may people really don't live life, they are just alive. Let them have the couches and trailer parks and walking their cats. The few of us that are truly living a life need to keep moving. Good luck with the surgery (do it ASAP) and we'll see you on the slopes in the late spring. We'll all save a few face shots for ya.

[Vinman]

Right on with the non-sedentary life-style for the over 30 crowd!!!!! I'm 32 and there is no way that I would not get surgery again if it comes to that. Skiing and being active are far too important to me to give up. These are the same reasons I had my ankle scoped this summer to remove some old bone chips.

Give those negative attitude people the big get your surgery and come back stronger than ever next season.

[Szyslak]

When are you looking at surgery and what graft are you thinking? (Mine was last week/patellar allograft.)

I am thinking the one with the cadaver doner (I am terrible at remembering all the technicial terms, however I have a feeling that I will be hearing them enough to learn them). The doc seems to think this is the best option, albeit a little more spendy, but hey, it's that is what insurance is for anyway.

Yeah, it looks like I will have lots of time to post more and hopefully contribute more instead of just lurking.

[britney]

just another voice to add to the choir - i agree with AC and AG.

i did my ACL at the end of last season, with no MCL or any other damage. i skiied 2 more days with no acl and a brace, and felt very tentative and slow. i would not want to go through a season that way, and i didnt even do my mcl!

dont postpone the inevitable! i am now 5 months post-op (allograft) and skiing feels great! (with a brace - my doc said wear it for skiing for 1 year after surgery, so if you do it now, you might be brace-free in 05-06.)

i know its hard to believe, but i honestly feel there is a silver lining, especially with respect to your 4-yo. if you are the kind of person who channels everything into exercise, i found that being forced into some down time reminds you of your other interests (like reading, that's why i thought of your 4-yo), and can be a really good experience for really talking to your friends and loved ones and really getting to know them in a new way (not just as exercise buddies). i know its small consolation, bcz it totally sux, but thats my best attempt at making the glass half-full!

best of luck, and i highly recommend the allograft (i helped convince altagirl to go the same route, after all)!
-b

[britney]

...I am already so tired of hearing comments like “I hope it was worth it”...

The afternoon that this happened I had to keep myself busy or I would just sit and think about what I had done and fall into deep depression. What hurt the worst was when my 4 year old said to me “we’re not going skiing this year, huh Dad?” with a look of disappointment in his eyes. ...

PS - IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT! it was an accident.

now repeat that 100 times per day until finished with rehab.

[altagirl]

I am thinking the one with the cadaver doner (I am terrible at remembering all the technicial terms, however I have a feeling that I will be hearing them enough to learn them). The doc seems to think this is the best option, albeit a little more spendy, but hey, it's that is what insurance is for anyway.

Yeah, it looks like I will have lots of time to post more and hopefully contribute more instead of just lurking.

No kidding - I wouldn't let cost be a factor in my graft choice. Everyone's situation is a little different, so do your research and make sure you understand why your doc recommends what he does so you can mesh that with what you've learned on your own. Bottom line is that all the different grafts WORK, you just want what's best for your situation.

Lots of old graft debates around here too. I think mine is in Sprocket Rockets since I was riding when I injured my knee.

And I agree. Definitely not your fault, and remember this kind of stuff can happen to non-athletic people too - a life of channel surfing doesn't keep you injury free. I've met people who've torn rotator cuffs putting on a bathrobe, or blew out their knee when they slipped in the shower. I met a woman in my first rehab who had the most destroyed knee the PT guys had ever seen - tore every ligament and had fractures and she did it when she slipped in her driveway washing her car. THAT would suck.

[Arnold Babar]

Do the surgery this year. I tore my ACL and MCL in April. The MCL took 12 weeks to self repair in a brace, and then I put off surgery on the ACL. I've been able to work, coach soccer, do work on my house and yard, play golf, and ride my bike very mellow. But I'm in the worst shape of my life now because I'm not active in the ways I used to be. I never max out. I'm 37 with two kids, and let me tell you, the best skiing with your son is yet to come. At 4, he won't even remember missing this season (if he really must). My daughters are 4 & 9 and I'm going to miss this season with them, but I will put them in lessons etc., and I know that we'll be ripping it up next year and years after. Get it over with. My surgery is scheduled for Nov. 17 and I'm not looking forward to it, but AG's "knee update" thread has gotten me inspired to get on with it. Best of luck to you.

[Big E]

Yeah, do it now, just about all of us feel like the time from when you first find out it's the ACL to the time you have surgery is the worst (well, except for that "pop" moment - that really sucks) because you know you're damaged goods, but there's nothing you can do about it. Once you have the surgery, you're on the road to recovery. No sense risking worse damage, either.

As for the people that tell you to settle down, you're getting too old, not taking care of yourself, etc., it's just in one ear, out the other. No athlete, be it pro, semi-pro, or weekend warrior, would ever say that. Last summer, 27 and 3 years out from surgery, I was in the best shape of my life, easy. Tearing the other one last winter was a bad break, but I'm back to let's say 90%, and that last 10% takes a while. Just tell them that you'll stop skiing, etc. if they put down the cell phone and remote control.

[Szyslak]

So that it is now something like 10-0 in favor of immediate surgery. With all of your help in sorting through this as well as other thoughts and research, I seems the way to go. Damn, I am looking out my office window right now and seeing the snow falling. Time to go close the blinds.

[shadow]

I'll be saving a spot in line for the chairlift come spring, work hard so you can be there.

[Arnold Babar]

There's a lot of us in the same boat. We'll get through it. Ain't nothin' to it but to do it.