Anterior Cruciate Ligament

[RichardAThackeray]

I fell at the PECO XC, at Temple Newsam (back on 15th January) where the descent from the little Temple turned sharp left onto the tarmac path alongside the bottom pond.

On & off since my left knee's been a bit sore at points, ran the Stanbury Splash with no issues (weekend after PECO) bar being a bit slower than I wanted

However, during the following week, it was slightly sore at points, but with no real pain/alteration to gait, & club-runs (& runs home from work) were covered in a reasonable time/decent pace.

Then, we flew to Florida for a fortnight, & I tried to run there, but the pain was too much; an unstable knee, with a jarring pain on impact.
Even walking down slopes was awkward, it got to the point that when we passed through (I think??) Haines City, where there were 2 MRI clincics, SWMBO suggested paying for one & getting a diagnosis


We returned on Saturday 4th, & since getting back it's been bad - yes, I had swollen legs in the couple of days after the flights, but thought nothing of it, just that it was due to the pressure/temperature changes.





Bit Of A Digression;

Whilst at work on Wednesday (22nd) after returning, I banged it pretty hard on a trolley & limped downstairs to A&E.
Was given painkillers/anti-inflammatories & an x-ray
Nothing of note showed on the x-rays, so I went back to work


A couple of hours later, I felt a bit 'iffy' & went ot sit down on a wastebin.
Next thing I knew I was surrounded by staff who looked concerned, then apparantly I was put in a chair & taken back down to A&E

On arrival the SpecialistRegistrar (who I know) thought that I was having a Heart Attack!! - so she told me later


The initial diagnosis was a DVT, with renewed levels of activity causing part of the clot to break off & travel to my lungs, lodging in the Pulmonary Artery, hence the collapse

I was kept in Hospital overnight, given a CT scan the next morning (with Contrast - a weird sensation!)

Thankfully the scan was negative, no clot, so the new assumption was a reaction to the Brufen & Co-Codamol, coupled with (vestigial) dehydration from the flight, & possibly still slightly under-par (jet-lag??)


Back To The Story;
Clinic appointment today at the 'Muscular Skeletal Clinic'
Consultant stated after yanking me about & making me wince that it was the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Physiotherapy was in order,so I headed down, sort of 'pulled some strings' (by being in uniform -not actually asking) & have an appointment on Friday


I'll just have to see how it goes

[RichardAThackeray]

Update;
Had the Physio-terrorists having a go at it 3 times, & I've had my second appointment at 'Musc-Ske' clinic

This was a more sympathetic A&E Consultant though, as he doubles up as a Physio for one of the national rugby teams.
He knows I run, & has heard me grumbling about missing races (by 'more sympathetic', I mean towards 'sporting injuries')


Referred to Knee specialist at the Ortho clinic (this coming Tues; 24th), & for a MRI

Come Friday, I'd had no MRI appointment, so on arrival at work, I had a word with a Secretary I know (she's in same running club) & my referal had gone through, but not date set.


So..... I had a subsequent chat with one of the Radiographers to enquire if they'd seen me on any lists*
A short explanation that I have an Orthopedic appointment on Tuesday, got me a check of the system, & the question "Can you get here for 15:30 on Saturday?":thumbup:

Yes, as I'd be working 13:00 - 21:00 anyway.


Received a phone-call @ 13:30, could I go now?, they had a cancellation in the out-patient list.
I dealt with the patient I was with & headed down to Radiology

Then I spent 20 minutes laying there, still & peaceful with the headphones on, but ... it's a noisy bugger that scanner!! (all the magnetic pulsing/relays/etc....)
Mindst you it shows how well soundproofed the room is, as it can't be heard on the adjacent corridor


All I need now is for it to have been 'reported' by a Radiologist in time for Tuesdays clinic

'Up to press', Tuesday will be the first app that I've not been able to time-table when I'm already on the premises (my day-off!)



*I didn't ask outright, co-erce, or ask to be bumped up the list.
The offer was simply made to me!, well, it's one of the very few perks we can get in the NHS

[that_fjell_guy]

There's a deafening silence to this thread, but in the background you can almost feel and hear the gnashing of teeth at your 'preferential' style treatment!!! Good luck with it all, sounds a nasty one potentially!! A perks a perk I say!

Just out of curiosity, and is not a criticism, have you added up the cost of all this treatment. I remember when I had a problem with my calves tightening. I had a couple of consultations with doctors of various sorts, two different scans and some physio. After about six months of seeing folk I was summoned to see another consultant. I waited about half an hour, then another 20 minutes in a side room. The guy walked in, looked at my notes briefly, didnt check anything physically and said 'Ah! Mr Povey, there seems to be nothing wrong, you can go', he turned around and walked out!! No Q and A, no further advise or owt!! I'd love to know how much that cost!! The problem lasted another three year until I had a secondary problem which caused me to rest for the winter (4 months doing zero!), this cleared it!! Though I do need to take care it doesnt get too tight. I think its a bio-mechanical thing now!!

Just thinking aloud really! :closed:

[Tahr]

The wife works in the NHS, she has been asked to come down for a scan/X-ray when patients have failed to attend there appointment or let staff know they are unable to attend at the last minute. This saves the slot going to waste and her original appointment can be used to get somebody else in earlier than might of otherwise been possible. Common sense really and everybody wins.

ATB

Tahr

[RichardAThackeray]

There's a deafening silence to this thread, but in the background you can almost feel and hear the gnashing of teeth at your 'preferential' style treatment!!! Good luck with it all, sounds a nasty one potentially!! A perks a perk I say!

The CT scan, if I go back, was a precautionary element, as I was perceived to possibly have a 'PE', so it's generally performed at our Hospital

The intial 'Musc-Skel' clinic was a follow-on from the presenting knee injury (as was the secondary 'Musc-Skel' appt)

Physio was recommended by the Consultant, with that particular lower-limb lady having time- slots that suited my rostering

As for the MRI, as Tahr states, I might have been lucky enough to have been considered a quick scan between more complex patients???


Overall, the cost/treatment was probably the same as 'Joe Public', but maybe my being on the premises & able to attend within a large spectrum of hours/altered appointments/emergency cancellation of mine if required helped??

[that_fjell_guy]

As I say, no critisism intended. Your injury etc really just reminded me of my situation some years ago!! For me, it seemed like a lot of effort, time and use of facilities just to be told that there's nowt wrong! I recall one of my scans, I don't know the technicalities, was because I said I occasionally had 'pins and needles'. He sent me because he feared spinal complications or something. As I say, no critisism of you or your actions etc, or indeed your hospital.

Hope no offence was caused.

[RichardAThackeray]

Hope no offence was caused.

It's quite alright & no apology needed.
In fact, maybe I ought to be the one apologising, if perhaps I came across as 'playing the system'???

I had my Orthopedic Consultants appointment last Tuesday though (yes, I know it was quick, but that was a computer generated appt)

He han't got the MRI results (not reported on), so found a 'MSk' radiologist to do so (same as would happen for any Clinic patient)

I don't have ligament issues, but do have 'Micro-Fractures of the Femural Head'!!!!, I saw the MRI when he got it on-screen, & there's a build up of fluid in the bone
Presumably our long-haul flight didn't help much either?, as I had 'tree-trunk'/swollen calfs for a couple of days on arrival there (lowered cabin pressure)

The only treatment, apparantly, is 'time', with that in mind I go to see him again in 3 months

[cyclops]

Glad you've found out exactly what is wrong, often the problem with getting things fixed is not knowing the exact cause, and therefore how to treat it appropriately. Although more directed towards soft tissues, perhaps some lymphatic drainage massage would help to get the fluids around the area moving better? If yr not familiar with LD have a read of this: http://globaltherapies.wordpress.com...atic-drainage/
Good luck with your recovery,
Lynne

[Mike T]

It's quite alright & no apology needed.
In fact, maybe I ought to be the one apologising, if perhaps I came across as 'playing the system'???

I had my Orthopedic Consultants appointment last Tuesday though (yes, I know it was quick, but that was a computer generated appt)

He han't got the MRI results (not reported on), so found a 'MSk' radiologist to do so (same as would happen for any Clinic patient)



I don't have ligament issues, but do have 'Micro-Fractures of the Femural Head'!!!!, I saw the MRI when he got it on-screen, & there's a build up of fluid in the bone
Presumably our long-haul flight didn't help much either?, as I had 'tree-trunk'/swollen calfs for a couple of days on arrival there (lowered cabin pressure)

The only treatment, apparantly, is 'time', with that in mind I go to see him again in 3 months

The head of the femur is in the hip joint - the bit shaped like a ball - and yet your pain was in the knee - this is a well known trap; the knee is examined/X-rayed/scanned and even operated on, and yet the problem is elsewhere. I hope I have understood your symptoms and the scan result correctly.

[RichardAThackeray]

Sorry Mike, I'd had a busy day when I wrote that, and did indeed mean the knee portion of the Femur.

Having just checked up my knee physiology on-line, it would appear that it's the Medial Condyle section of the knee that has the cracks (the bulbous bit on the external side)