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1. Bregante - Member

   3 weeks ago I damaged my knee whilst doing something very innocuous and the Hospital suspected that it was my cruciate ligament. Told there was no point doing any scans or anything and started me on physio.

   http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/oh-bum-1

   This morning I've been to see the consultant who now says it is my Patella Tendon that is torn and all the physio I've been having may have actually been making things worse. I now have to wait for an "urgent" ultrasound scan (7 - 10 days) and have my leg in a splint.

   Can't drive, Can't walk any distance. Definitely off the bike for a few months. After nearly 18 months of one injury after another I am so cheesed off I feel like selling the bikes because they just make me totally frustrated sitting in the garage and unable to be ridden.

   Has anybody else any experience of this injury?

   Thanks

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. midlifecrashes - Member

   Never had that injury, but healing vibes sent your way. I'm off to buy some knee pads.

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. Bregante - Member

   Never had that injury, but healing vibes sent your way. I'm off to buy some knee pads.

   Cheers. Knee pads wouldn't have helped me though, unless I wore the 24/7. I was walking up some steps when it "went"

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. paulosoxo - Member

   Nightmare

   I have a case of plumbers knee and a knee cap* that runs out of true from my days on the tools. I was told that an op was the only thing that would remedy it, but some good physio did sort it.

   *unfortunately yours sounds a bit more nasty.

   Chin up, you've been through worse. X

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. uplink - Member

   Chin up, it may be a quicker fix than you think

   I'm looking to have a complete knee joint replacement, I'll probably have it done Nov if I can last & start trying a bike again next Spring
   Although, it may be the end of my cycling days, hard to tell until it's done I suppose but I'll do something else to keep me busy if that happens

   If you can't cycle, look for other things to interest you

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. Bregante - Member

   Cheers Paul. Just read your update and it's good to hear you're back on the bike mate.

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. TheLittlestHobo - Member

   Ahhh, take a seat and listen to my tale of woes

   1st game of football in January i was running for the ball, no contact, and a bang in my knee. Felt like someone had shot me. Big crater in the middle of the knee and no possible movement. Turned out i had ruptured (Snapped completely) the patella tendon. After 15mins the adrenulin kicked in and the pain dissapeared unless i moved it (Dragged myself off the pitch and ambulance to casualty).

   Anyhow, i have obviously been doing a lot of research on the net and talking to my consultant and the prognosis i have had is this.

   Snapping is sometimes better than tearing. The theory being that there isnt really a repair for the tear other than physio and time. Even then its not really a certainty.

   With the full rupture they have little choice but to go in and butcher the tendon back together in some way. I had a scar from about 2" above the knee cap right down to about 2-3" below it. 32 staples There are two tendons, on attaching the patella to the shin (Mine snapped there) or one attaching the patella to the thigh muscle. A guy was in at the same time as me and he had the other repaired. Seemed very similar and we talk now at physio so its all repairing the same.

   The repair basically involved massive thick stitches through the tendon x 3 which are then threaded through 3 x drilled holes up through the knee cap/patella then tied in place. I got the benefit of some kind of special suspension strip in my knee which cost a lot of money but got me out of having a splint. I could do 45dg in 1 wk which normally takes 6-8wks. Walking at 3wks against 6-8wks.

   The thing is though its all pretty certain with my repair.

   6-8wks for the tendon to start healing properly
   8-12wks for things to be strong enough for me to start exercise (1st physio was monday and that was early at 12-13wks)
   9mths for the tendon to be 'healed' 100%

   I dont confess to be knowledgeable but my guess is at least 3-6mths rest if not more. I havent seen anyone claim to get an operation for a tear.

   Hope this helps

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. TheLittlestHobo - Member

   Is it a cricket splint? If so i liked mine. The flaming brace they sent me home in was the work of the devil. All velcro and metalwork.

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. hexhamstu - Member

   Classic NHS, no point doing any scans because that might cost us some money, so here is some physiotherapy. JOB DONE.

   I tore my ACL stretched my PCL and had some floating cartilage after a fall off my bike. An NHS doctor told me that it was just soft tissue damage and not to worry.
   Went to see a private doctor, got a scan, found out it was proper ****.

   Posted 1 year ago #
10. TheLittlestHobo - Member

    I havent got a bad word to say about the nhs hospital tbh.

    Posted 1 year ago #
11. Bregante - Member

    Snapping is sometimes better than tearing. The theory being that there isnt really a repair for the tear other than physio and time. Even then its not really a certainty.

    that's what I'd heard. Mine is a tear and as yet, nobody can say how long I'm likely to be out of action. Thing is, I do a very physical job
    and I'm not sure what will happen now. Have been doing some
    recuperative duties but don't think it will go down well longer term.

    Is it a cricket splint?

    it is and it's irritating the hell out of me

    Posted 1 year ago #
12. Bregante - Member

    I dont confess to be knowledgeable but my guess is at least 3-6mths rest if not more. I havent seen anyone claim to get an operation for a tear.

    If that turns out to be the case, I may well sell the bikes and see how I feel when I'm healed. It's been a shocking 18 months of injury and although I can't attribute this one to riding, the others definitely were (well, cycling combined with stupidity)

    Posted 1 year ago #
13. ricketyrob - Member

    Hi Bregante, sorry to hear of your nasty injury. I haven't suffered that particular injury but I have had a major one that kept me off my bike for 10 months so I can really sympathise with you! During the first hour of my first day of my week long biking hol to Les gets I had an innocuous stack and what I thought was only a twisted knee turned out to be a shattered, compressed and fractured tibial plateau 8O. After a 5hr op with a synthetic bone graft and 2 screws I returned home to be told I would be bed bound for 2 months with no weight bearing until 4/5 months. Things didn't go according to plan and it took 8 months before I was able to bend my leg enough to turn a very painful revolution of the pedals. What was meant to be a eurphoric moment was actually devastating as I knew it would be a long time before I would be riding again The point I'm making is that it was the prospect of not riding again that willed me on to work hard at my physio etc, there were those who thought that I wouldn't ever go back on a bike!!! 5 years on and I ride my bike like its going out of fashion, it keeps me sane in this very hectic life. In my humble opinion don't sell your bikes, you will heal in time and be able to get back out and enjoy yourself once again.

    Posted 1 year ago #
14. Bregante - Member

    Cheers for that. I probably won't sell, just can't bear going in the garage and seeing them all shiny. That's now how they're meant to be is it?

    Posted 1 year ago #
15. P20 - Member

    Can you actually straighten your knee? My other half, Tasha (ahsat on here) fell skiing and they thought it was cartliage and it would surgery to repair. Turns out she had chipped/cracked her patella and it was causing inflammation in the cartilage. So after a needless op, a scan would have revealed the injury she now has months of physio and is sharing your frustration of not biking. The fact she couldn't straighten her knee was the cause of several doctors, physios etc sure it was cartilage.

    Posted 1 year ago #
16. Bregante - Member

    I can straighten it, as in straighten my leg out on a surface. I can't however lock my leg out in front of me from a sitting position, if you know what I mean...

    Posted 1 year ago #
17. TheLittlestHobo - Member

    Even with my tendon completely ruptured i could straighten the knee. Actually this was the one position where the pain dissapeared. Its prob why i found the cricket splint so comfortable.

    Its when you start to bend the knee that the pain comes. I think the calculation is something like 18 times your body weight at 45dg is put through that tendon when bent. Mine went with an audiable bang and actually riped a velcro knee support off my leg.

    Posted 1 year ago #
18. TheLittlestHobo - Member

    Bregante DO NOT straighten the leg from sitting position unless advised to do so by your quacks. I havent been allowed to do that unless the consultant/physio was there. Its still the one thing i do and it hurts like hell so i imagine it puts a lot of stress on the tendon

    Posted 1 year ago #

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