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Pop goes my knee

I Are Baboon

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,442
9,538
MTB New England
Toshi said:
so it hurt on the outside when he pushed the foot inwards? that is consistent with a LCL injury. was there an endpoint, or did/does your foot just keep on swinging inwards, hinged sideways at the knee? if there was an endpoint it may not be torn completely.
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He pushed until I felt pain. He didn't try to swirl my foot and knock me in the face with it. :D.

But the point about unnecessary MRI's, as someone who skis, runs, mountain bikes, road bikes, plays deck hockey and works out four times a week, if I want an MRI to determine the exact amount of damage and plan a course of action including a concise rehab schedule, I'll expect to be given an MRI. WTF am I paying for insurance for?
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,439
7,816
if your orthopedic surgeon feels you need an MRI you'll get an MRI. you can't just walk in and demand one. :)

for all i know your particular injury + your lifestyle warrants an MRI. my point is in general that not all knee injuries that may involve ligaments warrant an MRI.
 
Da Peach

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,684
4,916
North Van
I was sent home with a "sprain" diagnosis as well. It hardly swelled up at all. After a few days being crippled I got looked at by an ortho surgeon. He figured partial tear of the ACL and some meniscus damage and provided a perscription for the MRI (which I paid for at a private clinic, though my group insurance at work.)

Once I finally got my results: full ACL rupture, minor tear of the LCL, minor tear of MCL and, as I recall, a tear in the "white zone" of my meniscus.

A few weeks went by and I got arthorscopic "cleanup" surgery. We've got an ortho surgeon friend of the family, so I was pretty lucky. I watched the monitor as he snipped off the still-attached end of my ACL and sucked it up like a noodle. I also watched the examination of the meniscus. Turned out it was 100% intact.

I guess I healed, or was the MRI analysis incorrect?
 
dump

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,238
4,502
yup.

btw, my MRI was about a 30 minute procedure...
The machine made some stange sounds ... not sure what I was expecting it to sound like, but this sounded certifiably low tech ... kinda like a dryer w/ a bowling ball in it.
 
I Are Baboon

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,442
9,538
MTB New England
Well here we are in day three and I am really not feeling any better today. :( I am more sore right now that I was last night. Dammit. I guess that's a good thing because I'd hate to waste a physician's time with knee that's on the mend.
 
TreeSaw

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,670
1,855
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
I Are Baboon said:
Well here we are in day three and I am really not feeling any better today. :( I am more sore right now that I was last night. Dammit. I guess that's a good thing because I'd hate to waste a physician's time with knee that's on the mend.
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:( Drink more beer...it'll make you feel better. ;)

And, for the MRI, mine took about 30 minutes. The one I had was just a limb one (not the full body kind) so I could read while I was in.
 
Riding

Riding

Monkey
Dec 19, 2006
545
0
Millis, MA
dump said:
Hi IAB, sorry to hear about your injury.

Please insist on a follow up. There is no real way they can tell what's going on w/o having an MRI. I went through something similar ... oh, it's just a sprain. After 1 year of rehab, it turns out it was misdiagnosed... tore my ACL, and found out ONLY after it popped out again 1 year on.

I had surgery and approaching 2 years since the original injury and it's still not completely healed.
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Phil, I concur! DO NOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT AN MRI....and don't rush it. There's no reason to cut you open when they have technology that can see inside of you. I've already been through this twice! Once on my ankle and once on my knee. And look at me...do you want to end up Fat, Unhappy with your fitness level, and only Drinking beer all the time?

Alright, let me rephrase that. Do you want to end up unhappy with your fitness level having MTC yelling at you for being Fat and only Drinking beer all the time?
 
Riding

Riding

Monkey
Dec 19, 2006
545
0
Millis, MA
Toshi said:
if your orthopedic surgeon feels you need an MRI you'll get an MRI. you can't just walk in and demand one. :)

for all i know your particular injury + your lifestyle warrants an MRI. my point is in general that not all knee injuries that may involve ligaments warrant an MRI.
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This is something that Doctors tend to forget. We are paying customers and if I ask for an MRI, they better try to get one for me because I'll have no problems going to another Doc. There are plenty in Boston.

The whole healthcare industry is a joke when it comes to customer service and business management. It sort of like bike components where the component is either strong, light, or inexpensive and you can only pick 2. Except with Doctors, it's either you get a Good Doc, Good Customer Service, or the it's run like a God Business, except you never get three, often you can't even get 2 and sometimes you might not even get 1.

Alright, I'm off my soapbox, Make sure you get an MRI before surgery. At the worst it will cost you $2k, but if you work at the hosptal, I'm sure you can swing something. Give me a call if you want any more info about my experiances.
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,439
7,816
Riding said:
This is something that Doctors tend to forget. We are paying customers and if I ask for an MRI, they better try to get one for me because I'll have no problems going to another Doc. There are plenty in Boston.

The whole healthcare industry is a joke when it comes to customer service and business management. It sort of like bike components where the component is either strong, light, or inexpensive and you can only pick 2. Except with Doctors, it's either you get a Good Doc, Good Customer Service, or the it's run like a God Business, except you never get three, often you can't even get 2 and sometimes you might not even get 1.

Alright, I'm off my soapbox, Make sure you get an MRI before surgery. At the worst it will cost you $2k, but if you work at the hosptal, I'm sure you can swing something. Give me a call if you want any more info about my experiances.
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there is a reason that medical treatments and diagnostic tests are available by a physician's prescription. there are reasons for this.

:twitch:
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,516
20,321
Sleazattle
Last time I was at my doctors getting blood pulled I asked if I should get a cholesterol test. Doc says "nah, you look healthy"
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,439
7,816
Westy said:
Last time I was at my doctors getting blood pulled I asked if I should get a cholesterol test. Doc says "nah, you look healthy"
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while that was poorly phrased he might have a point. if you don't have a family history of heart disease, don't smoke, don't have diabetes, aren't hypertensive, and are under 45 then your risk of a MI is very low. with such a low risk of an MI then the risks of medication should you be tested and found to have high cholesterol may not be warranted.

http://health.utah.gov/diabetes/pdf/telehlth/heartdisease_dm_pres_feb07.pdf

sometimes it IS better to not know.
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
He called - doc's initial impressions are at least a partially torn ACL & LCL - the MRI lab already called to schedule.

ADDITIONALLY, his calf is swollen so he is going right now for an ultrasound to make sure it's not a blood clot.

He is being fitted for an immobilizer and the doc is already talking surgery ASAP.
 
Secret Squirrel

Secret Squirrel

There is no Justice!
Dec 21, 2004
8,150
1
Up sh*t creek, without a paddle
MtnBikerChk said:
He called - doc's initial impressions are at least a partially torn ACL & LCL - the MRI lab already called to schedule.

ADDITIONALLY, his calf is swollen so he is going right now for an ultrasound to make sure it's not a blood clot.

He is being fitted for an immobilizer and the doc is already talking surgery ASAP.
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Knees are ugly anyway, make sure he gets a bad ass scar (or 2!) outta the deal...
 
I Are Baboon

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,442
9,538
MTB New England
While I was in the exam room, the doc was phoning in all his notes to himself. I heard him say "My opinion: Torn ACL and LCL." Then I read the presciption he wrote for the knee immobilizer: "Left ACL tear."

God dammit.

He took out a fake knee to show me exactly what was going on. He has no doubt it's at least a minor tear of both ligaments. The MRI will determine whether or not I need surgery. I've got the MRI at 8:00AM Saturday.
 
Brian HCM#1

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
That sucks Phil. A torn meniscus was the only thing that showed up on my MRI, when they went to fix it, they discovered my ACL was gone, so they ended up repairing that too.
 
DirtMcGirk

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
If they call for ACL/LCL rebuild time, get your ass into PT before you get cut. Get as strong and ready as you can, it really does help with getting you back in the game ASAP.

When I did my ACL/LCL rip, I was in PT the next week. I was hitting it three times a week while my doc was in Hawaii for a month. He came back, cut me, and I was back running almost 4 months ahead of schedule. I pushed on it harder than the doc and PT wanted me to, but I got it done and got back in the game.

Take it easy man, roll on down with it, and get better.

Oh yea, and don't go salsa dancing without your immobilizer on. Trust me on this.
 
Da Peach

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,684
4,916
North Van
Yep, you're going to hear all the same advice from everyone... I might as well pile on.

Getting strong before surgery is good advice.

So? Who wants to start the "Patellar vs. Hamstring Tendon" debate?

Go Hamstring!

(and good luck IAB!)
 
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