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torn MCL, torn PCL, torn meniscus, torn heart...

13K views 82 replies 50 participants last post by  Fuglio 
#1 ·
Busted myself up good at Whistler with the most retarded crash ever...last possible jump on the mountain, on my last run of the day.. go figure huh?

goodbye downhill MTB :cryin::cryin:

time to go see the Ortho, sigh. ...anyone want to buy a 2011 Demo?
 
#3 ·
You can be back at it in 6 months or less.
You can be riding again sooner than you think and then you can get back to hard riding and big jumps/drops when you are ready.
Big risk of reinjury if you fcuk something up early on in the rehab process, but once the legs are strong again you are good to go.
Rehab will be a different sort of project, but you can come back a better rider from those injuries.
6 months +/- and you'll be physically strong enough to take the hits again.
 
#4 ·
Don't sell the bike just yet.

So I had a torn MCL, torn ACL, complete removal of the meniscus.

6 weeks cast, 6 weeks non-weight bearing. Physical therapy for 3 months = back riding in 6 month, full on in a year.

Go in with the mentality that your going to crush PT and you will be back riding before you know it.

Keep you head up :thumbsup:
 
#7 · (Edited)
Sounds like a familiar story I told not to long ago. Someone on the forums said,"one last run usually means a trip to the ER". SO NOW I DON'T SAY THAT!
Be happy it's just one ACL, I did both ACL's. Terminal knee extensions will be your best friend. It's the only exercise that you can feel pulling your knee cap back into alignment, and it feels great during the early phase of rehab after surgery.
Something else, don't settle for anything less than CTI braces when it's time to get back on the DH bike. Don't let your Doc talk you into Donjoy braces for DH because they have a in house rep.at his office. See if your med coverage is by medical necessity, It makes a huge difference when it come to getting gear that can be covered by prescription.
How rude I'm I ......healing vibes coming achew.
 
#10 ·
hey dude, sorry to hear that. just a few thoughts based on my own experience with orthopedic surgeons:

-make sure you get at minimum 2, and maybe even 3 opinions from ortho's---you want a more conservative, experienced doc that doesn't resort to surgery immediately (i broke my arm pretty badly once, w/ significant damage to the connective tissue in the elbow joint---first 2 docs wanted to operate asap, the third doc recommended a splint and PT)
-ask a LOT of questions until you feel you have the information you need to make an informed decision
-are the ligaments completely torn? avulsed? is there some chance that they can heal with due care w/o an invasive procedure?

another example: my buddy is an orthopedic surgeon (he had his own practice on the peninsula), and made a few bad moves in a really aggressive game of pickup basketball. he was absolutely sure that he had completely torn his ACL and would require surgery. well, once he had an MRI done, and reviewed the images, it was mainly intact, and would be ok w/ a combo of rest and PT.

hope that helps, and hang in there
 
#11 ·
:( :(

I wouldn't give up so easily though. Although I've never had a torn MCL and PCL, I have had a torn meniscus and I was lucky enough to recover for it fully. It doesn't even give me an trouble on long "all-mountain" rides.

Hope this isn't a career ending injury man, get well soon.
 
#12 ·
So sorry, man. Where did it happen?

I had an ugly crash at the entrance to the Boneyard a couple weeks back. Thankfully, didn't tear or break anything, mostly a lot of bruising and road rash. It was also stoopid. I tried to huck where I shoulda rolled, and roll where I shoulda hucked. Stoopid.

Btw, there is never a "last run of the day." I'm always gonna do just "one more."

Hope you get well soon...
 
#14 ·
I know how ya feel, even though I don't do nearly the stuff you do. I also had the stupidest crash at Angle Fire last week, trying to scrub a table at high speed that had a boot'r on the front of it. We all knows what happens when your to neutral on body position. :madman: Anyways landed REALLY hard and broke my clavicle. So badly that I'm having surgery Friday to put it back together with titanium.

I thought a lot about the same things. Sell my bike, stop riding like a kid that has no responsibilities, etc, etc. I could use the money from selling my bike to help pay the deductible on my insurance, but I figure I'll regret that later. I just need to be smarter about the way I ride, and slow my roll on the newer gnarly stuff. Ease into things...

Don't get overly reactive to the situation, and give it some time before getting rid of what you love.

Healing vibes to ya!!:thumbsup:
 
#15 · (Edited)
Meere flesh wound! You'll be back by next season again for opening day.

I was riding with SMT one time and a hiker knocked the top of his head off with a hiking pole, and his brain went flying out, it landed in the dirt and quivered like a beached jelly fish. I urinated on it to wash all the dirt of it, slapped back in his head, flipped his top back on, and he good to go. Funny thing is he never shut up during the whole ordeal. I don't think he even knew what went down.:thumbsup:
 
#24 ·
I have done 2 ACLR's in the last 2 years. Recovery was about as long as the winter. Back riding big stuff again. I recommend heading over to the Gimp Central thread over at TGR. Lots of good info from both docs and folks who have been there.

Sell your Demo and build up a new dream bike while you heal, it will keep your stoke up and motivate to hit the PT hard. Vibes

DRS
 
#28 ·
thanks for the healing vibes all... it's not me so much that wants to give it up, it's convincing my wife to allow me to do these crazy things... right now she is having none of it.

the official mri results:
"Joint effusion posterior soft tissue T2 signal abnormality seen.

There is full-thickness tear of the MCL and PCL. There is partial
tear or sprain of the proximal fibular collateral ligament. Bone
marrow edema is seen.

Possible tear of the root of the medial meniscus."
i'm in a hinged knee brace now and on crutches for the next 4 weeks.. at the end of this month I have another ortho appointment to determine if my PCL is able to heal itself or not.. otherwise i get the knife. not really happy about the fact that i have to wait a month to see if surgery is needed, but i would much rather rehab my knee without it if possible. anyone have advice/experience with this?

on the bright side of things i'm really happy my ACL is not blown up amongst all the damage...

i crashed on the last jump in the joyride park. i didn't get enough air and i landed a whip (silly me, of course i try to throw an oppo whip too) sideways.. when i landed it snapped back and started to highside me... when it snapped back i put my foot down to try and plant and prevent the explosion - and i literally watched my knee/leg give out and heard the pop.. i wish i had the rewind button.. i would have rather gone otb and taken my chances now...or even smarter, just straight air'd it on my way back to the lodge and save it for the next day.. ****.

funny thing is, i crashed on wednesday... friday was the last day of my trip. i said **** it, bought a mueller brace from the village pharmacy, sac'd up and rode Top of the World with my buddies. after a couple minutes warm up i was able to get full pedal strokes in, and managed to ride the whole trail without any pain and still shredded just as hard as usual. i didn't want to push my luck and crash on an already trashed knee so i called it a day.. i'm wondering if that'll be the last ride i ever went on.. *tears*

it's going to be a long time before i can get into downhill again, honestly i don't know if i'll ever be back. i know my wife wants me to have nothing to do with it, hopefully with time things will chill out and i'll be riding again.. probably focusing less on jumps and drops and more on DH speed.. who knows.. i just know the next half a year or more is going to majorly suck, but i'm going to do a good job on making sure i strengthen up my knee during the rehab process. i think my body heals pretty well, so i'm hoping i'll be back in less time... if possible!

i have the crash on go pro.. super depressing to crash on such a stupid small jump after shredding crabapple literally minutes before.. and thrashing the double blacks all day at mach 7.

for your viewing pleasure:
 
#36 ·
Dude, between hitting CrabApple hits the way you did, InDeep while wet and the Joyride jumps the way you did, you have nothing to be ashamed of. That's some awesome riding. Get well soon and get back on the horse.

So sorry you had to crash on that last one. I know what it feels like when you do something so simple, but funk yourself up so bad. I crashed on the entry to the Boneyard really hard this year in a place I totally shouldn't have crashed on Day 3 of my Whistler trip. While I was banged up pretty bad and am still sore after a couple weeks, I luckily avoided major damage. Still mad at myself for crashing though.

Good luck on your recovery...

thanks for the healing vibes all... it's not me so much that wants to give it up, it's convincing my wife to allow me to do these crazy things... right now she is having none of it.

the official mri results:

i'm in a hinged knee brace now and on crutches for the next 4 weeks.. at the end of this month I have another ortho appointment to determine if my PCL is able to heal itself or not.. otherwise i get the knife. not really happy about the fact that i have to wait a month to see if surgery is needed, but i would much rather rehab my knee without it if possible. anyone have advice/experience with this?

on the bright side of things i'm really happy my ACL is not blown up amongst all the damage...

i crashed on the last jump in the joyride park. i didn't get enough air and i landed a whip (silly me, of course i try to throw an oppo whip too) sideways.. when i landed it snapped back and started to highside me... when it snapped back i put my foot down to try and plant and prevent the explosion - and i literally watched my knee/leg give out and heard the pop.. i wish i had the rewind button.. i would have rather gone otb and taken my chances now...or even smarter, just straight air'd it on my way back to the lodge and save it for the next day.. ****.

funny thing is, i crashed on wednesday... friday was the last day of my trip. i said **** it, bought a mueller brace from the village pharmacy, sac'd up and rode Top of the World with my buddies. after a couple minutes warm up i was able to get full pedal strokes in, and managed to ride the whole trail without any pain and still shredded just as hard as usual. i didn't want to push my luck and crash on an already trashed knee so i called it a day.. i'm wondering if that'll be the last ride i ever went on.. *tears*

it's going to be a long time before i can get into downhill again, honestly i don't know if i'll ever be back. i know my wife wants me to have nothing to do with it, hopefully with time things will chill out and i'll be riding again.. probably focusing less on jumps and drops and more on DH speed.. who knows.. i just know the next half a year or more is going to majorly suck, but i'm going to do a good job on making sure i strengthen up my knee during the rehab process. i think my body heals pretty well, so i'm hoping i'll be back in less time... if possible!

i have the crash on go pro.. super depressing to crash on such a stupid small jump after shredding crabapple literally minutes before.. and thrashing the double blacks all day at mach 7.

for your viewing pleasure:
 
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