The results are in - OUCH!

[Imahoot393]

Glad to hear your surgery went well. Good luck with the healing!

[MWV46]

Originally Posted by Florida 393

Did you and autologous graft of cadaver tissue?

I went with the hamstring graft of my own tissue. The Doc actually wanted me to go with the cadaver because of my age but I knew I could take the extra pain and will recover fine from it due to the excellent conditioning of my legs. I wish my upper body was as conditioned as my legs.

[Florida 393]

I agree on the autologous graft tissue. I was leary at first since it was one more set of stables and one more place to heal but it was pretty painless there. Four weeks of Morphine will do that I suppose Actually it was the fastest healing spot and never really hurt any. The nurse had to tell me where it was. And yes the leg conditioning is important, The neurosurgeons both said it helped me tremendously with the healing time for the graft site and my low back where the grafts were done. Good luck and please keep us posted, Merry Christmas.

Bill

[mxerhale]

I'm getting on this a little late in the game but... Anyway, I thought the hamstring was much easier to take having had two with the patellar tendon grafts first and then the hamstring on the last go round. The front of the knee is real sensitive for upwards of 2 years after the patellar while the hamstring was great within a few weeks. I also will chime in my .02 worth on the knee brace subject here and say that I got them after the fact and regret it, now I don't do anything more dangerous than walking my dog without them on. And as for the broken femurs that are threatened (while wearing braces), I'm sure it would hurt like heck but bones heal and let me tell you ligaments don't!

[Keetoman393]

It's a sore subject (pun intended) about the knee braces. Like Macho said, Dr. Mark states very clearly that you could easily die from a broken Femur, not from a knee injury. To each his own though.

[crfjedi393]

I'll throw out an opinion on the knee braces here. I wear the Asterisks and I refuse to ride without them. While I am quite certain Dr. Mark has a very valid point about breaking a femur while wearing them, I am equally certain that someone wearing the braces that is no faster than me, will benefit from them. I think the speed of pro racers would greatly increase the chances of breaking a femur with the braces on. I will take my chances and wear them every time I throw a leg over a bike. I might reconsider if I were 15 and looking for fame. However, I race the +40 class and most of us realize we need to report for work the next day.
Everyone understand that I am in no way trying to say Dr. Mark is wrong. I just think that speed is the determining factor on whether or not a knee brace is appropriate. At my speed, it is appropriate.

[MWV46]

Jedi, I agree. The crash that blew out my ACL wasn't a high speed crash at all. I went sideways over a small MUDDY double, that when it's dry you clear easy in 2nd gear coming out of a corner, and planted my dangling foot with the wieght of me and the bike still in the air. I really didnt even notice my knee until I stood up and tried to kick start the bike, it hurt but not bad enough to make me pack it in for the day. I don't think the impact of the crash would have broken any bones had I had a knee brace on but would have saved my knee.

Went to the Doc yesterday for post opp. He said everything looks good keep bending it and don't walk without the brace locked out. PT starts today at 10:00 AM I know I am excited. I can see me eating some vicodin tonight.

[MWV46]

PT went well. Therapest said I was way ahead of schedule and had me working on the weight machines the first day. I have 90 degree’s of movement already so he said he would not physically manipulate my knee since I am doing a good job of it myself.

Hope the rest goes as well.

[char393]

Excellent to hear Mdub!

s here's to hoping PT continues to go this well.

[MotoMan]

Originally Posted by MWV46

PT went well. Therapest said I was way ahead of schedule and had me working on the weight machines the first day. I have 90 degree’s of movement already so he said he would not physically manipulate my knee since I am doing a good job of it myself.

Hope the rest goes as well.

Good job on keeping it loose on your own, that is something I always try to do as well, I can normally keep from have to go thru PT just because of my own exercises.

[pragmatic393]

Glad to hear the good news and glad the Hammy String robbery worked for ya. Keep up the PT.

A fellow knee ligament abuser and Asterisk wearer!!!

[crfjedi393]

Yes indeed, it's nice to hear the PT started out so well. We can do more than we sometimes realize to help ourselves out while we are down. I'm sure your previous conditioning played a role.

[Florida 393]

MWV,
Super news to hear the knee is recovering so well. For a PT to say that about the recovery is something. I hope the healing keeps up the pace.

Bill

[mxerhale]

Originally Posted by Keetoman393

It's a sore subject (pun intended) about the knee braces. Like Macho said, Dr. Mark states very clearly that you could easily die from a broken Femur, not from a knee injury. To each his own though.

I understand completely what Dr. Mark is speaking of (the massive femoral artery being ruptured) and I can see his point too, however as you said it's a personal decision each of us much make. The CTi rep actually told me when I got my first one that the femur would most likely break before the brace would if it got hit from the front. Don't ever tell my wife I said so, but it's a slightly risky sport.

[Woody_393]

This sport is risky? Why wasn't I told this?

[MotoMan]

Originally Posted by Woody_393

This sport is risky? Why wasn't I told this?

Yeah....nobody ever told me that either.

[Keetoman393]

Originally Posted by MotoMan

Yeah....nobody ever told me that either.

Jim... nevermind

[MotoMan]

Originally Posted by Keetoman393

Jim... nevermind