Post Surgery Update

[MusicSkateFan]

Well,

I had my surgery on June 8th. Torn medial and lateral miniscus in the right knee(landing leg). Had some rough times with a lot of pain and swelling but thanks to percocet.and ice..I got through!

Dr. found more severe arthritis than what showed on MRI. I am to stay on crutches for 4 weeks plus 2 more with cane. I was able to get the Dr to agree to 4 weeks, he wanted a full 6 on crutches but I am leaving for Austria on July 4th.

I am doing rehab and stretching, strengthening exercises. I still can not fully extend right leg but it is better than pre surgery and hopefully will be close to normal in about 6 weeks.

My skating future is uncertain at this point. The Dr feels at this point that learning any new jumps(doubles) would be a bad idea. He doesnt think my knee will hold to any kind of repeated stress that jumping invloves. We are looking into other options, braces, meds, etc. Right now I have to do all I can just to be able to walk again!

There is a small gym where I am going in Austria and I will be able to do a lot of upper body training. I should be able to do some stationary bike within a few weeks.

The fighting competetor in me wants to get back in full form on the Ice. I also have to look at the future think about being able to walk!

I took a long time wating to post because I have been a little down about the whole thing. I just really need to get off these damn crutches!:twisted:

[Debbie S]

Thanks for the update, MSF. I was wondering how you were doing with your knee and surgery. I'm sorry you had such a rough time of it...but it sounds like things are getting better. At least you'll be off your crutches for your Austria trip, and you're doing all the right things as far as rehab.

Just be patient and let your knee heal, follow doc's instructions, and wait and see how everything is at the end of the summer. I hope everything works out for the best and you can get back on the ice. :)

[Terri C]

My skating future is uncertain at this point. The Dr feels at this point that learning any new jumps(doubles) would be a bad idea. He doesnt think my knee will hold to any kind of repeated stress that jumping invloves. We are looking into other options, braces, meds, etc. Right now I have to do all I can just to be able to walk again!


That stinks! :cry: Hopefully you'll find a option that will work!

[lovepairs]

Music,

Feel better, and don't loose hope...take it one step and one stroke at a time. If the impact of landing jumps becomes, too, hard on your knee in the end, always remember that you can Dance! Have a great time in Austria, and let us know how you progress with your healing.

Best wishes,
Lovepairs

[NoVa Sk8r]

Thanx for the update, MSF. Here's to a speedy recovery.
Your WFSCers all miss you on Monday nights!

[jazzpants]

MSF, I'm sorry that you're having a rough time with your knee. The best suggestion is to take it a day at a time and one obstacle at a time! Right now, worry about walking first, THEN worry about skating!

Have patience and things will eventually resolved themselves...

Good luck!

[jenlyon60]

I returned to ice dance after a torn ACL/MCL (ski accident) and the requisite reconstruction.

I started skating again about 9 months after the surgery, but had been cleared at about the 3-4 month point. Most of the additional delay was because I was moving across country and starting a new job.

I made the mistake of ditching the crutches too early and ended up with a severe case of piriformis sydrome and sciatica as a result (due I believe to compensating on my uninjured side without realizing it).

It took many bottles of prescription ibuprofen, visits to primary care and finally a PT referral to resolve the issue. I don't wish the case of piriformis syndrome I had on anyone.

[mdvask8r]

MSF --
All our healing thoughts are with you. Please take the time you need to rehab -- we want to see you back on the ice, but not too soon!! Have a great trip!

[NickiT]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. The important thing is to heal now. I have every confidence you will make a good recovery and be back on the ice, even if you have to refrain from jumping. Keep up with the physio as this will help speed up the recovery no end.

Nicki

[Figureskates]

I had a completely rebuilt left knee after a hockey accident when I was yiunger. I was a figure skater before that though right handed, I was CW jumper.

When I took up figure skating again at 52, I was told that it would not be a good idea to land on that leg at all since basically it is bone against bone plus I would be putting strain on some rewired tendons.

To solve that problem, I just relearned everything in CCW direction. I can do a salchow and toeloop but I know my days of jumps is coming to an end since I have arthritis in my lower back which smarts sometimes from the jumps. As a consequence I am doing more and more figures. I find it lets me skate basically painfree and it is challenging! I tried dance but it just isn't my thing so I guess I will be patching my way into my 70s and 80s!

[sk8_4fun]

I don't know you, MSF, but I wish you luck with your healing:D

[FrankR]

Hey MSF,

Best of luck to you and best wishes for a complete recovery.

Take care,

Frank

[LoopLoop]

Aw, bummer, MSF! Lousy news about the arthritis, but perhaps with the whole summer to heal and rehab you'll be able to strengthen the supporting muscles enough to compensate? Are you working with a sports-specific orthopedist?

Hopeful-thought anecdote follows: One of the girls at my rink (my coach's daughter, as a matter of fact) blew out her landing knee a couple of years ago when her blade caught a rut in the ice as she landed a triple toe. It took probably two full years for her to get everything back, but all of the rehab made her legs much much stronger than before so when she got her jumps back they were a lot bigger. And now she's working on triple flips.

[jwrnsktr]

Hi. I've been away from this site for awhile. I had the same repair done on March 16. I made it clear to the doctor that I wanted to rehab as soon as possible, because I wanted to get back to skating asap and also because I was in a tap show on May 27. I had to take things slowly and have a lot of patience, which is not my strong suit. So, I returned to the ice to just stroke around about 4 weeks post op. I did stroking only, and some mif, no jumps, even if I'm only doing singles. I then added jazz because I could eliminate any impact moves. I then had to add tap because of the show. All the while, I was in rehab. The first four weeks in rehab is pretty generic and then they moved me to the athlete's regimen, which is very tough. You have to draw the line between trying to rush the recovery and strengthening as you go. Believe me, it is not easy and you will know it if you overdo. Pain, pain and more pain. Anyway, I got discharged from rehab and then added my small arsenal (hahaha) of jumps. I had built my time on the ice up to an hour at this point. Everything was going along smoothly, I resumed my lessons and then, to my disgust, I got injured at work. I'm a labor and delivery nurse and we've had a run of, shall we say, fluffy ladies. In trying to move one of these I hurt my back. I'm now out of everything for a couple of weeks. I took no pain med after my knee surgery, but have had to take something nearly every day for my back. Needless to say I'm just a bit disheartened. So, I'm here to say hang in there, you will be back on the ice and continue to do what you can but don't overdo it. I also have some arthritis in my knees. We can do it!

[doubletoe]

There's nothing I can add that everyone else hasn't already said, but I am sending out best wishes for a full recovery! Once a skater, always a skater, so regardless of whether you can still land on that right leg after this, I know you will find a way to work around the injury and continue to challenge yourself as a skater. :)

[Isk8NYC]

Hope you have a full and quick recovery.

[MusicSkateFan]

Thanks for all the well wishes!

I am also looking into taking shark cartilage. I recently talked to a skater who swears by it!

I was on the stationary bike today at my rehab and I was feeling pretty good. My therapist is pleased with my progress. My right leg has lost a fair amount of muscle mass so I will be building it up slowly!

I leave for Austria on Tuesday but will still be "online" keeping everyone up to date on my physical progress!

Thanks Again
MSF
2006 Mens Bronze III National Champion

sorry, just felt like throwing some attitude in there!
Tah!

[jwrnsktr]

I was amazed at how much muscle strength diminished post operatively. i.e. I couldn't even lift my leg to get into the car. Part of that, as explained to me by the physical therapist, was due to a little bit of atrophy prior to the surgery from favoring that leg, and part is due to the surgery. I am here to tell you that it does come back. Your leg now feels like it weighs 200 lbs., but I promise, it will get stronger and stronger and it won't take forever either. Currently, 4 months later, I feel no difference in the strength of the operative leg vs the well leg. Hang on! Have a good trip.