First physical therapy session

Since the injury I have been pretty down and out. I am trying to stay positive but it's hard especially when this winter looks to be just starting. The storms have been relentlessly pouring in from the Pacific. Friends have seemed to stop calling (not as much anyway), they don't want to rub it in how good the skiing is. I have pretty much been riding the recliner, icing and elevating like its my job. The great thing is I get to hang out with the twins a lot. Tracy has been awesome at helping out and now seems to suddenly have triplets. Like we needed another thing to worry about?

I had a PT session this morning. They measured my range of motion (ROM) and found it to be:

• 9 degrees shy of full extentsion (180 degrees being fully flexed; with most males being able to flex past that another 3 degrees). So I guess that puts me at about 170ish.
• On extension it feels like there is a wedge blocking it from doing so. The PT said that was most likely the swollen sac around the joint.
• Flexing the knee, my ROM is 85, a normal knee goes to 135.

My MCL is definitely hammered because when they tried to pull my leg outward, it was instant pain. On Friday the PA said it was Grade III - complete tear of the MCL. Patients have significant pain and swelling, and often have difficulty bending the knee. Instability, or giving out, is a common finding with grade III MCL tears. A knee brace or a knee immobilizer is usually needed for comfort, and healing may take 6 weeks or longer.



Diagram of torn MCL

Towards the end of the session, I iced my knee and used electronic stimulation. Four leads were placed on my knee and low voltage current was sent to my knee. It felt like a small buzzing down there. My knee felt much better (all things considered) when I left the office.


However, with that said I just got a call back from the PA that evaluated my knee on Friday. The radiologist had looked over the results of the MRI and can conclusively say that there is a tear in the ACL, how bad.....I won't know until they evaluate it in a week (when the swelling goes down).

Diagram of ACL and injuries





They gave me a list of exercises to start on, which I did when I got home. I laughed until I tried them. What would usually be a walk in the park was very difficult. Just simply squatting down, my knee trembled in pain.

I'll be shopping for a stationary bike and mountain bike now.......