marzNC
Angel Diva
This is a thread for thoughts about the next stage of my life without an ACL. For Months 1-3 after injury, look here. Bottom line is that I popped off the ACL in my right knee in early June 2012 (not skiing), have completed several months of formal PT, was fully functional for day-to-day living by Month 3, and am doing fun stuff I like to do (zip lines, walking for hours at the zoo, indoor rock climbing), so do not plan to have ACL reconstruction surgery. I could always put full weight on the bad leg, had minimal swelling, and did not have any major pain. The strained MCL and meniscus tear did not need medical intervention to heal. My surgeon agreed at Month 3 that no surgery is needed.
Most information I've read about ACL injuries are related to reconstruction surgery and rehab. So my musings are for people who wonder what life as a "coper" is like. I've learned that people who are "ACL deficient" were thought to fall into roughly three equal groups: copers, adapters, non-copers. A coper can do everything they want, including sports that don't involve intense pivoting. Adapters give up activities to avoid surgery. Non-copers continue to have so much instability that they have problems even with daily living. In recent years, most medical research is focusing on how to deal with copers and non-copers. Much has changed in the last 10-15 years in terms of how knee injuries are treated medically as more is learned, especially about the ACL and the meniscus.
Every knee injury is unique. Early diagnosis by a specialist, preferably including an MRI can help avoid further injury after an ACL rupture. This is my story and may or may not apply to someone else with similar injuries. My hope is to provide food for thought.
First ski trip to the local hill is scheduled for the week before Christmas. Big trip to Big Sky and Alta starts in late March.
Most information I've read about ACL injuries are related to reconstruction surgery and rehab. So my musings are for people who wonder what life as a "coper" is like. I've learned that people who are "ACL deficient" were thought to fall into roughly three equal groups: copers, adapters, non-copers. A coper can do everything they want, including sports that don't involve intense pivoting. Adapters give up activities to avoid surgery. Non-copers continue to have so much instability that they have problems even with daily living. In recent years, most medical research is focusing on how to deal with copers and non-copers. Much has changed in the last 10-15 years in terms of how knee injuries are treated medically as more is learned, especially about the ACL and the meniscus.
Every knee injury is unique. Early diagnosis by a specialist, preferably including an MRI can help avoid further injury after an ACL rupture. This is my story and may or may not apply to someone else with similar injuries. My hope is to provide food for thought.
First ski trip to the local hill is scheduled for the week before Christmas. Big trip to Big Sky and Alta starts in late March.