Yet another knee injury question-- what would you do?

[skiki]

In short--fell Tuesday and had my first sled ride (no pain, but had a sense I shouldn't try to ski down, popped remaining ski off and stood up, tried to slowly turn around and my knee buckled, knew for sure I shouldn't try to ski down), Urgent Care visit Wednesday with a wonderfully swollen and somewhat bruised knee. Spent Thursday with my knee elevated and iced. Paperwork says small joint effusion, concern for MCL/ meniscus tear/ injury. Still wonderfully swollen today (Friday), can hobble, but feels unstable with the slightest accidental swivel. Paperwork from urgent care says both "return to clinic in 3 days if not better" and "instructed pt to return to clinic for f/u in 7-10 days if symptoms have not resolved and will consider MRI at that time."

So, I have a ski week planned at TSV starting Feb 26. What would you do? Wait until next week for follow up at urgent care? Go this afternoon or tomorrow (3 days post fall if today, 3 days post urgent care visit if tomorrow)? Something else to try to get an MRI sooner so I know just what is up with the wonky knee, realistic time line for healing, and best way to get it back to normal aside from RICE? Also, I'm not at home in MA with access to my regular dr., currently in Boulder until the 22nd, then in ABQ for another month.

Why on earth did I think skiing a run named Corona could ever be a good thing?

 

[Pequenita]

I would get cleared to ski before doing so. Merely feeling better doesn't mean that nothing is wrong with the knee.

When I was a teen, a ski clinic told me after a crash to "stay in this brace, it'll get better soon." A few days later, I was walking sideways up a hill, with the bad leg downhill, and it totally gave out. It turned out to be a partially torn ACL, strained MCL, and torn meniscus. I highly doubt that walking up a hill sideways caused all the damage.

 

[cantunamunch]

Speaking as someone who aggravated his MCL/meniscus injury even with a motion control (full exoskeleton) brace a month after the original event, umm, yeah, what ^she^ said.

 

[Crank]

Call an ortho immediately. Better to know. This I know from personal experience.

 

[crosscountry]

Speaking also as a MCL "strain" victim. It typically takes 4-6 weeks for it to heal.

Your ski week at TSV is probably a lost cause. Too soon whatever the actual injury maybe.

To get an idea what the injury is, you need an MRI. Or at the minimum, a visit to the orthopedic. Don't know what your insurance situation. But Boulder should have many sport's specialist orthopedic for you to choose from.

That said, the ortho who treated me on my injury said he continued to ski after an MCL injury with a brace. The issue is the increased risk of re-injuring a compromised knee, which would make it worse.

 

[skiki]

I just cancelled the ski week while there was still time for a refund. Even if I were to get lucky and get cleared for the most gentle of gentle runs in a few weeks, that would not make for a productive ski week. So far it is sounding like opinions lean towards seeing someone outside of the urgent care sooner rather than later.

 

[Fuller]

Knees can take a LONG time to heal and even then, they may not really be healed, they just don't hurt as much. I nursed my right knee all summer after hurting it skiing last winter. I felt I was about 95% of full capability when I started this season - I fully expected it to get worse when I got back on the snow but it continues to improve. Back in April I had the full ortho consult with imaging that concluded that there was no obvious damage so it was really up to me to deal with how far to push the PT.

So yeah, if finances are not an issue getting the imaging done will help with your decisions. It's a bummer to have to cancel but what could be worse than skiing like crap for a few days, not enjoying it, then really messing up the compromised knee?

 

[skiki]

Anyone want to take over a week's reservation at the Alpine Suites in TSV during Women's Week?

 

[lisamamot]

feels unstable with the slightest accidental swivel.

Not to be a downer, but get an MRI. As a mom who watched her competitive soccer playing daughter withstand three ACL tears (right, left, right) in three years, this sounds too familiar. She had no pain after the initial hit despite meniscus and other knee ligament strains.

 

[Tricia]

@Jack skis ?? Any thoughts on this topic? How is your knee holding up?

 

[Snowfan]

2 meniscus surgeries in 2022, 1 L one R. Day 29 next with no braces skiing at Taos. Hang in there.....knees respond well to exercise and strength training. Stay centered and balanced on skis in all terrain and forward where fits. My knees feel better than the rest of my carcass.

 

[Jack skis]

Since I had a bit of an injury while skiing with Tricia and Phil at CB a few weeks ago, Tricia asked if I had any thoughts on the subject. So here goes. Friday on what was our last run together I smacked down fast and hard on the run-out to the locker room. A green slope no less. While still on the snow trying to figure out how I got there I felt a bit of discomfort in my right knee, and saw that the right ski was no longer attached to my boot. I ignored the discomfort as best I could and carried on with our visit. Phil and Tricia left Sunday morning for Utah and I called my local friend and Dr for an appointment as things were getting more painful. The exam indicated some fluid in the knee which the Dr drained, and as it contained no blood he said it was a minor meniscus tear and applied an Ace bandage. No restrictions on activities. The next Sunday I returned to the Dr as things weren't much better. More examination showed additional MCL strain, again not very serious though I did get a shot of cortisone in the knee. Shot made and immediate improvement in pain reduction and knee mobility. I took a total 7 days off the skis but am back on them now. Still limp around with a stiff knee. For some reason I can ski more easily than I can walk. Glad I saw the Dr and think that's the logical thing to do if you are hurt in any way from any incident. Feel lucky, again, that for me this seems to be a minor inconvenience and nothing that needs surgical care.

 

[mdf]

... pretty much what they said.

I'd like to second @Crank 's "see an ortho." Most primary care physicians are not very good at diagnoseing knees.

My PCP spent a long time manipulating my knee, and came up with "I think it's ok." when it was pretty obvious to the ortho that it wasn't.

 

[Andy Mink]

This sounds oh so familiar. @AKMINK had the same "feel" after a fall last season. Initial thought was MCL. Turned out it was ACL and MCL with a small bone aversion. Get an MRI. Even if it's just the MCL if it's bad enough you'll need surgery. If ACL is involved, yep, surgery and a LONG road to recovery.

 

[James]

Yeah going back to Urgent Care is a waste of everything.
Ortho, Imaging. They may want you to wait, but see.

 

[Jwrags]

Do not go back to Urgent Care as that will be worthless. There are Ortho urgent care/walk in clinics in Boulder. If you are stuck in Boulder for now go to one of those. It is highly unlikely you will get seen in a regular ortho clinic in the time you are there. A proper exam and likely a MRI will be needed to make a diagnosis.

 

[Mike King]

My ortho retired last fall. This OS, however, is highly recommended by my PT.

C. Brian Blackwood, MD

Learn more about Dr. Brian Blackwood, an orthopedic doctor specializing in the hip and knee, as well as joint replacement and revision in Boulder, Colorado.

www.bouldercentre.com

 

[skiki]

Love my health insurance. Plenty of in network drs in Boulder, but I need a referral from my PCP. But I can't get a referral from my PCP in MA since she is not licensed in CO. So my options are to see any dr but be charged as out of network, even if the dr is actually in network. Or try to change my PCP temporarily to a local dr just to be able to get a referral. Sadly the ortho urgent care is not in network. Next year I'll definitely pay more attention to travel insurance options when booking trips.

 

[Pequenita]

Love my health insurance. Plenty of in network drs in Boulder, but I need a referral from my PCP. But I can't get a referral from my PCP in MA since she is not licensed in CO. So my options are to see any dr but be charged as out of network, even if the dr is actually in network. Or try to change my PCP temporarily to a local dr just to be able to get a referral. Sadly the ortho urgent care is not in network. Next year I'll definitely pay more attention to travel insurance options when booking trips.

Yeah, it's tricky. FWIW, I've found PPO to be easier in this respect when I was living in another locale for a few months because I could just go to an in-network ortho without needing a referral.

 

[MissySki]

I haven’t needed it for this reason yet thankfully.. but I also have a PPO and love it. Nice not to have to go through a PCP for everything.