Damaged Knee Ligaments

scatterbrainedlass · Feb 11, 2017

I got mowed down by one of the largest sheep we own a few weeks ago, went to a&e and was told nothing was broken but sent to an orthopedic consultant. He thinks I may have torn a ligament, I have an MRI scan next week. Has anyone had this, how serious was it and how long were you out of action? Its already been 5 weeks and we start lambing on 1st of April

Jim75 · Feb 11, 2017

My wife broke her ankle/snapped tendons before xmas and won't be walking unaided till end of march at the earliest. No point panicking until you have the scan, might not be anything

MrNoo · Feb 12, 2017

scatterbrainedlass said:
I got mowed down by one of the largest sheep we own a few weeks ago, went to a&e and was told nothing was broken but sent to an orthopedic consultant. He thinks I may have torn a ligament, I have an MRI scan next week. Has anyone had this, how serious was it and how long were you out of action? Its already been 5 weeks and we start lambing on 1st of April

Had this with my knee, not sure how I did it though, managed to hobble about for a while, I had an MRI scan and turned out to be torn knee cartilage, eventually had key hole surgery and they trimmed it up. Was sat on a tractor within 2 days (only ploughing) so not rushing about, was advised to not work for 2 weeks after opp. In hindsight I should have taken a few days/week off as I could have done more harm to it but thankfully I got away with it.

Badshot · Feb 12, 2017

scatterbrainedlass said:
I got mowed down by one of the largest sheep we own a few weeks ago, went to a&e and was told nothing was broken but sent to an orthopedic consultant. He thinks I may have torn a ligament, I have an MRI scan next week. Has anyone had this, how serious was it and how long were you out of action? Its already been 5 weeks and we start lambing on 1st of April

It depends what you've done.
I broke my acl 25 years ago, they didn't repair it then. I've struggled ever since, and now they won't do anything till I'm 50+ as it'll mean a replacement knee.

milkloss · Feb 12, 2017

You won't really know until after the scan and even then I would get two opinions as they don't really know until they get in there.

I'm afraid to say it won't be a quick job whatever happens I shouldn't think, sorry

Old Boar · Feb 12, 2017

Ligaments do mend, but they take a while and you have to be gentle with them. Treatment depends on where and how badly they are damaged. Massaging can help.

bazza3034 · Feb 14, 2017

Do you believe in cures

two-cylinder · Feb 19, 2017

MrNoo said:
Had this with my knee, not sure how I did it though, managed to hobble about for a while, I had an MRI scan and turned out to be torn knee cartilage, eventually had key hole surgery and they trimmed it up. Was sat on a tractor within 2 days (only ploughing) so not rushing about, was advised to not work for 2 weeks after opp. In hindsight I should have taken a few days/week off as I could have done more harm to it but thankfully I got away with it.

You were very lucky. I tore my cartilage quite badly and after the operation suffered excessive bruising which required a month's rest. After which muscle tone had diminished and it took months before I could stand on the leg- to work a full day.
Managed to drive a manual car after six weeks, but couldn't put an old fashioned clutch down on a tractor for three months.

MrNoo · Feb 19, 2017

I wasn't aware I had done anything to it, just got painful to walk on and suffered a limp for a month or two.
MRI scan wasn't very telling, so exploratory key hole and a trim was all that was required. The relief and absence of any pain at all the day after was beyond words.
The quack said it had been torn for quite some time, maybe an old rugby injury?? And showed me what he trimmed out in a little glass jar, not that I really wanted to look, I dont do hospitals or dentists.
Sounds like I was lucky, the worst aspect of the recovery was itching, my knee itched all the time and in hindsight I should have taken some proper time off but had work to do at the time.
Not suffered anything since, sometimes do get a twinge when the weather is very cold/damp but other than that it has been fine.

two-cylinder · Feb 19, 2017

Mine was completely different, as I turned my foot got stuck and I literally torn it there and then. Couldn't get about for several days, but things gradually got better, but wasn't offered an MRI until I 'd gone through weeks of assessments. But was still painful under the knee cap and especially behind the knee.
Eventually found a sympathetic doc who got things moving.
Recovery took best part of a year, but even now do not have full strength in that leg.
My father had one of the first key hole cartilage operations 35 years ago, had a full recovery, and feels nothing of it.
Degree of recovery appears to depend on severity of initial injury.

milkloss · Feb 19, 2017

@scatterbrainedlass , how'd you get on?

scatterbrainedlass · Feb 20, 2017

milkloss said:
@scatterbrainedlass , how'd you get on?

I had the MRI on Thursday and now have to wait up to 2 weeks for the results. Fingers crossed I get to see the consultant before the end of the month but we'll have to see!

scatterbrainedlass · Mar 14, 2017

Finally saw the consultant today and nothing showed up on the scan as being badly damaged. My knee has started to improved over the past couple of weeks but I can't kneel or twist on it without pain. He's told me that it should be back to normal in time. Not sure if his version of normal includes being able to clip sheep... Won't be fully functioning for lambing but glad that it wasn't as serious as first thought.

MrNoo · Mar 20, 2017

Nothing showed on my scan, hence they did exploratory key hole and fixed it at the same time.

scatterbrainedlass · Mar 21, 2017

MrNoo said:
Nothing showed on my scan, hence they did exploratory key hole and fixed it at the same time.

Seems quite surprising they'd operate when there was nothing obvious on the scan?

Trying to take it easy but with lambing coming up I can't sit and do nothing, even just a short walk across a field and climb over a gate (carefully) ends up with it swelling and aching by the day's end

Daren't handle any sheep so my husband has to do all the hands on work right now, or restrain them while I do it!!

Clousta Crofter · Mar 21, 2017

I ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament almost 5 years ago playing football, in the instant it happened it felt like the closest thing to dislocating my knee, if that's even possible. I was laid up on the couch for over a week after the injury unable to bend the knee/bear weight, stupidly tried playing again 6 months later and lasted 2 minutes when it happened again but even more painfull.

Saw physios and eventually a consultant who wouldn't operate as it wasn't affecting me day-to-day.

I obvioustly can't play football, cant sit on the couch with that leg tucked under me, have to be very carefull when working on something on the garage floor and twisting/rolling over, changing nappies on the floor! etc. If it does 'go' it feels like an elastic band 'pinging' or snapping, then have to be VERY carefull/slow at straightening my leg - Not Good!

Last week got 'taken out' by a large ewe who came through the back of my bad knee whilst feeding, managed to hobble back to the UTV and was stiff for a couple of days afterwards. I'm seriously considering going back through the NHS to see if anything can be done as I'm worried it's only going to get worse. Fully expecting a knee replacement in my 50s otherwise.

MrNoo · Mar 21, 2017

scatterbrainedlass said:
Seems quite surprising they'd operate when there was nothing obvious on the scan?

Trying to take it easy but with lambing coming up I can't sit and do nothing, even just a short walk across a field and climb over a gate (carefully) ends up with it swelling and aching by the day's end Daren't handle any sheep so my husband has to do all the hands on work right now, or restrain them while I do it!!

Well there was certainly something wrong as I could hardly walk!! Exploratory key hole and they found a torn cartilage so trimmed it up when they were in there. The joy of coming round and not having any pain at all was a revelation!!
But as you say best take it steady, no matter how hard it is.

wilber · Mar 21, 2017

Buy one of those knee supports to help you get through, just dont use them all the time, your knee needs to regain its strength without relying on the support.

scatterbrainedlass · Mar 21, 2017

Clousta how can they say it's not affecting you day-to-day when you can't get on the floor to change a nappy (or presumably play with your children) and feel it 'go' with certain movements? I'd suggest trying to get seen again but by someone different? Even if there's not much they can do it would be good to be acknowledged, and if it does come down to a potential knee replacement in the future it would be good to know what your options are and to get some monitoring. I hope you get somewhere and that it's not as bad as you fear.

scatterbrainedlass · Mar 21, 2017

wilber said:
Buy one of those knee supports to help you get through, just dont use them all the time, your knee needs to regain its strength without relying on the support.

I have a massive hinged support that I was given when it all happened and I've been wearing that when I've had no choice but to get in a pen of sheep or load them on the trailer. Just a bit of insurance against getting hit again really. I'm looking at it more as a protective thing than trying to support my knee because as you said, I need it to strengthen up by itself.

Damaged Knee Ligaments

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