Knee Injuries
 

I know there have been a few umpires who have experienced some knee injuries around here and I think I'm joining that list. I injured myself on Monday night, already have a slightly torn MCL and menisucs issue as well.

After my injury, I met with a general physician this morning who told me that there is a large fluid build up and that I'm facing either rehab or surgery. I have an MRI and follow up with a specialist end of this week.

I'm at the point that I don't want to fight this issue the rest of my life (I'm 33) and think that if surgery is offered, I will do that.

Having said that, what are people's experiences with rehab times and time away from the field?

Is it unrealistic to think I could return to do summer ball? I imagine that school ball is out as the season is only 10 weeks long.

For those who have had MCL surgery how much time from your day job did you miss and what is the rehab period like?

I'm conjecturing at this point but also preparing for what might be.

Any info would be appreciated.

Alex

Alex:

You will soon find that there are a couple of self professed experts in this field who have no medical training or experience, but who will be thrilled to provide their advice.

I am in the middle of a similar situation and have the good fortune to be treated by a sports medicine surgeon, professional sport trainers and a sports doc with impeccable international credentials.

Like you, after my surgery they discovered the meniscus was continuing to tear, unrelated to activity. Like you, I want to be sports ready again someday.

I was scheduled for a second surgery today, but it was postponed.

PM me with your email address, and I'll provide the details of my current and scheduled rehab.

***
Go with the surgery. It may be a drag, but by looking back in hindsight you'll find that your recovery time wasn't that long afterall.

Never had surgery, but a few years ago I worked some kiddieball games with a guy who was 6 months removed from major knee reconstructive surgery. While he was able to get on the diamond and do base games, he was nowhere near mobile enough to do 90 foot diamond ball. He also had to sit on the bench between half-innings, and needed tylenole to get him through doubleheaders. I think his biggest mistake was trying to do too much too soon, but even so he made a very speedy recovery. ****

Yeah? Name one.
***

WMBlue
 

GB recently posted similar material. CU gave some advice about a buddy. You will get more, I hope, from others with a similar history. Also find more to read on this website using the search feature with knee or ACL or .... About surgery, that is the easy part. The therapy is what I hope others discuss so that you understand. We have an expression, work smart and good luck.

There are no warranties on bad knees and know guarantees on surgery. One may do everything right and still experience "a setback" or more. People give different opinions about therapy, experience different setbacks, and offer different reasons for each setback. I was hoping to hear those stories from umpires since my aching joints no longer feel the benefits of "condroitin/glucosomine" and motrins.

I had my meniscus removed in 1974 at age 21 (before arthroscopic surgery). It required a 6 inch incision on the inner knee and a 4 inch incision on the outer knee. I spent a week in the hospital and the next 12 weeks in therapy (three times a week). I walked with crutches for 2 weeks and a cane until I was released from therapy.

In 2007, my stepmother had her whole knee replaced. She was in the hospital for 24 hours, a "step-down" center for 3 days, exited there with a cane and endured 3 weeks of rehabilitation. She walks with no limp and she is as mobile as anyone.

All I can tell you is every case is different, your rehab is only as good as your and your technician's efforts and your recuperation is up to you. Listen to the doctor and not the bozo's on the umpire boards that have never been through it. And by the way, Garth did not do what our misinformed neighbor to the North states. Garth was a typical case that had more damage than was presumed. It happens - I was lucky even back then. I have never encountered further injury or problems. Some are not that lucky.

Good Luck

I currently am rehabbing a meniscus issue (maybe torn, maybe not). The PTs are doing a great job strengthing me for the season. Two plate games and results are slow but good. My doctors are advising a conservative approach "strengthen before trying surgery". My primary is clearer "let no one touch your knee unless absolutely necessay". But I agree with everyone else...every case is different trust your MD.

On a future note, some athletic sub-60 year olds are being advised around here (Boston) to delay on whole replacement as there are less drastic, better procedures on the near horizon...although I saw what miracles the surgery did for my Dad.

Meniscus
 

Having both knees with torn meniscii (sp?) and after arthro on both (seperate times), rehab on the left knee (with more damage than the right) took 6 weeks.

The final 4 weeks of rehab I was back at work/play etc.

Still have intermittant minor pain in left. Right has zero pain. Full mobility in both.

Happy overall.

Good luck with yours:).

Email Interested Ump; he will send you a telephone number to call him.

Hey Donovan where have you been at mate?;) Good to see you back here to lay down the law.

By the way, fitump56 and InterestedUmp are the guys Garth and Ozzy were dissing. They're quality guys who know a lot about sports med so don't be afraid to contact one of them.

Hey, kid, wazzup? :D

A week or so ago, I made a long post that laid out Interested Ump's credentials. Got deleted. done this, oh, 5-6 x, deleted.

i have personally listened and watched orthopedic surgeons and PTs call IU in for consults pre and post surgery. Dozens of times. MLB team docs traveled IU for consults. But, of course, he is unqualified. :rolleyes:

interesting to see if this post gets deleted by Benham. Bob's not on duty. must be quite a hing to take a great resource like IU and toss him off for no good reason.

Mr. Umpire, you are a clearinghouse for information? :D

Benham, Garth that is, don't know about others, is not a moderator and cannot delete anyone's post but his own. You'll need a new scapegoat for this.[/QUOTE]

Oh, not true but let's get back to your issues.

My credentials, associated with my name, are well known here. There are several forum umpires who can attest.

The concept of being able to trace, track or verify my training and rehabilitation expertise, in less than a day, ranks as one of the most ridiculous claims I have seen in many a day. Outside of the facts that I can supply you, if I chose, the minimum of 50 such references, HIPAA is control enough. Of course, you knew that.

Deleted posts are held in perpetuity. My credentials, with very specific individuals you can contact, are there in those posts.

I free you to contact Mr. Benham and Mr. Jenkins who both have immediaite access to same.

I will wait for your response. Should take no more than 0200 30Mar08 - according to your own assertions.:D

P.S. Please feel free to "email Garth" as you have done so, fingering this post, reminiscent of the past. I assume his Ignore List is still in sub-working order. :p

Congrats on your speedy recovery Rcichon. I had surgery on my left knee for a torn meniscus and they also cleaned up some bone spurs in late January 2008. My first post surgery games were a college double header on March 2nd.

This past week I've had a college baseball game on Monday, three game high schools round robin tournament on Tuesday, college softball double header on Wednesday, high school baseball on Thursday and a high school softball game last night. I'm scheduled for a college baseball double header later today, but it will probably be rained out. Left knee is a bit swollen but very little pain. I plan on having my right knee taken care of next January (same issues).

Like that will happen. Instead, you'll get some song and dance about how well known he is, or he doesn't need your approval, or this is a privacy issues, or, or, or..... Fact is you will not be provided with anything that verify his claims. It just won't happen, and the real explanation is probably the simplest.


True I am not a moderator. I think only Mick and Bob are moderators, and in addition to them only Jimmy and Brad have the ability to delete posts and threads other than their own.

I cannot delete posts containe in threads started by others, however, should I delete my own post that was a thread starter, the entire thread will be deleted. That's a feature of this software that is pretty well known. And yes, I have done that when the thread moved far afield of the reason for which I started it, or became a vehicle for senseless vandalism or graffiti.

Damn, Garth, you are a mind (forum) reader. That's exactly what IU posted. With us on your Ignoe List, the only explanation is your paranormal abilities. :rolleyes:

Would guarantee that you are correct. No one around here has a clue into the sports med world, the strength/power training world and the numerus references to books co-written by IU and major PT and MLB orthos refeenced, no one around here has a clue how to reference any of them.

Inablity to investigate, only in your dim world, is inability to corroborate.


wow what is that allabout?

:eek:

Deej, let it go.

Kid
 

Kid, how do you form such a warm fuzzie relationships over the internet?
You don't know how dangerous your advice may be.
If your dating online, expect the run-around.

SPAM alert
Do so at your own risk of "me" injuries!

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by fitump56
Damn, Garth, you are a mind (forum) reader. That's exactly what IU posted. :
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My bad, I forgot, your Garh's Email Boi, you send him our posts so he can read them so he doesn't have to admit his Ignore List isn't on.

HAHAHAHA! Do you realize what a joke that is?

Hmm, prolly not come to think of it. :confused:

No books by IU? Glory be! Any by BM? Or STFU?

I tell you what. You PM me, I'll accomodate. Not going to post them here and have them deleted for the umpteenth time, thx, but no thx.

Btw, I have given this info out to a half dozen here on the forum already. Contact any of them instead.

Reference? What are you blithering about? Refer to what? You need an anotomy chart?

http://tinyurl.com/yjrano

There. better now? :confused:

Osgood-Schlatter, the most difficult to work with. Parents, and their young athletes, want "overcome" this ailment when the only cure for this disease is extended rest. This means "off the feet" rest not "toting your 15 pound knapsack full of school books" type rest. Swelling drops quickly and up-dosages of NSAIDS/AIFs serve to give false impressions of good news.

Patellar dislocations - almost always misdiagnosed (incorrectly prescribed) as a strength balancing issue. Not so, it is a neuromuscular incognizance, a feedback of the nervous system gone wary. The body-brain doesn't locate the foot strike properly, usually coincides with some type of inability to determine in 3D space where one (foot) exists. Upon landing, the feedback is either incorrect (firing of the wrong muscular sequences) or the anticipation (see referenced space determination issue) is inaccurate. Either, the patellae is pulled out of the knee notch alignment (not good, very painful, reoccurrence guaranteed).

Meniscal tears - Never had one that couldn't be managed without surgery unless the tear was post-operative casualty. You can take that to mean whatever you wish.

:D
Typically, I find that the world of science, scientific research, studies, citations and even the occassional abstract of greater value than WebMD. YMMV and apparently it does.

ok

I have accomodated your requests. This post of yours above, seriously, I haven't the foggiest what the heck it means. If you will excuse me, I will ignore it.

A diagnosis
 

Whatever Osgood. RIF Schlatter. The most difficult to work with, yeah right. :)

Noped. Checked all the appropriate names: Ima Phakir, I.B. Lion, Walter Rucker.

Nothing comes up.

Name two.

This here is the postings of a drunk. Adios, El Drunko.

Nothing on that bastion of scientific info on WebMed? Try Dr. Kildare, or Dr. Phil or Dr. Doctor, get back to me ASAP. :rolleyes:

Knee Injury
 

I have had six knee operations (3 on each) and had the right knee reconstructed. The rehab time really depends on how well your knee/leg is in shape prior to the surgery. At your age your down time (scope only) should be no longer than 2-3 weeks max. If you have it reconstructed (replace the ACL) then the rehab time is about 6-9 months, depending on how often you rehab it.

Why would they?

The poster is correct, the physical condition of the patient has a great influence on recovery.

The terms "rehab" and "downtime" need to be construed within the patient's considerations. For instance, typical PT is designed to bring the typical surgical patient (knee of the OP e.g.) upright and mobile. There may be continued swelling, quadriceps weakness (visible from muscular degeneration and atrophy), limping, etc. The patient could return to work which is one of the common milestones in knee rehabilitation.

Dealing with athletes (my experience level almost entirely), we have a much different set of problems, physical conditions and end results as goals.

An umpire is an athlete. Let me rephrase. Umpires in our organizations are required to be athletic to call 60/90 baseball. This means highly mobile with one milestone being able to get distance on fly ball calls (from A) and to cover 2B from PU.

The set of goals, as you can see, are quite different than the typical office worker and the use of the term "rehab" has come to mean "post rehabilitation" to us.

Managed medicine determines, for those who use insurances to pay for PT, the length and breadth, often the prescription itself, of PT. Post-rehab is not managed, it is fee based not funds based and is is often the realm of the science-based strength and power trainer who is almost always the proper professional for the athletic post-rehabilitation patient/athlete.

Alex: From what I've seen in this thread, there isn't a doctor or medical expert present. Please select a good primary physician, get references on surgeons and seek second opinions on any advice regarding surgery.

For PT, make sure your surgeon remains actively involved in evaluating both the program and your progress.

Any further questions? Don't ask them here. See your doctors.

<snicker> Yes, well, thank you for that Captain Anonymouse Obvious. :p

<snicker> Yes, well, thank you for that Captain Anonymouse Obvious. :p now the Medical Expert, I suppose.

<snicker> Yes, well, thank you for that Captain Anonymouse Obvious. :p

Hmm, does this mean we can ignore your medical advice? :D

Well I hope you don't mind if I ask the non-medical expert a question;) . What can I do to avoid getting a sore arm this year? Pitching has brought about feelings of a tear in my bicep. It started 4 years ago, and has been getting progressively worse ever since. Advil does the trick, but I'm wondering if its effects will eventually wear off. I can throw about 40 pitches before tearing up my bicep, but then be fine to come back and pitch the next day. Nonetheless, something isn't right. Any tips or suggestions?

First, you must sign a disclaimer that you will not sue me for my lack of expertise. I'l have Deej send it over.

We have a throwing program that has worked vry well, shoot me an email or Deej and I will send it to you. It's too long to post and I can't stand the ridicule. After you get it, send it to anyone you want except Garth.

:( :( :( :( :( :( :(

:D

email = Garth[email protected]

Don' forget to cut Garth off at both ends. :D

FYI
Throwing in the cold is a no-no; keep covered up if you have to
If the prolem is entirely in the muscle, then good news
If at the ends, not good news (attaches to bone)
Advil good, Aleve better - better anti-inflammatory which is what is happeneing ot the muscle (inflames, goes away, inflamed, repeat)
This injury is chronic once it starts
Sharppain, bad news; aching good news

Truth - unless something comes up on an MRI, muscle strains like this are a beeyatch; rest will be the numero uno and mucho anti-inflamms and then a very moderated throwing retunr VERY MODERATED like 10-15 tosses up to 50 over weeks not days.

Originally Posted by fitump56
email = Garth[email protected]

Don' forget to cut Garth off at both ends. :D
Hmmmmmmmmmm, it's an email address. Try one, you will find them boring.