Sliced Tendon

[Charlotte]

Hi guys,

I have read everyones stories on how the patella tendon was ruptured and i'm sure I'm the only one who has had mine sliced in half. I was snowboarding in Germany when I fell onto the edge of a snowboard and cut my knee open. I didn't really know what had happened until they rushed me into surgery for an operation. I had cut straight through the patella tendon at the tibial end, under the knee cap and had wire put in to hold the tendon back together. I was in hospital for 4 days before returning home to England.

I was put into a splint for 2 weeks post-op and now I am currently in plaster all the way up my leg for 4 wks. I'll need another operation in 2 months and physio should start after the plaster is taken off.

Anyone out there with the same problem?

Thanks, Charlotte

[Norbert]

Hi Charlotte

That's certainly a novel way to injure your patellar tendon!

I have been posting in the "Ruptured Patellar Tendon" forum and as you can see from that, this is quite a rare injury.

I would imagine that the recovery path for you will be much the same as those of us who ruptured the tendon "classically".

Good luck and keep us posted.

Nick

[Charlotte]

Hi Nick,

Just wondering about your injury, i have had my leg locked in extension now for 5 weeks, but when I start PT and am able to bend up to 30', will i have it locked in that position or will i be able to move? My doctor hasn't described this to me properly. I thought i was going to be walkin once my cast is removed :-(

Thanks for your reply

Charlotte

[Norbert]

Hi Charlotte

I had my leg in a full cast for 8 weeks and then, when that came off, a brace locked at 30 deg. That meant that I could have the leg out straight but the bend away from the horizontal was limited.

I then had then brace changed to 90 deg. range after a further 3 weeks. Another 4 weeks and the brace is gone and the "bad" leg has 130 deg range as opposed to 145 deg on the other leg.

You will probably find that they lock the brace in position, but you can take it on and off so you can shower etc.

You should be able to walk OK with 30 deg range. Not perfect by any means but far better than a cast!

Hope this helps.

Nick

[Charlotte]

Hey Nick,

Thanks for your reply. I'm happy to hear that I can walk because its hard to get around in a cast. What did your physio consist of? And do you reckon there will be any long term damage, because I do alot of adventure sports like climbing and snowboarding, so I' wondering whether I can persue them quickly.

Charlotte

[Rob N]

Charlotte:
The best recovery I have heard of is a professional basketball player (Damon Stoudamire - Memphis Grizzlies) who tore his patellar tendon in late December 2006 and apparently was back on the court doing fairly aggressive things 7 months later. You can bet that Damon had all the best physio etc (as well as working very hard like the rest of us to come back). Realistically a 1 to 1.5 year full recovery is not unreasonable. If you are faster, than you are a lucky camper. Best to avoid the very aggressive sports until you are sure you are 100%.
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"In a December 30 game in his hometown of Portland, Stoudamire tore his right patellar tendon. He was carted off the court, and had successful surgery in Birmingham, Alabama the following week. He missed the rest of the 2005-06 season. Stoudamire returned for the beginning of the 2006-07 season, and has started all but 10 games, but he is playing over 8 fewer minutes per game compared to last year. He and veteran backup point guard Chucky Atkins have evenly split minutes at the point guard."

Rob N