Right Knee Injury
“ …Leg bone connected to the knee bone, Knee bone connected to the thigh bone…”
These two verses, from the classic 1928 gospel song, “ Dem Bones,” give me a perfect introduction to my subject this week. Because the way “dem bones” are connected is with ligaments. And ligaments are what I want to talk about.
As I mentioned in my first post of this year: on December 10th, while going down to the basement, I missed the last two steps. I was airborne for a second or two and came in for a hard landing face down on the concrete floor. A very hard landing. I seemed to be a bit bruised and had pain on the side of my right knee when flexing too far, but otherwise I was fine. It didn’t bother my walking or hiking. It just hurt on the side of my right knee when I fully flexed it. Like when tying my shoe. After a thorough exam by the orthopedic doctor and a second set of knee x-rays, she chalked my stable knee pain up to strained ligaments and told me to follow up in three months if it didn’t get better. Sooner if it got worse.
So by March it was much better, but I still didn’t have the range of motion in my right knee that I had pre-injury. So my ortho doc ordered an MRI. The reading on the MRI showed that I had a high-grade tear of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). This usually comes with lots of pain and a degree of instability in the knee, one that collapses or bends in the wrong way more than it should. High-speed collisions and falls cause it. Both of which I suffered, but my knee is stable and there is no pain with walking or hiking. My ortho doc was not too impressed. Given how stable my knee is and the fact that it is a partial tear, she said no surgery was required and usually they just let them heal on their own. Maybe a little physical therapy could be of some benefit.
Ligament (in black) should be smoothly curved, no kinks
What does the PCL do? The PCL attaches the “thigh bone” or femur to the “leg bone” or tibia. It keeps the tibia from sliding back, especially when deeply flexing the knee. Like when you bring your foot up close to tie a shoe or when you squat down.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) in blue.
Since the end of February, I have been doing my training hikes with a 25-lb. pack. And I have been increasing the distance and the amount of ascent that I do by adding in more hills. I have noticed no change in balance or any hesitation in forging ahead up and down the hills. So the only thing I can think of is that my PCL must look worse on MRI than it is.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to take up kickboxing or acrobatics any time soon. I will continue to be as careful as possible and be slow to add any more knee stressor activity. But I do intend to continue my present level of hiking and exercise. I guess time will tell. Hopefully, my PCL will behave and heal up as best it can.
Until next week safe travels and happy trails…
PCLs don’t have quite the cachet, the branding of their better known sibling – the ACL. Perhaps, a little better PR would help them catch up in the ligament game. As I age, gracefully some might say, others not, I mostly listen to my body when it talks. For example, returning from California I started with too much weight on the Y’s pull-up machine. Body said, “Back off.” Immediately, I complied. One there was some ache, and two, I am first child – way too obedient for my own good. On to the Land o’ Enchantment in May!
Ah yes, the ACL, it gets all the press because it’s classically the one that athletes tear and it puts them out of commission. Also, it is thinner than the PCL and requires surgery far more often than its sibling. Kind of a prima donna in the ligament world. 😀 Listening to your body at our age is especially important if you intend to keep using it for a while. Take care…
I enjoyed learning’bout “Dem bones”from that old gospel spiritual. Also that u didnt need surgery. But I was hoping you were gonna give a short sermen since the las line is “ Now hear da word of the lord”!!
Hallelujah brother! Obviously, you are a man of great spiritual depth. Someone willing to dive deep. And I would like to accommodate you with a sermon, but I’m afraid those days are over for me. However, my son, you may go forth safe in the knowledge that you are among the chosen. And on that final day you will be lifted into the heavens, rejoicing. Praise the Lord! And thanks for reading the blog.😀