After badly twisting my knee and the GP refering me in January I finally saw the specialist on Thursday. I am now going for a Keyhole op to inspect the damage and (hopefully) repair it if it is minor and can be done. If not I will be going in for Anterior Ligament Restoration. Out of football for a while anyway but that would put me out for a year.

The other option he gave me was to carry on as is and collapse on the ground in agony if need be. I was not impressed at this statement. He then advised me to find a new sport.

More chance of Bin Liner becoming a Catholic.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2002

Answers

An oPeration?

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2002

Can't you go and see Dr Steadman? He'll have you ship shape in no time.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2002

I was very close to asking but the wife was there and wouldn't have been amused.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2002

Just go to the Toon's knee expert in Bradford - he'll give you a bottle of aspirin and have you playing again in 3 weeks. Knee problem. ;o{)

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2002

Andy, I would take the op. I damaged my ACL, MCL and meniscus cartilage in October last year and my doctor went for conservative treatment in the hope that the scar tissue would wrap itself around the ligament and heal. There have been a number of times when it's felt stronger and I managed to play tennis, cricket, football etc when I went camping last month but it went again on Saturday. I caught something, possibly the cartillage between my knee cap and the knee wall (don't know the medical term). I do think I need an op and have to speak to the doctor tomorrow but these things don't come cheap....

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2002

I went to the doc today and he told me that I would need an operation on my cartillage. He also told me that if I ever wanted to play sports again then I would need to have my ACL replaced by part of my hamstring. This would require 2 months off work. In effect he told me that my football 'career' was over

Gutted

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2002

Sorry to hear that Kegsy marra :-(

I had a knee operation, here in Singapore 4 years ago, and they did a 'lateral release' on my patella. The operation cost an arm and a leg (no pun intended) and I'm convinced they only did the 'release' to hike up the bill.

Anyway 4 years down the line and I still can't run, any aspirations of ever playing sport again (even bowls) can be forgotten about.

My advice lads, get yourselves a second opinion :-(

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2002

I'm thinking about it Bud. Did you get my email by the way?

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2002

Is that a Japanese doctor Kegsy? If so, I'd look for a second opinion. My brother-in-law lives in Osaka, and has told some horror stories. His father-in-law fell off his bike and got taken to hospital. They refused to give him an x-ray and kept trying to send him home. When he pointed out that he couldn't stand up, which was by now two days later, they relented. He turned out to have broken his hip, and needed to be kept in hospital for over two months!

Good luck!

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2002

Luckily cost isn't a problem here at the moment (NHS). The Doc told me that the Arthoroscopy (sp?) would give him a chance to look and if it was minor and repairable then and there he would. I can continue to play sport apparently and I think it will only be a slight tear hopefully repairable at the first attempt. Sorry to hear about everyone else though, I feel I have got off lightly.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2002