ACL reconstruction surgery

No damage on the bike or the car.
Now that’s a real hero; sacrificing this body to avoid desecration of his bike.

My bike (KTM 390 adventure)
Nice one, guess the Beemer and Kawa are the biggest competitors?

1681449439693.jpeg
 
So, what was the fallout? How were things sorted between the others involved and how did you then manage to be evacuated along with your motorbike and not lose belongings? What was the reaction of others involved? Did they say it was your fault or were they sympathetic and helpful?
 
So, what was the fallout? How were things sorted between the others involved and how did you then manage to be evacuated along with your motorbike and not lose belongings? What was the reaction of others involved? Did they say it was your fault or were they sympathetic and helpful?
Ah yes, the aftermath. Quite underwhelming actually.

So first of all, I was riding with a friend (also foreigner, experienced, on his own bike) but we both speak Indonesian. We use a real time communicator when riding so he knew straight away I had an accident.

Hearing my screams in the communicator, he was fearing the worse, especially since he was ahead of me at the time and didn't see what happened. He was surprised to see my bike neatly parked with no damage and me rolling around holding my knee like Neymar, except it was no acting.

The driver pulled over 20m or so ahead and came to see me. Since his car was fine and he could see a bule in pain with a seemingly expensive bike, he basically excused himself and left pronto. Which was for the best because I was in no mood to deal with any kind of bullshit.

This happened in front of a closed warung but upon hearing my whines, the good lady came to see what that was all about. She offered some ice which was most welcome.

Meanwhile, the security guards from the factory across the road came to assist. My friend organized everything and managed to find a tow truck. An hour after the accident, my bike was loaded onto the truck and I was on my way back home. 3 hours total with half of it on less than stellar asphalt. My friend continued on his journey and I'm glad to report that he finished our original trip with no further incident.

Once home, my wife took me to the ER, did some MRI and checked into a room where I spent the next 2 nights hooked on tramadol.

Yesterday and today have been some of the worse days. I've been quite in pain and noticed my knee is full of fluid again.

Tomorrow is my 2nd physiotherapy session but I may try to catch my doc if he's available.

Being bed-bound for a week already is becoming old quickly, and no end in sight for the time being.
 
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Ah yes, the aftermath. Quite underwhelming actually.

So first of all, I was riding with a friend (also foreigner, experienced, on his own bike) but we both speak Indonesian. We use a real time communicator when riding so he knew straight away I had an accident.

Hearing my screams in the communicator, he was fearing the worse, especially since he was ahead of me at the time and didn't see what happened. He was surprised to see my bike neatly parked with no damage and me rolling around holding my knee like Neymar, except it was no acting.

The driver pulled over 20m or so ahead and came to see me. Since his car was fine and he could see a bule in pain with a seemingly expensive bike, he basically excused himself and left pronto. Which was for the best because I was in no mood to deal with any kind of bullshit.

This happened in front of a closed warung but upon hearing my whines, the good lady came to see what that was all about. She offered some ice which was most welcome.

Meanwhile, the security guards from the factory across the road came to assist. My friend organized everything and managed to find a tow truck. An hour after the accident, my bike was loaded onto the truck and I was on my way back home. 3 hours total with half of it on less than stellar asphalt. My friend continued on his journey and I'm glad to report that he finished our original trip with no further incident.

Once home, my wife took me to the ER, did some MRI and checked into a room where I spent the next 2 nights hooked on tramadol.

Yesterday and today have been some of the worse days. I've been quite in pain and noticed my knee is full of fluid again.

Tomorrow is my 2nd physiotherapy session but I may try to catch my doc if he's available.

Being bed-bound for a week already is becoming old quickly, and no end in sight for the time being.
Thanks for the detailed account. It seems it will be a while before you are back on your bike. Knee problems are incredibly painfuI I do hope it starts to settle down quickly.
 
A Physiologists I was talking to told me that Physical Therapy should never be started immediately following an injury. Injuries are normally accompanied with associated trama and that trama needs to be first reduced. When you receive physical therapy the therapist moves an area until the patient says ow. The time the patient says it and, it registers with the therapist, while seeming immediate is in fact enough time to contribute to the initial injury.
 
Yesterday and today have been some of the worse days. I've been quite in pain and noticed my knee is full of fluid again.

Tomorrow is my 2nd physiotherapy session but I may try to catch my doc if he's available.

Being bed-bound for a week already is becoming old quickly, and no end in sight for the time being.

Best to rest it it for a week and maybe get the fluid drained.
 
Best to rest it it for a week and maybe get the fluid drained.
Actually, today's session was eye opening. Turns out most of the pain in having now is due to not moving my knee at all and resting it in a poor position.

Beginning of the session, my straight leg had a 10 degree bend. By the end of it, it reduced to 4 degrees.

I was then explained that I needed to stretch my leg more but still take it easy with putting weight on it.

I walked quite a bit today with crutches, trying as best as possible to mimic a normal step but without the weight on it. It was tiring but the more I walked the less stiff my leg felt.

While I was taking pain med 3 times a day, today I only took it once in the morning and haven't felt the need to take it more.
 
Actually, today's session was eye opening. Turns out most of the pain in having now is due to not moving my knee at all and resting it in a poor position.

Beginning of the session, my straight leg had a 10 degree bend. By the end of it, it reduced to 4 degrees.

I was then explained that I needed to stretch my leg more but still take it easy with putting weight on it.

I walked quite a bit today with crutches, trying as best as possible to mimic a normal step but without the weight on it. It was tiring but the more I walked the less stiff my leg felt.

While I was taking pain med 3 times a day, today I only took it once in the morning and haven't felt the need to take it more.
That's encouraging.
 
Every couple of years the medical experts seem to change their opinion; rest, no no moving is important, no you should rest, …. A bit similar to cold (from ice packs) or treatment with heat.
 
Rest certainly includes movement. Movement with no stress on the injury. Light, slow, and helps if you have someone to make the movement for you so you do less. Muscles have a tendency to stick together and the longer stuck the more painful to get apart.
 
Rest certainly includes movement. Movement with no stress on the injury. Light, slow, and helps if you have someone to make the movement for you so you do less. Muscles have a tendency to stick together and the longer stuck the more painful to get apart.
Yes exactly. It's really shocking how quickly everything seized after only a couple of days.

I am moving but still being very careful and not loading my leg when walking with both crutches.
 
Yes exactly. It's really shocking how quickly everything seized after only a couple of days.

I am moving but still being very careful and not loading my leg when walking with both crutches.
You will also find it surprising how quickly you lose strength in your legs if you are not able to walk around. When we are well we just take good health for granted. As you recover I imagine you will be much more appreciative of enjoying good health. If you have light weights it may be useful to develop a sit down routine of exercise every day.
 
You will also find it surprising how quickly you lose strength in your legs if you are not able to walk around. When we are well we just take good health for granted. As you recover I imagine you will be much more appreciative of enjoying good health. If you have light weights it may be useful to develop a sit down routine of exercise every day.

I was shocked at how quickly I lost strength in my left thigh. I can hardly contract it at all, it looks... deflated, for lack of a better word. No tension at all. And now, it is starting to already look visibly smaller than the other one. Scary.
 
So how are things now? What is the path you have chosen? Physio - surgery or maybe a bomoh?
1683254834314.png
 
I was shocked at how quickly I lost strength in my left thigh. I can hardly contract it at all, it looks... deflated, for lack of a better word. No tension at all. And now, it is starting to already look visibly smaller than the other one. Scary.
My right tendon was partially ruptured 2 times where I had to use crutches for several months. Recovered completely, but seems to be a bit shorter and weaker. This can be seen from the left shoe sole is worn out more than the right.
I've to be more careful when jogging or playing tennis to avoid plantar fasciitis on the left leg.

IMG_20230505_094348.jpg
 
So how are things now? What is the path you have chosen? Physio - surgery or maybe a bomoh?
View attachment 3044

Thanks for following up!

So I finished my PT course, can extend my leg to 2 degrees (0 degrees is fully stretched) and flex 98 degrees but it's difficult.

It was enough for my doc to examine my leg and he concluded that my ACL is completely torn. So now the physical examination and MRI truly line up.

He pointed me to his mentor in KL whom I have contacted. I'm about to make an appointment for end of May. According to him, if I arrive on Monday, do the surgery on Tuesday, then by Thursday or Friday I can fly back to Jakarta. Cost of surgery all inclusive (meds, surgery, dr fee, hospital room for 2 nights, etc) is about 100jt. In Indonesia, it would be about 170-180jt. With flights to KL for less an $100, it's definitely worth it.

I have also elected to do an autograft (taking a piece of tendon from my hamstring and grafting it in my knee) as opposed to an allograft (taking from a donor cadaver) for economical, risk and gross factor reasons.
 
My right tendon was partially ruptured 2 times where I had to use crutches for several months. Recovered completely, but seems to be a bit shorter and weaker. This can be seen from the left shoe sole is worn out more than the right.
I've to be more careful when jogging or playing tennis to avoid plantar fasciitis on the left leg.

View attachment 3048
One of my legs is shorter than the other by 1cm or so. Forgot which one but with a bit of luck it will even out now!
 
Interesting procedures. I hope it all works out well. It may help you to feel a bit better to know that in Australia "...the cost of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Repair or Reconstruction ranges from $5394 to $34195. "
 
Not a bad option and good on your doc to being open and not letting his ego get in the way of what is best for you.
 

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