Question: I am looking for advice regarding a PCL injury sustained 5 months ago.
I am expecting surgery in 2 months’ time. But I have a snowboarding holiday booked which is in just 3 weeks. My knee has been reasonably strong and stable as I have returned to riding my mountain bike (taking it fairly easily). My worry is with the fact that I have a reasonable amount of posterior sag which is the reason for the forthcoming surgery. Although my knee is strong enough and stable enough for me to feel comfortable returning to the sport, I do have almost constantly a strange sensation that my knee simply isn’t in line. I feel a slight resistance in movement and a mild burning sensation in the joint after activity.
Dr. Foreman: There’s a tricky thing about cruciate (ACL and PCL) injuries. For relatively low-level activities — walking, jogging, biking, swimming and lifting weights — your knee will be stable enough if the muscles are in good shape. But with higher level activities — sprinting, cutting, pivoting, jumping, skiing and snowboarding — the muscles cannot overcome the laxity in the knee and the knee tends to “slip” which not only doesn’t feel good, but can cause further damage to the knee. My recommendation would be to skip this year’s snowboarding trip and get ready for your surgery.
Azalea Orthopedics offers the largest Sports Medicine Team in East Texas. Our physicians are highly-trained in treating sports-related injuries. It’s our goal to get you back to doing what you love, whether that be on the slopes or any other activity. Don’t just live with the pain. Contact Azalea Orthopedics at 903.939.7500 to make an appointment today. You can also schedule an appointment online.
