Ski Season right around the corner!

Well, Ski Season is right around the corner! With fantastic scenery, tons of fun, lots of adrenaline, heaps of speed - and unfortunately a lot of knee injuries!!

Each year around this time we start getting a steady stream of injuries from skiing, with many of them being knee ligament problems. 

Knee injuries account for about 1/3 of all skiing injuries, and the majority of these are related to ligament damage. Ligaments are like pieces of rope that cross over joints to hold the bones together in the right place.

Different ways of falling and twisting the knee predispose you to injure different ligaments, and more than one ligament may be injured in a single fall. Also, because treatment will vary depending on the degree of ligament damage, we use a system for grading the degree of injury.

Most Grade 1 & 2 ligament injuries respond well to physio and a full recovery is made. Grade 3 injuries need full investigation (EG, MRI, orthopaedic review) to determine not just the full extent of ligament damage but also the usual damage to other structures like cartilage that often accompany Grade 3 knee ligament injuries.

SIGNS THAT YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED A KNEE LIGAMENT CAN INCLUDE;

• Swelling, especially if this occurs rapidly i.e. within a few hours. Aggressive swelling, i.e. a large amount within 1-2 hours, strongly suggests a haemarthrosis (bleeding into the joint) and this should be investigated & treated ASAP.
• The knee does not seem to be aligned in its normal position
• You hear a “popping” sound or similar during your fall
• You are unable to take at least a moderate amount of weight through your knee due to pain &/or instability (just feels like it will give way)
• You aren’t able to fully straighten your knee
• There is sharp localized tenderness over 1 or 2 areas of your knee

If you have these signs, then you should start RICE treatment straight away & go call Dr. Cunningham at 512-410-0767. Getting treatment as early as possible is enormously beneficial to prevent secondary problems such as excessive swelling, muscle tightness, further injury due to more pressure through the knee, and muscle wasting due to reduced knee function.

Author

Dr. Kelly Cunningham Physician