Nearly Killed in a Car CrashOuch! That Hurt! Whilst driving home from work after my shift late at night I was nearly killed in a car crash. This is my recovery journal.
On Monday 27th February 2006, whilst innocently driving home from work after my shift finished (around 11 pm), unknown to me an oncoming car round the next bend swerved to avoid an animal on the road and lost control...
The car in front of me was able to see what happened and took evasive action, but I did not have a chance as we were both travelling at approximately 60mph. We collided head-on at these speeds, the impact destroying the front half of my car. Unfortunately, my legs were in the front half of the car as well and they were trapped between the floor (which had buckled and risen), and under the dash. It took the emergency services over an hour and a half to cut me from the wreck. Thankfully I am still alive, and considering the nature of the crash, I have escaped with relatively few injuries.
Ouch! That Hurt!
I have a torn ligament on my left ankle, deep lacerations on my left knee (15 stitches), multiple fractures to my left arm (I have had an operation to put all the pieces back and I have a metal plate and four screws, 19 stitches), my right knee cap was shattered (I had two operations to reconstruct it, again more metal and 17 stitches), crack to the right-hand side of my hips and I have severe and painful chest bruising from the seatbelt with suspected fractures on two ribs and sternum.
I was taken to the cardiac care unit before being moved to orthopaedic wards and I was in the hospital for two weeks. Now I am home and can start healing properly, although it will be a long road. All I can do at the moment is lie around with an arm and leg in plaster, unable to move much because of the pain in my ribs. At least I can use my laptop and watch TV!
I would like to thank all the emergency services that attended, especially Police Constable Sean White, who was one of the first on the scene. He stayed with me the whole time, kept me awake and talking, administered first aid and kept me comfortable with blankets, despite not being able to take shelter from the rain himself. All the fire crews were fantastic; they did their best to cut me out as quickly as possible with the minimum discomfort to myself. The ambulance crews were also fantastic, keeping the pain down with morphine, and making me comfortable. Last but by no means least, everybody in Frenchay Hospital who looked after me for two weeks; everyone in A&E, Helen and Fiona in CCU ward 103, and all the staff in Ward 202 where I spent most of my time, and last, but not least, the surgeons who did a great job of putting me back together. They were all fantastic. Thank you.
This is what's left of my Civic, not a lot. I didn't see the wreck myself, but I'm told that there wasn't a straight panel to be found. See how the exhaust is flattened? That was due to the car lifting off the ground during the impact and landing with considerable force. The boot lid is a few inches clear of the rest of the bodywork, as are the doors; the whole car is banana-shaped.
2006/03/17 - Just had the Stitches Removed
I've been back in the hospital again today and had the stitches out on my right knee, the wound is looking very good.
I am to have more x-rays next week on my knee, and I think there is a possibility that the physios may be starting to get movement back into it already. Hopefully, the screws and wires will help strengthen the bone so that the full leg plaster can come off sooner. My left knee is looking very good now, a nice 6 scar around the kneecap has healed nicely. The ligament in my ankle is still very tender. I don't know about the wound on my arm, I haven't seen it since the stitches came out last week as it is under the plaster. It still hurts though, and my fingers have varying degrees of numbness. I can't seem to move my thumb much, but it's still early days.
Below is a picture of my left knee (the 'good' one!) which was taken 21 days after the operation.
2006/04/03 - Ribs have been Very Painful
My ribs have been very painful the past week, anything that involves bending, twisting or any movement of the rib cage (including sneezing, coughing, blowing nose and breathing) has been very painful.
It is only just starting to go from a very sharp stabbing pain to a barely tolerable one. The Doctor says it will be painful for up to another three months but because of the nature of rib injuries, there is nothing they can do except give strong painkillers, codeine in my case. Still, this has given me time to catch up on a lot of work that I keep putting off, including the development of this site.
2006/04/11 - Plaster Casts due to be Removed
Plaster casts off today!!! I've been looking forward to this day for many weeks now. It's no fun having your arm and leg in plaster.
I had a call from the Hospital to say that the ambulance had been to the house and there was no answer. Well, it wasn't my house because I'd been sitting looking out the window waiting for them for the past hour and a half. Turns out they went to the wrong address. They were on the other side of Bristol and were not able to come back for me. :(
I have to wait until next Tuesday (the 18th) now because my consultant is only in the clinic on Tuesdays. I should point out that up until the NHS Ambulance Service merger everything had been very good - the ambulance was usually a bit late but I always got to the Hospital. This was to be the first journey after the merger and it never happened.
2006/04/19 - Plasters Casts Removed (Really!)
Today my plaster casts were removed, no really, they are finally off. It was supposed to be last week but there was a problem with the Ambulance, so it was arranged for yesterday, however, there was yet another problem with the transport.
Even though the administration may be a little off, the crew themselves were very apologetic and couldn't have been nicer people, I don't blame them for what has happened. The important thing is that the plaster casts are off and I can start to move my limbs again. That's the theory anyway since there was extensive damage in my knee and wrist and I have been in plaster for 8 weeks, I was unable to move them. They tell me that movement will start to come back soon and that it will take some time to regain full movement.
2006/04/21 - Physiotherapy Starts at Home
I had my first proper physiotherapy session today. I was visited by one of the occupational physiotherapists at home to help get me mobilised.
She started getting movement into my knee, but it was so painful. We eventually managed to get 40 degrees of movement, but it hurts like nothing else when she pushes downwards on my leg to get the joint moving. She is forcing my leg to bend, and my leg is resisting as the muscles have seized up. My wrist is a little more worried as I cannot move or lift my wrist. It seems to be locked as if something is in the way, and I only have a little movement downwards which is painful. I cannot move it from side to side and there is still quite a bit of numbness.
2006/04/24 - I can Finally get in a Car!
Passenger only of course! My second physiotherapy session was a bit less painful, I have been doing the exercises from Friday's session, which has improved my ability to get to 40 degrees without pain, but I haven't made any improvement on that.
We did another session on my knee and increased movement to 55 degrees, still painful but it was not as much as before. Still no improvement in my wrist, I have an appointment to see the consultant next week and will discuss that. I have enough bend in my knee now to just about get in a car, the physio showed me the best way to get in and out with a straight leg. It's not very dignified, but I no longer have to rely on the ambulance for transport which is good.
2006/04/26 - First Car Journey since the Accident!
Today was my first time in a moving car since the accident. It felt very weird to be moving and to be able to see where I was going, as I was always lying down facing the back of the ambulance.
There were no psychological side effects from the accident and I felt perfectly fine as a passenger. My mum took me to the hospital physiotherapy department where I had a gentle session where they were getting to know me and my injuries. We did a few exercises to strengthen supporting muscles, but no further pushing of the bend in the knee or wrist until the consultant saw me next week. The scars are healing very well now, and all the scabs have come off.
2006/05/03 - Good news from the Insurance People
I chased my insurance company today, as I have not heard anything since the beginning of March about the car and the claim.
For some reason, the insurance company has not sent an engineer to see the car yet - over two months since the accident! The garage that the car was taken to has confirmed that the car is a definite insurance write-off though (not surprising as the roof was cut off, and the front wheels were back where the doors were). Also, the third-party driver has admitted full liability for the accident, so even though I knew I was not at fault, I am very relieved to hear it officially.
2006/05/04 - Knee Healing Well as Physio Continues
I have seen the doctor and physiotherapist, both are very pleased with my progress so far.
My Doctor has said that at this stage he can't see why I can't regain full use of my arm and knee over time, but it will require a lot of work, however, there will always be a weakness in my knee and I may suffer problems later in life. I may also have a slight limp. The physiotherapist has given me some more exercises to do, the consultant is happy for them to push movement into the knee as much as they feel happy with. After today's session, I am now up to 90 degrees of movement which sounds a lot, but it isn't yet enough to comfortably sit on a chair normally.
2006/05/14 - Problems with my Wrist
I've had a little setback with my wrist injury... Whilst using my dad's PDA my left wrist became stiff, and I could not turn my hand from palm up to palm down, to put the PDA down. I did eventually turn my hand over with a sharp click and a burning pain in my wrist, which lasted a few minutes, and it now clicks each time I rotate it. There is also now some swelling on the forearm, which wasn't there earlier. I'm due to see the physiotherapist tomorrow so I'll see what she makes of it.
2006/05/15 - Wrist looks bad, sent to X-Ray
I had a physiotherapy session today, but as soon as I showed her my wrist, she had a little feel of it and sent me immediately down to A&E to get some x-rays, as she was not happy with how it looked.
Having waited for a bit in I had a few wrist x-rays and was followed up by a talk with one of the doctors. He called in a specialist orthopaedic doctor who had a look and could not find anything serious. The internal fixtures are all secure and there is no sign of infection. He has made an appointment for me to see the senior orthopaedic consultant tomorrow.
2006/05/16 - Wrist has been given the OK
I saw the consultant today about my wrist pain, swelling, clicking and movement. He had a good feel for my wrist and after a long examination of the X-rays and comparing them to previous ones, my wrist was given the ok.
It is most likely some soft tissue, either damaged in the crash and starting to "come alive" again, soft tissue that has been stiff due to lack of use or I slightly pulled something. Either way, they don't believe it's serious and I should just take it easy for a bit, using ice packs to help with the swelling.
2006/05/18 - Physio Continues after the last Setback
Physiotherapy sessions started again today, this time getting on the exercise bike for the second time. Last time I did not have enough bend in my knee to cycle even one revolution - unless the seat was at the highest setting - and then my feet would not reach the pedals! This time, however, I had more movement and could slowly pedal at less than one mph, the speed was not even registering. My leg and knee were very weak and painful afterwards and I could hardly walk without the aid of crutches.
2006/06/06 - Physiotherapy is still Progressing Well
Physiotherapy sessions are still progressing well, my knee movement is up to about 130 degrees now and my "good" knee is 155 degrees. Strength-wise it is still very painful and weak, but steadily getting stronger day by day. I have included a photo of the scar on my wrist with a ruler for comparison. It's a little over 4 inches long, and the scars from the stitches are fading away nicely.
2006/06/08 - Progress going well
My knee now has nearly the full range of movement, which is good, but the muscle is still very weak. After 10 minutes of walking, it starts to shake and give way. I am however making such good progress that my physiotherapist doesn't want to see me for a week, and the second week she is on holiday making it a fortnight. Up to now, I have been having weekly sessions so this will be the longest time not going in for a session. In the meantime, I have to get out and have a purposeful 20-minute walk each day, as well as two 20-minute sessions on the exercise bike. This is on top of all the static exercises that I am doing on my quads and calf muscles. This will help to strengthen the muscle, not to mention get me fit! My wrist, on the other hand, has not shown any signs of improvement over the past few weeks. I am seeing the consultant on 13th June so we'll see what he says then.
2006/06/13 - Consultant is Happy not to See me Again
My consultant at the hospital is very happy with the progress I have made over the past few months and does not wish to see me again unless I have any further problems. It is still looking hopeful that I will make a full recovery and I am still to continue physiotherapy as required, but they haven't given me any indication of how long this could take. At the moment I can walk for about 30 minutes before my knee gets too tired and gives way, and I can't sit with my leg in the same position for more than ten minutes or so without it being painful.
2006/06/19 - First Day back at Work after the Accident
Today was my first day back at work after my recent car smash which left me with multiple fractures to my right kneecap and left wrist, cracked two ribs and left lots of bruising to my chest, and tore some ligaments in my left knee and ankle (the accident was not my fault). I have only returned on light duties at the moment as I can't drive in or travel off-site for support calls, nor can I lift heavy weights, but I can answer the phones and do some light desk duty like answering phones and typing - which takes the load off my colleagues and leaves them more time to do the on and off-site support visits.
2006/06/26 - Very Pleased with my Recovery
I have made very good progress over the past two weeks, I have almost a full range of movement in my knee, but it is still painful when fully bent. The muscles are still very weak and it is very painful when I put a load on my knee (i.e. standing up from sitting, or climbing stairs). I have been told to avoid kneeling on the right knee, If possible, as there is a weakness in the joint and it could be easily damaged or fractured again. My wrist seems to have settled down a bit now and I have a new set of exercises for it with light weights to build up the strength again. As usual, after a physiotherapy session, all my injured joints are throbbing! Hopefully, they will feel better by the time I go back to work tomorrow!
2006/08/18 - Adding Insult to Injury
I was recently cleared by the doctors and physio to begin driving again, following on from the serious car crash I was involved in (I was the innocent victim, the guy who hit me has admitted full responsibility). My insurance company have paid out for the loss of my car (minus the excess) and is waiting for the third party to send payment so they can recover their costs. Until they recover the costs, the incident is a claim on my policy, which means that I have lost all my no-claims bonus... which means that it is next to impossible to get insurance on any fast car, and I will be paying an extortionate amount on any moderate to slow car. Basically, I have zero no claims until the third-party insurers see fit to pass payment to my insurance company. This could happen next week... or next year. So until then, I am a high-risk, dangerous, reckless driver and should not be insured (at least that's what the insurance computers say)
It makes you sick that innocent people pay such a high price for somebody else mistakes. I bet the other guys are back on the road driving around as if nothing had happened. So much for getting a high-performance Japanese import for my 25th birthday!
2006/09/29 - Some Good News
Well, it seems like time to update with some new news as I haven't been updating for a while. It's been busy the last few weeks - starting a new job (e-procurement Programmer, still with the same company, just moving down the corridor), I'm starting a course at the University of Central Lancashire by distance learning, where I will be studying Astronomy.
On a slightly negative note, however, there are some complications with my wrist injuries. It seems likely that I have a subluxation of the radial-ulnar joint caused by damage to the TFCC (Tri-fibrous cartilage complex). This means that the ulna (the small bone in the arm) is not properly held at the wrist and when turning from palm up to palm down, the bone has excessive movement. Physio has stopped working on my wrist again, and I am waiting for an appointment to see a specialist hand surgeon.
2006/10/16 - Back in the Driving Seat
Today was my first time driving since the accident I was involved in, back in late February. Since my insurance company have refused to insure me for less than £1400 on a Ford Escort and most other cars were just a point-blank refusal, I have had to be added as a named driver to my parent's Ford Ka policy. I was a little rusty for a few minutes, but I soon got comfortable again and I am now driving perfectly fine again, for short journeys, there is no uneasiness or discomfort whilst driving, physical or physiologically.
2006/11/27 - Mysteries of the Wrist Injury
Problems with my wrist continue to hamper my day-to-day activities, although most of the time I can find an alternative method. On a bad day, I do not have enough grip strength in the fingers of my left wrist to open a packet of crisps.
My consultant at the hospital has seen me on numerous occasions and is unable to find the exact cause of the problem but he suspects that there is a problem with the Tri-fibrous cartilage complex or some ligaments. He referred me to a specialist hand surgeon at the Bristol Royal Infirmary which is where I have been this afternoon.
He can see a definite problem with my wrist, but the initial examination could not identify the cause. X-ray examination revealed that there is no problem with the way the bone has healed, nor with the internal plate, so the problem is with the soft tissue. Ideally, he would like me to have an MRI scan so that he can see the layers of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Unfortunately, due to the metal plate in my arm, the scanner would not work. He will, therefore, need to perform an exploratory wrist arthroscopy, which involves inserting a camera by keyhole surgery directly into my wrist and looking around. This is likely to happen sometime in the New Year.
2006/11/29 - Clinical Studies
Following on from the treatment I received for my wrist injury back in February, I have been invited back to the hospital for a further diagnosis and progress report to gain a better understanding for myself, and the clinic to understand how I have progressed and how effective the treatment has been.
After a discussion about the consultation on Monday, the consultant performed three tests on my hand: one on wrist grip strength, pinch grip strength and finally one on movement. Wrist-grip strength is measured with a hand dynamometer that is squeezed as hard as possible. My right (good) wrist has a strength of 55kg, whilst my left (bad) wrist is less than half that at 23kg. Pinch grip strength is measured by squeezing a dynamometer between my thumb and first finger, again my left hand scoring less than half that of my right at 53kg and 17kg. The final test was to bring my little finger and thumb together with my wrist bent down and facing me. This I was unable to do, which is indicative of ligament damage. I will have to wait for a wrist arthroscopy to confirm this in the New Year.
I have also started taking Glucosamine Hydrochloride supplements as they have been recommended for repairing and maintaining healthy joints and cartilage, and since I have two bad joints (knee as well) I thought I could give them a try. Too early to see any effect yet.
2007/02/16 - Discharged from Physio
I have now been discharged from the Physiotherapy Department at Frenchay Hospital. They feel that there is nothing more they can do to help; any more improvement will be down to me.
Over the past four months, I have been taking Glucosamine Hydrochloride supplements as suggested by my physiotherapist, and I feel that I have made a lot of progress. I am now able to do most things that I could do before the accident, however, I have not tried high-impact activities (jogging, running, jumping etc.) outside of controlled physio sessions. The physiotherapist that I saw suggested caution over these activities, as they will put a great deal of stress on the joints. He suggested that I start or limit myself to running on grass and working up from there.
I also have trouble getting out of the driver's side of a car if the door cannot be opened fully. This pain is the same as I was experiencing when walking upstairs six months ago, so we are hopeful that time will strengthen the muscles and joints as it has done before.
2007/04/09 - Going back to Hospital
I have now got a date for my next wrist operation and I have already had a pre-op examination - in a couple of weeks, I will be having an arthroscopy to find out just what is going on in my wrist.
I have poor grip strength and limited weight-holding capacity (I can only hold about 3-4kg in my left hand otherwise my wrist hurts in the joint). As I turn my hand from palm down to palm up my ulna (the little bone in the arm) dislocates from the rest of my wrist. The consultant I saw believes that this is because of damage to the Triangular Fibro-Cartilage Complex (TFCC) which is the major stabiliser of the wrist joint.
During the procedure, the surgeon will insert a camera into my wrist in a couple of locations and examine the joint and soft tissue, if this confirms that the TFCC is causing a problem then he will proceed to open my wrist again and fix the problem. If it isn't the TFCC causing the problem, then it is back to the drawing board.
2007/05/24 - Accident Damage to my Wrist
I have seen the consultant following up on my recent wrist arthroscopy where he informed me that during the surgery he found no damage to my Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC), which was his prime candidate for my wrist instability. He has now concluded that a tendon is to blame and that he will be able to repair this injury, however, it will be a more complicated procedure, not without risk. This procedure should result in greater stability of my wrist joint, however, it may sacrifice the range of movement. There is also a risk of nerve damage resulting in loss of feeling in my palm, however, this risk is low. This will also mean that I will require more time off work and will be in plaster from above my elbow to my fingers for approximately 6-8 weeks after the operation. Fingers Crossed!
2007/06/07 - Distal Volar Radius Plate
I have tracked down a website which sells the same sort of plate that was fitted in my wrist after the car crash I was a victim of. For anybody interested, it is called a Distal Volar Radius Plate and is marketed by a company called Biomet.
They also offer a surgical technique guide, which contains detailed instructions for the installation of the plate. WARNING: This is a detailed guide with photos. Do not view this document if you have a weak stomach! The first link is safe to view, it only shows the plate and a descriptive text.
Two of my other scars were caused by an external locking device which was used to keep my wrist stable during the surgery.
I am still waiting for another operation to correct my distal radial ulnar joint instability, which has been causing problems since the accident.
2007/09/19 - There's a 5 o'clock in the morning?
Today is the day of my final wrist op where they are going to graft in some tendons to reconstruct my wrist joint.
Following a car crash, I was an innocent victim of last year, I have been left with an instability of my left radial-ulnar joint. Back in May, I had a wrist arthroscopy to determine the cause of the instability and hopefully today it will be fixed. I believe that the procedure being used is a palmaris longus tendon graft, as outlined in this article: Hand Case of the Week . I don't know for sure if that's what is going to happen, but it sounds very similar.
Following the operation, I will be in a plaster cast for about 4-6 weeks, from above my elbow to my fingers, and then there will be lots more physiotherapy.
Well, I have to go to the hospital now (6 AM), I'll try and post again when I get back home in a few days.
2007/09/22 - Back home from Hospital
I'm back home from the Hospital now. I don't know a great deal about the operation to fix the instability in my distal radial-ulnar joint (DRUJ), only that it went as well as could be expected and they are confident of a significant improvement in the stability of my wrist.
My arm is in plaster from my fingers to above my elbow, which is a lot less mobility than last time. I am currently taking a lot of painkillers which just about manage the pain, and I have a sore throat from the tracheal tube used to help me breathe during the operation. All of this should pass in a few days.
The plaster will stay on for four weeks, then I will have another one which will be below my elbow. In between then, I will also have to have the stitches taken out.
2007/10/22 - Still in Plaster...
Still in Plaster but only one more week to go! It's been five weeks, and the plaster is starting to get on my nerves, itching underneath, joints painful and stiff, and to top it off I have the flu. Only one more week to go! It's been five weeks, and the plaster is starting to get on my nerves, itching underneath, joints painful and stiff, and to top it off I have the flu.
Haven't done any astronomy as it's been cloudy or misty lately, but I am about to start an Astrobiology course with the University of Central Lancashire, taught via distance learning in the same way as the Astronomy course. Should be interesting and I'm looking forward to starting.
2007/10/29 - Finally Out of Plaster (Again!)
In my recent wrist operation to stabilise my distal radial ulnar joint, I had a ligament reconstruction and tendon graft about six weeks ago. I have had an above-elbow plaster for 4 weeks, which was followed by a normal below-elbow plaster for a further two weeks.
Today I saw the consultant who is very pleased with my recovery so far and has given me a splint and referred me to physiotherapy for continued rehabilitation.
I still can't do anything with my wrist, it'll be another 4-6 weeks before the tendons have healed enough to allow me to carry anything or turn my wrist fully. Having only been out of plaster a few hours, my wrist is feeling very vulnerable and painful, and so stiff I can hardly move it. Instead, I must do special wrist excesses 10 times a day for the next week, avoiding putting any stress on the ligament repair or tendon graft. It's at the stage now where I need to get it moving otherwise it will never be right, but it's at a very delicate stage - too much too soon will break it. I just have to continue to take it easy until I see the consultant in another 4 weeks' time. At least I can wash it now!
During surgery, they went back into my wrist through the existing scar (which they trimmed back and made a lot neater) and through a new scar on the back of my wrist.
2007/11/12 - More Physio and Quantitative Results
I had another physio session at my local Hospital with yet another nice physiotherapist (I'm on my fourth now!) and she measured the range of movements and compared them to those taken in the hospital two weeks previously, and found that the range of movement has improved a bit.
I had another physio session at my local Hospital with yet another nice physiotherapist (I'm on my fourth now!) and she measured the range of movements and compared them to those taken in the hospital two weeks previously, and found that the range of movement has improved a bit. She also measured my grip strength with a hand dynamometer as performed before the operation in clinical studies where my good wrist scored 55kg and my bad wrist scored 23kg. This time my bad wrist scored 16kg which is quite poor, my good right wrist scored 52kg with a good crack of all my knuckles.
It is still early days, and my overall wrist strength is still very weak (I can't even hold a pint glass with it). A few more different exercises to do for next time, focusing on strength, and it has been recommended that I squeeze something like a softball, or stress reliever to help build up strength.
2007/11/19 - Back in to see the Consultant
I saw one of the Doctors at the hospital again today, and she can see a big difference in my wrist, in strength, stability and range of movement.
I think she was surprised at how much range of movement I had considering I had only been out of plaster for six weeks. She has cleared me to progress onto lifting heavier weights and using them for daily activities, as long as it is pain-free, as directed by my physiotherapist, who will continue to work on my range of movement and work on grip strength.
Unless there are any problems, she does not want to see me again until January.
2007/11/26 - Good Progress in Physio Again
I had another physio session today and she could see another big improvement in my range of movement. My wrist extension (moving wrist upwards) was up by 20° from the last time I saw her. She also measured my grip strength again and it was nearly double what it was last time at 28kg. Still early days, but this is better than before the operation when I only could achieve 26kg of pressure.
She has also said that I can progress onto light hand weights to start building the muscles back up. I must also keep massaging the scar more vigorously to loosen up the scar tissue and keep plenty of ice on it to help the swelling go down.
I have been using cocoa butter on the scar as it has been recommended to help scars fade quicker as well as keeping them from drying out. While the scar is looking much better than the old one, it is early days and very pink still.
2007/12/10 - Discharged from Physio (again!)
I saw my physiotherapist again today and my wrist has improved a lot since the last time I saw her, both in flexibility and strength.
My left-hand grip strength is now up to 36kg compared with the 54kg of my right hand. Before the operation, I could barely manage 26kg.
She now feels that my wrist has improved so much that I no longer require physio sessions as there is no more they can do for me, I just have to keep working on the exercises that I already have until I see my consultant in January. He will decide then if I can fully load my wrist (i.e. weight bearing) and direct me as necessary. I may still have more physio at that stage to regain full use under load.
2009/09/02 - More Problems, More Scans...
I continue to have problems with my left ankle, despite doctors and physiotherapists not being able to find any muscular-skeletal problems. Because of these problems, an independent consultant has recommended that I have an MRI scan to determine the cause.
I've been down to the private Bupa hospital this morning to have the scan which involved me lying down with my leg in a giant polo mint for about 20 minutes. This machine uses giant magnets to detect and image various layers of tissue and bone inside my ankle and build up a model slice by slice.
2009/12/19 - MRI Scan Results
I've just had the MRI scan results back for my ankle problems. Hopefully, I can get a diagnosis and treatment now. During the car crash, I had an ankle injury which was diagnosed as a sprained ankle while I was in the hospital. It did clear up after about a week, but I continue to experience sharp pains and my ankle gives out. I could be walking along quite normally and the next step I take will be like walking on a sprained ankle, a sharp pain which causes me to lose footing and almost trip. Not good when I'm in a bar or pub carrying a full glass of beer.
Anyway, I've been seen by a series of doctors and physiotherapists who were unable to find a cause of the problem, at least nothing muscular-skeletal, however, I was given a referral to have an MRI scan to look at the soft tissue. The results came back today and I am so relieved that they found something! I'm not making this up!
The report is written in medical jargon (which I can normally decipher) so if anybody can help, please do!
There is inhomogeneous fat saturation on the coronal images. There is an oval area of fluid signal at the insertion of calcaneum but Achilles itself is of normal morphology. The remaining tendons and intrinsic ligaments are normal. There is no evidence of a fracture; there is a small amount of sub-chondral oedema in the plafond. There is a low signal on the T1 in this area with a low signal across the anterior margin of the tibial plafond. There is an effusion of the ankle joint.
Opinion: Early degenerative changes at the ankle mortise. Features suggesting early insertional Achilles changes.
I have now been referred to an ankle specialist who will probably want to have a closer look via an arthroscopy sometime in the New Year.
