OT: What is your worst sports injury?
I have a doctor appointment on Friday to check up on my knee, and it's bringing back nightmarish memories from over a decade ago. I'm sure many of you have...memorable...tales of gruesome sports injuries, and I figure I'd share my story and invite the board to share your own stories. My tale is long so feel free to skip it and post your own if you feel so inclined.
It started sometime in 7th grade when I played soccer and basketball. Both of my knees would feel sore during and after games, and, occasionally, my left knee would momentarily lock up. Unfortunately, for whatever stupid reason, my 7th grade self neglected to mention the latter part to my pediatrician. So when he inspected my knees and saw bumps on both knees, he diagnosed me with Osgood Schlatter--inflammation of the patellar ligament, a relatively common ailment in growing boys who play sports--and told me to ice it after games, etc. and it would be fine.
Fast-forward to over a year later, when I was in 8th grade. I was playing pick up basketball when I went up for a rebound against an older kid who was on my back, and we landed with both our weight on my left knee. The pain was moderately bad in the moment, but I could walk on it fine and pretty much just shrugged it off. Over the course of the week, however, my knee swelled up to a melon size, and I eventually went in for x-rays (and CT scan, and a couple other scans that I don't really remember).
I was eventually diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, a condition in which the blood supply to my knee was cut off (from back in 7th grade) which causes bone to die and leaves the cartilage vulnerable, resulting in cracks in my cartilage (causing the knee to lock) and 3 microfractures in my femur (presumeably from the pick up game).
The orthopedic surgeon told me I wasn't a good candidate for surgery, and I was put on crutches "indefinitely," as weight was bad for it but passive movement helped to stimulate healing. As an 8th grader, this sucked, because there was no pain (and no cast/brace), so kids didn't really understand why I was on crutches, I didn't really understand why, and I couldn't play sports any more. Overall, I was on crutches for a 4 month period before my doctor told me I could put weight on my knee again.
So of course, day one, I played basketball outside during lunch. And of course, I got hurt. I tried to drive to the basket, made a hard cut on a crossover, and felt my knee peel like butter. Went to the surgeon and he scheduled me a month out--so back to crutches I went.
The month turned out to be only 2 weeks. I had become extremely proficient on crutches, but with sleepies still in my eyes, I tripped coming down the stairs. My knee was locked in place, and I could feel the cartilage cutting up my joint.
The surgeon pulled out an orange-peel sized piece of meniscus, drilled a bunch of tiny holes into my bone to stimulate bone growth, and inserted biodegradeable screws at the fracture sites.
After another 3 months of crutches, I finally was back to walking by the summer before high school. Everything was great for about 3 months until one day when I literally just stood up from my chair and my knee locked again. Went in for surgery to clean up some micro tears in my meniscus and the power went out right before I went into the OR, so I had to be rescheduled a week later.
Since then, the knee has been more or less fine. It gets more sore than the right when I work out, and I can "tell the weather" because it hurts worst when it rains. I was told that I'll probably get early arthritis in that knee, but I really hope early isn't mid 20s!
So...that's my story. What's yours?
Holy shite - that is crazy. Glad it wasn't the end of you.
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Most painful? Broke my ankle going into the boards playing inline hockey.
Most hilarious? Threw out my back in hockey... tying my skates. Played through it though!
Man getting old sucks.
Related to the broken ankle the next morning when I got up for work I forgot about it and just jumped out of bed like I always do and ended up passing out from the pain and face plants on a small fan we keep in the bedroom as a white noise maker. It was pretty gnaly hobbling around and have the huge gashes on my face.
Maybe the ankle (and aftermath) is the most hilarious?
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Shattered three bones in my right hand during the Capital One bowl vs Florida on Hart's second fumble. Like a idiot, punched the wall in the bar. Tried to be a tough guy and say it wasn't a big deal for three days. That decision ended with two operations and two rods in my hand. Not the smartest thing I've ever done
Dislocated knee cap from doing a 360 on 210 cm's. Well, most of a 360 anyways. Lots of progress made in bindings technology since then.
When I was in high school I had a transverse bimalleolar fracture with some displaced fragments and quite a bit of ligament damage. In laymen's terms I shattered both of the bones in my ankle/lower leg. I had 3 surgeries. The initial surgery put in a plate and 9 pins, then six months later I had one of the pins removed, then another 6 months later I had the rest of the hardware removed. I was non-weight bearing for about 4 months. I played my senior year of baseball with the hardware, then went on to a productive college baseball career. Overall I would say it was the worst experience of my life. However, it did lead to an interest in anatomy, rehab, and eventually strength training.
Probably the concussion in soccer when the ER doctor was speculating around my mom that I was brain damaged b/c I kept asking what day it was.
Or it could have been the broken leg.
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I tore my ACL playing football, tried to play and tore up my meniscus pretty bad. Doctor said I would need my knee replaced sometime around 40. Have dislocated both shoulders multiple times. I had surgery on the right one to repair a 270 degree labral tear, doc said it was the most stitches he had ever put in a shoulder. The shoulder surgery was, in my opinion way worse as far as pain and length of recovery. Which is why the left one isn't getting fixed unless I have too.
Damn, that shoulder tear sounds brutal.
March 18th, 2015 at 10:51 PM ^
It would slide out of place opening the fridge.
I have some pretty similar symptoms as you, but different causes. Senior year in the playoffs I took a chop block to the side of my knee that collapsed me pretty good, but playoffs, so I kept playing. Next time he tried to chop block me I stepped back pushed the back of his head face down into the ground and stomped on his lower back with my cleats. Kid tried to take a swing at me when he got up. Now that I powerlift and another form of exercise that is never to be mentioned on this board it's a lot better, but the humidity KILLS.
I also got my thumb caught in a kids jersey one time and hyperextended it pretty good.
Broke my front tooth on a helmet - while I was coaching.
But the worst I ever saw was a dislocated elbow when I was coaching. That was gross.
I had badly broken my leg sliding down a hill behind school in 8th grade. Nearly compound fracture which required surgery to repair. I was cleared by the Dr. to resume non contact sports but no running. I was playing freshman baseball and was taking grounders and took a step to my left planted the leg I had broken and heard a loud snapping noise, re-broke the leg.
One time skiing at Boyne I crashed on the last run of the day and an out of control snowboarder ran my head over and cut my head open and needed 20 stitches to close the cut.
Torn rotor cuff by throwing a shot put. I was in Jr High at the time and kids 10 feet away could hear it rip. OUCH!!
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I died on time
March 18th, 2015 at 10:47 PM ^
funeral, right?
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March 18th, 2015 at 10:02 PM ^
1st: soccer
2nd: tackle football no pads
3rd: too drunk at a wedding
March 18th, 2015 at 10:17 PM ^
I roll my ankle every effing time I play basketball and that is the worst.
March 18th, 2015 at 10:21 PM ^
March 18th, 2015 at 10:32 PM ^
Dislocated my sternum in between my freshmen and sophmore year of college, hurt ridiculously bad and was coupled with the fact that I broke my collarbone at the same time. Feels like the center of your chest opens up like a gate. Couldn't really breathe or move my left arm for almost a month, still doens't work right.
March 18th, 2015 at 10:36 PM ^
Ran a marathon with what turned out to be stress fractures in my tibia and fibula. Thought at first it was just tight calves but eventually the pain became overwhelming and I ended up gimping in the last 5 miles (althought I did manage to run hard across the finish line). Pain didn't go away for two weeks and I got a bone scan which showed the fractures. I like to say I ran a marathon on a broken leg.
March 18th, 2015 at 10:36 PM ^
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March 18th, 2015 at 11:30 PM ^
wonder if it's just coincidence or if the OS masqerading as OCD is common.
March 19th, 2015 at 11:40 AM ^
Not sure, though I would think the frequent trauma to the knee caused by the OS could contribute to the lack of blood flow, causing the OCD.
March 18th, 2015 at 11:22 PM ^
Horseshoe fracture of my tibia while playing baseball when I was 13. I was in a cast from hip to toe for most of the summer.
March 18th, 2015 at 11:34 PM ^
Never again. It's the one day they would let you take a keg with you on the lift. A drunk who couldn't ski, and therefore couldn't turn or slow himself, plowed into me with no warning, then yelled at me while I was laying in a pile of equipment. My knee didn't feel right for a couple days, but seemed to get better. Then a few weeks later I did a 15 mile charity walk. The knee pain came back with a vengeance and I eventually saw an orthopedist. The meniscus was "frayed"... not something he said was worth fixing. But it's impacted my ability to ski without pain. I just don't bother anymore.