Just didn't feel comfortable when I went there. Can't really recall why - also I didn't like the surgery he wanted to do. He wanted to pull from hamstring which I was not thrilled about.

6/17/2014 7:13:47 PM

I didn't like Triangle Ortho either.

I have an issue with my knee that only comes up when biking, and it has been ongoing for a year. I had spent weeks of doing nothing on it (and walking completely normally), and if I bike for even 3 miles, I cannot walk the next day (I used to do 30+ miles). The pain started one day when I pushed myself extra hard, so there is a definitive starting point.

The Triangle Ortho guy looked at it for 2 minutes and immediately prescribed Napproxen (an anti-inflammatory, aka Aleve) for a month. I said it didn't hurt or bother me at that time (I hadn't biked in 2 months) but he insisted. His opinion was just some inflamed tissue in the knee. I got the general feeling of just trying to push me out the door.

A month later, I come in (having biked the previous day to show how badly I walked), and he looks at it for 2 minutes then suggests an MRI (not actually a bad plan at this point). Long story short, he looks at the MRI and sees a minor ACL tear unrelated to my pain and focuses all of his energy on that. His last recommendation was either cortisone injections (another quick fix) or me just not biking anymore (another lazy recommendation).

Its been 2 months, but I'll probably look to request my MRI scans from them (if possible) and go elsewhere. Will not return.

6/17/2014 9:01:29 PM

$10 to get your MRI from them. Just call them and they'll have it on a CD for you ready to go.

Also I learned most Orthos don't read their own MRIs - they outsource it to a radiologist; triangle sends theirs to a place in Louisiana. You may want to look at getting re-read by someone better.

[Edited on June 17, 2014 at 9:22 PM. Reason : ]

6/17/2014 9:19:00 PM

^^ I actually had a very similar experience when I went to Triangle Ortho. Had sharp acute shoulder pain so I went to see them. Based on a physical inspection they told me it was an inflamed rotator cuff and that I could take a lot of ibuprofen or a cortisone shot. Naturally I opted for the cortisone shot...which did nothing, b/c there was no shoulder inflammation in the first place. Next time back there they sent me to have an MRI done. The diagnosis for that was the torn labrum cartilage. Either way, I went to get a 2nd opinion over at Performance Ortho after being recommended there by a close friend's father. Rest is history, as they say.

6/20/2014 3:21:11 PM

Did anyone get the screws removed from their knee?

6/25/2014 4:31:01 PM

nope

6/26/2014 2:26:47 PM

nope

6/26/2014 3:37:38 PM

Besides the surgery - any advantages/disadvantages to taking the screws out?

6/27/2014 1:18:42 PM

14 years out from my surgery and they have never bothered me

6/27/2014 1:30:42 PM

One of my screws started working itself out for whatever reason...probably 3 years after initial surgery. Had to go in for "hardware removal"

6/29/2014 3:42:54 PM

Is there any weakness if you have the hardware removed?

6/29/2014 6:25:56 PM

Out of curiosity, why are you asking these questions? You haven't even had the surgery yet so whats up?

6/30/2014 9:52:46 AM

Well, like you in the early parts of this thread, I'm extremely curious. And I don't see my doctor until July 9th

6/30/2014 9:53:11 AM

Aha. Well I've never seen or heard about anyone having their screws removed. They are intended to remain within your body for the rest of your life, though I suppose there's a very, very small chance that they could possibly need to be removed at some point.

7/1/2014 10:35:38 AM

I feel like a lot of people get them removed actually. Mostly because they are uncomfortable. I didn't know if there were any other consequences.

7/1/2014 12:42:15 PM

Well Titanium is a non reactive metal (which is why it's used for medical implants) so if the surgery is done properly then I'd imagine there aren't any other reasons?

7/1/2014 3:58:04 PM

Yeah, not really sure. i didn't think they used titanium anymore.

How long were you on crutches after the surgery?

7/1/2014 4:38:42 PM

Less than a week.

7/2/2014 8:16:15 AM

i have my surgery tomorrow - terrified

8/6/2014 10:34:08 PM

you'll be fine (and if you are still terrified tomorrow they give you some nice calming drugs once you get in the hospital).

In the end you'll love having the stability back in your knee and you'll build a lot of leg strength in the physical therapy afterwards. You'll likely come back stronger than you were before.

Relax now, and then push yourself hard in the therapy!

8/7/2014 9:20:01 AM

Yeah I know. I'm just sitting waiting.

8/7/2014 10:43:36 AM

And I'm out of the room

8/7/2014 2:08:36 PM

Surprisingly I never really had stability issues with the torn ACL. I felt great and could run really well and move. That said, I don't know how long that would last for. My legs were in great shape.

8/7/2014 4:51:55 PM

yeah, I could move pretty well with mine as well...until I would try to stop quickly when playing basketball or something. I knew that eventually I would do some cartilage damage if I didn't get it repaired.

So the procedure is over? Surprised you able type, I was pretty zonked after my surgery.

8/7/2014 5:18:14 PM

Yeah surgery was 10:50 - I was on tdub until then. My first memory was at 1:45. I feel great. I've put some weight on the knee and no issue or pain. I'm driving my wife crazy because I won't sit still!

8/7/2014 5:30:29 PM

Keep bombing this thread like it's a diary but whateves.

12 hours removed I'm able to walk with a fully locked cast.

8/7/2014 10:05:14 PM

congrats, keep pushing.

Did you get that machine that bends your knee for you while you're laying down?

8/8/2014 10:24:56 AM

no, I was told it didn't lead to better outcomes

8/8/2014 2:30:55 PM

I tore mine in 2005. I also tore my meniscus and MCL. Pretty much blew my knee. Had the patella tendon repair through Duke Sports Medicine. Took a few days before I was back on my feet because of the pain but then recovered fairly quickly. Only bothers me now when I run longer distances. Just gets achy primarily, but it's possible that's due to the meniscus damage too. It's nothing to cause me to stop running just minorly annoying.

8/8/2014 3:01:20 PM

How long did you guys have to leave your brace locked for

8/12/2014 7:57:34 PM

Unfortunately I don't remember.

8/13/2014 9:33:57 AM

I don't remember either, but I think I had to prove strength and flexion during physical therapy before the therapist allowed movement. If I had to guess, a few weeks (but that is a wild ass guess).

I do remember the first few days of flexion exercises were the worst. I started doing those exercises almost constantly and often until I was sweating. I needed help at first because it was painful to even move 10 degrees (and my dad would have to help hold my leg), but it got easier every time I did them.

8/13/2014 2:50:29 PM

I was able to do a full circle on the bike day 3. My brace is just bugging the shit out of me. Doesn't seem to fit correctly

8/13/2014 3:17:49 PM

Above all, follow your PT's advice.

What did you tear, just your ACL? If just that was repaired then you probably will be walking around on it in a week or two, still in the brace.

Otherwise, you should stay with the brace locked and on crutches for awhile, depending on your tear. Probably 2 weeks? You'll do PT without the brace locked of course, but walking around it was a few weeks before I was allowed to unlock it.

I was probably in the full leg brace for 6 weeks easily. I lived on the third floor of my apartment (yay stairs) so I was carrying around crutches for a long time.

Do you still have all the gauze and other crap under the brace? You may still be dealing with inflammation which could be influencing the brace fit. Keep up with the ice machine after all of your PT sessions. You may need to get some of the straps adjusted.

[Edited on August 13, 2014 at 6:46 PM. Reason : straps]

8/13/2014 6:45:40 PM

Yup, just ACL repair. I took the gauze off.

Luckily I'm a little head of the game since i did an allograft.

8/13/2014 7:12:02 PM

You could be walking around in the leg brace pretty soon, so double check that the straps feel right. I felt like a cyborg, haha

8/14/2014 11:34:37 AM

Quote :

"I do remember the first few days of flexion exercises were the worst. I started doing those exercises almost constantly and often until I was sweating. I needed help at first because it was painful to even move 10 degrees (and my dad would have to help hold my leg), but it got easier every time I did them."

I had no problems with this since I was using the automatic flexing machine 4+ hours a day. All through physical therapy I was ahead of progress on degrees of knee flexibility (weeks ahead). My insurance didn't cover the flexing machine ($125/week) but it was totally worth it!

I was walking around with just the brace a few days after surgery (but just around the house). I stayed with an aunt and uncle at the beach for two weeks post surgery. Pretty sure I stopped using crutches altogether after 9-10 days.

I still feel some minor effects of my knee injury to this day, but I was back skiing out west less than 8 months after surgery

8/14/2014 12:48:56 PM

^^I haven't used crutches for a single second after surgery. I figured that when he unlocks my brace we can make the straps and everything feel right.


^That's awesome you had so much flexibility to start with. I was able to get about 90 degrees after 15 minutes of exercises. Think that's about average


[Edited on August 14, 2014 at 1:15 PM. Reason : ]

8/14/2014 1:14:12 PM

Got measured at 115 degrees today 11 days after surgery. Pretty pleased with that.

8/18/2014 2:24:30 PM

Very nice!

And I suppose for comparison's sake I should mention (or re-mention) that I had the patella graft.

8/19/2014 10:21:35 AM

That's what I had as well - just from a dead person

8/19/2014 1:30:47 PM

this thread makes me almost as uncomfortable as the kidney stone one

8/19/2014 2:29:50 PM

Why?

8/19/2014 7:10:03 PM

I think I messed up my MCL a few months ago doing indoor sky diving of all things. When I finished I noticed a pain in the inside of my right knee when I walked and when I moved my foot from the different peddles while driving.

It went away after a couple days and then the other day I did some squats for the first time in a while and it has been hurting again. I don't see going to the doctor as much of an option because they would probably either tell me to rest or I need to have surgery and I don't feel like paying for that right now since it doesn't seem to be too debilitating as long as I don't tweak it again.

Anyone had just MCL issues and what did you do to fix it? Is this something that rest could help? Maybe wear a brace?

8/26/2014 8:27:59 PM

Any concern, get a MRI

8/26/2014 8:54:50 PM

Yeah I mean I get that but I went 3 months without remembering there was an issue until I worked out my legs hard one day. I will bypass that before going to the doctor this year since I have a high deductible plan and I won't get close to my deductible meaning it will all be out of pocket. Plus I don't even know if there is something they can do other than operating on it.

8/26/2014 9:02:10 PM

they usually don't do surgery for mcl injuries, usually just rest and physical therapy. There may be cartilage issues, but it sounds like you may have just pushed yourself too hard doing the lifts. Build back up a little more slowly and do exercises that focus on stability (single leg squats, lunges, step ups/downs).

8/26/2014 10:02:24 PM

That's good to hear, I had no clue what they would do for an MCL injury but I will give it a couple weeks and then do just the kind of stuff you listed. Thanks for the help.

[Edited on August 26, 2014 at 10:05 PM. Reason : .]

8/26/2014 10:03:22 PM

skywalkr I tore my MCL along with my meniscus and ACL in 05. For the MCL it was just PT and rest. I had to heal that before the ACL surgery.

8/29/2014 6:10:48 PM

skywalkr I tore my MCL along with my meniscus and ACL in 05. For the MCL it was just PT and rest. I had to heal that before the ACL surgery.

8/29/2014 6:12:11 PM