Well I'll carry you, if you'll carry me, carry me

[venta]

The story begins at Day 1. The short version: I ruptured knee ligaments skiing and am still shuffling about slowly and painfully on crutches.

Most of last week was a little miserable (enlivened only by exciting encounters with MRI machines). The doctor had predicted on my previous visit that I might be walking carefully, without crutches or a legbrace, in the privacy of my own home, by the end of next week.

This seemed incredibly unlikely, as I didn't feel I was making any headway at all. Everything hurt, and everything seemed exactly as difficult as it had been for the past week or so. Sure, it was better than it had been immediately after falling over, but progress really didn't feel like it was being made.

Then, all of a sudden, I appeared to get better overnight. I bounded out of bed (for small values of bounded), I realised that I could put a little weight on my leg unsupported. I even shuffled a few steps across the living room without any crutches.

Most importantly, I realised that I could walk reasonably effectively for short periods with just one crutch. This is revelatory, because it means I can carry a cup of tea. Or indeed any of a large variety of household objects. If you can pick it up in one hand, and it's not unbalancingly heavy, I'm on it. This makes an enormous amount of practical difference to my day.

I've also realised that if you have an injured right leg knee[*], and are walking with one crutch, you want that crutch to be on your left hand side. This will, of course, not be news to anyone who's ever walked with a crutch or stick. But I'd assumed you'd want it on your injured side. The consultant confirmed that this is a pretty common mistake for people to make; most people rapidly work out that it isn't what they want after all.

The MRI machine, by the way, did produce proper pictures of my left leg and there is nothing sinister wrong with it. It is merely a ruptured medial ligament, which would be perfectly all right if I hadn't been hopping about on it for three weeks. It'll mend.

[*] Thanks to bopeepsheep for pointing out that what I said was overly general.

Comments

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

> I've also realised that if you have an injured right leg, and are walking with one crutch, you want that crutch to be on your left hand side.

I knew this, but only because it was in an episode of The Cosby Show (the main character is a doctor, of course).

[venta.livejournal.com]

It's all information, wherever it comes from :)

(And, having never seen The Cosby Show I had no idea it involved a doctor so the explanation was appreciated!)

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Looking back, it seems I spent the entire 1980s watching old sitcoms on Channel 4...

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

But I'd assumed you'd want it on your injured side. The consultant confirmed that this is a pretty common mistake for people to make; most people rapidly work out that it isn't what they want after all.
Not applicable to you, because knees are kinda different to other leg injuries, but ARGH NO THIS IS NOT A UNIVERSAL RULE. There was a kerfuffle a while back about House MD, because Hugh Laurie played him with the stick on the same side as the injured thigh (dead muscle). Yup, that is the correct way to do it if you have that kind of injury. People who over-correct because they've been told the simple version "opposite side to the injury" are annoying to those of us who know exactly what we're doing with our sticks and why. :)

(I am still using mine on the side with the damaged shoulder, because with a back injury it actually doesn't matter which side you hold your stick, it's all mere preference, and this means I don't carry heavy objects with the duff arm.)

[venta.livejournal.com]

In fairness to my specialist, he was specifically talking about knee injuries of the kind I have. The over-generalisation was mine!

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

I'm rather relieved to hear that, as I would hope doctors wouldn't generalise like that - but I fear some of them do! My physio - who knows my consultant from university days - is very voluble on the topic of consultants who suggest unhelpful exercises to patients that she then has to sort out. :)

You're absolutely right about knees though. It's not obvious until you try it, I suspect. Glad to hear you've made such improvements that you've found it out for yourself. Hot beverages all round! :D

[venta.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

It's surprisingly exciting. Yesterday I cooked my own lunch - by cooked I do mean "put Tesco stuffed pasta in boiling water and put Tesco pre-made sauce in a pan". But I drained the pasta and put both bits in a bowl and carried it back to the table and ate it. It was a very satisfying meal :-)

[ceb.livejournal.com]

you want that crutch to be on your left hand side

I got told this by the physio when I knackered my ankle too. It seems counterintuitive but then you try it and oh yeah, that does work quite a lot better...

Glad you're gradually mending! Your new-found tea-freedom sounds wonderful :-)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Thank you!