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Torn Quadriceps Tendon - Experiences?

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Torn Quadriceps Tendon - Experiences?

Old 06-20-19, 06:52 AM
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Torn Quadriceps Tendon - Experiences?

Hello,

I just tore my quadriceps tendon in a mountain climbing fall. Not as exciting as it sounds, did the Presidential Traverse and was 2 miles from the trailhead when I lost focus and caught the tip of my shoe and went down and tore the tendon. Needed to be carried off on a litter.

Looking for anyone who may have had a similar injury and could share their recovery experience. I'm having surgery next Thursday to reattach the tendon. I'll be in a fixed brace for 6 weeks with an estimated 6 months for recovery. I'm a fit 64 yo male. I'm guessing the age is a negative but hopefully the fitness level is a positive.

Any replies would be appreciated!

Thanks
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Old 06-21-19, 06:10 AM
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Over 5 years ago I took a stumble in an attic which resulted in a "right vastus lateralis musculotendinous junction tear with retraction" (how's that for a mouthful!) I never had surgery, the pain subsided by itself in time with help of physical therapy. But to this day I've never re-gained strength in that leg. A neurologist finally determined with a nerve conduction study that I had simultaneously damaged my femoral nerve. He ordered a pelvic MRI but it revealed nothing to fix. I could not enjoy cycling any more with the weakened leg and walked with a severe limp, so I was referred on to a "physiologist". He said I should go to a local adaptive sports center to learn to ride a hand cycle. Primary care had a more realistic suggestion...use an ebike. That worked and has me smiling again!

Hopefully your condition does not include the permanent nerve damage and surgery fixes it. My initial fall in the attic may have been predisposed by statin drug use. I never tolerated them well and they weakened my muscles. Have to take them though for CAD.

I think I read about your fall in the local newspaper. Was that in the White Mt Presidentials?
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Old 06-21-19, 06:37 AM
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Jumped off a small rock in Arches National Park in Utah and heard/felt a pop in my left knee just above the patella. Torn quadriceps tendon, thankfully, not completely torn. Got down off the mountain with the help of my sons. Had surgery about 1 week later. It has been about 2 years and the knee feels great. I was back skating (hockey) on it in 6months. I would say it took a little longer (12-18months) to feel comfortable descending stairs. Absolutely no problem cycling. It may feel a little sore after a long intense ride (century) but that only lasts a day. After the surgery you feel like you learning to walk all over again. You'll wonder if you ever walk normally again. but you will. BTW this happened when I was 56y/o
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Old 06-21-19, 04:12 PM
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Yes that was me.... I was doing the Traverse. After a long day I was on Crawford Path heading to the trailhead at Crawford Notch. Just a moment of inattention and down I went :>(


Originally Posted by BobG
Over 5 years ago I took a stumble in an attic which resulted in a "right vastus lateralis musculotendinous junction tear with retraction" (how's that for a mouthful!) I never had surgery, the pain subsided by itself in time with help of physical therapy. But to this day I've never re-gained strength in that leg. A neurologist finally determined with a nerve conduction study that I had simultaneously damaged my femoral nerve. He ordered a pelvic MRI but it revealed nothing to fix. I could not enjoy cycling any more with the weakened leg and walked with a severe limp, so I was referred on to a "physiologist". He said I should go to a local adaptive sports center to learn to ride a hand cycle. Primary care had a more realistic suggestion...use an ebike. That worked and has me smiling again!

Hopefully your condition does not include the permanent nerve damage and surgery fixes it. My initial fall in the attic may have been predisposed by statin drug use. I never tolerated them well and they weakened my muscles. Have to take them though for CAD.

I think I read about your fall in the local newspaper. Was that in the White Mt Presidentials?
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Old 06-21-19, 04:14 PM
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Oops, forgot to thank everyone for the replies!
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Old 06-28-19, 02:43 AM
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Surgery was yesterday. lasted about 1.5 hours. The surgeons told my wife that the tear was a complete one, but they said everything went quite well.

My last memory was of getting a leg block intended to mitigate the post-op pain. They said it didn’t work. The worse pain I can feel so far is in my patella where they drilled the anchor holes for the sutures. It’s like a very strong ache. They already want me to put weight on the lag and I have my 1st PT session Tuesday morning.

Thanks again for the replies!!
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Old 06-28-19, 04:57 PM
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Originally Posted by rayman54
Surgery was yesterday. lasted about 1.5 hours. The surgeons told my wife that the tear was a complete one, but they said everything went quite well.

My last memory was of getting a leg block intended to mitigate the post-op pain. They said it didn’t work. The worse pain I can feel so far is in my patella where they drilled the anchor holes for the sutures. It’s like a very strong ache. They already want me to put weight on the lag and I have my 1st PT session Tuesday morning.

Thanks again for the replies!!
Wow! Hip surgery and upper leg surgery to PT latency always amazes me.

Congrats, sorry about the nerve block, and good luck.

-mr. bill
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Old 06-28-19, 05:52 PM
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I tore mine when an F150 pulled in front of me on my motorcycle at 40mph. Surreal experience, both the wreck and the surgery. Some kids/medical students at UCLA Harbor medical center sewed up the torn tendon; I remember them playing rap music in the operating room while working on me (I was under epidural and morphine so feeling no pain). The one and only time I can remember actually liking rap. Anyway, my leg was fixtured straight so as to not pull on the sutured tendon and after 6 weeks or so I couldn't bend the knee at all. PT to get back range of motion was excruciating. The real turning point was when I could bend the knee enough to get the pedal stroke over the top. After that I was on the bike and the knee loosened up nicely thereafter.
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