A bright future awaited Ramesh, the 19 year old National level Taekwondo competitor. Hard work and perseverance had finally paid off and he stood poised for a great run when he was involved in a match collision. When his right knee gave way the first time, he passed off the episode for weakness. He ignored the next two but was in a panic when it happened the fourth time at the start of a bout.

He was being rushed to a specialty in Bangalore when his father intervened and insisted on being taken first to MIOT International, Chennai for a specialist consultation in Sports Medicine before any kind of treatment was undertaken.

The swelling and pain that had set in initially increased considerably by the 4th week, severely affecting his range of movements. He was conscious of every knee movement and used his right knee sparingly.

Clear diagnosis

At MIOT the Specialist for Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy recommended surgery as he identified that the right knee lacked the same degree of stability as compared to the left side. He then underwent an MRI which confirmed that there was a complete tear of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament is a ligament in the human knee) with LCL (lateral collateral ligament a cord-like ligament on the outer side of the knee) injury.

 Hesitant choice

Even after a detailed explanation of his condition and the recommended ACL surgical solution Ramesh was not sure of the outcome. Ramesh was very apprehensive about undergoing surgery as he was worried about the effects on his future as a Taekwondo player. His confidence grew when his doctors explained that a double draft would be done in his case, given that Taekwondo is a contact sport. They assured him that he could return to the game in 4 months.

ACL SURGERY is usually undertaken to keep the tibia from moving too far forward under the femur bone and to get the knee functioning normally again. Of the two grafts commonly used to repair a torn ACL, one is a strip of the patellar tendon below the kneecap while the other is the hamstring tendon graft.

Complete Recovery

He had a closely monitored post operative recovery that was event free. He was later mobilised with the assistance of a physiotherapist who drew up an aggressive, customised plan for him to recover the use of his damaged knee. A daily inspection of his surgical wound recorded good and healthy progress. An MRI undertaken as part of the review after 2 weeks showed that the graft repair had healed well.

 More good news

4 months later, he resumed his Taekwondo practice. When he stood on the podium at the National Taekwondo Championship 2017 the agony of the past one year seemed a distant memory. All the effort and sacrifice had been worth it.

Advantage MIOT

At MIOT International our specialists provide expert treatment for all kinds of injuries sustained during professional, amateur and recreational sports.

Aided by advanced imaging technology they diagnose muscular, ligamentous & joint injuries & non accidental disorders accurately. Specific treatments range from non operative methods to the latest surgical procedures using the latest implants and advanced equipment.

The rehabilitation service comprising a dedicated team of physiotherapists with skills to handle both general & sports specific rehabilitation along with state of the art equipment complement specialists.

*Patient’s name has been changed to protect his privacy

Leave a reply