Cruciate ligaments :

RECONSTRUCTIVE ACL'S IN THE UNDER 9'S - - Posted by NICJT (NICJT), 12 January 2005

MY SON HAD A RECONSTRUCTIVE ACL OP LAST FEB 2004 AFTER A BAD SKIING ACCIDENT, HE WAS 8 AT THE TIME, ONE MONTH OF HIS 9TH BIRTHDAY.

THE SURGEON IN WINDSOR TOLD US HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS DUE TO INSTABILITY, IF HE DID, HE WOULD MOST LIKELY DAMAGE THE KNEE FURTHER.  WE WERE ALSO TOLD HE WOULD HAVE ARTHRITIS AND NEED A REPLACEMENT KNEE IN HIS TWENTIES.

ALL THIS CONSIDERED, WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD.  WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS MINISCULE CHANCES OF THE GROWTH PLATES BEING AFFECTED.  THIS WAS NOT AN OP FOR SPORT BUT FOR NORMAL LIFE WE WERE TOLD.

9 MONTHS OF HARD PHYSIO, PAIN, SWEAT AND TEARS ON ALL OUR PARTS, HE IS NOW BACK TO COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL, TENNIS AND GENERAL SPORT.

I RECENTLY READ THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT GROWTH PLATES AND HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BRING HIM BACK 18MONTHS AFTER THE OP FOR AN X RAY TO SEE IF HIS GROWTH HAS BEEN AFFECTED.  

I AM STILLCLINGING ON TO THE HOPE THAT IT IS A MINISCULE RISK AS I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD BUT WITH A FUTURE OF NO, OR LIMITED SPORT VERSUS A SMALL RISK WE TOOK IT!

HE ACTUALLY BECAME VERY DOWN DURING HIS RECOVERY PERIOD, NO SPORT FOR 9 MONTHS IS TOUGH, NO RUNNING OR PLAYGROUND FOR 3/4 MONTHS VERY ANTISOCIAL FOR A BUSY 9 YEAR OLD.

WE ARE NOW THROUGH THAT BUT I OBVIOUSLY HAVE CONCERNS.  HE HAS GROWN OVER 2 INCHES THIS YEAR SO I SHALL WAIT WITH BAITED BREATH FOR HIS X RAY RESULTS NEXT SUMMER 05.  HE IS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE YOUNGEST UK PATIENTS.

ANY GROWTH PLATE INFORMATION GRATEFULLY RECEIVED.

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