Nearly Killed in a Car Crash

Ouch! That Hurt! Whilst driving home from work after my shift late at night I was nearly killed in a car crash. This is my recovery journal.

The car in front of me could see what had happened and took evasive action, but I did not have a chance as we were both travelling at approximately 60mph. We collided head-on at these speeds, the impact destroying the front half of my car. Unfortunately, my legs were also in the front half of the car, and they were trapped between the floor (which had buckled and risen) and under the dash. It took the emergency services over an hour and a half to cut me from the wreck. Thankfully, I am still alive, and considering the nature of the crash, I have escaped with relatively few injuries.

Ouch! That Hurt!

I have a torn ligament on my left ankle, deep lacerations on my left knee (15 stitches), multiple fractures to my left arm (I have had an operation to put all the pieces back and I have a metal plate and four screws, 19 stitches), my right knee cap was shattered (I had two operations to reconstruct it, again more metal and 17 stitches), crack to the right-hand side of my hips and I have severe and painful chest bruising from the seatbelt with suspected fractures on two ribs and sternum.

I was taken to the cardiac care unit before being moved to orthopaedic wards, and I was in the hospital for two weeks. Now I am home and can start healing properly, although recovering will take a long time. All I can do at the moment is lie around with an arm and leg in plaster, unable to move much because of the pain in my ribs. At least I can use my laptop and watch TV!

I want to thank all the emergency services that attended, especially Police Constable Sean White, one of the first on the scene. He stayed with me the whole time, kept me awake and talking, administered first aid, and kept me comfortable with blankets despite being unable to take shelter from the rain himself. All the fire crews were fantastic; they did their best to cut me out as quickly as possible with the minimum discomfort to myself. The ambulance crews were also fantastic, keeping the pain down with morphine and making me comfortable. Last but by no means least, everybody in Frenchay Hospital who looked after me for two weeks; everyone in A&E, Helen and Fiona in CCU ward 103, and all the staff in Ward 202, where I spent most of my time, and last but not least, the surgeons who did a great job of putting me back together. They were all fantastic. Thank you.

This is what's left of my Civic, not a lot. I didn't see the wreck myself, but I'm told there wasn't a straight panel to be found. See how the exhaust is flattened? That was due to the car lifting off the ground during the impact and landing with considerable force. The boot lid is a few inches clear of the rest of the bodywork, as are the doors; the whole car is banana-shaped.

2006/03/17 - Just had the Stitches Removed

I've been back in the hospital again today and had the stitches out on my right knee; the wound is looking very good.

I am to have more x-rays next week on my knee, and there is a possibility that the physios may be starting to get movement back into it already. Hopefully, the screws and wires will help strengthen the bone so that the full leg plaster can come off sooner. My left knee looks very good now; a nice 6-inch scar around the kneecap has healed nicely. The ligament in my ankle is still very tender. I don't know about the wound on my arm; I haven't seen it since the stitches came out last week, as it is under the plaster. It still hurts, though, and my fingers have varying degrees of numbness. I can't move my thumb much, but it's still in the early days.

Below is a picture of my left knee (the 'good' one!) taken 21 days after the operation.

2006/04/03 - Ribs have been Very Painful

My ribs have been very painful the past week. Anything that involves bending, twisting, or moving the rib cage (including sneezing, coughing, blowing nose, and breathing) has been very painful.

It is only just starting to go from a very sharp stabbing pain to a barely tolerable one. The doctor says it will be painful for up to another three months, but because of the nature of rib injuries, there is nothing they can do except give strong painkillers, codeine, in my case. Still, this has given me time to catch up on a lot of work that I keep putting off, including the development of this site.

2006/04/11 - Plaster Casts due to be Removed

Plaster casts off today!!! I've been looking forward to this day for many weeks now. It's no fun having your arm and leg in plaster.

I had a call from the hospital to say that the ambulance had been to the house, but there was no answer. Well, it wasn't my house because I'd been sitting looking out the window waiting for them for the past hour and a half. Turns out they went to the wrong address. They were on the other side of Bristol and could not return for me. :(

I have to wait until next Tuesday (the 18th) because my consultant is only in the clinic on Tuesdays. Everything had been very good until the NHS Ambulance Service merger - the ambulance was usually a bit late, but I always got to the Hospital. This was to be the first journey after the merger, and it never happened.

2006/04/19 - Plasters Casts Removed (Really!)

Today, my plaster casts were removed. No, really! They are finally off. It was supposed to be last week, but there was a problem with the Ambulance, so it was arranged for yesterday. However, there was yet another problem with the transport.

Even though the administration may be a little off, the crew themselves were very apologetic and couldn't have been nicer, but I don't blame them for what happened. The important thing is that the plaster casts are off, and I can start to move my limbs again. That's the theory, anyway. Since there was extensive damage in my knee and wrist and I had been in plaster for eight weeks, I was unable to move them. They told me that movement would start to come back soon and that it would take some time to regain full movement.

2006/04/21 - Physiotherapy Starts at Home

I had my first proper physiotherapy session today. One of the occupational physiotherapists at home visited me at home to help get me mobilised.

She started getting movement into my knee, but it was so painful. We eventually managed to get 40 degrees of movement, but it hurt when she pushed downwards on my leg to get the joint moving. She is forcing my leg to bend, and my leg is resisting as the muscles have seized up. My wrist is more problematic as I cannot move or lift my wrist. It seems locked as if something is in the way, and I only have a little movement downwards, which is painful. I cannot move it from side to side, and there is still quite a bit of numbness.

2006/04/24 - I can Finally get in a Car!

Passenger only, of course! My second physiotherapy session was less painful. I have been doing the exercises from Friday's session, which has improved my ability to get to 40 degrees without pain, but I haven't made any improvement on that.

We did another session on my knee and increased movement to 55 degrees; still painful, but it was not as much as before. Still no improvement in my wrist; I have an appointment to see the consultant next week and will discuss that. I now have enough bends in my knee to get in a car, and the physio showed me the best way to get in and out with a straight leg. It's not very dignified, but I no longer have to rely on the ambulance for transport, which is good.

2006/04/26 - First Car Journey since the Accident!

Today was my first time in a moving car since the accident. It felt very weird to be moving and to be able to see where I was going, as I was always lying down facing the back of the ambulance.

There were no psychological side effects from the accident, and I felt perfectly fine as a passenger. My mum took me to the hospital physiotherapy department, where I had a gentle session where they were getting to know me and my injuries. We did a few exercises to strengthen supporting muscles, but no further pushing of the bend in the knee or wrist until the consultant saw me next week. The scars are healing well now, and all the scabs have come off.

2006/05/03 - Good news from the Insurance People

I chased my insurance company today, as I have not heard anything since the beginning of March about the car and the claim.

For some reason, the insurance company has not sent an engineer to see the car yet - over two months since the accident! The garage that the car was taken to has confirmed that the car is a definite insurance write-off, though (not surprising, as the roof was cut off, and the front wheels were back where the doors were). Also, the third-party driver has admitted full liability for the accident, so even though I knew I was not at fault, I am relieved to hear it officially.

2006/05/04 - Knee Healing Well as Physio Continues

I have seen the doctor and physiotherapist; both are pleased with my progress.

My doctor has said that at this stage, he can't see why I can't regain full use of my arm and knee over time, but it will require a lot of work. However, there will always be a weakness in my knee, and I may suffer problems later in life. I may also have a slight limp. The physiotherapist has given me some more exercises; the consultant is happy for them to push movement into the knee as much as they feel happy with. After today's session, I am up to 90 degrees of movement, which sounds like a lot, but it isn't enough to sit comfortably on a chair normally.

2006/05/14 - Problems with my Wrist

I've had a little setback with my wrist injury... While using my dad's PDA, my left wrist became stiff, and I could not turn my hand from palm up to palm down to put the PDA down. Eventually, I turned my hand over with a sharp click and a burning pain in my wrist, which lasted a few minutes, and it now clicks each time I rotate it. There is also some swelling on the forearm, which wasn't there earlier. I'm due to see the physiotherapist tomorrow, so I'll see what she makes of it.

2006/05/15 - Wrist looks bad, sent to X-Ray

I had a physiotherapy session today, but as soon as I showed her my wrist, she had a little feel of it and sent me immediately down to A&E to get some x-rays, as she was not happy with how it looked.

Having waited a bit, I had a few wrist x-rays and was followed up by a talk with one of the doctors. He called in a specialist orthopaedic doctor who had a look and could not find anything serious. The internal fixtures are all secure, and there is no sign of infection. He has scheduled me to see the senior orthopaedic consultant tomorrow.

2006/05/16 - Wrist has been given the OK

I saw the consultant today about my wrist pain, swelling, clicking and movement. He had a good feel for my wrist, and after a long examination of the X-rays and a comparison with previous ones, my wrist was given the ok.

It is most likely some soft tissue, either damaged in the crash and starting to "come alive" again, soft tissue stiff due to lack of use, or I slightly pulled something. Either way, they don't believe it's serious, and I should take it easy for a bit, using ice packs to help with the swelling.

2006/05/18 - Physio Continues after the last Setback

Physiotherapy sessions started again today, this time getting on the exercise bike for the second time. Last time, I did not have enough bends in my knee to cycle even one revolution - unless the seat was at the highest setting - and my feet would not reach the pedals! This time, however, I had more movement and could slowly pedal at less than one mph; the speed was not even registering. My leg and knee were very weak and painful afterwards, and I could hardly walk without the aid of crutches.

2006/06/06 - Physiotherapy is still Progressing Well

Physiotherapy sessions are progressing well; my knee movement is up to 130 degrees now, and my "good" knee is 155 degrees. Strength-wise, it is still very painful and weak but steadily strengthens daily. I have included a photo of the scar on my wrist with a ruler for comparison. It's a little over 4 inches long, and the scars from the stitches are fading away nicely.

2006/06/08 - Progress going well

My knee now has nearly the full range of movement, which is good, but the muscle is still very weak. After 10 minutes of walking, it starts to shake and give way. I am, however, making such good progress that my physiotherapist doesn't want to see me for a week, and the second week, she is on holiday, making it a fortnight. Up to now, I have been having weekly sessions, so this will be the longest time not going in for a session. In the meantime, I have to get out and have a purposeful 20-minute walk each day and two 20-minute sessions on the exercise bike. This is on top of all the static exercises I do on my quads and calf muscles. This will help to strengthen the muscle, not to mention get me fit! My wrist, on the other hand, has not shown any signs of improvement over the past few weeks. I am seeing the consultant on 13th June, so we'll see what he says then.

2006/06/13 - Consultant is Happy not to See me Again

My consultant at the hospital is very happy with the progress I have made over the past few months and does not wish to see me again unless I have any further problems. It is still looking hopeful that I will make a full recovery, and I am still to continue physiotherapy as required, but they haven't given me any indication of how long this could take. I can walk for about 30 minutes before my knee gets too tired and gives way, and I can't sit with my leg in the same position for more than 10 minutes without it being painful.

2006/06/19 - First Day back at Work after the Accident

Today was my first day back at work after my recent car smash, which left me with multiple fractures to my right kneecap and left wrist, cracked two ribs and left lots of bruising to my chest, and tore some ligaments in my left knee and ankle (the accident was not my fault). I have only returned on light duties at the moment as I can't drive in or travel off-site for support calls, nor can I lift heavy weights, but I can answer the phones and do some light desk duty like answering phones and typing - which takes the load off my colleagues and leaves them more time to do the on and off-site support visits.

2006/06/26 - Very Pleased with my Recovery

I have made very good progress over the past two weeks. I have almost a full range of movement in my knee, but it is still painful when fully bent. The muscles are still very weak, and it is very painful when I put a load on my knee (i.e. standing up from sitting or climbing stairs). I have been told to avoid kneeling on the right knee, If possible, as there is a weakness in the joint, and it could be easily damaged or fractured again. My wrist has settled down a bit now, and I have a new set of exercises for it, with lightweight weights, to build up my strength again. As usual, all my injured joints are throbbing after a physiotherapy session! Hopefully, they will feel better when I return to work tomorrow!

2006/08/18 - Adding Insult to Injury

The doctors and physio recently cleared me to begin driving again, following on from the serious car crash I was involved in (I was the innocent victim; the guy who hit me has admitted full responsibility). My insurance company have paid out for the loss of my car (minus the excess) and is waiting for the third party to send payment so they can recover their costs. Until they recover the costs, the incident is a claim on my policy, which means that I have lost all my no-claims bonus... which means that it is next to impossible to get insurance on any fast car, and I will be paying an excessive amount on any moderate to slow car. I have zero no-claims discount until the third-party insurers see fit to pass payment to my insurance company. This could happen next week... or next year. So until then, I am a high-risk, dangerous, reckless driver and should not be insured (at least that's what the insurance computers say)

It makes you sick that innocent people pay such a high price for somebody else mistakes. I bet the other guys are back on the road, driving around as if nothing had happened. So much for getting a high-performance Japanese import for my 25th birthday!

2006/09/29 - Some Good News

It seems time to update with new news, as I haven't been updating for a while. It's been busy the last few weeks - starting a new job (e-procurement Programmer, still with the same company, just moving down the corridor), I'm starting a course at the University of Central Lancashire by distance learning, where I will be studying Astronomy.

On a slightly negative note, however, there are some complications with my wrist injuries. I likely have a subluxation of the radial-ulnar joint caused by damage to the TFCC (Tri-fibrous cartilage complex). This means that the ulna (the small bone in the arm) is not properly held at the wrist, and when turning from the palm up to the palm down, the bone moves excessively. Physio has stopped working on my wrist again, and I am waiting for an appointment to see a specialist hand surgeon.

2006/10/16 - Back in the Driving Seat

Today was my first time driving since the accident I was involved in back in late February. Since my insurance company have refused to insure me for less than £1400 on a Ford Escort and most other cars were just a point-blank refusal, I have had to be added as a named driver to my parent's Ford Ka policy. I was a little rusty for a few minutes, but I soon got comfortable again, and I am now driving perfectly fine again; for short journeys, there is no uneasiness or discomfort whilst driving, physical or physiologically.

2006/11/27 - Mysteries of the Wrist Injury

Problems with my wrist continue to hamper my day-to-day activities, although most of the time, I can find an alternative method. On a bad day, I do not have enough grip strength in the fingers of my left wrist to open a packet of crisps.

My consultant at the hospital has seen me on numerous occasions and is unable to find the exact cause of the problem, but he suspects that there is a problem with the Tri-fibrous cartilage complex or some ligaments. He referred me to a specialist hand surgeon at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, where I was this afternoon.

He can see a definite problem with my wrist, but the initial examination could not identify the cause. The X-ray examination revealed no problem with how the bone healed or the internal plate, so the problem was with the soft tissue. Ideally, he would like me to have an MRI scan so that he can see the layers of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Unfortunately, due to the metal plate in my arm, the scanner would not work. He will, therefore, need to perform an exploratory wrist arthroscopy, which involves inserting a camera by keyhole surgery directly into my wrist and looking around. This is likely to happen sometime in the New Year.

2006/11/29 - Clinical Studies

Following on from the treatment I received for my wrist injury back in February, I have been invited back to the hospital for a further diagnosis and progress report to gain a better understanding of myself and the clinic to understand how I have progressed and how effective the treatment has been.

After discussing the consultation on Monday, the consultant performed three tests on my hand: wrist grip strength, pinch grip strength and one on movement. Wrist-grip strength is measured with a hand dynamometer that is squeezed as hard as possible. My right (good) wrist has a strength of 55kg, whilst my left (bad) wrist is less than half that at 23kg. Pinch grip strength is measured by squeezing a dynamometer between my thumb and first finger, with my left hand scoring less than half that of my right at 53kg and 17kg. The final test was to bring my little finger and thumb together with my wrist bent down and facing me. I was unable to do this, which is indicative of ligament damage. I will have to wait for a wrist arthroscopy to confirm this in the New Year.

I have also started taking Glucosamine Hydrochloride supplements as they have been recommended for repairing and maintaining healthy joints and cartilage, and since I have two bad joints (knee as well), I decided to try them. Too early to see any effect yet.

2007/02/16 - Discharged from Physio

I have now been discharged from the Physiotherapy Department at Frenchay Hospital. They feel there is nothing more they can do to help; any more improvement will be down to me.

Over the past four months, I have been taking Glucosamine Hydrochloride supplements as suggested by my physiotherapist, and I have made a lot of progress. I can now do most things I could do before the accident. However, outside controlled physio sessions, I have not tried high-impact activities (jogging, running, jumping, etc.). The physiotherapist I saw suggested caution over these activities, as they will put great stress on the joints. He suggested I start or limit myself to running on grass and working from there.

I also have trouble getting out of the driver's side of a car if the door cannot be opened fully. This pain is the same as I was experiencing when walking upstairs six months ago, so we are hopeful that time will strengthen the muscles and joints as it has done before.

2007/04/09 - Going back to Hospital

I have now got a date for my next wrist operation, and I have already had a pre-op examination - in a couple of weeks, I will be having an arthroscopy to find out just what is going on in my wrist.

I have poor grip strength and limited weight-holding capacity (I can only hold about 3-4kg in my left hand; otherwise, my wrist hurts in the joint). As I turn my hand from palm down to palm up, my ulna (the little bone in the arm) dislocates from the rest of my wrist. The consultant I saw believes that this is because of damage to the Triangular Fibro-Cartilage Complex (TFCC), which is the major stabiliser of the wrist joint.

During the procedure, the surgeon will insert a camera into my wrist in a couple of locations and examine the joint and soft tissue; if this confirms that the TFCC is causing a problem, he will open my wrist again and fix the problem. If it isn't the TFCC causing the problem, then it is back to the drawing board.

2007/05/24 - Accident Damage to my Wrist

I have seen the consultant following up on my recent wrist arthroscopy, where he informed me that during the surgery, he found no damage to my Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC), which was his prime candidate for my wrist instability. He has now concluded that a tendon is to blame and that he will be able to repair this injury, however, it will be a more complicated procedure, not without risk. This procedure should result in greater stability of my wrist joint. However, it may sacrifice the range of movement. There is also a risk of nerve damage resulting in loss of feeling in my palm. However, this risk is low. This will also mean that I will require more time off work and will be in plaster from above my elbow to my fingers for approximately 6-8 weeks after the operation. Fingers Crossed!

2007/06/07 - Distal Volar Radius Plate

I have tracked down a website which sells the same sort of plate that was fitted in my wrist after the car crash I was a victim of. For anybody interested, it is called a Distal Volar Radius Plate and is marketed by a company called Biomet.

They also offer a surgical technique guide, which contains detailed instructions for the installation of the plate. WARNING: This is a detailed guide with photos. Do not view this document if you have a weak stomach! The first link is safe to view; it only shows the plate and descriptive text.

Two of my other scars were caused by an external locking device, which was used to keep my wrist stable during the surgery.

I am still waiting for another operation to correct my distal radial, ulnar joint instability, which has been causing problems since the accident.

2007/09/19 - There's a 5 o'clock in the morning?

Today is the day of my final wrist op, where they are going to graft in some tendons to reconstruct my wrist joint.

Following a car crash I was an innocent victim of last year, I have been left with an instability of my left radial-ulnar joint. Back in May, I had a wrist arthroscopy to determine the cause of the instability, and hopefully, today, it will be fixed. I believe that the procedure being used is a palmaris longus tendon graft, as outlined in this article: Hand Case of the Week. I don't know if that's what will happen, but it sounds very similar.

Following the operation, I will be in a plaster cast for about 4-6 weeks, from above my elbow to my fingers, and then there will be lots more physiotherapy.

Well, I have to go to the hospital now (6 AM). I'll try to post again when I return home in a few days.

2007/09/22 - Back home from Hospital

I'm back home from the Hospital now. I don't know much about the operation to fix the instability in my distal radial-ulnar joint (DRUJ); it went as well as could be expected, and they are confident of a significant improvement in the stability of my wrist.

My arm is in plaster from my fingers to above my elbow, which is a lot less mobility than last time. I am currently taking a lot of painkillers, which just about manage the pain, and I have a sore throat from the tracheal tube used to help me breathe during the operation. All of this should pass in a few days.

The plaster will stay on for four weeks, and then I will have another one, which will be below my elbow. In between, then, I will also have to have the stitches taken out.

2007/10/22 - Still in Plaster...

Still in Plaster, but only one more week to go! It's been five weeks, and the plaster is getting on my nerves, itching underneath, joints painful and stiff, and I have the flu.

Haven't done any astronomy as it's been cloudy or misty lately, but I am about to start an Astrobiology course with the University of Central Lancashire, taught via distance learning in the same way as the Astronomy course. It should be interesting, and I'm looking forward to starting.

2007/10/29 - Finally Out of Plaster (Again!)

In my recent wrist operation to stabilise my distal radial, ulnar joint, I had a ligament reconstruction and tendon graft about six weeks ago. I have had an above-elbow plaster for four weeks, which was followed by a normal below-elbow plaster for a further two weeks.

Today, I saw the consultant, who is very pleased with my recovery so far and has given me a splint and referred me to physiotherapy for continued rehabilitation.

I still can't do anything with my wrist; it'll be another 4-6 weeks before the tendons have healed enough to allow me to carry anything or turn my wrist fully. Having only been out of plaster for a few hours, my wrist feels vulnerable, painful, and so stiff that I can hardly move it. Instead, I must do special wrist excesses ten times a day for the next week, avoiding putting any stress on the ligament repair or tendon graft. It's at the stage now where I need to get it moving. Otherwise, it will never be right, but it's at a very delicate stage - too much too soon will break it. I have to continue to take it easy until I see the consultant in another four weeks' time. At least I can wash it now!

During surgery, they went back into my wrist through the existing scar (which they trimmed back and made a lot neater) and through a new scar on the back of my wrist.

2007/11/12 - More Physio and Quantitative Results

I had another physio session at my local Hospital with yet another nice physiotherapist (I'm on my fourth now!), and she measured the range of movements and compared them to those taken in the hospital two weeks previously and found that the range of movement has improved a bit.

I had another physio session at my local Hospital with yet another nice physiotherapist (I'm on my fourth now!), and she measured the range of movements and compared them to those taken in the hospital two weeks previously and found that the range of movement has improved a bit. She also measured my grip strength with a hand dynamometer as performed before the operation in clinical studies where my good wrist scored 55kg and my bad wrist scored 23kg. This time, my bad wrist scored 16kg, which is quite poor; my right wrist scored 52kg with a good crack of all my knuckles.

It is still in the early days, and my overall wrist strength is very weak (I can't even hold a pint glass with it). A few more exercises to do for next time, focusing on strength, and it has been recommended that I squeeze something like a softball or stress reliever to help build strength.

2007/11/19 - Back in to see the Consultant

I saw one of the Doctors at the hospital again today, and she can see a big difference in my wrist in strength, stability and range of movement.

She was surprised at how much range of movement I had, considering I had only been out of plaster for six weeks. She has cleared me to progress onto lifting heavier weights and using them for daily activities, as long as they are pain-free, as directed by my physiotherapist, who will continue to work on my range of movement and grip strength.

Unless there are any problems, she does not want to see me again until January.

2007/11/26 - Good Progress in Physio Again

I had another physio session today, and she could see another big improvement in my range of movement. My wrist extension (moving wrist upwards) was up by 20° from the last time I saw her. She also measured my grip strength again, nearly double what it was last time at 28kg. Still early days, but this is better than before the operation when I could only achieve 26kg of pressure.

She has also said that I can progress onto light hand weights to start building the muscles back up. I must also massage the scar more vigorously to loosen up the scar tissue and keep plenty of ice on it to help the swelling decrease.

I have been using cocoa butter on the scar as it has been recommended to help scars fade quicker and keep them from drying out. While the scar looks much better than the old one, it is still very pink in the early days.

2007/12/10 - Discharged from Physio (again!)

I saw my physiotherapist again today. My wrist has improved significantly since the last time I saw her, both in flexibility and strength.

My left-hand grip strength is now up to 36kg compared with the 54kg of my right hand. Before the operation, I could barely manage 26kg.

She now feels that my wrist has improved so much that I no longer require physio sessions as there is no more they can do for me; I have to keep working on the exercises I already have until I see my consultant in January. He will decide then if I can fully load my wrist (i.e. weight bearing) and direct me as necessary. I may still have more physio at that stage to regain full use under load.

2009/09/02 - More Problems, More Scans...

I continue to have problems with my left ankle despite doctors and physiotherapists not being able to find any muscular-skeletal problems. Because of these problems, an independent consultant has recommended that I have an MRI scan to determine the cause.

I've been down to the private Bupa hospital this morning to have the scan, which involved me lying down with my leg in a giant polo mint for about 20 minutes. This machine uses giant magnets to detect and image various layers of tissue and bone inside my ankle and build up a model slice by slice.

2009/12/19 - MRI Scan Results

I've just had the MRI scan results back for my ankle problems. Hopefully, I can get a diagnosis and treatment now. During the car crash, I had an ankle injury, which was diagnosed as a sprained ankle, while I was in the hospital. It cleared up after about a week, but I continued to experience sharp pains, and my ankle gave out. I could be walking along quite normally, and the next step I take will be like walking on a sprained ankle, a sharp pain which causes me to lose footing and almost trip. It's not good when I'm in a bar or pub carrying a full glass of beer.

Anyway, I've been seen by a series of doctors and physiotherapists who could not find the cause of the problem, at least nothing muscular-skeletal. However, I was referred to have an MRI scan to examine the soft tissue. The results came back today, and I am relieved they found something! I'm not making this up!

The report is written in medical jargon (which I can normally decipher), so if anybody can help, please do!

There is inhomogeneous fat saturation on the coronal images. There is an oval area of fluid signal at the insertion of calcaneum but Achilles itself is of normal morphology. The remaining tendons and intrinsic ligaments are normal. There is no evidence of a fracture; there is a small amount of sub-chondral oedema in the plafond. There is a low signal on the T1 in this area, with a low signal across the anterior margin of the tibial plafond. There is an effusion of the ankle joint.

Opinion: Early degenerative changes at the ankle mortise. Features suggesting early insertional Achilles changes.

I have now been referred to an ankle specialist who will probably want to have a closer look via an arthroscopy sometime in the New Year.

2016/03/01 - Final Knee Surgery To Remove Bone Fragments From Joint

Ten years ago this month, I was involved in a serious car crash, which, among other things, shattered my kneecap. At the time, my knee was put back together with a few screws, and all was good, but a few years after the operation, it started to become more and more painful. I had several people look at it, each saying different things, ranging from arthritis and callus forming on the underside of the patella to muscle and ligament damage. Since I didn't want any major operations, I left these as they were and just tried to ignore the pain and get on with things, but last year, I had had enough of not being able to walk pain-free and having difficulty going up and down steps.

I went to the hospital, where I was seen by another specialist who ordered some X-rays and MRI scans, and these showed a few bone formations which shouldn't be there. The MRI also showed soft tissue formations, which could obstruct the joint or put pressure on nerves. However, it was made clear that the scans were not clear as to the exact cause; the only way to tell what was happening was to go in and look.

I agreed to an arthroscopy to fix any problems, which has just been done. During the procedure, they found that the bone fragments were little chips of bone in the cartilage. It wasn't clear if these were new fragments or had worked loose from the original fracture. These were removed, and surplus scar tissue was trimmed away from the cartilage behind the patella. This probably caused the patella to not sit correctly on the joint and put stress on the rest of the soft tissue.

The results have been more than I had hoped for. I can now walk and use steps completely pain-free; I can even run without my knee feeling like it will give in. The pain is so much less that I took no painkillers after the initial anaesthetic wore off. The pain from the operation was significantly less than the pain I was in before the operation.

I have a new knee, which is now the only option left should this one cause any problems in the future. That is many years away so that I will enjoy my new old knee for now.