Knee Update & Announcing

My knee is slooooowly improving.  Like, really slowly.  But I do see definite signs of improvement.

It looks like I will probably have to sit out Cactus though.  The registration deadline is 6/3.  While I *ought* to be back on the ice before then, 3 months off the ice is not going to leave me in a very competitive state so... it seems like best would be to skip Cactus and just prep for the Sherwood competition a month later.  I need a new free skate anyway.

I am off to Oregon tomorrow for work, with a side trip/vacation up to Seattle to volunteeer (announcing and/or music) for Ice Fest.  I'm also going to be announcing for the Desert Breeze competition in June at Chandler, and probably for Cactus although I've not received any confirmation on that yet.  I was also asked to announce for a competition in June in Portland (Lloyd Center) which could have been way cool but it's the same weekend as Desert Breeze.  Nice that they thought of me though!

Update On My Knee

I met with the doctor this morning.  Good news!  I will not need surgery, and I don't have a meniscus tear.  I have a severely bruised femoral condyle and a mild MCL sprain.  Doc wants me on crutches for 3 weeks (no weight bearing at all) and that should improve things.

The long version from the radiology folks:

Findings:

The menisci are normal in morphology and signal without tear.

There is moderate edema along the MCL consistent with reactive medial jointline edema or moderate MCL sprain.  The anterior cruciate ligament is normal in appearance.  The fibular collateral ligament appears normal.  The PCL, biceps femoris, iliotibial band, popliteus tendon and posterolateral capsular appear normal.  The quadriceps and patellar tendons are unremarkable.

The patella is properly located in the trochlear groove.  There is a small joint effusion.  There is near full-thickness cartilage fissuring of the medial patellar faced over a small 4 mm x 5 mm area seen on axial image 8.  There is a large amount of abnormal increased proton density signal intensity and decreased T1 signal intensity in the medial femoral condyle emanating from the central weight-bearing region of the medial femoral condyle.  No linear or impacted fracture is seen at this time.  Remaining bone marrow signal intensity is normal.

No Baker's cyst is seen.  No ganglion cyst or soft tissue mass is seen surrounding the knee.

CONCLUSION:

1. There is a severe bone contusion of the medial femoral condyle with some mild sclerosis along the central weight-bearing region of the medial femoral condyle.  No linear or impacted subchondral fracture is seen and no overlying osteochondral defect is identified.  No specific features of avascular necrosis are seen at this time. Follow up MRI may prove useful in 4-6 seeks to reassess for improvement if there are persistent or worsening clinical concerns.

2. Moderate grade II MCL sprain vs. reactive medial jointline edema.

3. There is no evidence of meniscal tear or cruciate ligament injury.

4. Focal grade III chondromalacia patella.