Ruptured ACL in hypermobile child

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alexander47
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Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:02 am
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by alexander47 on Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 am

Ruptured ACL in hypermobile child

Hello,

My son completely ruptured his ACL 3 weeks ago playing rugby. He has been listed for reconstruction and the waiting time will be about 6 months. I am worried because the registrar he saw mentioned the possibility of surgery damaging the growth plate in his knee. I am also worried that he has neither been advised to build up his knee muscles in any way before the surgery and his quadriceps muscles are already quite weak as his knee is still swollen and very unstable, nor been offered any kind of knee brace to prevent further damage while he is waiting for surgery. I'm not convinced that the surgeon has done many of these procedures in a child his age (13) before, especially one who is very hypermobile - Beighton score 6/9. Can anyone offer any advice? I don't want to offend anyone as the local hospital has been very helpful, seeing him really quickly and I will need them for rehab after the surgery but obviously I want the best for my son and will go anywhere for the correct advice. Is growth plate damage common and should he wait until he is fully grown are my two main questions?

Thank you so much.

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wendygreen
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Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 8:23 pm
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by wendygreen on Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:50 pm

Re: Ruptured ACL in hypermobile child

Hi,

I'm afraid I'm unable to answer your question directly, as I don't have the expertise.

However what I can say is that if you're not happy with this particular surgeon performing the operation, or with the registrar's pre-op care, then I'd see your GP to discuss your concerns. The NHS normally offers a choice of hospitals through Choose & Book, so you should have been offered options. This would then give you the opportunity to check the different hospitals' and surgeons' ratings and reviews online, before making a decision.

I hope this helps.

Wendy
Wendy Green
Health Expert & Author - BSc (Hons) Health Studies
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alexander47
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Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:02 am
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by alexander47 on Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:37 pm

Re: Ruptured ACL in hypermobile child

[quote="wendygreen"]Hi,

I'm afraid I'm unable to answer your question directly, as I don't have the

You probably shouldn't have answered this then because you may have prevented someone who does know something from replying. Also, choosing a surgeon by online reviews like an Amazon book, is probably not the most sensible option for a child.

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Arthritis Care
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Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 10:27 am
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by Arthritis Care on Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:38 pm

Re: Ruptured ACL in hypermobile child

Hi alexander47

I can appreciate that you may well feel concerned about what to do for the best. Can you put a question to this surgeon's team about how much of this kind of repair work their perform in young adolescents with hypermobility?

I wonder whether you've been able to express your concerns to your GP yet? It might be worth asking if one of the practice has a special interest in musculoskeletal problems and whether they'd talk to you?

Would you consider getting a second opinion at different centre (perhaps an orthopaedic centre?) Some people do this privately (for speed) and if they prefer the other centre ask to be referred there on the NHS.

If you'd like some medical advice, a physiotherapist who is experienced in adolescents might be of use to you.

If you'd like a confidential chat you are welcome to ring our Source helpline at Arthritis Care. We are not medically qualified, but are there to offer information and support.
Tel 0808 800 2000 10am - 4pm weekdays

Very best wishes

Guy
Arthritis Care

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