Urgent advice needed!

[Mohit_C]

Hello everyone,
I will be doing my Medical Class 1 Test towards the end of June or beginning of July just when my exams finish but I've got a problem. The other day, whilst I was playing football I sprained my knee. I at first thought it was a little injury but then the doctor said that I tore/broke some miniscule. Right now I can't walk properly and need crutches. Can someone tell me whether this would be a great issue for the Medical Test? I know it's meant to be a class 1 test, but I'm a bit worried.

Thanks.

[OldChinaHand]

I aint no Doctor, but Mohit, a medical requires you to achieve a minimum standard. You dont have to be a super fit athlete. I am sure your leg will have repaired by then and all will go fine. If you are still limping, the medic will probably ask for futher tests. Should be no problem. Also you can postpone it for a while if you need to.

[slim_slag]

I doubt you could pass a medical if you need crutches to walk into the doctor's surgery. Meniscal tears come in all shapes and sizes and only the doctor who has examined you and looked at any imaging can tell you how long you will take to recover. The best thing to do would be to ask him.

The good news is that even if you do need surgery these things can usually be fixed and it usually doesn't take long to get back to normal. I would say that if your doctor recommends surgery, the time it takes to have the procedure is more relevant than the time it takes to recover after having the repair i.e. waiting lists.

There is no reason why you cannot have all the other tests and assuming you pass these, have the medical certificate issued when your knee gets better. If I was you, I would continue with your studies and not worry too much about your knee.

[Mohit_C]

Well I'm from Spain and the doctor said I probably had broken a miniscule (have no clue what that is) and today I went for another scan, this time a more sophisticated one which was something like a huge semi spherical disc and had a little device attached around my knee. I will get to know by tomorrow what actually is wrong.
Does it really take long to recover from something like that of my knee?

[Mohit_C]

Today I went to the hospital and saw the bone specialist. He said that I had torn my ligament, my meniscus was broken too and that I need an operation if I want to ever do any sports, which is what I do want to do. He said that after the operation, it will take approximately 3 weeks before my knee will be fully recovered and that it's an operation many footballers do.
I am now rethinking that I may have to move the date of my medical test because of this reason because once I do it, I presume that I won't be able to attend my school for completing my A level exams. Can someone please provide me with feedback on what they think I should do? Has anyone ever had a problem like mine, please feel free to share for you could be doing me a great favour?

Thank you.

[slim_slag]

Take your a-levels.

Have the op.

Walking in a week without crutches.

Sports in 3 weeks if that's what the specialist says.

Pass medical (assuming you are fit and healthy otherwise)

Have great life.

Prepare for knee pain in a few decades time. If you play serious sports enough as a youngster you will have pain later in life anyway.

[Atlanta-Driver]

I walked around with a torn Menscus for a few months until the incompetent military quacks figured out through an orthoscopic surgery what was wrong and fixed the problem. If your exams are now and you cant go to a hospital, do the exams and then go for the surgery.
But if you have have time before your exams, say a week or so and you think you can sit through them with your leg being a bit sore the do it that way. Ask what your doc says anyways.
My ops was done a good 15 years ago and I have not had any real problems since. Pass the medical every year. (Fingers crossed that the trend continues)

The recovery itself was not too long. I was walking about in a day with sticks and in a week without. Running in 3 weeks and back in active duty in 4 weeks from the operation.

[Mohit_C]

I'm glad there seems to be good feedback. The reason I don't want to do it between exams is that it might affect my state and I don't want to do bad especially as it's the finals. Do you reckon I could sit an exam if I did this surgery? Is it very painful afterwards?

slim_slag in school I usually do sports (football) once a week but afterwards I guess it would be once a month so not that serious I reckon.

[Mohit_C]

I had a little question. What sort of physical test do I need to do, like jumping, running, jogging...?

[fernytickles]

Had a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repaired about 20 years ago, further op 8-10 years later while I was working for the airline to remove staples. Only thing I can think of that might affect your exams is I was very sleepy for about a month after the initial knee op. This was sometime ago, so things have probably improved since then, plus you're going for a different op. Check with the doctor and the anaethsetist for their advice.

It must seem like a lot now, but if your start into aviation is delayed by 6 months, but you have a fixed knee and great exam results, you won't even notice the delay in 20 years time....

[Mohit_C]

Well what I'm more concerned about it the recovery time for my knee, i mean if i do the operation of my ligament now or in two weeks time it won't make much difference. Well exam wise, I got 3 As at AS level and I'm hoping for 4 As in A level. I just don't want to bring down my morale in any way.

[Mohit_C]

Sorry to bother you guys again, but I just want to make sure for the last time. If I'd operate my knee, replacing my torn anterior cruciate ligament with a new one, would I able to apply for the Class 1 Medical and pass it one month later?
I just don't want to do the wrong thing and wait one entire year...fully wasted.

Thank you.

[scanscanscan]

For Christ Sake mate!
Just re read what slim slag told you to do and go do it one step at a time..... go pass the bloody exame then do the rest.
Be reassured....slim sag has a good track record on accurate medical advice.
I sense you are now in danger of wasting your valuable study time by becoming overly concerned about the details of your condition.
I am also very guilty of being "totally focused on the condition" and consider it a side effect of a new interesting medical problem in a formerly totally healthy individual.
Good luck with your exame...just be ready...locked and loaded....you forget 50% the minute you walk out the door anyway.

[FatFlaps]

Hi Dude

Just saw your other thread which states on 19 June:
"Now I visited the doctor and said that an operation wouldn't be necessary because the torn ligament has gone over the "good" one and my knee is quite stable. He told me to find out about what physical tests will be required if I were to do it in the "Hospital de Aire" in Madrid, Spain.
Could anyone who has done it there tell me what physical exercises I will need to do because if I need strong training then I may consider an operation, if not then it's not necessary?"

Whats the story? Do you or don't you need an op?

[Mohit_C]

Well I want to have an operation because I want to do heavy sports in the future but I feel held back to doing it because of this Class 1 Medical test; if I have the operation I doubt I can pass the physical requirements (running) as I need three months to recover (which means I'll have to waste 1 year before starting my ATPL course) but if I don't have the operation I may be able to pass the test (well at the moment with my torn ligament I can run, jog and jump to a certain extent) if only they allow a torn ACT. Now here comes the question....what types of excercises will I need to do for the test and will they possibly prevent me from passing this test?

[Hawk]

Ok Mohit, we just about had enough. The forum has given you all the medical expertise and discussion you going to get. At this point you need to be seriously taking your specialist's advice or contacting your regulatory authority again for futher information.
Thankyou.