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How to prepare for ACL surgery

ACL Reconstruction
ACL Reconstruction
An ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear or rupture is a very serious injury that commonly occurs during sports like soccer and basketball in which rapid changes in the speed of human movement, and abrupt changes in direction are common. A ruptured ACL won’t heal on its own because of the relative lack of direct blood supply to this important ligament in the human body. As a result, an ACL rupture almost always requires reconstructive surgery to facilitate complete healing and a return to full athletic activity. Surgery is always serious business, and detail oriented preparation for it will ease the distress that can come with it. For this reason I recommend reading this article more than once before you go anywhere near your surgeon’s knife. I am fairly confident that you will gain some bit of wisdom from this article that will make surgery and its aftermath easier for you. The information in this article could also be easily applied to help others who are about to go through ACL reconstruction. For example, a doting mother could read this article and use the information contained in it to help her son or daughter get through ACL reconstruction with as little extra fuss as possible. The surgery is already painful enough… so it is advisable to do all in your power to alleviate as many potential added difficulties as possible. How do I know that these suggestions will be of use to you or someone you know who is preparing for ACL surgery? Well because I wish someone had told me all this before I went under the knife for my own ACL reconstruction surgery in early 2012. Continue reading How to prepare for ACL surgery

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An ACL tear, and surgical repair

Ligaments of the human knee joint ACL: Anterior cruciate ligament PCL: Posterior cruciate ligament LCL: Lateral collateral ligament MCL: Medial collateral ligament
Ligaments of the human knee joint
ACL: Anterior cruciate ligament
PCL: Posterior cruciate ligament
LCL: Lateral collateral ligament
MCL: Medial collateral ligament
So… what exactly is an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)? Well, anterior means front, cruciate means to cross in a diagonal kind of way, and ligaments are tough fibrous bands of tissue that connect the bones in our human joints. So in plain english the ACL is a ligament in the knee which connects the thigh bone to the shin bone… it is situated close to the front of your knee and runs across the PCL (another ligament) in a diagonal kind of way. Make sense? If it still doesn’t, don’t worry… the figures in this article should elucidate further. The ACL is arguably the most important ligament in the knee joint. Its major functions are to resist excessive twisting or rotation of the knee, and to prevent the tibia (shin bone) from sliding too far forward underneath the femur (thigh bone) when one comes to an abrupt stop. This ligament is so important that without it, the average person’s knee would constantly “give out on them” while they perform seemingly mundane tasks. This super important knee ligament may be injured or torn due to a direct forceful blow to the front or side of the knee. ACL tears are common in sports such as football (soccer), and basketball where rapid acceleration, deceleration, and changes of direction are common. Continue reading An ACL tear, and surgical repair

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How MRI Works

MRI_magnetThe interior of the human body is largely made up of bones (the skull, tibia, fibula) and soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) most of which are invisible to the naked eye. Prior to the invention of MRI, the x-ray was the gold standard for getting a detailed view of the body’s innards without cutting it open. Even though the x-ray worked brilliantly for decades, it had a few drawbacks. First, excessive exposure to x-rays leads to deadly radiation poisoning. As a matter of fact, radiation poisoning actually claimed the life of the esteemed inventor of the x-ray (Marie Curie, 1867 – 1934).
Second, it only allowed you to visualize things that were dense enough to block or significantly attenuate the x-rays. This meant that in visualizing the human body, the x-ray method was largely limited to the skeletal system. X-rays were perfect for diagnosing broken bones but were found wanting when it came to diagnosing torn muscles or severely sprained ligaments. Continue reading How MRI Works

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Welcome


Quote of the week (11/15)

“Cowards die many times before their deaths.
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear,
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.” ~Julius Ceasar

 

Cover: Take me to church

 

Guitar god

The voodoo high priest himself playing “Foxey Lady”

 


ebook is now live on iTunes and inkling habitat! 

Watch the Video

Now Available on iTunes and iBookstore for Apple Macintosh and iPad.

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Don’t have a Mac or an iPad? Download from inkling habitat.

 

In Kneed of Repair Customer Reviews:

Very informative and of high value ★★★★★

by Dr. A. Irani MD from iTunes USA

Dr. Oyolu’s book does a very nice job of describing everything a patient needs to know about ACL surgery. The book does an excellent job of describing everything from the anatomy of the knee, to preparing one’s house for rehab and recovery; this complete manual will be very helpful to patients. Having operated on and taken care of patients with ACL injuries, I can recommend this resource as a good read for patients looking to get the most out of their surgery. -Dr. A. Irani MD

artistic, informative and insightful ★★★★★

by blorgtron from iTunes USA

In Kneed of Repair provides an easy way to understand the anatomy of the human knee though beautiful illustrations done by the author, himself. Beyond providing an understanding of how one might sustain a serious injury and the different medical choices that accompany recovery, Dr. Oyolu recounts his own injury and addresses the very human thoughts and emotions that he, himself, struggled with. The book provides reassurance where concerns may arise and encourages readers to dedicate themselves to the demanding task of rehabilitation. It goes the extra mile in explaining different stretches/exercises for physical therapy and cataloging things to prep for the long journey to recovery. The ebook also includes embedded videos if you have trouble visualizing the exercises explained in writing. All in all, In Kneed of Repair was an easy read that I enjoyed thoroughly. It’s a great tool if you or someone you know has seriously injured their ACL and don’t know exactly where to begin.. Start by having a look at this book!

Just tore your acl? Get this book! ★★★★★

by GlfWid0 from iTunes Canada

This book explains the process of having an acl repaired from start to finish and beyond. I especially enjoyed the illustrations. The videos and detailed exercises will be a great reference during my own recovery. Well done!

 

Timelapse of my most current mural