Not going to be with Dr Nick is it?

Dr. Nick Riviera - Simpsons Wiki

That's the first thing that came to my mind too

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Your best bet would be either Bangkok General or Bumrungrad in Bangkok. It would be worth investigating Singapore as well. I take your point about your tax and the NHS, but that's the Labour Govt for you....

I've been doing rather a lot of research about riding with f**ked knees !

It seems rather a lot of people ride motorcross, trails and enduro with knees of jelly... Usually caused because it of it lol.

I might Invest in an EVS RS7 motocross knee brace. They seem to get the best "value for money" reviews and have proved very good in providing support against twists and sprains while on or off the bike.

Not the most comfortable thing in the world and getting pretty professional, but it could end up a lot cheaper than cancelling my trip for a year.

Maybe a good compromise ??

EVS RS7 Knee Brace - MX1 Fox Racing | Dirtsport | Fox Racing Clothing | Geared Up | Motocross | Eyewear | Mountain Bike | Monster Energy

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

after problems with my knee, I bought a pair of these : POD MX

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R 1200 GS '08 en G 650 X Challenge '08

Now they look the business !!! £250 EACH though..

How are they off the bike ??? Do you wear them under normal riding trousers or baggy MX pants ??

I'll leave off on a brace until 6 weeks before I leave and decide then..

It least I know there is a way I can ride without becoming a cripple

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

If you have surgery, for the 1st month of healing, it is is quite easy to lose the graft. then you are proper knackered. There is a strict regime of physio therapy. have a look at this:


ACL Reconstruction, ACL Surgery, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: UK

I was lucky and got surgery quite quickly, it was successful enough for me to get back to practicing karate after 12 months , never mind riding the bikes.

After the accident, I strapped the knee into a stable position using a honda cg125 shock as a splint and ratchet strap. It made the thing usable enough to get to my local hospital. Certainly gave A&E a giggle.

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Harley Davidsons,
The most effective way of turning petrol into noise without the side-effect of horsepower

Hi Ted, simply put you are burying your head and hoping - you simply need to face facts - if your going to do your trip you need to be healthy before you leave - would you be able to pick up your bike, push it through mud or out of a river bed. Are you going to leave all that to your mate. What about the day your mate has to leave you at the side of the road in the middle of no where looking for help its not fair on him. these are only tiny bits of the jigsaw. You will be pushing yourself on the trip if you were fit if your injured you will be sign the trip to failure, and maybe huge costs of repatriation -and you wont be insured. The world will still be there in a years time if you go now and cause more damage it may be your last trip - as you may end up never walking again after a bigger injury somewhere in Africa. You need to re approach the NHS try to get a cancelation or urgent op anywhere in the country.Check out the rights and rules Under the Patients charter - and start rattling sabres about your rights if you get no joy any other way, maybe you can travel to Germany or France through the Nhs for Treatment if the NHS can not do it in a short time - But whatever you do Get yourself sorted first - simply put at some stage somewhere you will regret it if you do not.

Dr Doom - Aka - Jake.

If you can wait until the second week of may, I can give you a better idea. Then I am back from a two week journey off-road in Morocco.
I wear them under my BMW Rallye Pro 2 trousers with the original knee protection removed. For sure you are better without them once you are off the bike, but you have to make compromises.

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R 1200 GS '08 en G 650 X Challenge '08

I will wait with baited breath................ Good luck on your trip !

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I went to see my GP today.. Luckily, he specializes in Orthopedics

He said iv badly sprained or partially torn my "Medial Collateral Ligament". Possibly my ACL too, but it's still too swollen to tell properly. It needs to settle down before he can do a proper diagnosis.

I explained my situation and he said that plenty of people compete at high levels of sport with torn acl's and there are plenty of people out there with torn ligaments but don't even know it.

He said by the time I go to Africa, it will probably be stable enough to confidently use and with a support/brace, I should be ok.

Obviously, i'll know more in 2 weeks time.

I've bought a hinged knee brace and i'm walking around without a stick already but my knee does feel very unstable.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Ted - I lived with a torn ACL for ten years - and it's a right royal pain in the ass. It went all the time - in the shower, playing footie (stupid) and even just climbing over a gate. I found it often went whilst I was drunk, as I wasn't on guard and was prone to stupidity. It's a horrible feeling when you feel the wobble and then the snap. It really really really is worth fixing up asap. Obviously I wasn't as sensible as my own advice.

But, the last time it went was in Cape Town, where I happened to be on a training course. I took advantage of my cheap insurance, and got it operated on by some of the finest knee surgeons of the world at Newlands Sports Clinic.

Orthopaedic Clinic Cape Town | Sports Injuries Surgery | Knee Injury

As way of warning, the doctor told me I was borderline knee replacement candidate, which would mean surgery every ten years or so. Luckily they could still staple it back together and the knee is great now, 12 years later.

Remember though, if you do use your insurance, say it's the first time it's happened! The doctors know full well it isn't and don't care as long as you are being operated on, the insurance will only pay if you have a new condition.

Good luck either way. And take it EASY!

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Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009

Cheers for the reply !! Great advice !

10 years !!! WOW.. Braver man than me ! No wonder you're knee was borderline.

Sadly, my injury is recorded at the doctors now so insurance probably won't cover it but he has only recorded it as a sprain. At the moment anyway.

I really am going to try and get this fixed ASAP !! My only choice is the NHS. Purely financial. I'm at the mercy of their waiting lists and bacteria infested vermin ridden hospitals.
If I had the money, i'd be in BUPA's waiting room right now with my bum showing out of a gown.

I'm not going to take any stupid risks.. I have a good hinged support which I will wear and i'm not taking any risks with sports. Football can wait !

The doc said i'm managing better than most, probably because I have strong stocky legs and great hamstrings which really help in knee stability.

I'm going away on the bike on Friday morning for the weekend so that will be a test. Probably a little stupid but i'm only on a very light DRZ and only riding light A-roads. I have to meet up with some potential African riding buddies to get visas sorted for North Africa so I don't have much choice... I don't own a car btw ! lol.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

So it now appears you don't even know if your ACL is involved. MCL is a whole different animal. Take it easy for a while and get properly diagnosed before getting all worked up about it.

The above advice is worth approximately what you paid for it.

Mark

The MCL is definately goosed. The doc said the ACL is probable but it's too swollen to know for sure yet..

I'm just assuming the worst as it's always best to plan for the worst.... Trust me, there's no one more than me that wants this to be a case of severe over-reaction

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.