Case Study
Verity, 23.
A rugby player told elsewhere that her ACL was fine. A second opinion, a reconstruction, and a return to everything she did before.
Verity is a trainee PE teacher and keen rugby player, competing for both Sutton & Epsom Ladies and Surrey Ladies. During a match her knee became trapped underneath another player in a ruck, twisting badly under force. She had to stop playing immediately and, unable to walk or bear weight on the knee as it kept giving way, went to A&E, where she was told the wait for an orthopaedic appointment and MRI would be two weeks.
The injury significantly disrupted her life. As a trainee PE teacher on her final degree placement, being unable to walk properly created considerable stress and harmed her ability to teach.
The first consultant she saw suggested her ACL was uninjured and that she might simply have an MCL strain needing rest. Unconvinced, and frustrated by delays and a projected three-month wait for an MRI, Verity sought a second opinion from Mr Paul Trikha, respected for his sports injury expertise.
Mr Trikha identified the ACL injury and recommended an appropriate brace before surgery to prevent further damage. Verity underwent ACL reconstruction in July 2018. Within two weeks she was walking without crutches, and she progressed steadily through the summer, running and cycling by November.
“After surgery and rehab, I am now able to do all the things I could before the injury. He was professional, provided answers to all my questions and provided a diagnosis within days. He was fantastic.”Verity
“Verity is doing very well. She has rehabbed her knee brilliantly and is ahead of the game.”Mr Paul Trikha