MCL tear and PT

[Helene2013]

Wow. That long to get an appointment?

But I can understand. Here if we go public, it can easily take a year to get it through hospital. But if you go private, you can get it within a few days, or even same day (like I did my leg ultrasound and knee xray last Thursday). Xrays are free but the ultrasound was $160. Luckily I have insurance that covers this. An MRI for knee is about $800. Not cheap.

[Pax]

Here a lot of people have copayment issues and they need to have things done before the end of the year for others they need to wait until the first of the year... makes December and January a really difficult time to get an appointment.

[Blueberry]

For an ortho in my area, that's a pretty good appointment time. My local hospital runs off site MRI's - so when I needed one last summer, I was able to schedule within the week. Getting back in to see the doc to get the results, on the other hand....

[Crankin]

Wow, I've never had any trouble scheduling an MRI, either at the hospital or an outside place. I guess that's one advantage of living in the medical capital of the world. Too much choice. And, I don't even go into Boston for my care, like some of my snooty friends. Sure, if I need a second opinion, which has only happened once.

[Pax]

Wow, I've never had any trouble scheduling an MRI, either at the hospital or an outside place. I guess that's one advantage of living in the medical capital of the world. Too much choice. And, I don't even go into Boston for my care, like some of my snooty friends. Sure, if I need a second opinion, which has only happened once.

I'm looking forward to that in FL. Living here in the middle of nowhere, we have great care, but they haven't expanded enough to accommodate the huge aging boomer population.

[Helene2013]

My friend needs to see an orthopedist for a thigh issue. Doctor gave her a reference paper (required to see specialist) and she called and there is a 2 year waiting list...when they take new patients. On the other hand, if you go private, you cough out the $ and you can see one rapidly. Or if you truly have good connections (like I do) I can see one quickly, if needed. But you need to be ready for him (he's not wasting anytime) - have all tests, etc on hand. We have excellent hospital system here, but the problem is not enough generalists, even less specialists.

[OakLeaf]

I'm looking forward to that in FL.

Choose carefully, though. (And also be aware of the irony in my saying that, since with all my third-party exposure to local practices, I have a history of choosing terrible care for myself ...) Health care in Florida generally has a very bad reputation. I know more than one person who flies back North when they need health care. It's not just the availability of family caretakers, it's also the quality of the practitioners, that causes a lot of people who retire to Florida, to move back "home" when their health declines.

Good luck at the ortho's.

[bmccasland]

I had an ACL repair to my left knee a couple of years ago, and a couple of years after my bike wreck. The MRI was done shortly after the wreck, but the surgeon in New Orleans said I could walk with it (which I could), and we could postpone surgery. Then I moved here to the PNW, had trouble on non-flat ground, saw a sports medicine surgeon.... who looked at the MRI and wondered what took me so long to have surgery?

So Pax, how's your opposite hip? I found that walking around on a bum knee threw my gait off enough that now I have trouble with my right hip.

I would say, get the MRI, and surgery. Don't wait. And do ALLL the exercises your PT gives you.