Several years ago I blew out the left knee. My Ortho tried everything not to use the knife but in the end I was carved up like the thanksgiving turkey.
Back then we lived on our boat between April 1, and Nov 1. I'd go home, a whole 11 miles away, to get the mail, mow the lawns etc.. But other than that it was boat life.
I dove at least once a day at the very least and sometimes it was a half a dozen or so. I built the dive ladder so it was easy to climb with one stiff leg.
When the knee went the only relief from the pain was 15' or deeper. So the Ortho wrote a letter to my department to have me dive as much as possible for as long as possible daily. Having 15 tanks and getting free air just made life a lot easier.
For four months I spent several hours a day on the bottom. I was on a first name basis with the fish and could watch the rust on tin cans grow.
Finding no other way to escape the knife I got repaired. I asked the Doc how long I had to stay dry. He said no diving until the wounds healed totally. Then I told him I dive dry a lot of the time. He said, Ok go enjoy yourself, just keep it dry.
After the pain from giving birth through my knee went away I was back in the water after a two day vacation.
I looked kind of weird with a drysuit on and an $850.00 brace on my leg and one fin but damn it felt good. Not as good as the other feel good thing but close.
My recovery was only 4 weeks and I was back to full duty after passing the PT test. No problems to this day.
It's up to your doc on how he wants to treat you but it doesn't hurt to ask. By MD and my Ortho are both divers so that helps.
Gary D.
Back then we lived on our boat between April 1, and Nov 1. I'd go home, a whole 11 miles away, to get the mail, mow the lawns etc.. But other than that it was boat life.
I dove at least once a day at the very least and sometimes it was a half a dozen or so. I built the dive ladder so it was easy to climb with one stiff leg.
When the knee went the only relief from the pain was 15' or deeper. So the Ortho wrote a letter to my department to have me dive as much as possible for as long as possible daily. Having 15 tanks and getting free air just made life a lot easier.
For four months I spent several hours a day on the bottom. I was on a first name basis with the fish and could watch the rust on tin cans grow.
Finding no other way to escape the knife I got repaired. I asked the Doc how long I had to stay dry. He said no diving until the wounds healed totally. Then I told him I dive dry a lot of the time. He said, Ok go enjoy yourself, just keep it dry.
After the pain from giving birth through my knee went away I was back in the water after a two day vacation.
I looked kind of weird with a drysuit on and an $850.00 brace on my leg and one fin but damn it felt good. Not as good as the other feel good thing but close.
My recovery was only 4 weeks and I was back to full duty after passing the PT test. No problems to this day.
It's up to your doc on how he wants to treat you but it doesn't hurt to ask. By MD and my Ortho are both divers so that helps.
Gary D.
