Rotations on Crutches

[Sparda29]

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I'm planning on getting arthroscopic surgery on my knee to repair my ACL. I'm trying to decide on whether to do it during the Spring Semester (I'll likely miss a week of classes), or do it right before my rotations start, and I'll be on crutches while on rotations.

Should I still be able to perform rotations if I'm on crutches?

 

[Praziquantel86]

I'm planning on getting arthroscopic surgery on my knee to repair my ACL. I'm trying to decide on whether to do it during the Spring Semester (I'll likely miss a week of classes), or do it right before my rotations start, and I'll be on crutches while on rotations.

Should I still be able to perform rotations if I'm on crutches?

Do it before you start your rotations. Rotations will be made significantly more difficult by being on crutches (unless you have an informatics rotation that lets you sit all day long). Think about how awful your part-time job at CVS would be if you were on crutches, and then multiply that out to full time.

Hospital rotations won't be much better. If you're tagged to a medicine team that rounds on multiple floors, they often end up taking the stairs. If pharmacy is activated as part of the code team (like at my hospital) you're going to be running to the codes.

You probably end up skipping (or could easily skip) classes anyways, so this just legitimizes things. Besides, why are you planning on missing a week? You should be able to get on crutches within a day or two of the surgery.

 

[dgroulx]

I'm planning on getting arthroscopic surgery on my knee to repair my ACL. I'm trying to decide on whether to do it during the Spring Semester (I'll likely miss a week of classes), or do it right before my rotations start, and I'll be on crutches while on rotations.

Should I still be able to perform rotations if I'm on crutches?

I actually did this. I tore my meniscus during my 1st rotation. I limped along for a few months, then had surgery during a one week break. I was on crutches at my next rotation, which was retail. I had some bone work done too, so I was on crutches during the following rotation. Normally when you get your knee scoped you are off crutches within a week.

I had my other knee done last week and I was walking unaided in 3 days. Go ahead and get it done before rotations. Crutches for a week is better than pain for months. You can also injure another part of your body by trying to compensate for the injured knee. Speaking from experience again.

 

[Sparda29]

Do it before you start your rotations. Rotations will be made significantly more difficult by being on crutches (unless you have an informatics rotation that lets you sit all day long). Think about how awful your part-time job at CVS would be if you were on crutches, and then multiply that out to full time.

Hospital rotations won't be much better. If you're tagged to a medicine team that rounds on multiple floors, they often end up taking the stairs. If pharmacy is activated as part of the code team (like at my hospital) you're going to be running to the codes.

You probably end up skipping (or could easily skip) classes anyways, so this just legitimizes things. Besides, why are you planning on missing a week? You should be able to get on crutches within a day or two of the surgery.

Doctor claims that I should be on minimal weight bearing for a week. The rotation that I'm going to be on in June is probably at the prison or some long term clinic like the one that Mike said they were just breaking open blister packages and putting them into boxes.

Doctor also says I shouldn't be driving for 3 months (wtf?), I need to drive. It's my right knee so I'm screwed with that. Even if my left knee was the problem, I'd still be screwed since I drive a manual transmission car.

As for CVS, I'll probably have to take a leave of absence for a month.

 

[johnep34]

Buy a stool and take it in with you.
johnep