Monthly Archives: April 2011

To whom it may concern,

Hi, my name is Ivan Pacheco, an orthopaedic surgeon in Puerto Rico and an avid hare-scrambles racer both locally and in the US (GNCC and Florida Trail Riders series). 

I have been using your Web braces for over 3 yrs and recently sustained a “joust blow” onto my proximal tibia (as in the medieval sport) with a 4′ diameter tree trunk lying knee high and facing against my line of passage–while wearing your braces.  At impact, I was in 3rd gear, mid-throttle with the knee bent at a 45-60 degree angle and standing on the footpegs.  I estimate the speed at around 20 mph.  The mechanism of injury is best described as a dash-board injury onto the proximal tibia with a slightly bent knee.  The resultant injury, confirmed by MRI and clinical exam, was a grade II, isolated posterior cruciate ligament tear–no fractures, no dislocations. 

I figure there may not be many orthopaedic surgeons who crash while wearing your braces and a recreation of the mechanism and resultant injuries may be useful for future development of what I think is already a damn good brace.  So for what it may be worth, please find enclosed the brace for your perusal. 

I assure you if I were not wearing this brace during hte accident, I would have sustained an open tibia fracture, if not an open knee dislocation.  In the deep woods where this occurred, the brace functioned as a limb-salvaging device.  I am therefore grateful for your work and product.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.  Thanks again. 

Sincerely,

Ivan H. Pacheco, MD