Freerider Max Kruse returns after complex ligament reconstruction on his hand
After a serious wrist injury during a freeride jump, professional athlete Max Kruse's career was on the brink of collapse. However, the Sportklinik Hellersen was able to help him and save his career as a freerider. Instead of the stiffening initially recommended at another clinic, the mobility of his wrist was preserved by means of a complex ligament reconstruction.
Max Kruse had completely torn a ligament in his wrist with a dislocation during a jump of around 20 meters. "The initial diagnosis was a shock for me," says the 33-year-old freerider. "A stiffening would have ended my sporting career." The attending head physician at the first clinic then referred him to the Sportklinik Hellersen and to Dr. Petra Scheffer, Head Physician for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery/Hand Surgery. There, his perspective changed fundamentally. "Dr. Scheffer was so convinced that she could fix my wrist. That gave me an incredible amount of peace of mind - in everyday life and in my head. I immediately felt I was in good hands," recalls Max Kruse.
A rare and complex ligament reconstruction
The diagnosis confirmed a complete tear of the ligament between the scaphoid and lunate bones - an injury that led to massive instability in the wrist. "Ligament reconstructions are generally rare procedures in hand surgery. Unfortunately, the ligament rupture is often not visible on an MRI scan. It only becomes visible during an arthroscopy - a joint endoscopy. As a result, a ligament rupture at this point is often detected too late, sometimes years later. In addition, many sufferers initially think that their wrist is merely sprained because, for example, the pain was less severe or they cannot attribute it to a specific accident. The problem is that the more time has passed, the less chance there is of reconstructing the ligament, as cartilage damage occurs over time. No ligament is reconstructed in the case of existing osteoarthritis. The ligament itself can only be sutured within the first six weeks after the injury, as it shrinks, but in reality this time window has often already passed," explains Dr. Petra Scheffer. In Max Kruse's case, the injury was recognized in time.
However, due to the extreme mechanism of the accident, the carpal bones had not only moved apart, but were also twisted. "This form of instability is rare and surgically very demanding," explains the head physician. During the operation, the bones were first repositioned anatomically correctly and the torn ligament was reconstructed using the body's own tendon. The aim was to stabilize the joint and keep it mobile at the same time. "Stiffening is always an option if reconstruction is not successful. That's why we first try to preserve the joint if possible," explains Dr. Petra Scheffer.
Rapid healing - thanks to medicine and personal initiative
The healing process went exceptionally well. Just two weeks after the plaster cast was removed, the wrist showed very good mobility, despite being in plaster for eight weeks. In addition to the surgical success, the patient's own initiative played a decisive role. "In addition to physiotherapy, the patient has to do a large part of the rehabilitation himself. Mr. Kruse did this in an exemplary manner," emphasizes Dr. Petra Scheffer.
Max Kruse has now resumed training and is working specifically on building up his strength. "I knew it would take a long time. But after the first meeting with Dr. Scheffer, I had no doubt that I could come back. That gave me strength!" His motivation: "To be able to jump big jumps again. That's the best thing for me!"
Openness about risks and mental health
Max Kruse deliberately addresses the public with his story. "It's very important to me to show that difficult topics are also part of sport. You only ever see the perfect jumps. Nobody sees the work that goes into a sport like this or the price you actually pay to be at the top. I have lost many friends in this sport - through accidents or the consequences of serious injuries. You have to talk openly about that. And you should also be open and honest when you're not feeling well emotionally. I want to be authentic and admit that the hand injury also had a huge psychological impact on me. Physical and mental health go hand in hand. That's why I want to give others advice: Listen to your body, take responsibility for yourself - and talk about it when you're not feeling well.
Today, Max Kruse is one thing above all: grateful. "For life. It's beautiful."
Press contact
Sarah Burghaus
Head of Marketing, PR & Customer Service, Press Spokeswoman
sarah.burghaus@hellersen.de
Marketing & PR
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