Chapter 16
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Miraculous Knee Recovery
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The examination in the clinic is just as important as the treatment itself.
Not only does an accurate diagnosis form the foundation of treatment, but it also builds the patient's trust, making them follow my guidance.
Since Kim Ijin had mentioned her cruciate ligament, I started by checking for tears in the anterior and posterior ones.
"Could you bend your knee a little? I'm going to push and pull on it, so let me know if it hurts a lot."
"Yes."
I performed the Posterior Drawer Test, Anterior Drawer Test, and Lachman Test in sequence.
The names sounded complicated, but they were simply tests where I pulled the tibia forward and backward.
"Ugh."
Unfortunately, when I pulled forward, the ligament failed to hold the bones steady, and it shifted out.
"Just as you said, there's a problem with your cruciate ligament."
"I knew it..."
"There's another test called the Pivot Shift Sign to check the extent of the damage. Let me do that too."
I ran one more simple physical exam.
With my left hand, I gripped the outside of Kim Ijin's knee and fully extended her leg. Then, holding her ankle with my right hand, I lifted it off the bed, kept internal rotation, and slowly bent the knee.
"Does it hurt?"
"No. It feels a bit off, but not painful."
"It's just unnaturally unstable."
"Yes."
This test graded as a Grade 1.
"Does it feel really unstable when you walk?"
"Hmm... Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't feel pain as intensely as others anyway."
"You were a bit wobbly when I helped you up earlier. Why don't you walk to the door and back?"
Kim Ijin did as I asked, going to the clinic door and returning.
"I was wearing the brace, and the previous hospital told me not to rely on it too much, so I've been walking with it loosened. That might be why."
Observing her gait without the brace fully on, the instability wasn't severe.
"Does it hurt when I press here?"
"A little. Oh, that hurts."
I finished palpating the front patella area and the back popliteal fossa.
Combining what I saw with my eyes.
The sensations from my fingertips during the tests.
And what Kim Ijin had told me.
"It's reasonable to diagnose this as a partial cruciate ligament tear, just like the other hospitals said."
"Ah, okay."
"Have a seat here and look at the diagram. The cruciate ligament is here, and your pain is in the front of the knee, right? The ligament itself has no sensory nerves. When it tears, it stresses other structures, causing problems in the painful spots I'm pressing now."
I pulled up an image of the knee bones, muscles, and ligaments on the computer screen and explained.
"The pain should improve within a week. But we need to treat the root cause thoroughly, especially since you're an athlete."
"Ah, that's why it hurt on and off at first."
Kim Ijin nodded as if it all made sense. She showed no doubt even at my promise to quickly resolve pain that hadn't improved for so long.
"So rest until I say you can exercise, and come every day for treatment. Don't overdo it just because the pain eases."
"Yes! How long will it take?"
"Not too long."
The cruciate ligament is trickier to treat with acupuncture than the medial or lateral collateral ligaments due to its position.
Wiser to say we'll see how it responds rather than declare it possible or impossible outright.
"I'll have you back to normal within a month. You can train and compete in the games."
But for Kim Ijin at least, I felt confident I could heal her.
It's not just my skill; her body's in martial artist league. These types recover insanely fast!
Treatments that take a month for some heal in 1-2 weeks for others, or drag on for over three months. Acupuncture leverages the patient's own vital energy and recovery power, so unless it's minor, results vary widely.
And patients like Kim Ijin were a clinic's triple-reputation booster.
Successfully treating tough cases like hers earned you Hua Tuo-level praise.
"Looking forward to working with you, Director."
Kim Ijin spoke hopefully.
Her eyes burned with unyielding determination to recover.
"Then let's head to the treatment room."
Hm?
Arriving at the treatment room, Kim Ijin tilted her head.
Unlike the previous hospitals, there wasn't a single patient there.
Do they all get treated at once?
Unfamiliar with clinic operations, she naturally assumed the best.
"I'll start with physical therapy."
A stoic-faced staff member attached machines to her knee.
Soon, it ended with therapy and hot packs similar to what orthopedics had done.
Finally, the director arrived.
"Ever had acupuncture before?"
"No. First time."
"Really? I'm honored. When you make the national team, tell them I treated you?"
Kim Ijin chuckled at the joke. National team... It reminded her of the senior who first suggested basketball.
Similar charisma?
Entranced, she nodded.
"When you bend your knee like this, the indented spots inside are the Inner Knee Eye, and outside the Outer Knee Eye. 'Eyes of the knee'—cool name, right? The needles go deep to the joint capsule, and it'll loosen up."
"Yep."
The dips looked perfectly placed for needles. It felt like prodding the problem spot inside would instantly refresh everything.
"Ah!"
"Hurts?"
"No. It feels... relieving."
She could only describe it vaguely, but the nagging discomfort inside her knee pierced away.
Inflammation, torn ligament, tangled muscles—must've hit those.
"Like Alexander the Great slicing the Gordian Knot?"
The legend from history class flashed back.
That persistent, unsolvable unease.
The director's single needle had scattered it refreshingly.
"Heh, it went in nicely."
The director smiled as if amused by her joke.
After the Inner Knee Eye, the Outer one got a needle. Maybe imagination, but the two pierced through, unraveling the knee's jumble.
"It's taking well, so let's add more deep ones to the ligament."
"Yes. Untangle it all."
Kim Ijin nodded eagerly. Her eyes fierce and resolute.
"...!"
Several more needles plunged front and back effortlessly. Not very painful, but she twitched each time a tip hit.
"This releases adhesions in the soft tissues and improves blood flow around it. Stimulating like this draws your recovery power, healing the partial tear."
A cool energy spread gradually. Like vague inflammation washing away.
"Stay like this for 20 minutes."
The director said and left the room.
"...Yes."
As if all her body's energy converged on her knee, Kim Ijin drifted to sleep.
It had been exactly ten days since Kim Ijin started treatment at the clinic.
"You're really all better?"
She demonstrated freely bending her once-stiff knee, drawing gasps from her coach.
"Yes. Should've come here first."
He'd firmly banned her from training, inwardly tormented by worry.
Over a month with no improvement—how could he not be?
If surgery happened, the guilt of missing her injury would've crushed him.
"The doctor said basketball's okay?"
"Yes. No pain since the first acupuncture, and after a few more sessions, it's perfect. He cleared me for full exercise."
Didn't seem like a lie. The coach allowed club activities.
Still cautious, he watched her throughout.
Warm-ups, running, drills, scrimmage.
No trace of prior instability.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Kim Ijin dribbled across the court end to end.
Ten seconds left in the game.
She charged fearlessly, weaving past defenders with posture shifts—no knee issues.
Whoosh!
Countdown: 3 seconds.
Kim Ijin leaped skyward.
Gasp!
The coach couldn't look away.
2 seconds. Elbow flick, shot.
1 second. Ball sliced air from her hands.
Zero. It swished through the net.
"Woooah!"
"Captain's back full force!"
"Insane. Gonna dunk soon?!"
Her buzzer-beater announced a spectacular return.
Landing perfect too.
Her jumping power's improved?
No mistake. After over a month off, her legs were better than before.
Vice captain joked about dunks—maybe not a joke?
"Thanks to you all."
High-fives with teammates ended training.
"Ijin, treatment again today?"
The coach grabbed her as she changed to leave.
"Yes. He said maintenance every two weeks now, but it keeps improving each time."
"What's the clinic called?"
He asked.
"Coach, you hurt somewhere?"
"Not me. My wife."
"Seongsu Clinic. Up the hill behind our apartments."
"Thanks."
Truth was, a family member worried him as much as Kim Ijin.
Seongsu Clinic. The coach noted the name.
Wow, is this even possible? Heavenly Martial Body or what?
She recovered way too fast.
I marveled at Kim Ijin's knee improving daily.
Just teach her basic martial arts... Nah, no way.
No desire for 'Unbelievable Stories' fame.
Suppressing surging greed, I finished her treatment.
Opened meridians, so stronger than before? Heh.
"Cleared for exercise!"
Two days after full recovery verdict.
Ding~
Someone entered the clinic at the usual time.
Here for maintenance?
But the energy felt slightly different.
"Hello."
An unfamiliar man's voice. Slightly stronger energy than Kim Ijin's.
Not a martial artist, probably an athlete?
His words confirmed the connection.
"Kim Ijin recommended me. Is Director Han Yeowon seeing patients today?"
Eureka! The cutie brought a referral!
Thrilled, I extended my senses to eavesdrop from the desk.
"Yes. Who's registering?"
The desk staff asked, and he replied.
"Both of us. My back's a bit stiff, and my wife has bad menstrual cramps. We'd like a consult."
Two patients even.
And menstrual pain? My specialty!
Back at the Tang Family Estate, I'd treated triple digits of maids for it.
Many suffered years, even decades.
"I'm fine... Just treat my dear."
Women dragged in like that by friends? All became devotees.
Recalling old times, I grinned victoriously.