Welcome to my ACL surgery recovery blog where I have been giving week by week updates on my recovery since I had ACL surgery on my right knee back on May 22nd, 2008.
The "run watch" continues. Still having trouble with all running at this point. There is still pain in the lower part of my patella tendon or somewhere around where it attaches to my upper shin bone. At this point, I'm not pushing it. Not until i see my surgeon and get x-rays done on Oct 7th to rule out anything. Physio still insists my hips muscles are weak which could be causing more pressure in the knee. I'm fine with that diagnosis but I'm kind of paranoid that its something else. I'd like to hear my surgeons opinion.
This week at physio, a couple new exercises with some of the same equipment I've been using. First, on the FitVibe, i did side steps with an elastic exercise band around my legs. 10 sets of 30 seconds. Then, i also added an exercise band for when i do the floor slider thingy.
I've also been hitting the gym harder. Concentrating on legs and using some very challenging weight, I've been doing, Leg Presses, Leg curls, Hamstring curls, and also using the Hip Flexor machines. 3 sets of 10 each. Hopefully this will help improve my leg strength. I'm also trying to incorporate 20-30 minutes on the elliptical machine (3 times a week) to keep my cardio up. I find that there is no pain when i use that machine.
Well, that's it for this week. Thanks for reading my ACL Surgery Recovery blog. Hopefully this blog is still helpful for some people.
Take care.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Week 17 - ACL Surgery Recovery
Welcome to my ACL surgery recovery blog where I have been giving week by week updates on my recovery since I had ACL surgery on my right knee back on May 22nd, 2008.
So, basically right now, I'm still working on strengthening my hips, gluts and hamstrings more. The one new thing i did this week was using a slide board. Its basically a board with a slick surface and it has bummers on each end. You put on some nylon socks over your running shoes and just slide from one side to the other. Its suppose to simulate ice skating. It is for "Lateral training that improves power, change of direction, endurance and balance " according to the product description. I didn't find it overly difficult but it can get your heart rate going if you push yourself a little. You can also use excerise bands around your ankles to make it harder which ill try next weeks at physio.
I guess ACL injuries have been in the news the last couple weeks due to another major athlete going down with one. Tom Brady of the New England Patriots is the latest victum this month. With hockey season around the corner, I'm sure we'll see a few more in the coming months. Usually, professional athletes take anywhere from 4-6 months to recover from ACL reconstructive surgery. For your regular Joe Lunchbox, who doesn't have personal trainers working him out 7 days a weeks, its a bit of a different story and usually will take more time to fully heal.
Recovery is still going slow for me. Funny how i had such a great start and now i've leveled off. Im at Week 17 and still no running. Im not even attempting it at this point due to the discomfort it causes. It looks like I'm going to miss my first post surgery 5km race which i had planned to run on Oct 18th at the Toronto Zoo. Its still a month away, but i think it's safe to say that even if I am running by that time, that 5km might be a bit too much.
So, basically right now, I'm still working on strengthening my hips, gluts and hamstrings more. The one new thing i did this week was using a slide board. Its basically a board with a slick surface and it has bummers on each end. You put on some nylon socks over your running shoes and just slide from one side to the other. Its suppose to simulate ice skating. It is for "Lateral training that improves power, change of direction, endurance and balance " according to the product description. I didn't find it overly difficult but it can get your heart rate going if you push yourself a little. You can also use excerise bands around your ankles to make it harder which ill try next weeks at physio.The challenge continues.........
Thanks for reading my ACL Surgery Recovery blog.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Week 15-16 - ACL Surgery Recovery
Welcome to my ACL surgery recovery blog where I have been giving week by week updates on my recovery since I had ACL surgery on my right knee back on May 22nd, 2008.
Okay, so as i mentioned a couple days ago, I'm still not able to run. I keep getting a pain somewhere in the lower part of my patella from the pressure of running. The physiotherapist has suggested that my gluts and hamstrings are still weak so i should be really focusing hardcore on strengthening those areas. My quadriceps are strong so they are not much of a concern. So for now I am concentrating on squats, lunges and anything that hits the upper and back of my legs.
So my workout started once again with 1/2 on the exercise bike. From there i take my exercise ball and some 20 lbs dumbbells to do some squats. 3 sets of 12-15 (leaning the ball against a wall). After that lye down on the ground and then play my ankles on top of the exercise ball and bridge my body on a diagonal. Then i roll the ball with my legs inwards towards my body. This works the hamstrings good. 3 sets of 12.
Moving on to the exercise bands, i place them around my ankles and just step left and right until my hips can't take it anymore. Next, lying down on my side, almost like in a fetal position with my knees bent, i place the bands around my knees and keeping my feet together just raise the upper knee about 8 to 12 inches. 3 sets of 12 on both sides. Then i place the bands around my ankles and still lying on my side, straighten my legs and lift the upper leg. Again 3 sets of 12 on each side.
On to the lunges. I do forward lunges stepping on a Boso Ball. And i do backwards lunges, 3 sets of 12 each leg both forwards and backwards. Fun Stuff.
After that i move to the trampoline and do one legged hops. 3 sets of 30 hopping forwards and backwards and same hoping left and right.
They did a pit of ultra sound treatment after my workout as well.
So I'm gonna have work hard the next few weeks concentrating on my weak areas. I see my surgeon again on October 7th for x-rays and a check up so if I'm not running by then, hopefully something will show up on the x-rays that might suggest something else is wrong.
Anyway, that's it for this week, thanks for reading my ACL surgery recovery blog. Please feel free to leave comments or stories about similar experiences you might have had.
Okay, so as i mentioned a couple days ago, I'm still not able to run. I keep getting a pain somewhere in the lower part of my patella from the pressure of running. The physiotherapist has suggested that my gluts and hamstrings are still weak so i should be really focusing hardcore on strengthening those areas. My quadriceps are strong so they are not much of a concern. So for now I am concentrating on squats, lunges and anything that hits the upper and back of my legs.
So my workout started once again with 1/2 on the exercise bike. From there i take my exercise ball and some 20 lbs dumbbells to do some squats. 3 sets of 12-15 (leaning the ball against a wall). After that lye down on the ground and then play my ankles on top of the exercise ball and bridge my body on a diagonal. Then i roll the ball with my legs inwards towards my body. This works the hamstrings good. 3 sets of 12.
Moving on to the exercise bands, i place them around my ankles and just step left and right until my hips can't take it anymore. Next, lying down on my side, almost like in a fetal position with my knees bent, i place the bands around my knees and keeping my feet together just raise the upper knee about 8 to 12 inches. 3 sets of 12 on both sides. Then i place the bands around my ankles and still lying on my side, straighten my legs and lift the upper leg. Again 3 sets of 12 on each side.
On to the lunges. I do forward lunges stepping on a Boso Ball. And i do backwards lunges, 3 sets of 12 each leg both forwards and backwards. Fun Stuff.
After that i move to the trampoline and do one legged hops. 3 sets of 30 hopping forwards and backwards and same hoping left and right.
They did a pit of ultra sound treatment after my workout as well.
So I'm gonna have work hard the next few weeks concentrating on my weak areas. I see my surgeon again on October 7th for x-rays and a check up so if I'm not running by then, hopefully something will show up on the x-rays that might suggest something else is wrong.
Anyway, that's it for this week, thanks for reading my ACL surgery recovery blog. Please feel free to leave comments or stories about similar experiences you might have had.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Week 15-16 - ACL Surgery Recovery - Coming soon
Thanks to everyone who is reading my ACL Surgery Recovery blog. Sorry, I haven't posted a full report in the last two weeks. Been kinda busy. Thanks to all the well wishers and good luck to everyone going through the same thing. Please continue to leave your comments and stories. I will update this blog hopefully in the next day or two. (I'm still not running yet....argh!!!).
Take Care
Steve
Take Care
Steve
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