If you're new a new reader to this blog and are looking for information about what the rehab process is like after ACL surgery, then be sure to check the BLOG ARCHIVE on the left hand side of the screen. I've blogged my progress on a weekly basis after I had my ACL reconstructed. Hopefully you will find it helpful.
Well, Im still only running about 3 km at a time at this point but I have been consistant trying to run 3 times per week. I've started bringing my dog along on these runs as she forces me to run faster. Eventually i'll work up to 5 km. I have about 5 weeks until my planned race.
The knee feels pretty good. I still have some mild soreness in my lower patella after runs where the jumper's knee problem was but it usually goes away the 2nd day after running. I have to remember to massage the tendon when it gets sore. I'll work my way up to 3.5 and 4km per run in the next week or 2.
Getting back into sports is a different issue. It is really a mental issue at this point. I definitely don't have the confidence to go back and start playing anything that requires quick turns and cuts since that is what got me into trouble in the first place. Having to go through another knee injury is not in my immediate plans. Summer registration is coming up in the next couple months so hopefully I will have the courage to go out and give sports a try again.
A 5K ... good for you!
ReplyDeleteI am 21 months post-ACL surgery. I am a karate instructor and have been back in the dojo for a while. Tomorrow, I am going to give racquetball a try. I have never played before and I must admit that I am worried how me knee will feel.
Thanks. i had my other knee done about 10 years ago and it took me a good year to 16 months to get the confidence to get back into sports. Good luck with racquetball. It should be a good test to see how well your knee holds up. A lot of quick stop-start movements.
ReplyDeleteI have been following you blog and kudos to you for posting this so everyone can see. I had a hamstring graft surgery 3 months ago, and it is healing up nicely. At this stage did you have occasional top of knee pain? I have been dealing with that recently.
ReplyDeleteThank you again,
Rusty
Hey Rusty. Ive never had pain at the top of my knee. not sure what that could be. Has your theropist got any theories about it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response, He thinks that it could be from some scare tissue build up or just my knee getting use to some of my new activities. I am an active kayaker and I have been in my boat for about a month now in all types of conditions and it has been handling well, just walking to the river/ocean is the toughest part :), but that has gotten better.
ReplyDeleteI am also an avid kitesurfer and I am going to wait till may-june to play with that activity.
Thanks again
Rusty
I'm 41, tore my knee last March playing soccer. I've been reading your site since early July. Had my ACL (donor) surgery on 7/2, so you provided timely info about a month ahead for me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteRan my first 5k race at the end of December, was less than a minute slower than the year earlier, but I was happy with the result. I started skiing in January (5 times). The first time I was very tentative, but it now feels like nothing ever happened to my knee.
Finally, I started playing soccer last week. I am very tentative, avoiding contact and hard challenges, but structurely the knee feels great. Seems like it will be like skiing. Just need to brain and body to do what feels natural out there.
Hello there!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if anyone on here could comment on how up to focusing on work they were about a week after surgery. I need to have ACL surgery about one week before i have to start studying for the bar exam and I need to figure out if the recovery will interfere to much to go ahead with it now.
Thanks!
Norman
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI am about 11 weeks after surgery and I am having serious trouble bending my knee. It is only up to 110 degrees at maximum. Any ideas on how to get full motion?
Thanks!
I would love some advice on rebuilding the muscle loss to my quad/hamstring/knee area. I am 345 days out from ACL reconstruction and medial meniscus repair (using my hamstring as the graft). I am 44 and tore it in a USTA singles tennis match. Never had a knee injury beforehand, but I was in extremely fit condition when it happened and had surgery 2 weeks later with full mobility and minimal muscle loss. Other than my PT heavily focused the first 4 months post surgery on straightening my knee, which was a problem, I have maintained a 4-5 day/wk exercise regimen, mostly of cycling, squats, knee dips, weights (machines) and since 6 months, I've been hitting tennis balls and even downhill skiing 5 times, but I am not strong enough to be competitive match tough. Saw my Ortho surgeon yesterday and he was concerned that my knee/leg muscles aren't returning, and I measured a 1 1/2 inch circum difference between legs. Please recommend exercises you did or think would help me, frequency and reps to rebuild the quad, hamstring and muscles around the knee. He suggested I hire a personal trainer to devise a workout, but I would rather work on my own for $$ reasons. Before injury, I had very muscular/strong legs, so I am baffled why I am not regaining the muscle, which is slowing my recovery and my return to competitive tennis and high endurance activities. Thanks!
ReplyDelete