I've been running now as part of rehab, for about a month. Initially, on insructions from my PT, it was no more than three miles total, walking a half mile, then light jogging a half mile, and so on. Two days ago I ran/jogged for three miles without stopping for the first time since my injury last January. That was a good feeling.
Generally, the knee feels just about perfect. Some days, I'll notice a little ache or I'll just notice that it feels different. But for the most part it's feeling damn good. I have been hitting on the tennis court without going for too much for a month now, which has been fun. Moving to my right to hit a forehand with a neutral or slightly closed stance and the involved leg in front, has felt kind of sensitive. I must be putting some lateral pressure on the knee in that situation, so I still need to be careful.
With my shoulder procedure coming up Oct. 5, I'm trying to get on the court as much as I can (which turns out isn't much). The bathroom remodeling job I've been doing in my house has been eating up my cycles. Photos on my FB site.
Insurance coverage for PT ran out in August, so I'm on my own for the rest of my rehab. I don't plan to ski this year, I don't think. I want to focus my strength training on my lower body and my shoulder and try to be ready to go when the tennis season begins next spring. In retrospect, I can see that my ACL tear happened because I didn't have the conditioning I needed to protect myself. I won't make that mistake again. If you read back to the beginning of this blog, you can see that the injury was almost "incidental." A little more quad-hamstring strength and it probably wouldn't have happened. Also, beware of skiing anything but flat stuff with boots loose, as I was that night. It has been my habit on initial runs to ski with boots very loose, and then crank the buckles down after a couple of runs. But the loose fit allowed my leg to hyper-extend, and pop went the ligament. If I hadn't been headed down to an accident scene on my first run to help out Ski Patrol, I wouldn't have been on the Smith Walton trail at Mt. Wachusett, a trail with one little steep section, which of course is where I did the knee.
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7 comments:
Morning, did you have any range of motion problems around 6 mths? I can't seem to get my heel to my butt. It's worse after heavy activity of course. I'm doing all sorts of ROM exercises. Any tips.
Thanks,
Mike
Since I had the hamstring autograft, I'm still lacking strength as a result. Since I just started skiing again this week, I really need to get on the stick and focus on regaining what was lost.
If you had the hamstring autograft as well, you'll have a similar experience, I bet.
Not sure about range of motion issues at six months. If anything, I was really careful not to squat down too low on the involved leg, since that puts enormous strain on the knee ligaments. It may be your quadriceps are tight if you're having trouble touching heel to butt. Stretching is like meditation -- you may not be sure it's having any benefit -- you just have to trust it, so don't stop. Good luck.
hi, I also had acl surgery (hamnstring graft) and my doctor said i can slowly make a return to soccer. now i still feel/hear some clicking when i fully bend and release my knee and I also hear it click when i fully extend it. I am wondering if you had the same issue at 6 months. Thank you, Alessio
Anon: I don't have any 'noise' in the knee and don't remember having that experience, as you describe it. Six months post-op you probably have some scar tissue to work out as your body adapts to the repair. Keep up the rehab and strengthening work and your knee will be fine. What else can you really do? If, for some reason you don't return to 100%, you know you've done all you could. Good luck.
(Hamstring graft) It has been 5 months now.i am still having problems with the strengthning of my hamstring.is it normal? Leg curls, extensions and leg press are a part of my rehab along with stationary cycling, squats.
Both sisters had ACL repair surgery on the same day by the same surgeon; April on the left knee, and her sister on the right knee. Both girls' ACLs were repaired using a hamstring graft technique. In this procedure, accessory hamstring tendons are harvested, braided together, and threaded through the heads of the thigh bone and shin bone to replace the Acl Tear . The braided tendons are held in place by screws. Post operatively, the knee is immobilized to allow for maximum healing.
In ACL reconstruction, the torn ligament is removed and replaced with a piece of tendon from another part of your knee or from a deceased donor. If you have got your ligaments torn then you can get them treated from EVA Hospital. We provide our patients with best ACL reconstruction surgery.
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