ACL Recon (hamstring graft) & Staph infection complication

[chrisduffa]

shuffle jogging! congratulations! More than a little jealous as I approach 2.5months post surgery and still have a limp. How does it feel when you run?

[Bigman78]

Thanks Chris! I'm sure you're not too far away from jogging yourself despite the limp. I read your latest post regarding where you're feeling the pain (from the graft point to behind the knee) but rest assured I had a similar pain early in my rehab (around 2 months in) and it went away after a few weeks once I started getting my leg stronger with the leg weights.

As for the jogging it feels unusual to be honest! The leg which was operated feels heavy at times although once I'm warmed up it feels a lot better. I'm sure it will improve with time, hope so anyway!

[mightyjack]

Hello Bigman78,

Glad to read things are going so well for you. Keep up the good work! Can’t wait until I can run again : )

[Bigman78]

Thanks mightyjack. I'm just about to check in to see how you're progressing

I'm looking forward to my appointment with the surgeon this Thursday morning to see if I get given clearance to start running! I plan to do some more walking/shuffling/jogging this Tuesday night after work along with my usual gym routine in the meantime.

[Bigman78]

Clearance to commence running - nearly 5 months post op

So it's been a few weeks since my last detailed update mainly as everything has been going to plan. I've continued my rehab program going to the gym Monday-Friday doing upper body workouts, leg weights, cross trainer, exercise bike and shuffling/jogging once a week. On Saturdays I've also been walking around the Botanical Gardens (the tan) and occasionally have gone to the pools although not as much as I would have liked!

I saw my surgeon this morning and I got the news I've been waiting for - I am now officially cleared to run! I'm very excited as I can now increase my rehab intensity although obviously being sensible about it and following what my physio advises. My surgeon was very happy with my knee and said that I have now caught up to all his other patients who were operated on back in October. He said that whilst I could probably return in 2-3 months to full sports he wants to take a cautious approach due to my early complications (staph infection) so therefore said I can return between 9-12 months from my first operation (4-7 months time).

So I'm roughly half way there! I mentioned returning to cricket (pre-season commences in September) was my goal and he said there shouldn't be a problem with that. I'm obviously very excited and will be interested to see what the physio has in store for me when I see him later today.

[roo222]

Congrats Bigman, having just been cleared to run myself I know how good it feels to get the all clear Have you managed to get a run under your belt yet? If so how long did you last for? The one thing i realised was how bad my fitness was after a 10 minute run, but i suppose thats to be expected after almost a year without regular cardio work! Mind you it sounds like you've been hitting the gym a lot more regularly than i have so you will probably be better off than me. Have you been started on any plyometrics or lateral excercises? if not is there any indication when you'll be able to?

Good news as well getting an idea of when you'll be able to go back to full sports, after the long 'journey' so far 2 months doesn't sound too bad! I bet your looking forward to it, I know i am! Would that be a return to contact sports or just non-contact? Im not sure how it is with you but i know ill be allowed to return to football (non contact) well before contact stuff.

Congrats again and good luck with the running!
Roo

[Bigman78]

Thanks Roo! Congrats to you also How did you go (I'll check your thread as you've most likely mentioned it there)?

I went for a proper run on Saturday for the first time and it went really well! My physio has advised me to start slowly and to run one lap followed by walking a lap so I followed his protocol.  I ran a 400 meter lap to start with and straight away I could see how much fitness I have lost as I was breathing quite heavily at the end of it. I then walked a lap, ran another, walked another lap, ran a 3rd lap and walked one more lap completing this all in approximately 20 minutes. So overall I ended up running around 1.2 kms and walking around the same distance also.  My physio wants me increasing the overall distance by 800 meters every 10 days and wants me running approx 2.5-3kms by the time I see him next (in 5 weeks time).

It's also worth mentioned that I ran on soft grass around an oval and that definitely help so my knee didn't complain too much and I didn't have a bad reaction at the end of it. I'm looking forward to running next (most likely tonight) and getting my fitness back up! No mention of plyometrics as yet so I will ask him the next time I see him. A return to non-contact sports will probably be in around 2-3 months whilst a return to full sport will most likely be in around 4-6 months.

[Bigman78]

Hamstring soreness - 5.5 months post op

In the last couple of days the hamstring of my operated leg has been quite sore along with some knee soreness as a result of a 2km run I did on Wednesday night. Whilst I'm really happy to have come so far it just shows how long I have to go! Despite running on soft grass once again and walking laps in between running laps I felt the impact of running the longest distance I have to date. In the last 3 weeks I've been running twice a week and have been building up the distance slowly as advised by my physio.

I've also been doing my usual gym routine - upper body weights, leg weights, cross trainer and excercise bike regularly. On Sunday I went to the pools for the first time in a couple of weeks and it was great to be back in water once again. The low impact activites helped and the knee felt a lot better after it which is a reminder for me that I should be spending more time in the pool! One of the highlights from Wednesday's run was running a lap with the boys at soccer training. They were happy to see me running and gave me lots of encouragement. It gives me a lot to look forward to and to continue to train hard towards.

Tonight I'll be doing another gym workout followed by 10-15 minutes on the cross trainer. I hope to go for another run on the weekend and hopefully pull up better this time around.  I'm seeing my physio next in two weeks time and hope to be running 2.5 kms by then. Hopefully I will be cleared to do some direction change type running shortly along with plyometrics.

[mightyjack]

Hey Bigman78

Thought I would drop in and see how things are going for you. Congrats on the progress.  It sounds like you’re doing really well with the running.  I went for my first run a few days ago and managed ok. My knee actually felt better after. Are you wearing any type of brace or sleeve? I thought about it but ended up going without. Keep up the great work!

[ouch09]

I'm surprised that your physio got you to run before doing plyometrics, because running is a plyometric exercise, and your physio should really ease you into it by doing lots of plyometric exercises first ...

I would discuss this with your physio next time you see him/her.

[Bigman78]

I'm nearly 6 months post op (in 4 days time)

Since my last update I've run 3 times and each time I've pulled up well which is a relief. I'm planning to go for another run either tonight or tomorrow depending on what time I finish at work. My last run went well and I ran around 2kms once again. I'm looking forward to a remedial massage on Wednesday (first one for around 3 months) and I'm then seeing my physio on Thursday for the first time in 5 weeks. Lots to look forward to this week!

Mightyjack - thanks! I'm not wearing any brace or sleeve and feel fine without one. I don't think it would support much at this point and I have no issues with swelling as I did in the first couple of months of rehab.

Deepak - I guess each Physio do things slightly differently. I will ask him although I'm confident with the protocal as he was the senior physio for a high level football club (North Melbourne Kangaroos) in Australia for 21 years! In that time he has overseen a number of successful rehab programs for players coming back from ACL injuries so I believe I'm in good hands! I hope so anyway

[ouch09]

Ah yes, I'd forgotten that there are different ACL rehab protocols. For example, Snowy's was different to mine. There's probably no hard and fast rule about which order you do the exercises in.

It's the result that counts, and as you say your physio has rehabed professional footballers, so he probably knows what he's talking about. 

[Bigman78]

6 months post op tomorrow

Tomorrow marks a big milestone in my road to recovery - 6 months since my original ACL reconstruction! It's been quite a journey so far and I've still got a long way to go... in all honesty I am only half way there due to the early complications with infection and also due to my body shape / weight i.e. 6 ft 5 and weigh 97 kgs. I say this as my physio says it's hard for taller people who usually weight more to come back as the knee has to cope with and support more which makes sense.

Today I saw my physio for the first time in 5 weeks and he re-iterated that I am on track with my rehab program. He also said that I am around half way there but that I have caught up with most other people who would have had a knee reco around the same time last year which is encouraging to hear. He asked how my running has been going and I said that it has been good as I've been running twice a week (2-2.5 kms at a time) along with doing leg weights twice a week. He introduced me to two new exercises:

1) Hopping from side to side on my operating leg but supporting my weight by holding until something i.e. desk, table or bed. So I finally get to do some plyometrics!! I did this exercise in front of him and he said that it was noticeable that I had much more spring in more good leg which is to be expected at this stage. He wants me to do 4 sets of 30 seconds every day if possible.

2) Steps Ups (on a step or bench) - He noticed that when I did a couple of bridges on each leg that my glutes on my operated leg where lagging behind my good leg. So he wants me to do 3 sets of 15 steps ups. When it gets easy I will progress to holding 5 kgs dumbells in each hand

I will be doing the above 2 exercises for the next 5 weeks along with continuing with running and leg weights. He has also encouraged me to do more bike running and lots more walking. When he sees me next he will assess if I am ready to take the next step which is running between cones (weaving). I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and to progressing further hopefully!

[ouch09]

Congratulations on getting to 6 months post-op and starting plyometrics (which is a sign you're on the home stretch). 

[Bigman78]

Congratulations on getting to 6 months post-op and starting plyometrics (which is a sign you're on the home stretch). 

Thanks Deepak. The hopping and step ups have gone well up to now. I really felt my glutes after doing steps up last Friday night. Looking forward to running 2kms or so tonight. Hope all is well with you.