ACL tear - I start my long journey to recovery!

[PiotrS]

So how is your swelling coming along after the normal session? Any improvements?

I still have a bit of swelling around the portals as well, although otherwise the knee is looking not so bad. I was still having problems this week with the fat pad, and I thought I aggravated it again when I was getting the same kind of pressure on the lateral side of the knee when trying to do squats.

My physio told me to "get on with it" and that was the correct advice, as when I actually pushed through the pressure it let go! I don't know if that's because the fat pad only hinders flexion right at the start of the movement, or whether it's something else in the knee causing the pressure, like scar tissue.

Well thanks to that, I have now done two serious quad sessions, doing squats in the lunge position, and finally feel the burn in my operated leg. The pain from the fat pad or whatever the problem tissue was, is almost completely gone. I still have lots of clicking, but my gait is almost 100% fine, going down stairs is much smoother and overall things seem good.

[grapplingdude]

Day 66: Did a full leg session last night and swelling is unchanged today. Next to no general swelling but swelling around the incisions and that lateral stretch persists..
Did a full session today and tried some skipping for the 1st time (even though I didnt ask if I was allowed), still feels like the left leg is a bit unstable and slow to switch on but OK - did some 30 secs only to get the feel for it.

Day 67: Swelling still unchanged and did a long session including about 60 secs skipping - feels more natural now than yesterday 

Piotr

My swelling has not been visibly affected by my downtime so I am now back to full workout routine. I will see my OS in about 3 weeks and will then ask about the residual swelling..

[Bigman78]

Grapplingdude - I have been following your progress but haven't had a chance to drop you a line of late. Seems like you've come a long way apart from the swelling. Keep patient with that as I had swelling for a long time also (up to 3 months from memory) and was constantly icing as well as taking anti-inflammatory tablets for a while. It took me around 3.5 months before I could jog/shuffle and 5 months before I could run properly (although I had early complications with a staph infection) so hang in there! It's different for everyone and you will know when you are ready.

PiotrS - great to hear no damage was done with that little accident. All the best with you rehab also

[grapplingdude]

Day 68: No change is swelling and did a full leg series plus about 90 secs skipping - feels a lot better and more natural 

Day 69: Swelling unchanged today, planning on another good session tonight!

Bigman

Good to hear from you! I'll beinterested to hear what the doctor says about the swelling - seeing him for my 3 month check just before Xmas

[grapplingdude]

Day 70: Picked up a stupid cold!    Not great for my lengthy gym routines... Saw the physio again today at the 10 week mark and he wants me to start basic plyometrics 2x per week i.e. skipping plus 10 squat jumps plus short spells of 1 minute on the treadmill at 5.5mph x3

Did not feel up to it at night due to my cold so did 15 mins cycling plus stretching.

Day 71: Same picture as yesterday 

Day 72: Still under the weather even though not as bad as yesterday so will do another short session - hopefully tomorrow back to full 

[PiotrS]

Well I had a bout of food poisoning at the beginning of the week, so had three days off as well!

It actually made my fat pad issue worse again. We are still not sure what is causing it, but the latest theory is that in fact it is scar tissue in the fat pad itself (since one of my portals goes through there). Now because my VMO is not strong enough yet, it means my patella is tracking more on the lateral side than it should (in fact this was also picked up on my scan after my little accident). When I stopped exercising while sick, my patella again went to the lateral side and aggravated the fat pad.

So to counteract that we are concentrating on the VMO and holding off on the one-legged squats that were causing me the most bother. Hopefully things will clear up soon, it's getting a bit frustrating to be honest! Gave blood today, so didn't manage much in the way of exercise, other than lots of weighted straight leg lifts and hamstring curls.

How is the swelling coming along?

[grapplingdude]

Piotr

I massively sympathise - still not over that stupid cold and that despite my best efforts  - ALL that green tea in vain! As far as my swelling goes less exercise does not seem to be the solution either - I ve actually been exercising the past couple of days and it seems to be a bit better now - the general swelling around the patella seems to be the same ( a bit puffy incl. under the patella making it a bit squishy) but the weird lateral swelling is visibly down so patience my friend!

I have not done any plyometrics since seeing the physio due to my cold but may try tonight or tomorrow. Actually I had an interesting experience today - stepped onto the road on the impacted leg first and sudennly traffic starts moving so I instinctively did a 180 degrees turn on the impacted knee and had no problems  Now this was unloaded and slow etc and I would not bank on it but I thought it reassuring 

I will also see the doctor for my 3 month (just under actually 12 weeks more like) at the end of next week and I am keen to get his input!

Day 73: Took a day off after another brief but good session last night - still coldy 

Day 74: Feeling better but still a bit under the weather and went to the gym for a quick session. Instead I ask one of the PTs for a good upper body / obliques / core programme and the guy gives me a smashing but beastly circuit programmme that near enough killed me in my state but that I will continue once back to good!

Day 75: Feeling a tiny bit better still despite yesterday's killer workout but may skip gym tonight so tomorrow!!!!!

[PiotrS]

Well my fat pad is getting a bit better. I have had my patella taped on Monday to support its position more towards the medial side. I have also stopped any exercises that involve fully straightening the leg. Luckily I didn't have a problem with regaining extension, so I had don't have to worry about working on it.

I have noticed marked improvement in the swelling around the fat pad area and also my knee clicks a lot less than before. I am going to continue with this regime for another few days before I attempt any leg straightening exercises. In the meantime I am still doing lots of squats (but without going all the way up), weighted SLRs focusing on the VMO, and also a static leg raise (pushing with shin into an exerise ball as if doing a leg raise, but without moving my leg). Other than that, normal hamstring and calf stuff.

Hope the cold is gone. We are waiting to see a bit of winter here, but there is b**** all snow, which is unusual for this time of year in Poland. I even got some special high grip boots in case it gets icy, but lucklily for my knee, it's still above 0!

[grapplingdude]

Day 76: Did full leg workout plus my plyometric exercises today. Jogging is a lot more natural and I do 5 x 1-1.5 mins at 8.6kph as well as a good 5 mins skipping!!! Lateral swelling is also down a bit 

Day 77: Lateral swelling is up a tick after yesterday's extensive leg workout but I am confident that this is temporary. I saw the physio today and he put me on the treadmill for 2.5 mins and said that my jogging looks normal now to the naked eye  He also gave me new things to do including box drills (LATERAL stuff for the first time) and hop drills including build up to lateral over the next 2 weeks!!! I am alos now good to resume crab walks

Things are starting to roll!!!

Piotr

Good to hear about your progress, I am 11 weeks on the day now and things are starting to look up - bring on Christmas 

[grapplingdude]

Day 78: Did my upper body circuit programme and some cardio last night. Swelling on the lateral side seems a bit up today but maybe that's because some drunk moron fell into me putting lateral strain on my knee yesterday - a short moment of instability but I do not think anything dramatic has happened... 

No exercise today due to huge workload but will make up for it tomorrow 

[grapplingdude]

Day 79: Did some exercise at night including some leg work and plyometrics: Skipping is coming along fine! Did 5 x 1 min jogging up to 9kph and the observation is it's fine but after my 1st set I developed some mild grinding pain under the patella - that faded towards my last set but is sth to be aware of.

Day 80: Swelling unchanged despite plyo yesterday. Did more leg strength today and cardio and the did a little experiment though I am aware that this may not have bee clever. I got my buddy to hold the boxing pads for me and did 2 rounds of just straight punches against the pad NO kicking NO hooks etc and NO counterstrikes.

It actually felt OK for the knee since there is littl;e lateral movement or rotation - probably less than in some other stuff i now do. However I want to leave it till I see my doctor on Thursday before I try this again!

Day 81: Good news is that despite yesterdays experiment swelling is unchanged so will just doi a long cardio session and stretching tonight!

[grapplingdude]

Day 82: Had a good session last night lots of cardio and just a bit of leg work and lots of stretching including sitting on my heel fully loaded with just mild discomfort. I did a much shorter session today including some cardio / some more leg work and a bit of stretching. " things are noteworthy:

I did 2 x 20 straight punches on the heavybag to see how that affects my knee and seems fine!

I did deep TRX assisted singe legs and they feel a lot more stable. 

Day 83: Swelling is unchanged which given the high level of exercise aint too bad a result. Had a long gym session over lunch including upper body circuits and skipping and lots of cardio / stretching.

Also felt a bit ambitious and tried to times 1.5 mins running at 9 kph which went OK

[grapplingdude]

Day 84: Did a good session today most notably doing full plyometrics including 3 x 2 mins running and 1 x 4 mins running at 10.5kph. Went just fine! 

Also, past the critical 12 weeks mark now.

Day 85: Did another session including more running today 2 mins and 4 mins at 10.5kph

The really interesting part though was the 3 month follow-up with my OS. He said the graft is up to a good 50% strength now and he was happy with my p[rogress and the result of his test - said he could only produce about 1mm give using full strength.

I asked him as well about starting some boxing work just against bag / pads and he said that should be fine.

Same goes for upping my jogging and starting rotational work!!!! 

Another good 3 months for the thing to go up to full strength!

[grapplingdude]

Day 86: Did n exercise today due to air travel but had a little accident at night. Sat on the side of my bed in pitch black and fell off the side backwards more to the right than the injured left but both knees would have been flexed quite strongly. There was little immediate effects on the knees other than some pain around the kneecap interestingly.

Day 87: I was worried there might be swelling in the morning but largely unchanged maybe a bit up - pain around the patella persits. This is however a mild grinding pain which I do not think is directly related to the graft. I then did the following exercise:

i did my 1st!!! non-treadmill run doing .5 k followed by some skipping and another .5 k followed by some skipping and then 1k back. Also did some made up circuits and lateral stepping / hopping plus 30 mins cycling.

Swelling is the same at night maybe marginally up but not taken any anti-inflammatories since yesterday morning. The mild pain and grinding sensation however persists - hope the graft is fine!!!!

[grapplingdude]

Day 88: did 2x 1k Today with skipping in the middle and some Circulus As well As 70 mins of cycling. Nö Major Change to knee swelling.

Day 89: no exercise Today but One slightly worrying observation: i did not previously notice this but there is spongy swelling all along the shinbone, non-painful and hard to See to the naked Eye but it feels spongy to touch and deforms when i wear a tight sock.

Immediate worry is staph infection which may compromise the graft but hopefully this is still normal at this stage as in some residual swelling from the op.

Anyone got any ideas??