MPFL reconstruction April 4th 2012

[allyd]

Sounds like things are really looking up for you and getting back to normal. Great to hear that your OS has no concerns about you getting back out on the slopes this winter. Just keep hitting the PT... you'll be ready.

As for the jumping and "some how" managing to shift all your wait to your un-operated leg. Yup. I still do that, and probably have a lot more strength/confidence than you do at this point. I have to consciously work to land balanced. It's a good controlled environment to work on the mental game though. My PT has me jump up onto a bosu ball and then down... less impact, yet the uneven surface is great for proprioception too.

Way to make it through Relay event and your 1st day of work. Just another milestone. It'll only help you get stronger in the long run... good luck on rallying w/ the swelling for another day tomorrow!

[Tiggs1986]

Work has been going pretty good so long as I can sit and ice a few minutes a couple hours into the shift. My PT discharged me from therapy this week (which really suprised me), and went over at home stuff that I gotta work on from here on out. He said that if I need I can come back for another visit in a few weeks for an assessment or to call if I have questions so now I've gotta join a gym (most of the stuff he wants me to do I don't have the equipment for). Hopefully I could get my health insurance to pay for part of the membership, at least until my rehab is over.

[Lorikeet]

Good luck with the gym and hope the need for icing will soon disappear. And here's hoping the insurance will pay for the gym during your rehab. My PT is going to discharge me at my next appointment but there's no plan to do any other rehab officially after that. I assume I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and it will be good eventually.

[Tiggs1986]

5(ish) months!
 Wow how time flies! I had my final OS appt a couple of weeks ago. My knee is doing great, full range of motion, thought the last inch of so is REALLY tight! I guess the ligament is intentionally made a little short with the assumption that it will stretch out with use, and mine really hasn't. My OS says that could be because I'm "older". I think he realized his mistake and quickly recovered saying "not that your old or anything, it's just this surgery is usually done on 15 year olds" Heck no I'm not old! I'm 25! haha, anyways it shouldn't affect my knee really I'll just feel that real tight feeling for that last little bit of flexion. My therapy at the gym is going well. I actually gotta ask my PT how long I should be doing these exercises or what goals I'm supposed to reach, also how much longer I gotta wear my brace for work and workouts, and where I can get another one. My current brace I had been using before the surgery as well as these last few months and the velcro is shot and I gotta wear for snowboarding this winter! Non PT exercise-wise I've discovered a new love for aqua exercises and swimming (I use a kickboard to place all the workload on my legs and flutter kick in order to increase my endurance). I can only do it for about 30minutes though before my leg just stops working. I still can't run as far as I know, but I haven't consciously tried since my failed attempt a month and a half ago (though I think I got pretty close when I was rushing to a code blue at work the other day). My OS gave me good advice on getting back to running-run in the pool in chest deep water and work my way to shallow water. It works pretty good so long as I don't slip. I can jump onto a box that's about a foot and a half high (?) but it still jars too much to jump down and I have issues keeping my weight shifted equally between my legs, eventually I'll figure out how to stop subconsciously babying that knee! That's about it for now! Next time hopefully I'll be running and jumping and all that good stuff!

[Tiggs1986]

So it all has lead up to this. I WENT SNOWBOARDING TODAY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! So proud of myself right now! Sure it was the easiest run (short of the bunny hill) and it was only like a few runs and I was feeling a little ill thinking about actually doing it, BUT I DID IT! All the hard work the last 7-8months has PAID OFF! WHOOOOOOOOOOP! My friend actually had to tell me I needed to stop before I tire my knee out too much and re-injure it. Now to get myself running!

[allyd]

Awesome news! So glad you hit your goals.

[Lorikeet]

Excellent news! Before you know it you'll be taking on the harder runs with ease. enjoy!

[martussa]

Wow it gives me hope that someday after my MPFL reconstruction from October I will put skies on my feet and go hard in mountains!

[Tiggs1986]

Thanks guys! martussa, definitely next year! When I got sick and tired of rehabing my knee and the fact my life has been revolving around it for most of the year, I dug out my board and put it against a wall so I'd see it everytime I walked into my apartment and/or headed to the bathroom. Passed it multiple times a day and was reminded why I needed to work so hard. Keep it up and you'll get there too!

[Tiggs1986]

It's been awhile (and over a YEAR since my original injury!) I've been out to the local ski hill, snowboarding at 1st it kinda hurt to go from sitting to standing position while locked into my board and carving on my back edge was REALLY uncomfortable, but all of that has greatly improved over the last couple of months, the only thing that really is still uncomfortable snowboarding-wise is scooting myself from point lift to hill and bottom of hill to lift, I think my knee twists a bit when I do that so I will just take the board off if it's too far. I've fallen once (on my butt thank goodness!) and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be with the sudden force-bend my knees go through with that AND standing back up on the slope. I'm getting bored "taking it easy" as I promised my OS last summer but the thought of falling on my knees terrifies me enough to keep me honest (and bored!) It still is uncomfortable to kneel and I find I shift most of my weight over to the other hip and knee when I have to, hopefullt that will go away as that screw "dissolves" more and more. I've started trying to run and was able to do a slow jog/walk for 20min without incident. After that my knee was trying to give out every couple of minutes (or I was going faster than it wanted at that point since I was trying short "bursts of speed" still pretty slow and awkward though. I gotta really get at it. I'm signed up for a 5k this summer and a couple of friends want me to do a couple different 5k obstacle courses with them too (one has zombies chasing you, trying to steal your flags and "infect" you! AH!). Workwise my knee is great I've even started 12 hour shifts no problem. The only issue painwise now is weather related. I swear I do better predications than the weather man! Anywho, come my 1 year anniversary I'll post 1 year later pics. Today I was looking through my old posts (to get appt dates for my taxes ) and I can't believe how far I've come! YAY!