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Scott,First off, welcome to the forum!I have a small log I've posted on this forum as well (under Former College Basketball Player...) and had my trochlear groove microfractured on June 22nd. What surprises me most about your post-op is the immediate weight bearing, as well as you make absolutely no mention of using a CPM. As I had mentioned in my log, I was prescribed to be NWB for 6 weeks (although my surgeon has moved me up to PWB ahead of schedule) and I had used a CPM for 6 hrs/day. Hopefully you're surgeon prescribed some sort of passive motion for your knee in the post-op period.
Secondly, I'm amazed that you had the surgery performed with a spinal block, that's the first I've ever heard of! Great stuff, although I imagine it must've been tough to watch.
You also mentioned some pain in your patellar tendon. I've experienced the same thing, and my PT and OS have both suggested that it is simply as a result of the lack of quad strength. Nothing serious to worry about, and something that will go away with PT and strengthening.
Another area you mentioned was that you had no idea how you're injury occurred in addition to having one leg shorter than the other. I am a firm believer that faulty movement patterns and muscles length/strength imbalances are what caused my cartilage defect. In my log I had mentioned that I had performed a functional movement screen which sought to identify and resolve these patterns and imbalances. After 2 1/2 weeks on the movement screen program I had even been able to play basketball with minimal pain. Having a functional movement screen (some may call it a Total Kinetic Chain Assessment as well) is something I HIGHLY suggest you look into before returning to soccer.
Finally, I hate to be a wet blanket, but I think a full return to sport by 3 months may be wishful thinking. From all I've read, most of the professional athletes that have had microfracture don't return to their sport for a full year, the newly formed cartilage simply takes too long to strengthen to the point where it can sustain heavy impact from sport to return within 3 months. In addition, many people on this board are still experiencing pain post-microfracture at 4-6months. Its my personal opinion that if you combine a quick return to soccer along with not addressing any muscle imbalances (which may have caused the injury in the first place), you may be setting yourself up for disaster. I know it really sucks to look at it that way, but I've started to develop the mentality that I've been living my life at a sprint's pace, but unfortunately the road to recovering from a microfracture is a marathon.
One thing I am curious about though, is why you and David suggest riding a stationary bike, which would naturally hit that 40-70 degree area? My OS suggested the same, using zero resistance (as you two have noted). But, it runs contrary tothe whole "don't bend your knee too much" advice. Riding the bike wold do so with great frequency.