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Hi all,just updating on my progress. I had my first physiotherapy session this week. He's pleased with the progress I am making but said it will be a long process of trying to get the leg working again, it will be months as opposed to weeks of physio, which is pretty much what I was expecting given the level of dysfunction I have had for years now, being unable to do most exercise, even cycling and swimming were too painful, I couldn't even kick my shoes off! my vastus lateralis has gone completely and is hollowed in instead of curving out, my right (bad side) thigh had been 1 & 1/2 inches thinner than the other for years so I think it's going to take time to build that up, having said that I can feel that muscle is working again already, the day after surgery I noticed it felt sore and now realize that's because it's working again, it must have completely switched off due to the damage and pain. I had been able to do straight leg raises before so my VMO wasn't so bad.Currently, my exercises are progressing still, the straight leg raise is still jumpy and wobbly, leg extensions are slowly strengthening but I have noticed there is a strong click in the kneecap as it passes a certain point and then it clicks again as I lower the leg back down. There is also some pain in the patella bone at the region of the defect when I do this exercise, which worries me in case it is damaging the repair. I have now just about regained full ROM, which pleases me because it helps when turning in bed etc. I still have swelling but it's 50% improved since the first few days when it was like a grapefruit, I can now nearly see my kneecap again. I am getting quite a lot of stiffness too.I also saw the surgeon this week. He told me it will take 18 months for the cartilage to fully regrow and that it should be 25% grown after 6 months (I think that's what he said). At 6 months, which will be around Christmas time, I will have another MRI and it's then that we'll see if the repair has worked and if it is re-growing. He also explained that the clicking is caused by the line around the edge of the repair and that it's common because it's not possible to get it perfectly smooth. I am guessing this may be permanent as the new cartilage will grow into the filler matrix and there will always be a 'join', I can live with it though, it's nothing compared to extreme pain and loss of mobility. Best wishes to fellow stem-cellers! Will update again as things progress