Joining the party

[Zeedashbo]

i'm kinda disappointed in 'gimp central' here. where's the gnar?!?

really though, i've found that finding a good pt is a pain. and honestly, you can do 99.9% of your therapy on your own. i just e-mail my therapist (who is the shiznit), get some workouts, and hit the gym. i get a better workout and don't have to pay out the booty to do stretches and leg workouts.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I went to PT today!!!!

And it was great. We didn't do much, but it was nice to have a real assessment of where I'm at . . . I'm doing well as it turns out, and was glad to hear that things are on track (or ahead). I have some new activities, but even better a new focus, and some direction.

Until I can get benefits figured out, I'm on the once/week plan, but I'll take what I can get!

Wahoo!!!!

This is great news. Psyched for ya K.

[truth]

Personally I think once a week is plenty. My benefits cover more, but I am sticking with my Sat visit only. We really all know enough to get it done by ourselves.....the PT really just gives assurance and some fun new exercises.
.

Hmm...I can see that once full ROM is established, but for me right now having my leg manipuilted and being pushed is the only way to get through the discomfort of the last few degrees of extension. It's truly painful and totally uncomfortable. I'm pretty masochistic when it comes to training and I have my doubts about being able to really get at this as hard as I need to alone right now. Plus, it's nice to have a room full of (mostly ACL's) peeps on your path to motivate you.

[truth]

i'm kinda disappointed in 'gimp central' here. where's the gnar?!?

You're just reading the wrong threads.

[basom]

congrats kellie!

i'm not sure how i would have done if i didn't get addicted to that awsome stim machine! turn it up till you scream and pulse out

[Kellie]

FINALLY able to walk without at limp! Working on getting some muscle tone, and looking forward to seeing the doc in a week . . . hoping for an expanded array of acceptable activities

For the rest of you: when did you get clearance to go use your muscles? i.e. when is okay to start adding resistance on a bike, and having your limits be strength, not worrying about the graft. I know we always worry about the graft, but I am guessing there comes a point where it's stabilized enough to make it okay for muscle fatigue. I am also sure this varies A LOT by doctor and PT, but I'd be interested in your experiences!

[basom]

here is the progession as outlined by my doctor. my program was slightly different, as my PT liked to switch up excercises to keep me interested and motivated. but we worked from this outline (my doc and PT work together to come up with the right program for each patient, but this is the basic one they hand you when you leave post-op, so you know what you are getting yourself into)

i left out the stuff for surgery - 6 weeks.

[basom]

[truth]

The graft is at it's weakest around week 6. It has lost the stregnth it had as the PT and is just recovering the vascular connections to regenerate as the new ACL. I have been warned that this will be occuring at the very time you begin to feel strong in the quads and want to start to push harder. Use caution Kellie. I doubt resistance in a controled manner can harm the graft, but risking an odd torque or twist seems the real concern.

[Mtn Man]

Congrats Kellie on no limpin'! I can't wait to get to that point, I still have to take stairs with the same leg each time.

Thanks for posting the workout Basom! I've got a lot of post op work cut out for me. Just got a first look at what the PT place is charging my health coverage.....184 a visit, JEEBUS! That's actually what they pay the PT place, Healthsouth actually tries to charge me 279.

Word to the wise, if you're unemployed, keep those Cobra payments up! Otherwise, stay off the hill unless you're a trusty

B)

[Kellie]

I just had my 7-week post-op visit with the doc . . . and he said the graft feels "solid as a rock" . . . 0/135 on extension/flexion, and good progress on muscle tone. Full clearance for swimming, and likely clearance to start running at the 3 month mark (after my next visit). Okay to progress with resistance on the bike.

So, it looks like things are on track. It feels better and walking is less of an issue. Ice is my best friend, and I am continually amazed by how good the knee feels after icing!

It sure does feel good when the doc is happy with his work, though. Music to my ears

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I just had my 7-week post-op visit with the doc . . . and he said the graft feels "solid as a rock" . . . 0/135 on extension/flexion, and good progress on muscle tone. Full clearance for swimming, and likely clearance to start running at the 3 month mark (after my next visit). Okay to progress with resistance on the bike.

So, it looks like things are on track. It feels better and walking is less of an issue. Ice is my best friend, and I am continually amazed by how good the knee feels after icing!

It sure does feel good when the doc is happy with his work, though. Music to my ears

Saaawwweeeeettt!

[truth]

Very cool K.

[Arty50]

Awesome news!!!! Kick ass Kell!!!

[hop]

I won't tell anyone....anything.

[gincognito]

Go Kellie, go Kellie...

Sick and ashamed and happy (for your good news),
d.

[Kellie]

Perhaps an update - I got to 140ish this week and worked on balance and fine muscle control at PT. It was good, but hurt my patellar tendon area, and it stayed sore for the rest of the day. I have a flaring up of swelling in the past couple of days, that I am watching - taking it easy for a bit longer. Hoping that it clears

I am starting to go incredibly stir crazy however (starting?). I am hoping my knee calms down so I can get outside for some mellow biking and fresh air. 9 weeks post op . . .

[tibaher]

a lot of folks say that this is the toughest part of recovery...
when you start to feel "normal" again and your muscles and/or new ligaments and their accutruated attachments haven't really fully healed enough to handle a tweak or a twist. It's also (according to those same lot of folks) the most dangerous part of recovery as people tend to think they can push it before they really can do so safely.

heh

most folks...

Thanks for the update! and keep icing!!!

[Mtn Man]

Good to hear that you're getting around 140. Sounds like you're ready to hit the road bike soon. I'm still on my island this weekend, lots of CPM and Cold therapy. Are you doing stationary bike every day at home? Mine is ready and waiting when I'm cleared for it.

Good luck and you'll be outside soon!

B)

[Kellie]

I suppose I'll update . . .

I'm at 9.5 weeks and feeling a lot better. The swelling I had last week has gone back down and the knee looks and feels like it's progressing. Walking is still the thing that hurts the most - long distances are not my friend. It's crazy to think the doc said he'd clear me to run in 3 weeks - I can't imagine making that much progress by then! But, I'm in no hurry to run, so I may just hold off . . .

In other news, I bought a new road bike and am stoked to be out there and riding. I'm amazed at how tired I get, but it's nice to have the constraint be my muscles/heart/lungs and have the knee feel good. I am looking forward to many happy hours on the road, and will appreciate the wind on my face! I think it will be kind of wierd to really re-integrate excercise into my life, as I've become so accustomed to not "working out" regularly. It feels more natural to get up and drink coffee than it does to get up and get on a bike, but I am sure the better habits will come back to me quickly

I also realized it's been 3 months since I've been in the mountains. That is so wierd, since I really haven't gone over two weeks in about 3 years . . . but I also don't feel like I have a reason to go.

Anyhow, I'm at about 0/140 extension/flexion and have enough flexion to ride a bike without noticing, so I'm happy. My biggest challenge is in fine muscle control (i.e. slowly going down a stair - at some point my knee no longer controls and I absorb the step with my good leg - so wierd!).

[freshie247]

Keep up the good work Kellie!I'm past week 8 of my injury & I'm learning how to walk again.

[truth]

I suppose I'll update . . .
Anyhow, I'm at about 0/140 extension/flexion and have enough flexion to ride a bike without noticing, so I'm happy. My biggest challenge is in fine muscle control (i.e. slowly going down a stair - at some point my knee no longer controls and I absorb the step with my good leg - so wierd!).

Do they have you doing any step work in PT? I have these drills I'm doing both for stepping up and lowering down off various height wooded boxes. You could easily do em at home so if ya want details PM me. I've found my ability to go down steps to be rapidly improving, now I'm to the point where I can go down without using a handrail and with only minor gimpiness.

[Kellie]

Yeah, we do stepups and downs at PT, and I can do steps sans handrail and with gimpiness that goes largely unnoticed, but I can feel it, and that's what matters. I think this is one of the patience things . . . just takes getting the muscles around it, I think. But then again, what do I know?!?

[truth]

Agreed, it's funny cuz at home we have only 5 steps so I was not really getting much practice. Then 2 weeks ago I start going to the gym again and there's a very large flight of stairs that I have to use to get to the cardio gear. It's prolly 40 steps. In the last 2 weeks my ROM and stair climbing / decending has gone from climbing up one at a time to being able to descend sans railing with only a minor gimp at the bottm of each step. It seems to me that it's a quad weakness and perhaps some PT inflamation that just needs time. Focusing on controlling the descent seems to be forcing me to work at it / notice it.

Don't be so damn hard on yourself...it's a 6 month process.

[Kellie]

I'm not being too hard on myself, but notice steps as the most obvious area that I need to improve. Just like I was soooo glad the first time I straightened my leg, I will be overwhelmed with happiness when I can walk down steps and do so controlled and as slow as I want to . . . it's all a process

In the meantime, the new roadie and I went on a date yesterday, and it was GREAT! It felt so good to have my heart rate up, the air on my face, and to see the beautiful bay at the end of the day. I am looking forward to many hours on that bike, and a bloodstream chock full of endorphins!