Clearance to commence running!!

So it's been a few weeks since my last update mainly as everything has been going to plan. I've continued my rehab program going to the gym Monday-Friday doing upper body workouts, leg weights, cross trainer, exercise bike and shuffling/jogging once a week. On Saturdays I've also been walking around the Botanical Gardens (the tan) and occasionally have gone to the pools although not as much as I would have liked!

I saw my surgeon this morning and I got the news I've been waiting for - I am now officially cleared to run! I'm very excited as I can now increase my rehab intensity although obviously being sensible about it and following what my physio advises. My surgeon was very happy with my knee and said that I have now caught up to all his other patients who were operated on back in October. He said that whilst I could probably return in 2-3 months to full sports he wants to take a cautious approach due to my early complications (staph infection) so therefore said I can return between 9-12 months from my first operation (4-7 months time).

So I'm roughly half way there! I mentioned returning to cricket (pre-season commences in September) was my goal and he said there shouldn't be a problem with that. I'm obviously very excited and will be interested to see what the physio has in store for me when I see him later today.

February 2nd – 4 months post op

Yesterday was the four month anniversary since my original operation although I did have a 2nd op 10 days following the original one due to staph infection. Considering the early days and where I was at I’m very happy and thankful where I am currently at. Since my last update (last Friday) I have continued to do quite a bit – on Saturday I walked 4.3 kms in the morning followed by some rehab work in the pool in the afternoon, Sunday I took a well deserved rest day and for the first two days this week I’ve been doing my usual work in the gym.

Last night I attended soccer training and walked laps of the oval as well as doing some jogging/shuffling every 50 meters for 10-15 meters. I’ve been doing this once a week as well as walking on Saturdays for the last 3 weeks so I am in a good routine right now. Basically my standard week looks like the following:

•  Monday – chest & leg workout at the gym, exercise bike at home for 20 minutes
•  Tuesday – back workout & cross trainer for 10 minutes at the gym, walking/jogging at soccer training for 45 minutes
•  Wednesday – triceps & exercise bike for 20 minutes at the gym
•  Thursday – shoulders & leg workout at the gym, 15-20 minutes on the exercise bike at home
•  Friday – biceps & cross trainer for 10 minutes at the gym, 20 minutes on the exercise bike at home
•  Saturday – walking 4.3 kms (around the tan) in the morning & pool work in the afternoon
•  Sunday – 20-30 minutes on the exercise bike

As mentioned in an earlier post I am seeing my surgeon on the 24th of February where I hope I get given full clearance to commence running again!

January 28th – 17 weeks post op (or 120 days)

It has been 17 weeks since my ACL reconstruction operation. I have had a good week of rehab starting at the pools on both Saturday and Sunday. I made myself a program based on what I’m able to do in the pool currently. The pool I go to is 50 meters in length so my plan was as follows:

•  Walk 10-15 meters
•  Lunges for 10-15 meters
•  Jog for 10-15 meters
•  Swim remaining 10 meters or so

I did approximately 10 full laps (1km) on both Saturday and Sunday as well as doing the exercise bike for 20 minutes at night. This program works well for me and the knee always feels a lot better once I’ve done pool work. Apart from that I also did leg weights on Monday followed by 20 minutes on the exercise bike, I did the shuffle jog / walk for an hour on Tuesday as well as doing the cross trainer for 10 minutes, I did 30 minutes on the exercise bike on Wednesday and yesterday I did another 10 minutes on the cross trainer. Today I am planning to do leg weights once again followed by the cross trainer and exercise bike tonight.

16 weeks (or 113 days) post op!

Another week has passed by and I'm getting closer and closer to my next goal - running! I saw my physio yesterday for the first time in around a month due to the Christmas / New Year break and he was very happy with what he saw. He was pleased to see nearly all of the swelling around the knee gone and then tested my flexion / bend which he said was excellent at this stage (heel around 5 inches or so away from my butt). He then tested the strength of the graft and said that it was fantastic as well.

My legs: Taken a lot of hard work but muscle finally coming back

I updated him on what I had been doing over the last month or so (leg weights, cross trainer, exercise bike, walking & pool) and he said I am on track considering the complications I had early in the recovery. He then said I was ready to start doing a shuffle like jog (not quite a full jog yet) where basically it's like jogging but keeping my legs close to the ground i.e. not elevating them too much so there isn't too much impact on the knee. He then showed me how to do it and then got me to do it. It was a strange sensation but it was nice to almost be jogging again!

The plan is to do this shuffle (best way I can think of to describe it) over the next 4 weeks before I see my surgeon next when he will hopefully give me the all clear to commence proper jogging / running. The program he gave me is to shuffle for 10 meters then walk for 50 meters. I went to soccer training last night and gave it a go and did that for around 2-2.5 kms. The knee reacted well and I reckon if I really pushed it I could probably almost jog now but I'll stick to the plan! I then did a further 20 minutes on the bike at home after icing the knee for 15-20 minutes before that.

He also gave me an idea of what we were targetting in future:

16-20 weeks: shuffling along with leg weights, plenty of bike and pool work
20-24 weeks: return to full jogging / running + usual program
24-28 weeks: Slight change of direction (i.e. running between cones in a fairly straight line)
28-32 weeks: Full change of direction (i.e. running between cones but making a full turn)
32 weeks: Return to partial sport (not sure what this means! Assuming some light training)
48 weeks: Return to full sport

Exciting times ahead and looking forward to making more and more progress hopefully!

106 days or 15 weeks post op

Not a great deal to report on. I had another gym session yesterday and missed training at the gym on Wednesday due to being too busy at work. I did manage to get a 22 minute bike ride in on Wednesday night at home though. Yesterday I had a biceps workout followed by a leg work once again doing hamstring curls, seated calf raises and the leg press machine.  In general the knee is feeling good although the hammy is feeling a little tight on the medial side probably due to all the exercises done lately! I can’t quite believe it’s been 15 weeks since my original op and time really does fly after the initial 6 weeks post op.  I’m looking forward to seeing my PT next week to see what he makes of my progress in the last month or so and what I have to look forward to next.

Day 103 (or 14 weeks 4 days) - Decent progress

Progress has been ok although I was run down and had a cold for a couple of days late last week. I did manage to get in 3 workouts however (Tuesday, Thursday & Friday) and also had a pool session on Saturday where I walked a few laps as well as doing some leg exercises in between. My legs are quite sore today after a good leg session yesterday which included:

·         Hamstring curls - 4 sets of 15 (20 kgs)

·         Seated calf raises machine - 3 sets of 15 (20 kgs)

·         Leg press machine - 3 sets of 12 (individual leg - 80 lbs each leg)

After being quite sore as I mentioned I decided only to do cardio today after my back workout. I did 10 minutes on the stationary bike and a further 10 minutes on the cross trainer which gave my legs a really good pump! I’m planning to have 2 more gym sessions this week along with doing the stationary bike at home for 20 minutes each night if possible.  I’m also planning another pool session on the weekend.

Day 96 - Last 2 weeks

It has been a couple of weeks since my last update and the rehab has been going along nicely with no major hiccups. I have also had 10 days off work which in some ways have made it more difficult to follow my rehab program as I have had to travel into the city to go to the gym whereas with work I am already in the city! Therefore I have been doing some rehab at home as well as the gym. Since my last update I’ve hit some other small milestones:

·         First time watching a movie at the cinemas since my knee reconstruction on December 27. This may seem like a very minor milestone and it probably it but it was good to get through an entire movie for the first time. I did have to stretch my leg out a couple of times but in general it felt fine

·         First time dancing since my knee reconstructions (if you call it dancing haha). We attended a wedding on the 29^th and I was on the dance floor with my wife for around 45 minutes in total. Obviously I wasn’t going nuts on the dance floor but it was good to have a bit of a dance. The knee only swelled up slightly which is a good sign J

·         First time doing 10 minutes on the cross trainer. The first couple of times I was able to 5 minutes but last week I did 10 minutes for the first time

In general I’ve been doing straight leg raises, quad tensing and stretching in the morning. If I can I go to the gym in the afternoon to hit the weights and generally at night I’m on the exercise bike as well as using the sports cord to work on my balancing. Today’s program is a good example of what I have been doing lately:

·         Chest workout – Smith machine incline bench press (4 x 8), flat bench dumbbell press (3 x 7), flat dumbbell flyes (3 x 10) & dips (3 x 8)

·         Quad tensing & ankle pumps – 1 set of each

·         Straight leg raises – 3 sets of 10 (both legs)

·         Side leg raises & raises whilst lying on stomach – 1 set of 10 for each (both legs)

·         Ab workout (crunches) – 3 sets of 20

·         Hamstring curls - 3 sets of 15 (15-20 kgs)

·         Calf raises machine - 3 sets of 15 (20 kgs)

·         Leg press machine - 3 sets of 15 (140 lbs)

I’m seeing my physio next on the 20^th of January so it will be interesting to see what he says on my progress. I’m seeing my surgeon next on the 24^th of February by which time I hope I am given clearance to run. Overall the progress is coming along nicely.