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.

Day 83 - Very sore after light leg weights!

After getting back into the rehab program and the good news from both the surgeon and my physio I had a bit of a setback getting sick late last week. I was fighting it all during the week at work after getting back from Bali and finally succumbed to the cold/flu I had on Saturday. Thankfully after resting the entire weekend and not doing too much apart from watching the cricket I was feeling much better on Sunday night.

I finally got a chance to do the leg weights on Monday even though I was planning on doing so on Friday. First I did a chest workout (flat bench press, incline machine press, incline dumbbell flyes) before doing some leg stretches. I then did leg weights for the first time in 4 months!! It was a great feel but an unusual one as well. I first started with the hamstring curl machine only doing 10kgs for 15 reps. I did 3 sets ensuring that both my legs did the work evenly. After this I went onto the leg press machine and once again did 3 sets of 15 reps using both legs (next time I will do individual leg presses) and doing 30kgs. I then did 3 sets of 12 on the standing calf raise machine doing 25kgs on the first set and 20kgs on sets 2 & 3. I then did some light riding on the exercise bike for around 5 mins and did a further 10 mins at night at home.

The next day (yesterday) I felt a little sore so after my triceps workout (skull crushers, bar push downs, rope push downs & individual cable extensions) I decided I would just stick to the usual exercises for my leg workout being quad tensing, SLRs, calf rasies, one legged squats on exercise ball as well as some ab work. I then did 10 minutes on the bike and decided to try the Cross Trainer for the first time doing 3 minutes. It felt strange but good at the same time whilst I got into stride! I’m looking forward to doing more on it this week. Today I woke up very sore particularly in my hamstring area and calves. It was good to work the hamstrings for the 1^st time since my knee recon and I can now see how much work I have to do if they are that sore after only pulling 10kgs!

Today I’m planning a back workout followed by some more light leg work. I’ll probably hit the leg weights again today or tomorrow depending on how I recover!

Cleared to do leg weights at the gym!

Today has been a very good one after seeing both my surgeon and physio who are both extremely pleased with my progress. My physio even joked with me that he has too hold me back otherwise I could overdo it! First off I saw the surgeon first thing this morning before work. It was a brief meeting but a good one. He took a look at my knee and was happy with how it looked. He mentioned there was still a little bit of built up fluid around the knee but said that was normal at this stage (2 and a half months post op).  He then tested the ligament and said it felt strong. He said I could stop using the anti-inflammatory tablets and that my rehab could continue as per any normal rehab program at this stage. Finally he said to do lots of cycling, swimming and leg exercises.

Next off I saw my physio on my lunch break. He was really pleased at how the knee was looking and gave me the go ahead to start light leg weights at the gym! Woo hoo! I was very excited with this news! He wrote me a program to concentrate on over the next month or so before I see him next (he is off until Jan 18^th but is not concerned about not seeing me until then):

·         Hamstring curls - 3 sets of 15 (10-15 kgs)

·         Individual Leg press - 3 sets of 15 (20-30 kgs)

·         Exercise bike - 10-20 minutes

·         X Trainer (or Cross Trainer) - 10 minutes

·         Calf raises - 3 sets of 15

·         Swimming

·         Walking in pool (mentioned I can commence jogging only if the water is at least at chest level)

·         Other usual exercises – SLRs, one legged squats on exercise ball, sports cord 4 directions etc

I’m looking forward to getting into it tomorrow! He gave my knee a good 15 minute massage and mentioned that if it does flare up to take a day off the program especially if it doesn’t respond too well to using the X Trainer. He also said that I can stop wearing the tubigrip and that a knee brace with a hole for the kneecap would be a good option when training at the gym.

Knee Brace - similar to what I will be getting

In terms of the last 3 days I got back into my usual routine of going to the gym on my lunchbreak and doing bike riding on the exercise bike at home after work at night. I’ve been doing around 20 minutes on average on the bike per night along with my usual upper body program & leg exercises at the gym each day. All in all a very good news day J

10 weeks post op & Bali holiday

So I came back from Bali yesterday and have to say I’m feeling quite relaxed. The knee is doing great as well and survived the humid conditions which always worried me. The flight to and from Bali went fine as well mainly as I was sitting in the emergency row on both occasions so I had plenty of space to stretch my legs! I did bring my ice pack along as well but in the end I didn’t need it on the plane. I used it a couple of times in Bali mainly after being on my legs for long periods of time. I found that being in the pool every day for a week helped my swelling go down a bit and the only exercise I did was whilst I was in the pool.

Ayana Resort - posing in front of the main pool

I did one legged squats, calf raises, calf stretches and controlled leg swings in the water. I found this to be enough as I did plenty of walking and with the footpaths being so uneven over there I got a fair workout everyday! Having said that I’m keen to get back into especially getting back on the exercise bike. I had a brief 3 minute ride late last night which felt good so I’m keen to have a good 15 minute ride tonight. I did get back into the gym today on my lunch break doing a chest workout followed by ankle pumps, quad tensing, straight leg raises, side leg raises, ab crunches, one legged squats & the squeezing the quad on the exercise ball against the wall. All of the exercises felt great and I feel my knee is stronger than it was 10 days ago. I’m seeing my surgeon for another follow up appointment this Thursday and I’m also seeing my physio on the same day. I’m looking forward to hearing their thoughts and hopefully to hear I’m on track!