My ACL Story

Doctor's visit

2010-03-04T09:16:00.001-05:00

Today, my doctor basically cut me loose. I am having some issues with scar tissue and pain but he said that was normal, my hamstring tenderness is normal (and will take the most time to heal), and that I should discontinue formal therapy. I just called the therapist and moved my final appointment to late in the afternoon so he can evaluate me for discharge.

I am so ready to start riding again. The only real warning I received was to avoid "cutting" sports until at least July. So, I will keep posting updates here on a regular basis to let people know how my "personal rehab" is going.

3 Months...

2010-03-03T20:29:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been awhile since my last post. I have my 15 week follow up tomorrow morning. I went to therapy today after a week of really unusual pain below my knee. My therapist says that it is "scar tissue" and it is normal. I was told that I need to massage the scar tissue. I was also told it could be tendonitis which is normal...according to the therapist.

I have tried riding my bike on my trainer a few times and the knee really isn't ready. Maybe it is the scar tissue...I don't know but I have to get it ready to go....gotta ride 200 miles in July...

Week 12 Update

2010-02-16T21:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry for slacking off the posting. All is going well now with the exception of noticeable stiffness behind my knee when I go to get up from sitting in a chair. After a little bit of a stretch it goes away.

5 more scheduled physical therapy sessions before my next doctor follow up. Hopefully, that will wrap up the guided therapy. We will see...

12 week update

2010-02-12T22:50:00.001-05:00

Okay, I've been negligent and not posted in a few days. So, here we go.

This wwek I feel like I have hit a wall in my therapy and recovery. My knee and leg have been extremely sore and aching this week. Therapy has been a challenge with me leaving after each session limping again. I know I am progressing and feel that progress but...it's been a tough week.

Oh, and my new most hated exercise....lunge walking.!!! Talk about a challenging and painful exercise!!!! More updates to come

Wow, it's been awhile

2010-02-02T20:38:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I am probably losing all of my loyal readers because I haven't posted in awhile...so let's get caught up.

Therapy is now down to the last official 2 weeks. I am still struggling with some of the strengthening "twitch" muscle exercises but am being persistent. By the time I am released in a couple of weeks I hope to have a good solid start on those muscles. Remember I have not used them properly in 19 years.

What I am doing is spinning on my bike every chance I get. The 24 Hours of Booty will be here before I know it and I am shooting for 200 miles this year.

Good days & Bad days...

2010-01-28T08:20:00.001-05:00

Today falls in to the latter category. Having the green light from the doctor to start ramping up therapy, the team @ Lake Norman Rehabilition have done just that. Lunge walks, isometrics, plyometrics, and various other quad isolating exercises took quite a toll yesterday afternoon.

I am now not sure if 4 more weeks will be enough since this is the critical time to retrain and strengthen all of the small muscles that I have not been using for along time. However, as I have throughout this surgery/rehab, I will be diligent with my @ home stuff and get through.

As for the day....well....we will see how it goes. It cant get any worse.....?

Riding the trainer...

2010-01-26T19:09:00.001-05:00

I hopped back on the trainer tonight and rode for 12 minutes and some change....4.8 miles @ an avg of 71 rpm's. Afterward did my @ home exercises. Will be definitely icing tonight.

Therapist or Army drill sergeant....

2010-01-23T13:55:00.002-05:00

Friday's physical therapy session was both fun and challenging. I gave my physical therapist the doctor's note/order for only 4 more weeks of therapy (which included the doctor's comments that my progress was exemplary) and he stated it was time to turn up the wick a little...and boy did he.

First, he put me on the stationary bike and said go at it at your own pace/resistance for 10 minutes....but..."wear yourself out..." So, I went at it for 10 minutes. I think in the 10 minutes I rode 2.23 miles, not bad having not ridden, trained, or worked out since last September. After that we did some stretching, or more appropriately he treated me like the wishbone on the Thanksgiving turkey. However, that is the best my hamstring felt in awhile after he stretched it out. He then had me do some lunge walking around the entire workout area, some balance drills, and finally some "seat squats" (while standing squat down toward a chair and just barely touch my backside to the chair then stand back up). Ice was a welcome respite afterwards.

I am now down to 2x a week and will be going to the Y as much as possible. I will definitely be on my bike/trainer every day going forward. I can't wait to get back out on the road!!!

Please, visit my website for the 24 Hours of Booty...http://www.24hoursofbooty.org/site/TR/Bike/General?px=1006021&pg=personal&fr_id=1100 and donate if you are willing/able. I would certainly appreciate your support. Thanks for visiting my blog and visiting my 24 HoB fundraising site!!!

8 week followup

2010-01-21T21:07:00.001-05:00

YES!!! I went for my 8 week post op doctor's visit today and was very pleased. My doctor is pleased with my progresss. He says that my knee is healing fine and that if I feel confident enough to start scaling back on actual physical therapy sessions. My therapist will not be pleased but as long as I have some solid @ home exercises I can start working out on my own, even riding my bike. I took full advantage of that tonight and rode for 10 minutes at an average of 68 rpm's.... Let the training for the comeback begin. Another year, another 24 Hours of Booty!!

Post Op 8 weeks

2010-01-19T08:07:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow will be 8 weeks since the surgery and week 6 of physical therapy. I go to therapy tomorrow, aftetr yesterdays very challenging session, for a re-evaluation and then to the doctor on Thursday.

Update

2010-01-15T16:23:00.001-05:00

Haven't posted in a couple of days so I thought would give an update: a little sore, a little stiff, and very tender. Therapy went okay this week with the exception of fighting the bronchitis. Didn't do any conditioning this week because of this either.

I am rapidly approaching the 60 day post procedure mark. I am getting anxious to get on my bike but having to hold off. Will try to get permission to start swimming to help with conditioning...

No therapy or exercises last 3 days

2010-01-12T21:10:00.002-05:00

I've been sitting/laying on the couch since Saturday fighting, what turned out to be, a sinus infection and bronchitis. It has really kicked my butt this year. The antibiotic, cyprofloaxcin, my doctor gave me has some interesting potential side effects: tendon damage/tendonitis. I am not sure what that is supposed to mean but I will certainly ask my physical therapist tomorrow. Either way, I have not felt like doing any exercises since Saturday.

The antibiotics finally are making a difference so tomorrow at therapy will truly suck....but, I need to start getting ready for the 24 Hours of Booty ride in July. My goal is to put this new ACL through 200 miles around the Booty Loop over the course of 24 hours.

Weakness in knee

2010-01-10T14:28:00.002-05:00

After the beginning of some conditioning work on Friday, coughing my head off all day Saturday (which had my hamstring and knee feeling like crap), and trying some minor house cleaning this morning, I feel like me knee is a bit unstable. I know it is probably all in my head but it is there.

I coughed all day yesterday, even with taking OTC cough syrup, and every cough felt like I was pulling my hamstring all over again.

I guess I am just getting frustrated because I want to get on my bike on my trainer and can't. The upside, the ACL is fixed.

Therapy update

2010-01-08T14:52:00.001-05:00

Even though I am still having stiffness in my hamstring I had a pleasant surprise @ therapy today....got to get on a stationary bike and go as hard and as fast as I could go for as long as I could (not to exceed 10 minutes)!! I was able to go @ 74 RPM's for just over 8 minutes. 24 HoB 2010 here I come!

Knee pain

2010-01-08T08:36:00.001-05:00

Last night was very strange. After doing my @ home exercises I started having rather constant and sometimes sharp pain at the top of the incision area from where they harvested the hamstring. As the night progressed, and Texas tried to come back on Alabama, the pain would not go away. I had completely stopped taking prescription meds but had to resort to them last night to get to sleep. Hopefully, I can get some answers today @ therapy. Right now the pain is tolerable with advil but last night was odd!!

Hamstring....still tender

2010-01-06T15:14:00.001-05:00

Just got back from therapy and all is progressing per plan, according to the therapist. The one drag on the plan is the hamstring. I now firmly believe that my hamstring did indeed suffer a pull/sprain/tear the 2nd week of therapy.

As a refresher, the 2nd Friday of therapy as I started to apply pressure to my ankle as it was resting in the therapist hand I felt, and we both heard, a pop. He tried to explain it awayas adhesions. However, when I mentioned it to my doctor he said I could have told you that you would have hamstring issues.

While stretching today we still can't get very much of a stretch before it starts hurting. So it goes...

First day back @ therapy

2010-01-05T09:08:00.001-05:00

Well, therapy was as much fun yesterday as I thought it would be. After explaining the popping and locking in my knee and a qucik exam by the therapist, I was told that my quad was weak and they were going to start working the "crap" out of it...yeah. I assumed the popping was scar tissue and was relatively certain the locking was not too serious and was relieved they both were not major issues.

I started some very light weight training yesterday. Sled leg presses and seated leg lifts. I am hoping that I can get back on my bike soon as I know that will help my quads.

Speaking of bikes, my favorite charity 24 Hours of Booty opened up regisration yesterday as well. This is a 24 hour bike ride in Charlotte, NC with all fundraising efforts going to cancer research. I'll post the link later so any of my loyal dedicated readers can visit the site and make a donation.....PLEASE.

Knee pain and some locking/popping

2010-01-03T15:15:00.002-05:00

Whether from the travel or missing one full week of therapy, minus at home exercises, I am having some troubling concerns with my knee. The past three days have seen the top of my knee wanting to lock at times and there has been some popping in behind the knee cap. I am sure that I am overreacting drastically but I am concerned. If the therapist can't relieve my concerns tomorrow I am going to call the doctor's office and see if I can't get in for a follow up. As of now, I am not scheduled for a follow up until the 22nd.

Problems w/knee

2010-01-02T10:28:00.001-05:00

New Year's eve I had several instances of my left knee locking and ai felt a pop under my knee with some swelling and looseness. Yesterday, the locking of the knee continued to lock, especially when I get beyond 90 flex. I am taking it easy today and tomorrow until I get to therapy on Monday.

Travel is tiring

2009-12-30T11:46:00.001-05:00

While traveling is always tiring this time it has been even more so than any other time in the past. I have tried to keep up my exercises bit have slipped a bit. My hamstring is still bothering me and the pain in my left ankle area has not gone away. The doctor said that it was a bone bruise but I am not sure why it would be bruised. I guess I will ask more questions at my next visit.

One down; one to go

2009-12-28T10:39:00.001-05:00

We just finished the first leg of the Christmas travel. I was able to do my @ home exercises when the nieces and nephews were out at the park or the Y. We are now headed to my Dad's house. Stay tuned.

Traveling

2009-12-26T10:07:00.001-05:00

I made it...the 9 hour car ride that is. It started out pretty miserable and after ice got better. It was very exhausting to say the least. I kept doing quad sets throughout the day to help keep blood moving around. The biggest issue was my hamstring. No matter how I sat there was no getting it completely comfortable. Oh well, I am here enjoying the nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

No updates today other than wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Ice machine is on my knee after another little twist. It isstarting to get easy.

Morning therapy

2009-12-24T10:27:00.001-05:00

My therapist could tell that I did something to my knee, not that I didn't tell him. After 10 minutes on the treadmill I was basically done. We trie stretching and that did not help. So, I got the electrical stimulation for about 20 minutes and was out. Now comes the fun...9 hours in a van tomorrow. We did go buy a 12v adapter so I can have my ice...so we'll see how that goes.

First little knee tweak

2009-12-23T20:03:00.001-05:00

Okay, it was bound to happen...especially after my doctor warned me to be careful, I tweaked my knee tonight. While trying to get something from underneath the kitchen sink and ever so slightly twiste my knee. I don't know how or why but I did. I have been on the couch under ice ever since. Already not looking forward to therapy tomorrow morning....