Week 4

Still in a bit of a holding pattern as I await final surgery decision via telephone consult on 10th February. In my mind I’m all systems go for 17th February.

Not much has changed in terms of range. Still lacking terminal extension & flexion above 95-100 degrees. It’s easy to think you’re not getting anywhere, but keeping track of function, pain, painkillers helps me to see this isn’t the case. A useful patient app to chart progress in ACL recovery is “recoaware”. You can enter in parameters, chart progress & get support from others rehabbing ACLs. I’m pretty much off painkillers & anti- inflammatories unless I do to much. If I avoid “boom or bust” approach have consistent daily activity, time on my feet, time driving, space out patients I’m all good.

Tuesday night was a great example of classic overdoing it. At the back end of last year I booked standing tickets to the razor light & kaiser chiefs. Brace on I cautiously braved the BIC fearful of jostling crowds & mosh pits. It’s weird to feel vulnerable & Its a bit new. But it quickly became apparent the average age of the crowd was 40+ & it was a Tuesday night in Bournemouth! Feeling less vulnerable a lot of one leg hopping ensued & funnily enough that wasn’t great for pain or movement for 36hours!

Probably would recommend seated tickets for a little while!

This just about sums up general feeling at the moment. Just slight pent up aggression.

Had a go at some punch bag intervals today balancing on 1 leg… Great to get the heart rate up & feel a bit of burn. The general position where you swivel on the back foot would not be a good idea for me at the minute! Seated on a box where the knee is not at risk of giving way could work to mix up upper body workout or in a static squat position with brace on.

Continuing on trying to get my thigh muscles (quadriceps) fired up as much as possible through the day any which way I can & also my hamstrings (back of thigh).

The quadricep muscles in particular can be inhibited or “switch off” after a knee injury due to pain and swelling. This muscle inhibition quickly results in muscle wasting or atrophy. The loss of muscle bulk was pretty evident to the untrained eye 10 days after my injury. Initially it was really hard to activate the thigh muscle no matter how much I stare at it and try to make it work. The big aim pre-op is to get atleast really good quality activation into the quads (thigh) before surgery. One way to do this apart from exercise is through a muscle stimulator. A compex has been really useful to help me limit the muscle atrophy in my thigh and get the muscles “switched back on”.