Week 6 and 7 ACL recovery

OK- it has been 7 weeks of straight rehab. The last two weeks have been quite encouraging to be honest. I have been visiting a massage therapist, (Rachel, over at Simply Massage in Breck) and wow… big improvements in my Range of motion. I jumped practically 30 degrees in no time. It is incredible how massaging the muscles and tissues around my knee opens up passages for the swelling to dissipate. No swelling means more mobility for the knee. With the swelling minimal and my ROM improving, I have been inspired to step it up in my rehab. More weights, more reps, more miles on the bike….. NOPE!!!!! Well, I had a visit/checkup with the doc today and he informed me that I am at a crucial time right now. Apparently my new acl graph is at it’s weakest point and now is NOT the time to push it. But rather slow it down. He explained that this is a very popular time for ACL patients to reinjure themselves because they are 8 weeks out, feeling good, no swelling, walking normally and ready to do something stupid cuz they dont feel the symptoms they have been feeling the past 8 weeks. Dr. Hackett, I will trust ya on this one. Would hate for that new graph of mine to be stretched out doing something foolish.
This will be an interesting week as I got the nix on pushing it in rehab…..time to work on the core. Got the ok to some core workouts as long as my lower body is stationary. Time to become unchubby.

ACL SURGERY! Rehab week 5

Week 5 is over and done with. I am learing very quickly that this rehab process is full of ups and downs. I have awesome days where I see great improvement and then other days when I see no progress at all.
This past week, we really focused on my range of motion. Due to all the constant swelling I am struggling to progress with range of motion (ROM). Kind of bummer, but I am still stuck at 120-130 degrees. But there is hope….I will be heading to a friend of mine who is a massage therapist where she will be working on my knee/leg 4 times a week. I went to her a few days ago and wheewwweeee she freed up some passages up on my upper leg for the swelling to disappear too. Haaaaah.. Apparently opening up the quads/hamstring/hips passages really help the swelling move away from the knee.
Kinesio Taping!! Wooaaa. Yes, I am fan. Kristen over at Howard Head threw on some Kinesio Tape, basically holding my knee cap up a bit. Ahhhh… Its Awesome. Would definetely recommend it.
Got in the pool in Week 5!! Probably my first time ever breaking a sweat in a pool. Yea, they, and they being Barb (my other therapist) worked me!!

ACL Surgery- Week 4 Rehab!

So it has been four weeks since I was wheeled out of surgery in Vail at the Steadmans Clinic. The past week was a rough week for the knee. I had a wedding in Boston which meant that I had to fly. Ahhh, airplanes and surgical repaired knees are not a good match. I am sooo greatful for my awesome therapist Kristen, who demanded me to make sure I was to call the airline prior to my flight and get myself a wheel chair and a seat on the plane with extra leg room. The wheel chair, yaaa, kind of lame I know being wheeled through the airport… but extremely helpful.
Besides the flights, just getting off my normal 3 times a day of rehab was hard to keep up on my progress.

After 5 days away at this wedding it was time to get back to rehab at home. I actually did not degress in my rehab but not much improvement was charted either. Time to hit it hard in week 5!!!