Saga of a torn ACL – Day 21 Post Op

Hi Friends,
Thought I’d put up a little progress report on how I’m doing with this ACL recovery business. Here’s the latest photo of the scar healing…It’s a beauty isn’t it? I sure hope the healing continues to go as well as it has been. There still is some bruising and redness and the incision is starting to take on a life of it’s own with lumps and bumps. I guess that is all part of the healing process.

I’m supposed to rub the scar several times a day and squish (for lack of a better word) the skin towards the scar on either side to get the tissues broken in. Each time I go to therapy they check the stiffness of the scar and if it is too stiff to their liking they start working on it…OUCH!!! So it’s best if I do as much of the kneading at home and avoid the pros at all cost!

So Day 21 Post Op I am at 1 degree extension (still haven’t been able to get it to 0 without help) and 98 degrees flexion (bending) without help, 104 with help. It’s progress. The protocol says I should be at 0 extension and 120 flexion by now but it also says that every patient is different and depending on age the progress could be slower or faster. I suppose that was directed at me as I’m a little slower on the scale.

Last Saturday, once the swimming moritorium was lifted, I drove over to the RecPlex and went for a swim! Whoo Hoo! It felt INCREDIBLE to get in the pool and start working out the body. I was soooooo bleh. It was a little tricky getting in and out of the pool on crutches, mostly because every deck surface was slick as oil but I managed –ever–so–slowly–watching–every–step and was in the water for about 40 minutes. Aaahhh!! I plan on that being a Saturday outing for me each week. What a great thing to look forward too huh?

Anyway, I’m progressing and that’s the main thing. The Doctor’s and Therapists all say it is a LONG road and I basically have to dedicate a year to my leg. Even after therapy stops I’m going to have to dedicate several sessions a week to exercise. I guess this is my wake up call to join a gym again and start loving those weight machines once more? I’d much rather just swim and/or bike if I have my choice. I can’t bike until I can get to about 130 degrees flexion though — it’s a long way off yet…sigh.

BUT

On the bright side! Little Sport had its physical and came back from the Bernina maintenance department in perfect working order!I had the foot pedal controls updated and now that it is all cleaned, lubed, and oiled it is humming like a bird! AND the knee only needs to bend about 40 degrees to get under the table!!! LOL!

I finished up all the first half of putting the double pinwheel blocks back together!