6 Weeks Post Op

Range of Motion:  This is my last week with the CPM!!!! I have religiously sat in the CPM 8 hours a day for 6 weeks and it's been the worst part of the recovery for me.  Being able to sit in a comfortable position and move around will be a huge mental boost.  I reached 90 degrees by the end of the week.  The last 5-10 degrees never got comfortable and I cringed each time the machine reached that range.  It's not so much painful but incredibly stiff which causes the discomfort.

Physical Therapy:  Here is my weekly workout schedule:

Monday

• AM
• 20 minutes on the rowing machine w/one leg (other leg sits on the ab dolly and rolls back and forth)
• 4-way SLRs and quad set contractions with Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) cuff-1x30 reps/3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets (no weight)
• PM
• 20 minutes on the arm bike
• Upper body weight lifting

Tuesday

• AM
• 20 minutes rowing
• Leg extension, hamstring curl, and leg press on GOOD leg w/BFR cuff-1x30 reps/3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets
• PM
• Pool therapy for gait training-3x laps walking, 3x laps backwards walking, 3x laps side stepping, 3x laps march walking (I do this in neck deep water with flotation device barbells to put minimal weight on my leg) 

Wednesday

• AM
• 20 minutes rowing
• 4-way SLRs and quad contraction sets with BFR cuff-1x30 reps/3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets
• PM
• 20 minutes on the arm bike
• Core work   

Thursday

• AM
• 20 minutes rowing
• Leg extension, hamstring curl, and leg press on GOOD leg w/BFR cuff-1x30 reps/3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets
• PM
• Pool therapy-3x laps walking, 3x laps backwards walking, 3x laps side stepping, 3x laps march walking

Friday 

• AM
• 20 minutes rowing
• 4-way SLRs and quad contraction sets with BFR cuff-1x30 reps/3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets
• PM
• 20 minutes on the arm bike
• Upper body weight lifting

Thigh Atrophy and Swelling at 6 Weeks

Pain and Swelling:  I have no additional pain from the fall.  I can move my leg around with minimal pain however I am still careful and slow when I move it.  If I move it a certain way I still get a sharp pain mostly on the inside of my knee.  The incision is healing nicely. 

6 Week Incision

I am concerned about the swelling though.  It really hasn't  gone down since the surgery.  My knee cap is still unrecognizable.  On the photo to the right you can't see kneecap definition like I have on my good (right) leg.  I ice 2-3 times a day and it helps with the  pain but doesn't have much effect on the swelling. My therapist says swelling may stick around for months and probably won't resolve until I start walking and really using my muscles.  At 6 weeks the atrophy of my left thigh is starting to be noticeable.

Sleeping: I am able to sleep through the night most nights.  My brace is now locked out at 90 degrees to I can sleep on my side and bend my leg.  If I do wake up in the middle of the night I experience throbbing and aching that sometimes prevents me from getting back to sleep.  I feel this in the morning when I wake up but it goes away once I start moving.