9 Weeks Post Op

I am excited to be able to wear pants!

No Brace!  Starting this week I do not have to wear the brace anymore. Without the brace I have to be especially careful to avoid twisting or pivoting on my bad leg since that can damage the graft.  But I'm still moving pretty slow with the crutches so that shouldn't be too difficult.

Range of Motion:  I continue to ride the stationary bike and do stretches at home for range of motion.  I am up to 105 degrees by the end of the week. Here is a video of what it's like to ride the stationary bike at week 9:  

         

Physical Therapy:  This week I am allowed to start weight bearing as tolerated.  What this means is my graft is strong enough to support my full body weight so I can ditch the crutches when I feel able to walk normally.

Here are my exercises for the week:

Monday

• AM
• 20 mins stationary bike
• 4 way SLRs w/BFR cuff - 30 reps 3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets (2 lb weight on ankle)
• 5 mins treadmill walking (1.0 speed-I have to hold onto the sides since I can't put full weight while walking yet)
• PM
• 15 mins stationary bike
• 20 mins Alter G treadmill - 60% at 1.5
• 20 mins range of motion stretching of knee

Tuesday

• AM
• 15 mins stationary bike
• 4 way SLRs w/BFR cuff - 30 reps 3x15 reps w/30 secs rest between sets (2 lb weight on ankle)
• Practice walking up and down stairs with 1 crutch and cane
• PM
• Pool therapy-3x laps walking, 3x laps backwards walking, 3x laps side stepping, 3x laps march walking, 2x laps flutter kick

Wednesday

• 30 mins arm bike
• 15 mins stationary bike
• core work

Thursday

• 3x 30 min knee stretching sessions for range of motion

Friday

• 3x 30 min knee stretching sessions for range of motion

This is about how fast I walk with 1 crutch.

Walking:  By the end of the week I am down to using one crutch for short distances around the house.  I still need two crutches for longer distances.  I concentrate on every step with one crutch to make sure I'm not excessively leaning to one side since this can cause neck and back pain.  Also the stiffness makes me want to limp so I have to focus on bending my knee normally when I walk.

Pain and Swelling:  Most of my discomfort is caused by the stiffness.  I feel the stiffness every time I bend my knee but it doesn't become especially painful until I reach the limit of my range and try to force it beyond that.  On a positive note, I don't have anymore sharp pains if I move my leg a certain way.  Most of the post op surgical pain is gone so I just have discomfort from the stiffness and scar tissue that has formed.  The swelling has started to go down however I still have excess fluid in the joint (effusion) which contributes to the stiffness.

Week 9.  The contours of my knee cap are
not as noticeable as my right leg due to
swelling and effusion still present. 

The pain I had last week in the graft site is still there but I only notice it in the Alter G when I'm walking faster than with the crutches.  I don't feel it standing or walking with the crutches or the cane.

Sleeping: This is the first time since the surgery that I feel I can sleep in a normal position.  Sleeping without the brace is wonderful and I have enough range of motion that I can bend my leg enough to sleep how I used to before the surgery.  I still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes with throbbing and aching but it usually goes away if I switch positions.

Other Thoughts:  I feel better mentally about the surgery this week than last week.  I'm trying not to focus on every little pain in the graft area.  I've accepted that it might be a few more weeks until the symptoms I had before the surgery go away.  It's a mental boost to be almost walking without crutches.  And getting rid of the brace is one step closer to "normal life."