Spent a weekend resting the knee having felt I might have been pushing it at work a bit much. Luckily plenty of sport to watch and weather pretty bad so didn't feel I was losing out too much. Knee still has swelling and thus difficult to bend at the extremes.Had a good physio session today. Real focus on the straight leg extension and hyper flex of the knee. Rather alarmingly though I was told not to continue with straight leg raises which I have started doing after the last physio session. Need to sort this out as this has been worrying me that I could have been doing some unnecessary damage.
Physio has suggested that we up the routine. Knee flex now upto 113 degrees and 3 degrees of neutral when straight. Physio very encouraged. So another session at the end of this week and then two hour long sessions next week. Also suggested getting going on an exercise bike and shoudl be able to go swimming soon.
It is hitting home a bit that the recovery of this operation is a long haul. I am missing going for walks or doing any serious exercise and worried about what if the graft doesn't work. This has been manifesting itself into a pretty short temper at times with the kids which I guess is a result of general tiredness as well.
Knee does get tight at work and the only way to solve this is good rest and ice and trying not to do much, a difficult thing to do when there is stuff to do at work.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
2nd Surgeon Visit - Thursday 4th June
This was my 3rd week check up. Quick 10 minute consultation. Wound seems to be healing ok and just need to wear a small plaster for one remaining sore spot, otherwise no problem with showers now. Emphasis on straight leg extension and getting knee to go flat and heel lifted. Otherwise just keep out of trouble. Still some swelling around the knee but if that persists then he may drain it at 6 weeks, nice! It was a reassuring meeting though and he said the swelling on the fornt of the shin was dissapating and not to worry about it. So far so good.
I feel like there is good progress and walking is getting better but sitting at desk at work does make knee stiff especially round the front under knee cap which must be related to the patella graft.
Getting frustrated at times and would like more mobility. Also the front right of the knee is very numb as a consequence of the surgery. Hopefully this will return in due course.
I feel like there is good progress and walking is getting better but sitting at desk at work does make knee stiff especially round the front under knee cap which must be related to the patella graft.
Getting frustrated at times and would like more mobility. Also the front right of the knee is very numb as a consequence of the surgery. Hopefully this will return in due course.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
2nd Physio appointment
Back for more punishment.....
Achieved the 90 degree knee bend!
Hamstrings have never been my strong point so plenty more work needed and new exercise devised where you lie on a table with lower leg dangling off end and elastic band attached to table leg and you ankle. The aim is to stretch the hamstrings and increase knee flex.
Why doesn't anyone tell you to work on your hamstrings before the op? Perhaps it wouldn't really matter considering the nature of the op.
Achieved the 90 degree knee bend!
Hamstrings have never been my strong point so plenty more work needed and new exercise devised where you lie on a table with lower leg dangling off end and elastic band attached to table leg and you ankle. The aim is to stretch the hamstrings and increase knee flex.
Why doesn't anyone tell you to work on your hamstrings before the op? Perhaps it wouldn't really matter considering the nature of the op.
No more crutches
Really pleased that I have managed to drop both crutches after Day 12. If I go far I generally take one with me to ward anyone off who comes too close and as assistance as I can only really do about 200 yds.
Walking with a limp and trying to do heel /toe as much as possible.
Walking with a limp and trying to do heel /toe as much as possible.
First physio appointment
After one week I visited my physio Stephanie at Pea Green in Bicester. I had spent the first week just doing the basic gentle heel slides, heel compression and leg raise over the towel.
I came away after 30 mins with new instruction on a whole range of other basic hamstring stretches and the aim of going from the 65 degree leg bend to 90 degree when I see her next in a weeks time.
I have been trying to do 3 session a day and have managed to keep it going. Pain not too bad but some discomfort on the knee cap with some heel slides and heel raises when pushing it. I do feel much more mobile afterwards though.
I came away after 30 mins with new instruction on a whole range of other basic hamstring stretches and the aim of going from the 65 degree leg bend to 90 degree when I see her next in a weeks time.
I have been trying to do 3 session a day and have managed to keep it going. Pain not too bad but some discomfort on the knee cap with some heel slides and heel raises when pushing it. I do feel much more mobile afterwards though.
2 weeks in....
After Day 5 I think the anaesthetic completely wore off and I started to get some pain but not throbbing, just awkward when I move around. I also started to get a really painful sensation at the front of my shin when I got up and started to move around. It was like shin splints but would wear off after about 4 steps. My shin was also very red and felt very tight. I had spent some of the day walking around on crutches to see an event at my daughters school and probably not rested enough. In the end I got in touch with the hospital and my Consultant rang me and arranged for me to see him the next day. By that time I had rested up solidly for two days and the pain and swelling was much less, but he put it down to fluid from the knee draining down the leg and that it would dissipate. I think it is called a pitted edema. Anyway a week further on it has gone and I'm completely off pain killers after about 12 days.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Day 5
Very happy with progress. Doing physio exercises about 5 times a day.
Pain relief still ok but I think the femoral block must have warn away completely now as the front of my shin in quite sore. This must be entry point for drill!.
Knee itself is fine. Stiff, but no throbbing pain which I had been expecting. Just taking paracetamol still.
Found a great link on youtube which shows the operation as an animated cartoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96M0jRqn7k
Also surfing around I came across an interesting new site called www.aclcentral.com which has been set up in the US. It is looking to share experiences with other ACL patients.
Pain relief still ok but I think the femoral block must have warn away completely now as the front of my shin in quite sore. This must be entry point for drill!.
Knee itself is fine. Stiff, but no throbbing pain which I had been expecting. Just taking paracetamol still.
Found a great link on youtube which shows the operation as an animated cartoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96M0jRqn7k
Also surfing around I came across an interesting new site called www.aclcentral.com which has been set up in the US. It is looking to share experiences with other ACL patients.
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