Progress????

I am sore today and last night my left leg was so crampy it felt like I had just run a marathon.  I need another 5- 6 degrees of extension to make everyone happy (including me) but I know it's going to be very hard to do.  I think I pushed it too much on the slider yesterday at physio because I am a bit sore across the patellar tendon area.  I just need to find the strength to stretch this leg out.  My goal is small - walk without pain and the limp.  Running and all that other stuff will just be a bonus.  I know I can do this!! 



I have a kneecap that moves just like the other one!!!

Okay so we are .... almost 5 months post surgery (ACL/MCL Reconstruction) and I've made the amazing discovery that beneath the swelling and puffiness there is a kneecap!  Okay, its always been there but things are just looking a bit more normal. My ROM is coming along (-2) extension and 125 for flexion - YEH for me!  My physiotherapist has been pushing the extension and it seems to be working.  I'm heading back to see my OS on Monday.  I really thought I'd be further along at this point but I guess it's still early for the type of injury I sustained and surgery I had.  I was never a runner (well one 5km), but I really just want to move - faster than a walk.  I mentioned taking out my bike and my physiotherapist said "stationary ???" so I think that it may be a bit early.  Too cold since it is still snowing here today!  I'll stick to my stationary. Anyhow, I'll give everyone an update on Monday night after the next visit to the big city!

My knee felt better before surgery!!

As the title of this post states, I'm a bit frustrated.  Although I had a very unstable knee prior to surgery, at least I was walking normal (with my brace).  I'm very frustrated with this and I know its because I need to get this leg straight.  Every time I take a step, I feel a pull where the patellar tendon graft was taken.  Things just don't feel right.  I see the surgeon in two and a half weeks and I'm going to talk to him about all of this.  I know recovery is long but I thought I'd feel better at this point.  I still have swelling across my knee and at night the MCL area on the inside of my knee is very tender to the touch, like a bad bruise.  When I use my JAS brace, I get excruciating aches up and down my leg.  I guess I'm just tired or this whole thing.  Any word from ACL/MCL reconstruction people out there would help!

Three months Post ACL - MCL Reconstruction

Okay, so here I am 3 months post-op and I just had my 3 month visit with my OS.  Things are moving along but I really thought my knee would be feeling a bit stronger by now.  However, according to the surgeon, things are moving along as planned - EXCEPT for my EXTENSION.  Okay so I have this JAS brace to help me with this along with physio and it's still a struggle.  I get excrutiating pain up and down my hamstring and calf muscles when I'm extended.  I'm at -7 for extension and he is concerned.  He says that I can manage with my flexion at 112 degrees and my new ligaments are doing well, but my lack of extension will cause me problems.  That's why I can't walk properly right now.  He said he could go in (AHHHHH!) and clean up scar tissue but he feels as though there is nothing stopping my extension.  Basically I have 6 weeks to get this leg straightened up and then perhaps he may do something.  When I brought up the issue with going back to work, he said we won't consider that for at least another 6 weeks.  He says I should notice progress in the next 6 weeks with regards to leg strengthening etc...    Anyhow,  this is surely the longest and hardest ordeal I've ever gone through.

Moving forward at a very slow pace!!

Wow, I can't believe how fast time is going by.  As long as some days are, I am already 9 weeks post-op and things are moving along well.  I think my greatest problem is the fact that I actually feel as though I can do more but after I do it I realize that I've done too much.  I need to remember to take things slow and not push myself too soon.  I saw the surgeon last week and he gave me the ok to put more weight down on my leg.  I was max. 50% weight bearing since 1 week post-op on surgeon's orders.  I am still to use my crutches to assist with the walking but he wants me to get the weight down and work on the natural walking motion.  I've also been given the ok to start muscle strengthening.  Other than that, my flexion is at 106 degrees but I have issues with extension.  He is putting me back into a JAS brace for the next month or so.  JAS brace is a "Joint Active Systems" brace which I also used after my skiing accident to get my flexion and extension.  It's quite an interesting contraption, check it out on the web!!

While at physio the other day I was doing an exercise and my knee kept on catching/clicking.  My physiotherapist said it was a kneecap tracking issue and should resolve itself when I regain some of the lost leg muscles.  The area where they took the patellar tendon graft is tender and easily gets swollen.  It is a very warm area on the knee that even the coldest ice doesn't cool down.  Time, icing and rest will help that!  I still have a large section of numbness (the size of my hand) on the left side of my incision. When I asked the surgeon and his resident, they explained that my MCL reconstruction required a lot of work in an area where the nerves cross over to the other side of the leg and the feeling may or may not return.  It may be 6 months or so before I know!  Talk about a wierd feeling.

As for my PCL, I guess its still hanging in there!!  He decided to do the ACL/MCL reconstruction in hopes that it provides enough stability.  HOPES??????  Anyhow, the posterior sag isn't too bad according to the surgeon but I think my shin has fallen far behind the tibia and looks rather ridiculous.  He'll keep and eye on this I'm sure.  Anyhow, I'll add some photos when I get my new JAS brace. 

The thought of doing anything other than my slow walk seems too far into the future it's crazy.  I've been like this for a year now and this seems to be the norm and everything else seems out of reach.  I had a dream the other night that I was running and I was as light as a feather on my feet - WOW what a feeling! 

www.jointactivesystems.com/         (JAS Brace information)
http://www.mysportphysio.com/      (My Physiotherapy Hangout)

Day 42 - Six Weeks post surgery!!!

It's been a while since my last post but I've actually been quite busy with physio and trying to get out to do some Christmas shopping - gotta love those scooters!!

Anyhow, about my knee... Physio is going very well.  I can actually do a rotation on the bike and that was a great acheivement.  I've reached 90 degrees in flexion which is what my surgeon was hoping for in 6-7 weeks.  I see him again on the 5th of January.  Swelling is going down and I'm fitting into my Don Joy hinged brace which is a great change from the zimmer brace.  The numbness and aching below the knee cap where I believe the patellar tendon was cut out is somewhat bothersome and I will be discussing it with the surgeon.  As for my quads and calf muscles - they are non-existant.  Once I get the okay from the surgeon, we will start leg strengthening excercises at physio.  Until the New Year, have a great holiday!!

Day 21 - Three Weeks Post Surgery



Incision and swelling at 3 weeks post-op




Well, I feel as though I'm getting stronger every day.  The incision is healing well, yet the numbness is still very bothersome.  I'm getting out with the help of others and realizing that Christmas is just around the corner.  I'm looking forward to everything that I'll be able to do once I'm off crutches and have the freedom of my hands. 
 



Nice knee Judy!!!



Physiotherapy is going well, my flexion is at around 70 degrees + or - a few degrees.  It's very hard work to get the knee bending but its coming along well.  I actually enjoy getting out to physio.  I think I may stop in at the school on Friday after my 10:00 appt. and have lunch with the staff.  I really miss the normal day to day routines of my old life.  It will be one year on Dec, 31st since my accident.  The best way to spoil myself is to get into the tub where the gravitational forces aren't pulling on my knee.  For anyone who has ever had knee surgery, you completely lose all muscle in quads and calf and your leg feels like a ton a bricks, taking two hands to lift it off the couch.  I will slowly need to build up that muscle in my leg again!  First goal is to reduce swelling and get ROM (range of motion ) to 90 degrees.









First Day of Physio

I went to Physio today and it was great to get out of the house and talk to people other than my immediate family.  My physiotherapist took a great deal of time to talk about my surgery and how I'm feeling.  He said we'll take things slow to start and that made me quite happy because I'm very nervous with this "new" knee.  I did some semi-circles on the stationary bike, did the electrode thing, ultrasound, went over some exercises that I could do and measured my ROM.  Before the stationary bike I measured 50 degrees and then after, he measure me at 62 degrees.  I'll be going to physio 3 days a week for the first month and then we'll assess later. 

I'm Back! - 11 Days post-op from ACL, MCL Reconstruction!!

So, the past 11 days have been quite challenging both physically and emotionally.  On November 8th, 2010, I had ACL, MCL reconstruction using hamstring and patellar tendon from the injured knee.  The PCL was left alone since his goal was to take a 3 ligament injury and turn it into a 1 ligament injury.  The plan for surgery was to use an allograft (achilles tendon) but that changed.  I also woke up from surgery 4 hours later to 40 staples forming a beautiful L on my knee. Well, I slept for the first 3-4 days batttling the side effects of the pain killers and anesthesia (mild nausia and dizziness)  .  By about day 5 I decided to start spending more time on the couch with my CPM machine continuously bending my knee!  The pain during the first week was not all that bad other than the rush of pain in the shin and calf when changing elevations.  The doctor explained that it was the blood that was lying beneath the surface of the skin as a result of the bone drilling/plugs during surgery- very common!

Now into week two, the pain is very manageable but it has now become knife jabbing pain in the kneecap!  It's not as bad as the calf and shin from week one, but it can be bothersome.  Yesterday I saw the surgeon again and the staples were removed from the incision.  Icing the knee feels great and I'm using my cryocuff all the time - it is a lifesaver!!  One thing that is very bothersome is the numbness below the knee and around the incision, however I know it will slowly get better.  I'm heading to the physiotherapist on Monday with a program to work on range of motion to 90 degrees over the next 6 weeks.  I'm also partial weight bearing to maximum 50% during this time as well.  Looking forward to my physiotherapist's cold ice and great conversations.   I told my children that they could decorate my crutches for the holiday season and they were thrilled.  Although I feel as though I have gone though all of this already (post injury), this time it's different - I've started on the road to recovery!!!!

Getting Things in Order

Yesterday was a busy day with phonecalls and arranging things so I'm ready to go up to Ottawa Sunday night.  Dervin's office called to confirm surgery for Monday and the Hospital called to arrange my overnight accomodations!  I also made my phonecall to my old surgeon to tell him to take me off the waiting list - yipee.  So I have my Cryocuff, Ice is made, Zimmer Brace, Crutches, CPM machine rental, Physiotherapy Appts Booked and travel arrangements to get me back home.  This is oficially my last post until I'm home.