5 months, 6 days: ‘blip’ explained
Knee has settled down. No instability; it clicks/cracks when eg. I’m standing at the sink and I turn to move away from the sink; an ickle bit o’swelling at the end of the day after a substantial day of walking, without being taped.
The physio’s take:
This is normal. Keep going to the gym and building up the quads and it will sort itself out. There may just be some damage to the cartilege (likely as both sides of the knee still felt tender to touch) and some damage to the back of the knee cap. Unfortunately, because I’ve had a revision, Knee probably won’t feel 100% for about 2-3 years. Initially, the tunnels widen out but as the bone hardens and scar tissue forms, this will settle down. Meanwhile, I should get back to my normal routine and build myself up to running again. In particular, I should focus on:
1. Stretching out my quads (when stretching my right leg’s quads, the foot easily touches the bum; however, my left foot can only get to around 15cm from the bum)
2. Single leg squats – 5-6 about 10x during the day is the best.
3. Going down the stairs – normally, or focusing on actual dips.
4. Think about taking glucosamine to help with the cartilege.
5. To leave the knee untaped except for gym sessions.
The consultant’s (stand in) take:
Blip was the result of the adhesions and scar tissue loosening. After doing the usual pull/push/tug tests, she was happy with my progress and I’m to report back in about 4 months and if all goes well (touch wood), I should be discharged then.
Off the record, I trust my physio’s take more. Have purchased glucosamine (Holland & Barrett are having a fab sale!) and have started taking them. Off to the gym tomorrow.
Filed under: bump, exercises, post op | 2 Comments
hi again,
its good to read a couple more entries since the last time i looked on here. im now five months post op (reconstruction) although i had to have another op in march to re-set the plastic pin which was protruding from knee, (the surgeon said it had probably backed out due to something i had done but i could feel it a week after my op so i think he just didnt put it in far enough, although for legal reasons he would never admit to that!!) anywho, its all in place properly now and although my knee swells up more due to my last op, it does feel stronger and im back in the gym like yourself. at present im only swimming and going on the cross trainer and doing step exercises. no treadmill for me as yet! my surgeon and physio think i should be playing football as early as next january but im not keeping my hopes up until my knee says to me “yep, ok, off you go son!” just wondering if you have a cryo cuff or not? i use it all the time when my knee swells up and it seems to do the trick. also, how are you getting on with the medial taping as im also having that done once a week. it does seem to help quite a bit actually i feel. well glad to hear your keeping busy with the rehab, im off for a swim now me thinks!
tom
Hi tom – good to hear from you again! Bugger re the march op but hey, if it feels stronger, then fantastic! Yeah, I had hopes to that I’d be able to go snowboarding about a year after my first op (in April 05) but I suspect now, even though knee is stronger than its ever been since I fell down in Dec 02, I’d think twice about engaging in any activity where popping the acl is a huge risk. However, football’s less of a risk than snowsports, i think. Anyway, I did use a cryocuff for a couple of months after my first botched acl op (Apr 05) because the knee was swelling incredibly and constantly. Err… probably flying from Bordeaux (where my op took place) to London less than 12 hours after the op MAY have had something to do with it. Anyways, with my ACL revision (Nov 06), minimal swelling. I used a small flat icepack initially and kept it raised, of course, but nothing else was needed. Even with this blip as posted, there was some swelling, but not enough to warrant a cryocuff. And I don’t know about you, but I’ve realised through pure experience that ‘blips’ take my knee about 2-3 weeks to settle down. I’m still medial taping my knee before gym sessions (except when I forget!) because it really does make my knee feel more stable, particularly when running. However, am not needing to tape it otherwise. I did, as a precaution, do so last weekend which I spent tramping around Venice. But by the last day, I didn’t think I needed it. Knee was a bit puffy towards the end of the day after a good 7 hours tramping (even with the taping) but as my physio said, it’ll be puffy for a good few months after any form of exercise. And because i had the op done twice, my knee wouldn’t be 100% for 2-3 years (possibly). Which i’m not fussed about. I haven’t been able to run since 2002 prior to this year… and even a 80% functioning knee (my current estimate) which can run and dance is enough! Anyway, keep me updated on your progress.