Day 69 - 2 months, 1 week, 1 day

The knee is doing better... obviously this blog has not turned out like I planned, I'm seriosly not committed to updating it.

Anyway - as of yesterday, Nov. 11, I was at 123 deg. on my own. I am still having a lot of trouble getting my leg straight. I can get to 3 deg. on my own, but my PT still has to force it to 0 deg. She says it's good to see that it is going so easily, but I'd like to be able to do it on my own. She wants me to continue to really work on trying to flex my knee into the straight position and that will develop the muscles. It just doesn't seem like I'm really progressing lately. I feel like I've hit a wall. I have been doing a lot more muscle building exercising lately - leg press, and squats all the time. I'm up to 60lbs. leg press with my right leg only - I did 15 of those. I've just been doing 100 lbs. with both legs, so 60 is kinda pushing it. I did do some "sport court" yesterday as well- hooked the bungie cord to my waist and did some side-stepping, backpeddling, and forward walking - in which I really was attempting to run. I think I could run now if I have to, but it would definitely look akward.

PT tomorrow - then I really got to get back to exercising at home like I should be! I have been without a brace for the past week and a half though. I have a new one - it's really for when I get back to running around, but I wear it occasionally in exercises that are somewhat extreme - like the "sport court".

Day 48 - 6 Wks, 6 Days post surgery

Not much posting going on here... Needed an update, mostly to motivate myself, hopefully. I haven't really been pushing myself with at home exercises for the past 2 weeks or so. I keep coming up with excuses, and I think the fact that we add some exercises to my "homework," almost weekly, has discouraged me b/c there are so many to do now, or that I can do. Yesterday in PT, E.J., my physical trainer, decided that she would expect me to focus on 3 this week, instead of the 8 or 9 that we have on the list. I told her I've been having trouble doing them and she gave me a hard time about it. That's really what I needed, I think. I also believe that I haven't been progressing like I should be - E.J. thinks I should be a little further along as well. This was the first time I've been behind at a session. I have increased my flexion in my knee to about 115 deg., however that's where I was two weeks ago. I got to 115 after being forced, then last week I got to 115 on my own. This week they forced me from 115 to 120. That was seriously painful, but that's what E.J. said we must get to. She would've preferred me to be at 125 or 130 this week.

The exercises that I did tonight were extremely difficult. I was super sore after yesterday's workout. My hamstring really tightened up yesterday as well, and the back of my knee was killing me today. I took it pretty easy today with the walking around and I had a serious limp going again. I did the straight leg lifts - about 15 both ways - flex the right knee and lift and hold for 5 sec. and then the second set was with the ankle turned outward to increase difficulty. This is supposed to help straigten my leg. (Still at 3 deg. there, got to zero when they forced it). I did squats with my back against the refridgerator - 15 of those. Lastly I did the new exercise I just learned. This includes me laying in the middle of the bed facing the wall with my legs extended straight up the wall. I slide my right foot as far down as I can and then I cross my left leg over the right and let gravity and my left leg force my foot down further. (I lay close to the wall, so you get a really good bend). I think this is the most purposeful exercise I've done yet, and also the most painful. I mean I was almost crying at some points, and I'm doing it to myself. I think it should really help though. I am most concerned about the straightening of the leg though. This has to improve. In my opinion it's the top priority - b/c I think it will really improve my walking and stability as well. 3 degrees to go.

I have PT again tomorrow at 330 - I might try to move it to Friday so that I can have another good PT at home day - I think I benefit more when I visit three days apart rather than two.

I should be getting a new brace soon. They have measured me for it, however I haven't heard back about it. I don't understand the holdup. E.J. thinks I'm ready to be done with the brace and that it's only hurting me - keeping me from working on walking with a straight leg. I don't trust my knee without that brace. I mean 20 stairs in the front of the house are just begging me to take it off and try them. They're ready to laugh at me tumbling down. I think I'll hold off on that.

Day 19 - Rehab Session

Had PT today. This was the second visit to PT and quite a bit more painful than the first. I think they were really nice to me on the first day to make sure I'd come back. I really like the heating pad... I need to get one of those. It really helps with the flexibility. They started me off on the stationary bike this morning. At first I couldn't even go all the way around but after about 5 minutes I was doing full rotations. I look forward to that exercise again. My knee was really swollen when my trainer came over to take a closer look. She did what I would call a "deep tissue massage" (even though I've never officially had one to know if that's what it was). It was extremely painful and she kept mentioning how much scar-tissue buildup I have. She is convinced that the swelling is all from me walking on it the past couple days. Although the other exercises were painful at the time, I ended with the "electricutor machine" while icing and when that was over I felt great. My knee felt better than it has in a while. I still can't sleep through the night. I had to take about 3 pain killers throughout the night to make it. And I thought I was finally getting over the pain killers at night.... My trainer says I should try to walk with one crutch at night as the full out walking is causing my knee to swell more than I should allow. Not looking forward to getting back on those. I guess I shouldn't have skipped that part in the first place.