ACL operation update #4

OK, I'm now 5 weeks post-op.  I had a therapy session this morning and my first post-op follow-up visit with my doctor since I went in and got my Baker's Cyst drained (which happened only once).

There are two pieces of fantastic news to report.  First, I am done with formal physical therapy sessions, so I'm on my own from now on to continue exercising, etc.  The second piece of good news is that I no longer have to wear a knee brace for day-to-day activities.

My doctor was pleased and surprised at how well recovery is going.  He says that I'm a number of months ahead of schedule for range of motion and leg strength...maybe those years of running really are paying off!

There is a down side to this though...my doctor said that the risk of a rapid recovery like this is that there is sometimes a tendency for someone to push their recovering knee too hard too early.  I assured him that I was more than willing to take it easy, i.e., be lazy.  Oh, I don't mean lazy, I mean not doing things I shouldn't do before I get the go ahead to do them.

If you are recovering from this kind of surgery, remember that recovery includes three things: 1) recovery of range of motion; 2) recovery of leg strength and balance; and 3) biological healing and vascularization of the grafted new ACL.  It will take at least 3 months post-op before I will be given the go-ahead to start jogging, etc.  So in the meantime I'll take it easy and give my reconstructed ACL graft a chance to fully attach.

No more brace, no more physical therapy sessions...just exercise on my own.  Woot, woot, woot!

ACL reconstruction operation Update #3 (9/9/2014)

I'm celebrating my operation two-week anniversary today.  The stitches are out and I've had 1.5 weeks of physical therapy.  If you recall from my previous posting I had a Baker's (a.k.a. popliteal) Cyst on the back of my knee that was causing some problems so the doctor was able to drain it.  Fast forward to this morning, well, yesterday morning.

BTW, the image below shows a Baker's Cyst located about where mine is.  It's about the size of a medium egg when it's full.  It is filled with excess fluid from the knee that is produced by irritated tissues there.

Image courtesy of the Mayo Clinic. (http://www.mayoclinic.org/~/media/kcms/gbs/patient%20consumer/images/2013/08/26/10/52/ds00448_im02893_r7_bakerscystthu_jpg.ashx)

I knew that the cyst was slowly refilling after it was drained a week ago, and while I was at physical therapy (PT) yesterday morning I pushed my knee hard working to increase my range of motion.  I accomplished that (150 degrees - mission accomplished) but also forced additional fluid back into the cyst.  Pain was present but bearable and mainly irritating so I got an appt. to have it drained again.  

This morning the doctor and I discussed the condition and he recommended that we not continue on a path where the cyst is drained over and over because of the (small) chance of infection.  He says that once the knee settles down and recovery is complete that the cyst will take care of itself.  So instead of draining it again he recommended that I increase my use of anti-inflammatories (e.g., ibuprofen) and continue to ice it after activity and/or in the evenings.  So pills and ice it is.

The good news is that I can now go up and down stairs with minimal pain and only a modicum of pressure and stretching in the knee.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not ready for the racquetball court or anything, but it's coming along.  

Modern medicine is awesome!