Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Fair warning: This post has little point other than to vent a little frustration. I don't blame you if you stop here.
In May I had my knee scoped over a torn meniscus as well as cyst. This is my second surgery on that knee, and hopefully my last for a long time. Shortly after my knee surgery I got a vasectomy, just to make things interesting.
The vasectomy is obviously completely unrelated to my knee, but it's relevant because the timing slowed my rehab schedule considerably. Now, nearly two months removed from the scope, I am still struggling to regain my strength in my knee. I've followed the physical therapy exercises pretty closely, and have maintained a "low impact" lifestyle. Still I am fighting a lot of pain and struggle to make progress in some of my exercises.
Additionally it takes the smallest and seemingly insignificant things to irritate the knee. I was at a theme park last week and tweaked it hard on the lazy river of all places. I was trying to help my 2 year old onto a tube and then get on myself. Between holding my kid, and the tube against the current combined with my stance made for a near debilitating pain. Other times I'll be walking down the stair and it'll just give out. Of on a day where it is feeling better and not hurting as much I'll forget about how tender it still is and by chance pivot on it while walking and...WOW!
I'm not in a hurry to heal up and am willing to take it slow in order to avoid setbacks. At the same time I figured I'd be further along at this stage than I am. I think overall I am in decent shape. Aside from the pain, I do have full range of motion (or pretty close) and I was on my feet within a week. But progress has stalled, and that's frustrating.
This is certainly not a bid for sympathy; I have a good life and I know I'll get through this. And really it was a minor surgery. But a lack of forward progress is frustrating for all of us, agree? I figured this would be a good place to vent because I'm sure some of you can relate.
I'm with you in your vent -- I haven't had surgery, but a partial tear of both the medial and posterior ligaments in mid-May. I wish I could say I was rescuing a child from a speeding car when I fell, but alas ...
I've been told to be patient -- and I'm trying! -- but I'm tired of concentrating on every step I take, making sure my toes and knee are pointing in the same direction, watching out for stones in the sidewalk that might cause me to stumble, etc. On the other hand, I don't want to re-injure the knee again and screw it up even worse.
Argh!!
So here's an appeal to the rehab spirits for both of us. Best wishes.
I've blown out not one, but BOTH of my Achilles tendons in the past three years!!! Like knee surgery, this particular injury and surgery has a very long rehab process at the back end of it. Thankfully, the success rate for the surgery is about 93 percent and I only have two Achilles tendons so I think the worst of it is behind me!
Like you, OP, I have full ROM. But my final surgery was in February - now it's July and my ankles are SO FREAKING WEAK. Just like you, this catches me offguard at the most inopportune times. Also, inexplicably, sometimes my foot or ankle will swell up for apparently no reason - other times I can walk for miles and it won't bother me at all.
I'm getting better slowly and I guess all I wanted to tell you is to keep up the PT, keep exercising, keep moving and keep your chin up. Things will improve. Meanwhile - VENT ON!!!!! I think it helps - LOL.
I've had Orthoscopic surgery on both knees and it's no picnic that's for sure, and I'm talking decades ago.
Have NO cartilage at the knee cap so bone against bone that will swell the knees to a point they will not bend w/o severe pain. Up and down stars a hassle every time.
Hang in there...things could be worse....they have been for me.
There is a great site for knee issues. It's kneeguru out of the Uk. The community bulletin board was a god send when I was recovering from a knee injury.
Thanks, all, for the words of encouragement. Today I took a major step forward in rebuilding my strength and started adding weight to my squats again. Nothing too heavy (just a single plate) though I did a few reps with 2 plates just to have a benchmark. I'll probably be really sore tomorrow, but it'll be a good kind of sore! I'm still nowhere close to firing on all cylinders, but I feel like I am pointed in the right direction.
Are you working with a physical therapist? One who works with athletic teams? it makes a huge difference IMO. I had a shoulder injury in Feb and I tore a medial meniscus a year ago in Dec (no surgery), and I've been rehabbing every since & making small-moderate gains along the way, so I know how frustrating it can be.
Thankfully, my gym staffs an excellent PT Russell Dunning, Physical Therapist (yea, my gym is called "House of Pain"). Russ' style & instruction is above & beyond any physical therapy I've ever received in the past. Or any at the "company/HMO" PT place.
I've also been working with a Neurokinetic Therapy therapists dealing with dysfunctional movement patterns that led to the injury in the first place. This is supported by my PT. Russ' motto is "no reinjury." I have to check in with the trainers before I do anything new, and I have to be watched on certain lifts to check my form. I am blown away by the progress I have made. I've even started jogging again. If I can do it, so can you, so can anyone. You just need to find the right rehab team for you.
Are you working with a physical therapist? One who works with athletic teams?
I am. I'm in the military so my doctors are military-oriented. Today they started me on a "return to running" regime. It was pretty easy, and I was no worse off after the exercise than before, so I am optimistic I'll be able to do some light trail running this fall. One day at a time, though.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm still nowhere close to firing on all cylinders, but I feel like I am pointed in the right direction.
