Disaster struck on Boxing Day when I heard and felt the ominous ‘twang’ of my hamstring! I was staying at Mum’s over Christmas, well when I say Mum’s I mean the IGLOO masquerading as a house! So three duvets and a bed sheet were required to get even slightly warm at night, but the weight was just too much for my poor weak hamstring. As I tried to lift the mountain of bedding up with my weak leg so the rest of me could roll over, “twang”! Like pinging a guitar string, the pain seared up the back of my leg. I can honestly say that other than the ‘physio terrorist’ activity on my calf bruising, this was the only time any of this whole procedure had actually hurt.

But then it happened again a few hours later, but then the real scary one happened a few hours after that when the frying pan slipped off the hob and I turned quickly to save it and “twang” again. This one came gift wrapped with a lot of swearing !! Mum now has a nice round saucepan burn on her kitchen floor, and I spent the remainder of Boxing Day with an ice pack on my hamstring, sulking!

The rest of the week’s progress was pretty much a right off. I was nervous, sore and fed up! I couldn’t believe that after doing so well over the last four weeks, that I’d possibly found myself back at square one.  I wasn’t due to see my physiotherapist Tom Williams until New Year’s Eve, so the prognosis would have to wait. I was back living a sedentary life, icing with no independence again.

week 6

I feel a right prat! I’ve been so disheartened all week since the hamstring ‘TWANG!!!’ that I’ve been a slob, neglected my exercises, started limping again and been really nervous of it pinging… and obviously what Tom Williams will say!

Well, his response wasn’t what I’d braced myself for. In truth, it caught me out a little. He said that he was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner, perfectly normal, in fact, it shows that I’m using my leg properly and getting more confident! Nothing at all to worry about, I’ve just got to take it easy and not aggravate it!  I’m learning that I seem to be focusing on the negatives too much, so I was thrilled to learn that with little conscious effort over the past two weeks (well compared to my earlier good discipline) I now have full bend in my knee! My heel touches my bum! Lots of going down steps has really helped, (useful living 3 floors up in flats!).

So cue NEXT CHAPTER !! New milestone reached and gym work begins! Thank goodness for that as I’ve been getting so lethargic and unmotivated. Now I can get my heart rate up, really start rebuilding my muscles with Promax and feel half human again! I’m sure I’ll change my tune after my first gym session near kills me!!

Makeshift gym!

I haven’t managed to sort out a gym membership yet, and I can use the work gym when I’m back next week, but in the mean time, I’m having to get creative in the living room! With some basic gym tools, a fit ball, ankle weights and stretch band I can replicate the gym workout that Tom Williams has given me.

I cancelled my session with him for next week as without access to a gym, I’d rather see him in a fortnight when I’d had a chance to really work at my program. I’m also seeing Mr. Elliot on Friday, my surgeon for the post op consultation, so I’d rather it not be swollen from exercising too much! Does that sound like an excuse? I’ll have to watch that!

If you missed Sarah’s previous blogs catch up with them here…
Sarah Kingdom Rehab blog - week 4
Sarah Kingdom ACL rehab blog – Week 3
Sarah’s ACL blog, week 2 – First Physio Session
Sarah Kingdom ACL reconstruction blog

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