Despite the tight plaster on my knee from the staple removal yesterday restricting my knee movement, I was confident that Tom Williams would be pleased with my progress this week. He’s a tough man to keep sweet, so when I heard him say, “that’s good, really good”, I asked him to repeat himself as I couldn’t possibly have heard that right! So as expected, he brushed it off and sternly told me that I needed more bend in my knee!

There are no comfort zones with this treatment, just goals to aim for! So, concerned that I still had too much tension in my calf muscle… restricting my full ankle range, and thus my ability to step through properly… and therefore encourage greater movement in my knee, the room morphed into a torture chamber! The high frequency vibration machine used to break down tissue has always been quite soothing in the past. Not this time! My screams just acted as targets to the problem areas, so I gave it everything I had to not make a sound! But a few expletives soon followed! When I joked that they should ‘sound proof’ the rooms, the very calm, unexpected response was, “oh, they are!” !!!!!! The physio terrorists have sound proofed torture chambers! Where was Bin Laden hiding then , “oh he’s the tea boy!” What the ????? Thankfully that didn’t last too long and within a few minutes we’d increased my knee bend by 20 degrees from 90-110 ! I’ve got a few more exercises to add to my routine and rowing machine slides to encourage the bend. I’m also working on going down steps too to get my instincts out of recovery mode.

As loose as my knee felt after I left, that was no fun at all. I’ve been warned that the gym programme begins next week, so I’m to make the most of this ‘rest period’ !!

Crutches – a pain in the back!

After taking myself to the GP twice in the same day (20 minute hobble each way) and going to my work Christmas do in Battersea last night, my back is killing me! Last night was the first time I ventured out in a busy public place and thank goodness for the fortress of my crutches! It is funny how people see these metal sticks coming towards them and it’s like the parting of the sea! I had places given up for me on the train, doors held open and a really nice glow of consideration. Nobody gives a monkeys to the average Jo, but they take pity on the poor cripple. A mother with a pram is equally hindered, but they don’t seem to get that sort of treatment! It’s interesting being on the other side. I’m not saying it’s a party! It’s beyond frustrating; the ridiculous high steps onto the train, the uneven pavements and slippery drains! But the dull repetition of every step has left the tops of my shoulders and the middle of my back caning! Time to ask Nikki for a massage!

I went to the end of my road today, at a slow pace, without the crutches. As brave as I felt, my knee locked a few times, gave way a little, enough to make me nervous again. It’s just that the muscles feel weak, so it’s full throttle with the exercises and time to get a bit of muscle help with Maximuscle Promax.This will help keep my protein levels topped up so I stand a better chance of building my legs back up.

Back Steps!

The new exercises Tom’s given me feel like a set back! I knew it was naïve to think that I’d make consistent steady progress with no hiccups, but I was hoping! He got me to tie an exercise band around a table leg, and by raising my heel then lowering it and tensing my knee, it works loads of muscles and strengthens the knee from all directions. He’s also getting me to slide my knee to encourage greater bend past the comfort zones. However, it feels weaker than last week now! I probably over did it on the first day. It’s the first time that the hamstring below my knee feels sore. BUT at least the wounds have all healed up nicely. The steri strips have long gone, hardly a scar to show for all of this! I’ll have to get some eye liner and make big pirate scars instead!

Links
www.activ8rehab.co.uk
www.reboundfitness.co.uk

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