ACL Recovery Log – 10 Months Post Op

I know this update is a little bit late, but December 28th marked 10 months post-ACL reconstruction surgery! I still can’t believe it has been 10 months since I had the surgery. Things are very much the same since my last update. I’m still strength training quite a bit and really focusing on lower body strength exercises to prepare for…skiing!

Return to skiing is my final hurdle of this recovery. I’d say I’m 100% back to my prior level, but I can’t really say that until I get on skis. I’ve been doing a lot of single leg strength work (think single leg squats, single leg RDLs, a lot of lunges and lateral agility work. I’ve been researching the imporant exercises for skiing on my own. A lot of ACL rehab pages are aimed at athletes returning to sports (not skiing, but sports like soccer, basketball, etc.) and hardly ever do I see any pages aimed at skiiers, which is a shame because a lot of us injured ourselves skiing. And because I was discharged from physical therapy at 5 months post-op (back at the end of July), skiing was not an option. Both my PT and suregon cleared me for skiing this season, which is great, but it’s a little challenging continuing the ski-specific rehab on my own. I often wonder if I’m doing enough!

I have no idea how my knee will feel on the slopes, but I’m really excited to try out my “new” ACL. And yes, part of me will be a little bit scared but to be honest I’m more excited to get back out there. At 10 months post op my knee feels the same that it has since about 6-7 months post-op. Usually, it feels great, but after a big leg day, or a big hike, it gets pretty stiff. Just the new normal, I suppose, and I’ve gotten used to it. I don’t think about my knee every second of every day anymore.

New Year’s Day was also the 1 year anniversary of tearing my ACL –I can’t believe it! I never thought an injury would impact me so drastically–mentally and physically. I’ve thought about my knee constantly for almost a year. I can honestly say I’m more fit now than I was prior to my injury. Strengh training is so so imporant when it comes to preventing injury and now I realize that and I plan to stick with it indefintely!