ACL Recovery Log #9 – 1st Week of Post OP PT Complete

What a crazy week it has been since my last update. I started PT on Monday, despite most local businesses closing due to COVID-19. I had a slight worry my appointments this week would get canceled, but because it’s a health care office they stayed open. I was feeling extremely guilty for wanting to go to PT during this madness, but I really didn’t want to get behind in my rehab when I haven’t even started yet. I was also told by some friends not to feel bad for keeping medical appointments and typically I don’t see any elderly patients there in the evening when I go after work, which made me feel a little bit better.

Speaking of work, since I work in healthcare myself, I’m considered essential and don’t have the option to work from home. So I’ve been going to work every day during this mess, which actually isn’t all that bad since I feel productive instead of worrying myself sick at home without anyway to relieve my anxiety (an uninjured me would go running/hiking/biking as much as possible during a time like this). As a dietitian in a healthcare facility, the nutrition office is almost always in the basement near the facility’s kitchen—so that’s where I am when I’m at work. Thankfully it feels isolated down there and we’ve been practicing social distancing as much as possible!

Now back to my PT update! On Monday my therapist measured my range of motion. I was very curious about how I had been doing over the previous two weeks. He measured my extension at -6 (what!) and flexion at 115. Not bad! He was impressed with my progress and said I was doing great and I left there feeling pretty good. However, I made a mistake by not taking any anti-inflammatory meds the next day and paid for it. My knee was super swollen and sore. But it did feel easier to move!

The following session went just as well and this time it feels a lot better.  ACL Rehab is a long process. Most of the time I feel like it’s one step forward and two steps back. One day my knee feels ok, the next it feels awful. I have exercises to continue to do at home 4-5x per week and I’m also going to try a few minutes on my bike trainer a few times a week.

I’m only going to PT twice per week. Funny enough, my health insurance only approved four post-op therapy appointments! What a complete joke! My doctor’s therapy RX said 2-3x per week for the next 4-6 weeks! My PT is just going to keep resubmitting for me, thankfully. But that’s just insane to me. I’m guessing I’ll be going to PT for the next three to four months, if not longer, based on my surgeon’s rehab protocol. But maybe I can get to the point where I’m only going once per week. We’ll see how it goes. 

I hope everyone out there is staying safe and healthy!