I tore my ACL about 9 years ago and blogged about it. Now, I've done it again. This time the right knee. So, I thought it would be fun to blog again, collect more data and compare my recoveries. I hope this blog provides help to those of you out there in the same situation as me.
Apr 10, 2015 - 22 weeks after surgery
It has been a couple weeks since I have written. I have been busy running, doing yoga and getting more comfortable on the squash court and the tennis court. My movement in both sports is still slow and I am a bit nervous to plant my right foot. I think this is more of a mental thing than a physical thing. Each outing, I try to push it more and test out my confidence in my knee.
Mar 20, 2015 - 19 weeks after surgery
Now it is a matter of getting my quick movement back. All in time. On the running front, I have now moved outdoors and am running longer and faster. I am continuing to do yoga and hit squash balls. I hit tennis balls for the first time this week and it felt great. Boy that tennis racquet is heavy compared to the squash racquet. I was cautious with my movement, but that will come in time, as they say.
Mar 13, 2015 - 18 weeks after surgery
At 18 weeks, 4.5 months post surgery, I am back on the squash court, hitting, but not with quick movements. I have been working my footwork and slowly gaining confidence in my movement. I have continued running and doing yoga. I have no pain in my knee. I am going to get on the tennis court next week and see how that works out.
Mar 6, 2015 - 17 weeks after surgery - released from physical therapy!
Moving into the 5th month since surgery and I am so ready, mentally, to move on and start playing my sports!
I went to my last physical therapy session this week. I was doing plyometrics and court-like exercises. Not much more to do in physical therapy. I have to do these exercises on my own. For example, quick feet with high knees, quick feet with kick backs, small hurtles on two legs, on one leg, running and cutting around cones, shadowing hitting and recovering, etc.
I hit squash balls a couple times this week, ran 10 miles, and did my normal yoga classes.
If I compare this recover to last recovery, this week/next week is when I stopped posting on a regular basis, I will try to continue to post on a weekly basis and give updates.
On the squash court, I am a little tentative to get down, bed down as far as I would normally do. Each time that I am on the court, though, I feel more comfortable, so I just have to be patient and understand that it will take some time.
Everyone needs a goal... this is mine: The 2015 U.S. Skill Level Championships, October 15-17, 2015.
I went to my last physical therapy session this week. I was doing plyometrics and court-like exercises. Not much more to do in physical therapy. I have to do these exercises on my own. For example, quick feet with high knees, quick feet with kick backs, small hurtles on two legs, on one leg, running and cutting around cones, shadowing hitting and recovering, etc.
I hit squash balls a couple times this week, ran 10 miles, and did my normal yoga classes.
If I compare this recover to last recovery, this week/next week is when I stopped posting on a regular basis, I will try to continue to post on a weekly basis and give updates.
On the squash court, I am a little tentative to get down, bed down as far as I would normally do. Each time that I am on the court, though, I feel more comfortable, so I just have to be patient and understand that it will take some time.
Everyone needs a goal... this is mine: The 2015 U.S. Skill Level Championships, October 15-17, 2015.
Feb 27, 2015 - 16 weeks after surgery - Day 1 on the Squash Court
This was the week I was waiting for. We amped up PT exercises with all kinds of plyometrics. I did yoga and got back on the treadmill. Running felt fantastic. I think that I just did too much at the end of week 12 and my muscles told me so. It is not the same now. I feel so much stronger.
And the best part of this week is my first step back on the squash court. I hit forehands for about 45 minutes alone, no one on the court with me. My strokes felt great. I really limited my movement mostly because I was cautious. I did go to the backhand side, but given that the stroke calls for planting with my right foot and then twisting through the stroke, I felt less comfortable with that movement. So, I think I will be practicing my forehand for now.
And the best part of this week is my first step back on the squash court. I hit forehands for about 45 minutes alone, no one on the court with me. My strokes felt great. I really limited my movement mostly because I was cautious. I did go to the backhand side, but given that the stroke calls for planting with my right foot and then twisting through the stroke, I felt less comfortable with that movement. So, I think I will be practicing my forehand for now.
Feb 20, 2015 - 15 weeks after surgery
Week 15 past surgery and I am just ready to be ready. I did physical therapy twice, yoga, biked, elliptical, and am just waiting and wanting to hit a squash ball.
In physical therapy, we talked about ramping up the exercises. I feel like I have outgrown the standard exercises and am ready for plyometrics and court specific work.
In physical therapy, we talked about ramping up the exercises. I feel like I have outgrown the standard exercises and am ready for plyometrics and court specific work.
Feb 13, 2015 - 14 weeks after surgery
I was traveling this week and did not get a chance to do any physical therapy. I have a feeling that I did too much in the two previous weeks with all that running and my hamstring really needed a rest. So, my activity this week was a 2 mile run, boot camp like activities, a massage and yoga.
I can really feel that my hamstring is week and I need to get back to the activities that were strengthening it. I just looked back at my last blog from 9 years ago, and it turns out that week 14 was very similar to this time's week 14.
I'm excited to get back to physical therapy and strengthen, strengthen, strengthen!
I can really feel that my hamstring is week and I need to get back to the activities that were strengthening it. I just looked back at my last blog from 9 years ago, and it turns out that week 14 was very similar to this time's week 14.
I'm excited to get back to physical therapy and strengthen, strengthen, strengthen!
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