9 Weeks since Surgery

My rehabilitation is progressing. I am not seeing the big jumps in progress the way I saw earlier on, and that is a little frustrating, but to be expected.

My knee just swells slightly when I workout, but ice takes the swelling away.

I am doing the following exercises now, either in physical therapy, or at home:

• Stationary Bike - 30 minutes
• Eliptical Machine - 15 minutes
  
• Leg Press with weights
  
• Calf Raises - both seated and standing with weights
  
• Squats with weights
• Hamstring Curls - while sitting with weights
  
• Quick Steps - while in a squat position - on a trampoline
  
• Lateral moves in a squat position across a floor
• Starting to work on running exercises
• Balance exercises on balance boards or standing on balance balls

I feel my knee most the time... whether I am walking, going up or down the stairs, sitting with my legs out, crossed, or whatever. The feeling does not hurt.... I just know that my left knee exists... the right knee just comes with the rest of my body... if you know what I mean.

Sometimes I don't feel my left knee at all, and then I start to think... oh, wow, this is going to be what it is like when I am totally recovered.... and then I start to feel my knee... whether it is stiff, or tired, etc..

I notice that when I am standing, I favor my right leg rather than my left. I am trying to make an effort of distributing my weight evenly on both legs.

My physical therapist said today that the next 4 weeks are the most critical in my rehab because I am starting to feel good with my leg, and at the same time, the ACL has totally been accepted in my body yet. This is the period where most people get into trouble by doing too much or tweaking their knee and retearing their ACL..... so, I say, it is better to be cautious!