13 Weeks Since Surgery

The biggest news for this week is that I just jogged 2 miles.... no walking, no stopping, just plain ol' jogging!

I am continuing to work on plyometric-like exerises in physical therapy.

My knee is still a bit stiff at times, and I am still weak in my hamstring, but other than that, I am progressing well.

Ran a Mile!!!

18 March 2006

I ran/walked my first mile since my surgery! My physical therapist said to find a high school track... much better for you than the sidewalk.

My husband and son came for moral support! 4 times around the track... jogging, walking a little, and jogging!

Yehahhhh!!!!

March 15, 2006 - It has been 12 weeks since surgery!

Alright! I am at my 12 week mark. I went to see my orthopedic surgeon, and my knee is looking good. He said that I could get on the tennis court on May 1, but only with a pro hitting balls to me. No competition until mid-June.

Also, the weakness in my hamstring is to be expected, he said. Since I had a hamstring graft, it just takes time for the hamstring to recover.

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What am I doing in physical therapy, you may ask? Well, we are really working on lateral moves, and change of direction. I am doing some running, quickly stopping, changing directions.... running forward and backwards. Also working on quick steps, and jumping exercises like I use to do when doing plyometrics.

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On my non-physical therapy days, I am riding my bike for at least 20 minutes. I want to ride for 30, but it gets really boring... even though I am watching tennis on tv while riding. I am doing about 200 situps and working my upper body as well as my lower body. I am lifting almost the same weight I was before I got injured on my leg press and my calf raises. I am back to my weight on my hamstring work.... now, though, I am realizing how weak my hamstrings were before I got injured.

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I pretty much have forgotten about my knee during the day, driving, and while at work. My gait is almost completely normal. I did start wearing high heels, but have backed off a bit because sometimes my leg is tired after a day in high heels.

11 Weeks Since Surgery

I am really starting to NOT notice my knee a lot more now.

In physical therapy this week, we started working on plyometric-like exercises, such as forward jumping, backward jumping, and diagonal jumping. I continue to do fast steps on a trampoline, and have started doing quick up and down steps on a step that they use in step aerobics. In addition, I am doing balancing exercises on a balance ball and circling a medicine ball around my body with my hands. That is really tough.

We are using the gym floor to do side to side shuffling, starting to do running (yeah).

I am still working really hard on my hamstrings. Working on the kick up to my butt.

I do not feel quite ready to get on the tennis court, but can see that in 3 to 4 weeks, I will probably start to feel ready... whether I am ready is another story!

10 Weeks Post Surgery

Things are really starting to change now.

For example, sometimes, I have to remind myself to be careful with my left knee. When I am driving, for example, both legs feel exactly the same. And when I walk, I do not feel my knee they way that I used to.

We are doing a lot more lateral movement and jumping in physical therapy.

I am still have trouble with my hamstring firing, and I am working on exercises to bring the hamstring back to life.