Oct 25, 2014 - I did it again!

9 years later and I have done it again!  And yes, I am blogging about it again.  Check in with my new blog and see the comparison to this experience.

Nov 12, 2007 - Almost 2 years since I tore my ACL

It has almost been 2 years, and I feel fantastic!

My last post was in December, last year, and I felt about 90%.  Well, in January, I played in my first tournament, and that is when I really felt like I was back to 100%.

I played in a number of tournaments this year, as well as USTA league, with great success.

If all goes well, I will be ranked #2 in Women's 35s and Women's 40s in the Mid Atlantic Section.  In addition, my current ranking nationally is 14 in the Women's 40s.  Unbelievable!

I am planning on playing the National Grass Courts in 2008.

December 4, 2006 - One Year Ago.... I tore my ACL

Well, it has been a year, exactly! So, how do I feel after a year? I feel about 90% back in terms of my quickness, and really strong. I am not wearing any brace. That was my goal. I wanted to feel comfortable on the court, or doing anything athletic without a brace, and I am happy to report that I feel that way.

Each time I am on the court, I feel a bit faster, and my reaction time is a bit better.

I really think that I am ready to start competing again!!

November 2006

Well, it turns out that I had a slight setback with my hamstring. I strained it a bit. I did all of the phsyical therapy exercises in October, and it was back in shape in a couple of weeks.

I played singles today, and I was running like crazy. It seems that I need to keep doing the weights and keep stretching my muscles, and everything will be in order.

I now have a weight training regimen.... Monday, Thursday and Saturdays!

Tennis on Wednesday, Friday and Sundays.

Tuesday is my day of rest!!

September 2006

September is the month when real competition starts. I have been playing in the Greater Washington Tennis Association (GWTA) league for years, and this is the true test of my knee.

Since I last wrote in the blog, my movement on the court has gotten better and better. Some people that I play with say that from the first ball hit, to 2 hours later, they notice the difference.

I have now played 3 competitve doubles matches and my knee is holding up fine. I can now get to more balls then in August, but still do not have eveything back. I feel that I am 85% in terms of quickness and movement.

I did have a wierd feeling on the court the other day in my hamstring, and it made me a little cautious, but there was no swelling or pain. I was in the middle of an intense doubles point with a lot of quick movement, and I just felt a jarring in my hamstring.

I am playing singles, and able to get drop shots, and run side to side. I have not started competing again in singles.... I will wait for the tournament season to start back up in January.

In terms of endurance, I have played two doubles matches in the same day... about 3 hours of tennis with no problem. Also, playing 2 hours of singes is not an issue.

So, overall, I am in good shape and the surgery worked wonders.

August 20, 2006 - Back on the court in a real way!!

So, it has been 4 months since I have written in the blog. Right after I had my last physical therapy, and was instructed to finish physical therapy on the tennis court, I had an accident in the kitchen...

I was pitting an avacado, and the knife slipped and cut my left hand. It turns out that I cut through 2 tendons and the nerve that runs up through my pinky. So, I had surgery to repair that mishap, and was not allowed to exercise for fear of increasing the swelling in my left hand. After 6 weeks with my hand in a brace, and physical therapy, I was finally out on the tennis court for the first time on June 4.

It is now about 10 weeks after my first step back onto the court, and I feel like my strokes are back, my serve is coming back, and my running and anticipation are making progress.

At first, I did not move for the ball at all. Then as I kept hitting with different people, my movement got better and better. I used to be a bunny rabbit on the court, getting to each and every ball. Now, that is not yet the case, but I can get to drop shots, but not fast enough to have lots of choices. I get there just in time to get the ball over the net. In terms of side to side movement, I am better moving to the left than to the right. Planting on the right left is easier than on the left. I have come a long way since the first time I stepped on the court in the beginning of June. I expect that I will be ready to compete by January. Another 4 months of hard work!

18 Weeks Since Surgery

It has been 4 months since surgery, and I had my last physical therapy appointment today. Yipee... I am all clear to start my tennis recovery. I have been doing my normal weight lifting routine and have been running 2 miles.

I have lost my fast twitch muscles, but my phsyical therapist assured me that it would come back in time.

Also, I cannot back pedal the way I used to. Again, it will take time.

My next step is back to the tennis court!

Hitting against the Backboard in 15 weeks and 6 days!

Today, I ventured to the ol' backboard. I have been feeling really good and felt I was ready.

I hit for about 30 minutes... not running for anything. In fact, it took me a while to even move my feet.....

I am a bit rusty, I must admit, but it was so nice to have my racquet in my hand, and a ball on my strings!

15 Weeks Since Surgery

This week at physical therapy, I had my 3 month evaluation. As a result, my physical therapist said that she only wants to see me once/week in April, and then I am released to the tennis court.

UNBELEIVABLE!!!!

How exciting is that!

Well, I ran two days in a row, and the first day was great. My strides were longer and I ran a little bit faster.

The second day, I got a cramp in my calf muscle and had to walk home.

I have also been throwing the lacrosse ball with my son, and shooting hoops.... doing lay-ups on the left side is good therapy (according to my physical therapist) for my left knee..... okay.... I love to shoot hoops.

My leg is really starting to feel normal... like I do not notice it..... much more.

14 Weeks Since Surgery

Progress is slow and steady. This week I ran 2 miles a couple of times, and my running stride was longer. It took about 30 minutes to run the 2 miles last week, but this week, it was about 25 minutes. I forgot to time myself today... but my husband was like, "You're home already?" So, I am taking that is a good sign that I ran faster today than the other day.

My hamstring is still tight and I am continuing to work on that.

I am still aiming for May 1 to get on the court. I am really starting to itch to play tennis!

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.

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!

8 Weeks since Surgery

It is now 8 weeks since surgery and the infection in my incision is gone and the incision is healing quite nicely.... again!

I have full extension back, and am walking normally. We actually started working on a little running in physical therapy yesterday!

My knee is still a little swollen, and does swell up when I exercise it, but 15 minutes of ice after the workouts or physical therapy, and the swelling is reduced.

I am able to march, with high knees, but I am not able to kick my foot up to my butt. I have the flexibility, but my hamstring is not allowing me to actively kick backwards bending from the knee. My physical therapist says that it takes time for the hamstring to heal when a hamstring graft is used for the ACL.

Oh, and I got my leg to bend 141 degrees.... the goal is 150 degrees!

High Heels in 55 Days

It has been 55 days since my surgery (7 weeks and 6 days) and I wore high heel shoes today. I am so done with those Birkenstocks. No offense to Birkenstocks, they are so comfortable, but they do not go with my suits and office attire!

Seven Weeks Since Surgery

I am now riding the bike for 30 minutes on a regular basis. It feels so good to ride the bike. I am winded after 30 minutes, so hopefully this will build back my stamina.

I have moved on to more challenging exercises at physical therapy. Yesterday, I did the leg press, calf raises, and hamstring exercises with weights. Then, I did little hopping exercises, and marching exercises to work on my walking. I moved on to work on lateral exercises... so I did side stepping... kind of like what basketball players do when they are practicing defense. I did this across a basketball floor a couple of times... that was good.... I got a good quad burn from this. After that, we moved on to balance. I stood on a balance disk with my left foot and threw a ball to a trampoline-like device and had to catch the ball. This was a great exercise for balance and stamina for my leg. Then on to control - the big monster machine makes me work more on control than strength and I did that for both my quads and hamstrings.

I got my leg to bend to 141 degrees.... my target is 150. That is what my right legs is when my heel touches my butt.

Today, when I started to work on my full extension.... I already had it!! That is the first time. I think that is considered a breakthrough!

I am still not comfortable wearing high heels, and I am still on the cusp of walking without a limp.... I can feel that next week will be my big breakthrough. I will let you know as soon as it happens.

Rounding out the Sixth Week

So, I am at the end of the sixth week, on the cusp of the seventh. I had a turning point yesterday. I actually did my normal weight routine, with less weight for my legs. I rode the bike for 20 minutes and boy did that feel good. I am so ready to move on to more challenging exercises.

Today in physical therapy we did just a little bit of lateral exercises... but I can hardly wait for Thursday, my next apt. I am ready to go farther.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that I am almost back to my normal walking gait.

Unfortunately, my muscles are starting to atrophy. Since I am not playing tennis every day, my core and upper body is just not getting enough of a workout. In addition, my right side is not getting what it needs, and is starting to atrophy. This just means that I am going to work a bit harder to keep my muscles in good shape!