It has been a very interesting process to say the least. There has been good days , bad days and days in between. There has been tears, there has been laughs, pain and awkwardness but there has also been progress. Progress, how quickly depends on how quickly your body is willing to let you, apparently it wasn't my decision it was my bodies and i have had to allow it to do its thing in its own time. This was the point that i realised it doesn't really matter how 'quickly' things are done but that the are done with the respect that your knee deserves. I know that may sound a little odd but what i mean is i have had a long standing injury to my knee, basically, i don't trust it, i have had to rebuild the trust in my joint and like trust in anything it takes time, patience and persistence. The knee is such a complex joint on its own without an injury, without surgery, without being old, your knee deserves to be allowed the freedom to heal at its own pace.
I had 3 days of quite severe pain with restricted movement last week, it didn't feel right. I contacted my surgeon who suggested perhaps i have a joint effusion and that i should maybe try a different non steroidal. I had an XR ordered that I hadn't had done as it was for my 3mth follow up, so he suggested i have that done also. I had a physio appointment on the 3rd day of this and ROM was good no gross musculoskeletal issues could be found. I have been following my physio exercises, trying to do extra as incidental, waiting for the kettle to boil doing single leg calf raise etc, i had started to do 30 minute walk each day just lapping around the house and doing 15klm on the stationary bike(5klm each in morning, lunch and after dinner). I didn't feel like i was 'over doing it', One question from the physio, "are you using your single crutch", BAHH, at home no, follow the instruction of the people you have asked for their help. You wouldn't think this would have been the issue and after 2 doses of new NSAID mobic, RICE, using single crutch, continuing physio exercises, 2 days later and my leg is completely feeling different, i felt good, which part of that equation was the turning point I'm not sure but i am not complaining.
So week 11 i still have knee tightness, the rubber band about to break has completely gone and a stiffness if i sit too long but acute pain has gone. As this is school holidays for us we have been out and about a bit more. I have been given the offical release from crutches and can return to strength and conditioning training (within limits and i still havent been yet...oops next week). I think sometimes it takes for one person to say and mean you are doing really well, giving realistic goals and a physio program that changes each week to fit where your progress is up to, to really see you move forward.
Sometimes you need to see it visually, this is photo at week 1 and at week 12...progress ..there it is even if this pic just displays skin deep :-)
I had concern over the stability of my knee earlier on and when my physio asked me this week to step onto a small trampoline, stand on one leg and catch the ball he was going to throw me, I know that there is no way even a week ago i would have done that sucessfully, with a few laughs and slight unbalanced co-ordination i managed to do as i was asked, i tried and just that gave me an added confidence in my knee, trust building whilst strength building, my knee really can do this!
So i have been successful off crutches for a few days now, at stairs i still need a rail to hold onto and am still doing them as single step both feet down and up but am working on single step single foot. Down hill ramps i am a little cautious still but am improving.
I head to the surgeon for my 3mth check up next week, and am hoping that he is happy with my progress.
Here's a pic of my XRay, unreported, results when i see surgeon on Tuesday, do they really think you wont open the films and have a look before you go to the specialist ?? Cute screws in there, kind of also puts in perspective why it has been a road to recovery.
(ignore the bits at the bottom of the films thats where i was holding them up to take photo!)
Cheers, Liss x
No comments:
Post a Comment