April Update

So things are coming along pretty well still.  I am at the point where the exercises are a bit more intense.  I am running a mile every week, jumping or -- I should say hopping -- on my surgically-repaired leg (can't call it a bad leg) and doing sprints, backwards running and cross-overs at physical therapy.

My PT end date is fast approaching it seems.  By the end of May, I am likely to be "cleared for activity," meaning that I am allowed to participate in sports.  I doubt I will jump back into things anytime soon, but it's a nice benchmark to achieve.

Pain is minimal.  I do get sore at times, especially in the back of my leg after running that mile, but it is not an every day thing.  I rarely have pain in the front of the leg, which may be partly because I used the hamstring as my graft source.  I am happily crawling on my knees with my kids.

One challenge I am having is that it is harder to keep up with exercises now that I feel back to normal and now that most exercises are not everyday things.  It was easier when it was like I HAVE TO DO AN HOUR OF THIS EVERYDAY NO MATTER WHAT.  It's a bit different now and it takes a bit more effort to get myself to do things after a long day, but I am doing pretty well with it overall I think.

I am pretty close to getting that last bit of flexion.  I was over 150 last week when they measured me.

Feeling Good

So I talked to my PT last time about the calf pain, which, by the Thursday appointment, had pretty much subsided. It appears that it may have been my brace. Apparently the more I push it, the more my calves expand, and the more they then may strain against the brace. Nothing much to do except loosen it a little bit. That seems to have helped. I also have stopped wearing it all day during work, which has made me much more comfortable during the day. I had left it on primarily because it was impossible to put it on under my suit pants after taking it off. Now, although perhaps it is now how it is meant to be put on, I put it on over my pants on my way home to work.

The brace is mainly for intense exercise like running and cutting, but I was wearing it in crowds and in the winter as extra protection. In case you are unsure about what I am talking about, it is this: http://www.betterbraces.com/donjoy-fullforce-ligament-knee-brace It fits under my suit pants, although it can bunch up at times.

I ran my first mile on the treadmill at the gym! I can't remember the last time I ran a mile before the surgery…

Fwd: Less calf pain today

So, after a couple of days, that pesky calf pain has gone away for the most part.  I'm still not sure what exactly caused.  I had taken it pretty easy that day before. I did run almost a mile the day before that, but I would have thought that would have been too long ago to have been the cause.

Last night I did lower the resistance a bit on the exercise bike.  Perhaps I was pushing too hard with that.  

Coming up on month 5.  Things are going well overall.  I am well into my running program and am just about to run a mile.  I also started doing agility work at PT. 

Today I have really sore calves.  Not really sure why.  I took it pretty easy yesterday. 

So it's been over four months.  Things are progressing.

I am on a jogging program.  At this point, I am able to do a walk/jog interval for over a mile.

My hamstrings are feeling stronger.

Still minimal pain.  The discomfort I only feel is only after a heavy workout, and I am just as likely to feel some soreness in my so-called "good leg" now.

Still feeling happy that I went with the hamstring graft over the cadaver graft.

I am still working on getting that last bit of flexion... it's become harder and harder to get that final bit.