14 week post acl repair
I saw my super hot doctor yesterday. He said blah blah blah. Nothing important or new. He did said in 2 weeks from now (so in early may) I can start running. That’s good to know since I started running last week. I have nursed my knee and taken very good care if it. I have listened to the doctor and my physical therapist and done everything they have told me. However I feel like the PT has greatly underestimated my strength and persistence. Any thing my PT told me to do I would do. It would be a lot of effort at first but my body adjusts to things well and quickly. If something is hard for me to do, I continue to do it until I master it. Perfect practice makes perfect. I train with great form and quantity. This has served me well in my bjj training as drilling is 99% of how one improves. I sacrificed time with family and friends and myself in order to recover and rehab from this surgery. I spend about 2 hours a day stretching and doing the exercises suggested. Me at my weakest is still better than the average American. I really wish I could afford the type of PT and doctors that a paid professional team athlete gets. I wish I had a sports specific program alas I’m with kaiser and I’m dealt the hand that is given to me. I did switch doctors and pt to find the best person in network. I’m happy with them however I feel they don’t “get me” I understand that there is No possible way for my graft to heal sooner than 6 months but I feel they are being too cautious. It’s sad that in today’s day and age that doctors and hospitals are targets for frivolous law suits. I strongly believe that assholes ruin things for everyone. Of course doctors would prefer to error on the side of safety. I truly do understand it. However, I think every patient is a special case. Not everyone should be handled the same way. The doctors can’t dedicate the time money and effort it takes to proper service all their patience. I’m taking it upon myself to heal myself the best way possible. I have never , in the time after surgery, pushed my body to do more than it could handle. But I certainly have pushed my body beyond what the doctor and pt protocol has allowed. The doc and pt are patting themselves on the backs. “Wow you’re way ahead of our best athletes, you’re the poster child of how this rehab should be” yeah it’s all you doc!! Sure.
At any rate, one thing I can not speed up is the process in which my body starts turning the hamstring graft into an actual acl. That takes 24 weeks even if you are fit as a fiddle and super healer like myself. So right now my knee is still vulnerable. The muscle I have built around my knee is strong and solid and will help protect me. But the graft is weak. I will not be permitted to box or wrestle until mid July. I can drill however as long as I do no pivot. So I will be doing everything and anything I can do in this time. I see a lot of arm bar drills in my future 😉