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Post-Op Week 8

 Overall Feelings

I'm feeling really great all things considered! My IT band has not caused me a lot of issues this week. I've continued to walk around my house without the brace on (even though I wasn't technically cleared by the dr yet). I can still tell a big difference in leg strength between both legs when I walk. I'm super careful and protective over my knee, but I'd think that's a good thing right now! 

I AM SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE...

3rd Post-Op Appointment


I was cleared to take off my brace and drive!!!! YAY! 

This visit was super quick. My doctor's assistant was with me this time. She checked my patella stability, ROM, and quad strength. To check my patella stability, she laid my knee over her lap and moved my kneecap around. She asked me if it bothered me, which it didn't (keep in mind that this was a different story pre-surgery). To check my range of motion, she asked me to bend my knee as far as I could. She estimated I was at 100 degrees...I think my potential right now is more than that, but she was happy with that, so we're good! She didn't force it back anymore than what I could do...unlike my ortho did last appointment...lol. To check my quad strength, she asked me to lift my leg as far as I could. I was able to lift it straight up in the air. 



Timeline

Physical Therapy for 4-6 more weeks 

Next post-op visit in 5 weeks

Physical Therapy 

They're definitely ramping up the exercises! And I'm good with that! Instead of doing double and single legged squats laying down on a machine, I am only doing single legged squats on the machine. They increased the difficulty too! I am also doing more standing squats with a stool for support. Like I mentioned last time, they added ankle weights while I do straight leg raises. 

I have a new set of exercises with the medicine ball. I lay down and put my feet on the ball. The first exercise is just where I push my body up. The second exercise entails me moving the ball towards me with my feet. In the third exercise I have to first move the ball towards me with my feet, hold that position, and then lift the rest of my body up and down from there. I was really feelin' the leg burn last time! 

They introduced another new exercise this week that was quite difficult for me. I had to put my surgical side's foot on a platform, slightly bend it, and then tap my other foot back and forth on the platform. It felt similar to going up stairs, but on a much smaller scale. Bending my "bad knee" by itself and putting weight on it has always been scary for me, since my original injury 9 years ago. So I am super hesitant. I could feel clicking in my knee at PT while I did this exercise. My knee was stable though, so that's good! 

Activity Level

I've had several days this week where I've been on my feet a large portion of the day, and I've been fine. I didn't feel any knee pain and I actually didn't feel sore either. I'm kinda hoping I can start using the elliptical soon. I would love to get back to doing some sort of real work-out, but we will see! 

Some Final Thoughts...

I am super thankful to The Lord for how He has healed me and answered my prayers favorably. He didn't have to answer them favorably, but He did. I am so thankful I got this surgery when I did because I can see how not having it would be problematic for me and my future goals. God is sovereign. I am continuing to pray for a successful MPFL reconstruction (one that will last me a long while), healing, and for my strength to return stronger than ever. 

I am thinking that my next blog post will be at the 6 month mark? We will see! If something major happens before then though, I will be sure to write a blog about it! 

I read about this on someone else's blog, and I am so thankful I did because this Facebook group has been so helpful to me! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1918745791484757/ If you are a MPFL reconstruction patient, you should join the FB group! I hope this blog has also been helpful to you in your recovery journey! 


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