One month post-op

Hey...those are some sexy knees...again, which knee got drilled?

So I caught up with physio Maggie on Monday and here is where I stand and what shenanigans I am up to! 

Flexorama:

• 139 degree flexion...oh yea baby. I am 2 Sarah fist sizes away from my foot touching my bum
• -5 degree extension, meaning 5 degree hyperflexion

The smile speaks for itself...

Bruising: meh...

 Yup, that ankle is still bruised and more coming out on the outer side of the ankle...Any takes on what that surgeon did to me? I mean it's been a month since the surgery and there is still obvious bruising on the inner part of the ankle and now it's coming out around the outer side and it hurts to wear socks that sit above my ankle! Anyway, enough of the winging Sarah!

I really should by standing staight in the camera by now shouldn't I? Oh, new thing I learnt about myself...no in fact 2:

1. I naturally stand in hyperflexion, which is kind of bad as it is pushes my right hip forward, the hip joint locks, and then I hurt... bad Sarah, bad! So Maggie will work her manipulation magic on me to assist in decreasing the amount of  locking the joint, while I have to learn to stand straight
2. Ryan Kesler and I have the same brace...

EXERCISE PROGRAM AS OF DATE:

Warm up (each morning):

• toe/heel lifts
• heel slides
• physio ball on wall slides
• stretch with person (preferably hot boyfriend) or yoga strap to stretch calf, hamstring, and peroneals, toe pointed inwards...this last stretch is due to the fact that although I walk with no limp and with heel and toe action, my right foot ever so slightly flicks inwards, which is secondary to initial limping and the bruising/soreness of ankle

The harder stuff:

• bike, 15-20 minutes per day, stationary bike with a tad of resistance
• pilates: morning 20 minute warm up, evening core-aholic 20 minute work out
• seated leg press at THE GYM! bend only to 30 degrees, 2 sets x 10-15 reps. Weight: 20-30 pounds
• hamstring ball curls: step 1 is hips on the ground and curl in and out. Step 2 with hips off the ground in a almost plank formation
• clamshells: 2 sets x 15 reps++ and isolate that leg from the hip socket!

Drugs:

• Ibufrofen 200mg every 4 hours. at 2200 400mg to last 8 hours over night (always with food). Also recommend gel capsules due to quicker onset of action and longer half life
• Tylenol 650mg every 4 hours

In saying this, yesterday it got till 2pm when I realised that I hadn't taken any pain relief and I wasn't feeling the need to all day...progress!!

Alright guys so we are getting there. Slow, slow progress and I am on a count down: 2 more months until I am allowed to start climbing again. Top rope only and on nice juggy 5.6 - 5.9 but the goal is in sight. Post 6 months then we will look into getting back to lead climbing, but I don't want to think that far ahead otherwise I might cry and stomp my foot (good foot). 

I have to say, I still am not very good at this whole sitting at a desk to do my work. I find that ever half hour or so I still need to get up, and stretch. And I don't mean by flexing the leg from straight to bent, but I have to sit down, and do some heel slides, heel raises, etc...so thankfully I can still work from home. It's not the pain that bothers me, its the uncomfortable feeling of not moving and the pressure put on my hamstrings. The knee gets puffy in the back, it becomes stiff, and I just get annoyed and grump like a little kid who just got told that she has to go to bed at 8, not 9 like she was promised. Yup, I am that inpatient.
Lesson learnt? Move Sarah, move (like I didn't already know that...)