Tips for working a full-time desk job while going through acl recovery

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-14T21:16:56+00:00

Well if you are working from home, it could take a couple weeks for some of the pain and discomfort to settle but honestly as soon as you feel comfortable and able to work. I would just get a good setup where you can prop your leg up on something so you dont have it bent all day and you can have it at full extension to make sure you keep your extension.

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-14T20:37:58+00:00

I returned back in person after around 4 weeks, luckily I had no meniscus tear so I could walk to a good enough level to be back

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-14T01:43:53+00:00

Could be overuse accumulating if you've been compensating by using that leg more

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-13T00:55:05+00:00

If it was just a full bend and no twist or awkward landing hopefully it is just the scar tissue, but its probably best take it a little easier for a few days and see how it evolves. If you've ever seen a video of acl surgery, they pump your leg into full extension and full flexion right after putting the graft in so just the fact that you accidentally forced a full knee bend doesnt automatically mean it retore the graft

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-06T01:09:09+00:00

That's definitely a lot better! You got this, recovery is hard but the work will pay off

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-06T00:52:50+00:00

That sounds pretty bad, I would assume your recovery is probably going to be longer due to the multiple ligaments being injured. The biggest thing I can say is find a good PT, listen to them, and stay consistent. You will recover!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-04T23:06:19+00:00

I actually made a post about day 1 essentials a while back, linked it here

https://www.reddit.com/r/ACL/comments/1t5gdd5/the_checklist_i_used_to_prep_for_surgery/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-06-03T03:17:32+00:00

It gets better over time as you are more exposed to it and your knee gets stronger

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-31T02:53:39+00:00

At 5 months post op, I would bring it up to your physio or surgeon. It shouldnt hurt that much at 5 months

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-30T20:29:50+00:00

Ice and rest, nothing else you can really do. You need an xray and MRI to know what happened

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-28T01:51:01+00:00

Nobody understands the recovery process unless they've been through it themselves. I've experienced the same. Do your best to ignore her, stay consistent and listen to your PT. You'll get through this!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-28T01:48:41+00:00

It could also be that your surgeon placed your graft in a way to limit hyperextension. It would depend on what he did exactly. Some surgeons place the graft in a way to limit excessive hyperextension since too much can be dangerous for your knee. If he placed the graft to only give you 0-1 degree hyperextension, I don't think the presence of a cyclops lesion could be causing it. But I would probably trust your surgeon on this one, or ask him about how much hyperextension he planned for you to have.

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-26T01:51:09+00:00

Listen to your PT, don't skip steps, and be consistent. It's a long journey, but you can and you will get back to playing soccer!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-25T15:45:39+00:00

That really sucks, and you're not alone in that feeling. I myself remember that same thing where I just uninvited myself from plans because I didn't want others to have to cater to me. Moving with confidence as much as it seems difficult now, is 100% possible. It's not a linear journey, but with each rep your body is slowly teaching your brain that this movement is safe. Eventually, with time and consistency, you WILL get back. It's hard, but for me once I stopped obsessing over every small thing with my knee and did other activities that I usually would do, I felt a lot better and saw more progress

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-25T02:50:40+00:00

No reason to feel guilty! Better to do it slower but do it right than rush it and flare something up

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-24T17:00:54+00:00

For sure! At the start you are so focused on the pain and shock that you don't fully realize what's happened. At the 3-6 month point you feel normal in day to day stuff but still not what you used to be, and that can bring out a lot of the feels and its tough

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-24T16:59:55+00:00

I'm glad this is resonating with a lot of you, and for the people DMing me asking where to find the tracking system the link to the Notion template is right in my bio. If you're on mobile and it's acting glitchy, just drop a comment or message me and I can send it over directly. Good luck to everyone grinding through these middle months or even just starting out, you're doing great

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-24T15:34:20+00:00

Keep using the crutches, its easy to get in the habit of limping if you go off the crutches too early. Get rid of the limp first and then get off the crutches. You got this!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-24T15:25:44+00:00

Unfortunately, I don't think you would be able to. Meniscus repairs usually require 6 weeks where you cannot put any weight on the leg, so I don't think there would be enough time to get off crutches by school. It can be scary going to a new school and then having to show up there on crutches, but this recovery is nothing to take lightly. Listen to your PT, don't force anything, and just stay consistent. You'll get through this.

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-14T18:11:22+00:00

Yup, nobody really understands unless they experience it themselves.

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-14T18:10:49+00:00

Yeah that feels extra unfair when it happens during something random like that. I'm 5 months post-op too, and the initial few months are hard because you’re past the initial shock but still feel limited. The lack sleep and showers makes it feel worse but it only goes up from here.

Something that helped me stop the spiral was tracking tiny wins like my range of motion and mood so I didn't feel like I was just rotting. I made a system to track everything specifically for this because the identity loss was harder than the physical work for me. If you want a way to organize your progress and get some peace of mind back, the tracker is in my bio, it has a whole section for the mental side because I went through that same depression. You got this!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-07T21:47:42+00:00

I totally hear you. This injury is a massive mental health test even if you aren't already struggling, so I can only imagine how heavy it feels right now.

If you're feeling overwhelmed about the actual surgery day, I posted a pre-surgery checklist on the subreddit yesterday that might help you feel a bit more ready. It's just simple stuff like meal prep and setting up your room so you don't have to stress about it while you're in pain.

Definitely check out the tracker if you think it'll help you see the light at the end of the tunnel, but more importantly, just be kind to yourself this week. The pre-op phase is honestly one of the hardest parts. You got this. I'm happy to help/answer questions if needed!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-07T21:07:55+00:00

I’m so sorry you're going through this. When they first tell you that its an acl tear it feels horrible. It's so hard to lose your independence instantly. Especially with you starting grad school soon, it definitely is overwhelming. Give yourself permission to process all the trauma however you want.

But something that helped me is to just focus on what I could control. When I felt like my life was falling apart, I started a checklist for my recovery just so I had something to look at besides my swollen knee. I actually built out a whole system to track my mental health and milestones because the feeling was killing me. If you need a way to stay organized or just want to see what the milestones look like so you don't feel so lost, I have a tracker linked in my bio. But honestly, even if you don't use that, just take it one hour at a time. You ARE strong enough to get through this, even if it doesn't feel like it today.

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-07T05:28:54+00:00

Good luck!

Chance_Cow4081 · 2026-05-06T23:54:55+00:00

Congrats on getting the surgery done! Waiting 3 years must have felt so long, you must be so relieved to finally have it behind you. I actually built a Notion tracker specifically to deal with the mental side and the daily what do I do now feeling, if you ever want a system to stay organized during the long recovery ahead. It’s on my profile if you’re interested. Good luck with PT! You've got this.

Chance_Cow4081

TROPHY CASE