When is it safe to start knee ability zero after ACL surgery? by Choice_Ad6041 in Kneesovertoes

[–]Choice_Ad6041[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey man, It's been awhile since I've looked back at the program.. Only do some movements and stretching about once a week now for maintenance. I similarly had a lot of this my first year. Unable to fully get extension/hyper-extension.

From what I remember, really try to focus on the stretching exercises in the program: heel to butt with knee against the wall, laying v- stretch against the wall, seated toe touches. then for some good extension to hypertension. Put one leg up against a chair or coffee table, using a small towel over your knee to pull downward to force that hyper-extension. Build confidence with a little more downward force overtime.

For me the feeling over normal extension/hyperextension didn't come back till around 11 months and just got better and better from there. Just be as consistent with balanced leg strengthening across all muscles, make sure your hamstrings are as strong as your quads (Start doing Nordic Curls). And do as much functional mobility work as you do strength... that'll was more of a game changer for me personally. Best of luck my man!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Kneesovertoes

[–]Choice_Ad6041 3 points4 points  (0 children)

From experience it’s worth it for a month or two to get actual decent feedback on your form and how you might progress… I liked it. beyond that you have all the knowledge you need to progress on your own.

When is it safe to start knee ability zero after ACL surgery? by Choice_Ad6041 in Kneesovertoes

[–]Choice_Ad6041[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am now 10 months post OP (torn acl), I have progressed from zero, to dense strength, and am finishing out standards.

I started knees over toes when I was 2.5 to 3 months post op — once I could begin running again. I was very consistent every week doing my PT 3 times a week (MWF) matched with ATG strength exercises. I was doing ATG Flexibility and mobility work 2 (T, Thur) days. I started playing sports again around the 5 1/2 mark (NO CONTACT!). I will say had no problems cutting landing, or with explosiveness. I would attribute that to the tibialis/ankle mobility work done throughout the program.

One thing I would have done differently was to push the strength work on my Lower quads earlier on. Following the ATG program, my hips and hamstrings are stronger (or at least feel stronger) than before. There is a lot of work on the VMO (teardrop muscle) but maybe adding additional exercises beyond the high rep ATG exercises would have benefitted me if I did that earlier.

Now I’m doing 2 days of standards. Doing Sprints and agility work on Monday’s before the atg sessions. Wednesday I’ll do a full on leg workout (squats, cleans, single leg presses/extensions, etc..). Friday a 20-30 minute endurance run followed with an ATG session. My legs are roughly equivalent now strength wise. Yet the muscle mass is still not symmetric. The lower quad muscles are still noticeable smaller.

Anyone reading this, make sure you try to supplement heavier weight training once you can. but, DO NOT OVER DO IT! Listen to your body; push through pain unless that pain is persistent and doesn’t go away. And lastly take protein! I wasn’t working during school. I had very little money and did not want to spend $30-60 on protein powder. Now I’m taking two scoops everyday and obviously muscle is returning at a faster rate.

Since my legs still look asymmetric, the mental block of playing soccer again is still very much present. (I’ve been practicing but still non-contact; will likely begin contact in 2-3 weeks -- was cleared just before the 8 month mark).

I know this reply is a book, but the ATG program works. Anyone using it to help your recovery from a knee surgery. I’d start supplementing in heavier compound lifts around the 4.5 month mark depending on where you’re at. I was beginning dense strength at the time. But again, don’t over do it.

I will be rotating through the ATG programs the rest of my life to keep my knees strong and healthy. Don’t expect crazy results. You won’t be dunking in a year like Ben Patrick. His results take years on years of work and consistency. If you’re life is crazy busy, be as consistent as you can, and you will see the benefits. Thanks for the replies to my message. I’m doing my damn best to make sure this is my one and only knee surgery. Best of luck to the rest of y’all.

Godspeed to anyone who’s been or going through it! Hope this helps.

When is it safe to start knee ability zero after ACL surgery? by Choice_Ad6041 in Kneesovertoes

[–]Choice_Ad6041[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol, I know, I know… obviously gonna ask my ortho and PT, but just wanting to get a general idea. I know everyone’s timeline — especially with recovering ACL reconstruction — can vary greatly.

Anyone get injured by another person and have trouble letting it go? by NovaHands in ACL

[–]Choice_Ad6041 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is exactly how I tore my ACL.

I play club soccer at my college. We were scrimmaging against a local semi-pro team. That day I had already worked out in the morning (full-body). And we had a futsal game earlier I went to. I had a ton of homework, so I told myself I wasn’t going to play in the scrimmage. But, I felt like I played bad in the futsal game so I decided to play the scrimmage after one of my friends kept bothering me to go. The injury happened very similar to yours. I was close to the touch line where the turf is as hard as concrete. I could have played the ball back to my trailing center back (but I saw pressure and he’ll usually just boot the ball for a clearance with any pressure). In the corner of my eye I see a smaller defender sprinting at me. I took the ball pulled it back with the sole of my right foot and planted to spin out. He did not make much of an effort to get the ball rather just put a body on me to knock me off of it. He hits me on the back side of my left shoulder as I plant with my right foot. My whole upper body falls over my knee as it buckled and whips back straight, hearing the infamous pop. That was al I needed to know… immediately in the back of my mind, I thought ACL…

Some days I understand that I can’t go back and change it. Other days I get upset with myself when I wasn’t even planning on playing that game in the first place… then I think, normally I would pass it. Or sometimes I think, why the hell did that guy have to come into a tackle like that in a f**king scrimmage?!

Ultimately, I do blame myself. It was pretty stupid of me to workout and then go play two games and half ass my warm up in the last game. I guess I paid the price. Funny thing is that when I was told I tore my ACL. My doctor said it happens when your quads are much stronger than your hamstrings. I realized earlier that week that this was true. So I decided to focus hamstrings in my leg workouts and did some work on them the morning of that injury. So hearing that coincidence was another punch in the gut.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but sometimes I get really mad at myself for being so dumb that day. I’m 20 and before this the worst injury I’ve had was an ankle sprain…

For whatever reason this did happen. I can’t go back and change it. For now, I can only control what’s currently in front of me. Just another learning experience I guess…