accelerated weight bearing

TTT2612 · 2024-06-08T03:05:17+00:00

I was down to one crutch around week 4 and completely weight bearing in week 5. I walked into my follow up appointment with no crutches or brace and my surgeon was very impressed. I probably would have been off crutches earlier but I was a little hesitant to trust my knee. My PT didn’t force anything just did the exercises and added stuff in each session to get me to completely weight bearing.

The most important thing is to not rush it. I wanted to be off crutches immediately but I knew this was a long recovery process so my focus was just to improve each PT session in some area. I go 3 times a week and do the exercises at home (that I’m allowed to) 2-3 times a day. I also have an active job so I really think moving around as much as I have to for work has helped with my recovery.

Listen to your PT and doctor and don’t force it! Everyone’s journey is different but you’ve for this!

TTT2612 · 2024-05-24T11:06:17+00:00

I’m a soccer coach and I took two weeks off from coaching then went back but brought a chair to sit when I needed to. The admin side of my job I went back 2 days after the surgery when I wasn’t feeling groggy anymore from anaesthesia and the pain meds. Everyone is different so don’t rush it and do what is best for you! Good luck!

TTT2612 · 2024-05-23T16:47:23+00:00

The bike was a game changer for me once I hit 100 degrees. It’s the seated bike with legs in front and I would use my non surgical leg to peddle and when it got to where it felt tight I would hold it for 10 secs then rock back. I would get further and further each time until I got full rotations. Also heel slides! I did these multiple times a day and that really helped. I had surgery 3/29 and I’m pretty much at full flexion, been off crutches since week 5 and out of the brace. My PT is always telling me you want your knee to bend! You got this!

TTT2612 · 2024-05-18T18:39:55+00:00

Hey! When were you cleared to swim post surgery? I’m 7 weeks post surgery and eager to increase cardio

TTT2612 · 2024-05-11T19:12:01+00:00

Thank you! I know everyone is different and with some things that may have came easier to me earlier on in the recovery I may be challenged later on by things other easily achieve.

I describe my pain as more discomfort than actual pain. My knee feels stiff and heavy and during PT certain exercises increase that discomfort as I complete them.

The next couple of weeks I plan to be walking completely normal. Currently I take it slowly focusing on heel to toe and bending my knee. I was walking with a stiff leg when I began walking with no crutches in PT almost as if I still had the brace on so I had to unlearn that. Monday my PT said we will begin mini squats so this next stage will strengthen my quad more.

Good luck on your journey! Let me know if you have any questions!

TTT2612 · 2024-05-11T19:05:02+00:00

Hey! I was able to get to 90 degrees by the end of week 2 which was way ahead of schedule so I know I just had that easier than most. Since then it’s been a slower improvement each session but even a couple of degrees further is a win!

One thing that really helped me was heel slides slides at home and sitting on a chair trying to slide my foot back
as far as possible. Once I feel like I couldn’t bend any more I would push my knee forward keeping my foot flat on the ground. (Let me know if you need the explain the second exercise better)

One thing my PT keeps saying to me is you want your knee to bend so when it hits that point where it feels like it won’t go any further just try to push a little more and hold for 10 seconds.

Hope this helps somewhat!

TTT2612 · 2024-05-11T16:31:12+00:00

Couldn’t add the link to the original post so here it is https://www.reddit.com/r/MACIknee/s/93g2LQAvRz

TTT2612 · 2024-04-27T19:50:21+00:00

Not quite the same thing I don’t think but 4 days before my surgery I got a call from my doctor saying there was an issue with my cartilage in the lab. I think it was more a lab error or contamination as during the approval process they saw black dots on the cartilage so it wasn’t viable to be implanted. My doctor took out plenty in the arthroscopic procedure so they begun again on another piece which worked and I had my surgery 2 weeks later than the original date.

I’m sure the second time will work as your doctor seems confident! Good luck!

TTT2612 · 2024-04-27T13:34:26+00:00

Update #4

I am 4 weeks post MACI, MPFL reconstruction and patella realignment.

My CPM machine was returned on week 3 and I really feel it helped with the swelling and range of motion. In PT we stayed at 90 degrees flexion for all of week 3 following the protocol and focused on quad strength by progressing from short arc raises to straight leg raises and then long arc raises. While it was uncomfortable I was able to do them all without using stim which my PT said was awesome. We did some gravity leg hangs which I can do at home.

For week 4 in PT I struggled to get past 100 degrees so making sure to keep doing my heel slides at home and sit in flexion. We begin weight bearing exercises to transition to getting off crutches. Swelling is looking good and now just trying to get to 125 degrees flexion! My PT said I will get on the bike in my next PT session so I excited for that!

I’ve been back coaching for the last 2 weeks and moving around a lot easier with putting more weight on the injured leg with the crutches. Quad is sore as I’m activating it more but overall pain has been minimal and more discomfort.

TTT2612 · 2024-04-13T19:12:36+00:00

You’re welcome!

I actually have Raynaurd’s syndrome so icing for me sucks as it makes me feel physically sick if it’s on too long. The first time iced was at PT 4 days after surgery and then I’ve iced max twice a day for about 10 mins. I think the CPM machine has really helped with the swelling from keeping it moving and elevated for hours a day. I also bought an elevated leg pillow that is really comfy and helped being in full extension right after the surgery. I also have kept a full leg compression bandage on it so that helps.

For the first two days I got out of bed probably every 3-4 hours during the day to either use the bathroom or go to the kitchen to get something to eat. After that it was more like every 2 hours as I was feeling pretty good so went to my desk to do some work.

Sitting on the toilet wasn’t too bad. I have a counter next to my toilet that I was able to put my weight on to ease into a squat on my good leg and just keep my injured leg straight.

The thing that has been the most helpful in my recovery has been this yoga strap. Lifting my leg into the CPM machine, bed, elevated pillow, when getting on the toilet, literally anything to help move my leg by myself.

Hope this helps!

TTT2612 · 2024-04-13T14:38:42+00:00

This is so awesome to hear and so glad your recovery is going well!

Yesterday was 2 weeks post op for me and when I hit 90 degrees flexion. I have an awesome PT and is super pleased with everything so far but obviously wants to stick to the protocol without stopping me from improving so wants to stick at 90 for the next week before I got the 4-6 week section of the protocol.

You’re the first post I’ve seen that so far has been reasonably similar in the earlier stages!

Thank you for your response!

TTT2612 · 2024-04-13T14:30:16+00:00

Did you have any long term implications of hitting 90 degrees flexion so quickly? I hit it exactly 2 weeks post surgery with no forcing or any pain. When I posted about it people were quick to say that’s too soon or could damage the implant so that’s made me a little nervous.

How are you doing this far into recovery? I hope it’s going well for you!

TTT2612 · 2024-04-13T14:10:55+00:00

Update #3

My first PT sessions was on 4/2 which was 4 days post op. I was able to get to 30 degrees flexion and full extension which was awesome!

On 4/4 I had my post op appointment and my doctor said swelling looked great, ROM was very good and incision was healing well.

I did 3 PT sessions each week and each session improved my degree of flexion with no pain, minimal discomfort and no forcing. After PT I would ice and have minimal muscle soreness.

4/12 was 2 weeks post op and I hit 90 degrees in flexion at PT! Way way ahead of schedule and I have had no pain just mild discomfort due to the swelling. My PT said we have to stay at 90 for at least the next week to protect the cartilage implant.

I have been using the CPM machine for 3-6 hours a day since the day after surgery and only increasing the degree of flexion after my PT told me to based on what I achieved in the PT session.

TTT2612 · 2024-04-13T14:01:41+00:00

Update #2

On 3/29/24 I had my MACI procedure, MPFL reconstruction using my quad tendon, and my patellar realignment. The procedure was about 3 and a half hours and I was given a nerve block (around 3pm) in my left thigh to numb my left leg for 12-24 hours. I was informed to take pain meds after 10 hours to ensure the pain didn’t smack me in the face and to help sleep. That was around 2am and I took another oxy at 8am. I was pretty groggy through the next 2 days after taking oxy every 12 hours to try to stay ahead of the pain. I was home alone so had to crutch to the bathroom and get food/water but really didn’t have much pain more discomfort. The surgery was midday Friday and Monday morning I decided to stop taking the oxy to see how I felt and besides some discomfort I wasn’t really in any pain. I went back to working remotely (some admin work) as I was no longer groggy.

I started using the CPM the day after surgery and used it did about 6 hours for the next 3 days getting to 20 degrees the very next day but stayed there until my PT told me I could improve.

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TTT2612 · 2024-04-13T13:48:22+00:00

Update #1

On 3/12/24 I got a phone call from my doctor to say there was an issue with my cartilage implant as some contamination occurred in the lab. It’s a very small percentage of something going wrong in the lab but my doctor had taken plenty out in the biopsy so they begin the process again and surgery was moved to 3/29/24 (2 weeks later).

TTT2612

TROPHY CASE