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ACL Surgery Recovery - Week 6
July 13th, 2003
I feel like a semi new man. I can walk around and even climb stairs at a brisk walking speed now with no problems. My swelling has all but dissapeared and my scars are kinda still there. Some hard tissue has built up under my scars and it's kinda gross... but the doctor said to massage the scars and it will go away faster. My leg makes interesting popping noises from time to time and that can't be good, but at least I can walk briskly again (feels like it did 5 weeks after the original injury, right before the surgery). I am even breakdancing again (not really, but only doing moves that don't require a left leg). I can't really DANCE, but I can do certain things on my hands. Don't tell my doctor or the physical therapist :)
The big black brace has been in my trunk for the last 1.5 weeks without use. I don't even worry about my knee sometimes now. I can kneel now without any great pain, and I can bend it almost all the way. I can touch my butt during a quad stretch but it hurts really badly. I think I am doing really well.
Sadly enough, I can't run yet... My doc said it might be ok to do it wearing the big black brace, so I am going to give it a try some time this week if it cools down (Texas is REALLY HOT). Maybe I can do a 1/2 mile loop around the apartment. I still do the bike + eliptical machine and now I am lifting weight quite easily on the machines. My hamstring and quad feel pretty good on the left leg. I don't feel as scrawny anymore. It doesn't hurt when I stand up as bad anymore, but sometimes it still feels like my leg is creaky and needs oil. I think in a month or so I'll be feeling 80%. The doc said my new ACL is probably at it's weakest point now though, because the graft hasn't fully been accepted by the body, and the new ligaments are not growing yet... so for the next 3-4 weeks I need to be very careful. Maybe i should stretch some more.
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