Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

ACL prehab & rehab

Options
  • 01-07-2011 3:53pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭


    Torn acl, torn lateral meniscus, osteochondral damage to to both tib/femur.

    Surgery due this month hopefully. Meeting surgeon July 12.
    Time to start prehab...

    Prehab routine
    I've been looking around for some evidence based medicine on ACL prehab, but havent seen any decent studies yet...
    So for the time being im going with standard weights & stretching. If it hurts or swells i stop... No running or plyo's allowed

    Some nice reading - not sure how sound the author is though...
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/427803-prehab-exercises-for-your-acl/


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    A good blog...
    http://myaclrehab.blogspot.com/

    Waterbury 10x10 as prehab?
    I dont have enough time to complete it, so maybe 8 days of each phase?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    When asked about how he dl'ed & squatted without an ACL...

    Yes, I did deadlifts & squats without my ACL. I had very little swelling and pain as I had a clean rupture (lucky me). I also talked to my physical therapist before doing so. She was fully supportive, especially for single leg work like bulgarian squats, reverse lunges, etc.

    The exercises to avoid when you don't have an ACL are those that cause ACL shearing, such as:
    1. Quad extensions
    2. Normal lunges (note that reverse lunges and walking lunges do not shear and therefore can be done)
    3. Super deep squats (ass past 100 degrees), sissy squats & hack squats
    4. Pivoting exercises like drop lunges

    I was going past 90 degrees in my squats once I had enough muscle and mobility, which was putting the knee joint at risk, but I had very little pain or discomfort and felt comfortable doing so.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭eilo1


    Hey Dr. Nick

    I just did a presentation on this yesterday!! lol

    The 2 links above look pretty good so have a good read through them and get started on your basic quad drill (static and inner range quads, straight leg raise) as well as abduction and adduction all in lying just to be safe.

    Its best to find out where your graft is coming from most places do a graft from your hamstring or patella tendon. (I think the Beacon surgeons all do Hamstring)
    So you can start doing some work to prepare yourself for the rehab after the graft is removed.

    Dont forget to strengthen your good leg as well as you will be relying on it heavily post surgery when your on crutches.

    Its great that you are getting started on your exercises now it will really stand to you!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Thanks - Whats your backround Eilo?
    What arena was the presentation given?

    I've no idea where my surgeon will take the graft from but im seriously considering the synthetic graft...
    Cant find any studies on its strength - any idea's?


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Today - started Waterburys 10-10
    Ate well.

    Wide grip chins - 8x3 30s rest
    Decline bench 60kg - 8x3 30s rest
    squat - 60kg 5x3 30s rest

    Going very light today, and all was well until the fifth set of squats when both hammers came at me - probably from lack of use!
    Nothing serious - just shows the serious need of prehab.
    If i went into surgery like that, what would i be like after surgery.

    Some light stretching and core work then home...
    Haye Klitscho - looks like the giant will take it...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Ate well again - 85.5kg this morning. Im cutting til i see 83 something on the scale or this Friday comes - whichever first!

    Today - Tabatha on the bike. 18mins - 50s easy, 10s hard
    Followed by P90x Abripper.
    I forgot how flabby and weak my abs have gotten. Prob > 15% BF now :(

    Scales says 13% but i know its 3% out from comparison with DEXA scan results


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Measurements - baseline to guage atrophy

    Thigh at thickest point 12 " above most rostral part of patella
    Left - 25"
    Right - 24.75"

    Bicep
    Left 14.25"
    Right 14.5"

    Waist at belly button
    36.5" - not good :(

    Calf - fingers length below patella
    15.5" both sides

    Boom


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Reading about Noesitherapy.
    Its an old form of 'hypnosis' for pain during surgery. Although the doc who pioneered it says its totally different to hypnosis and works 90% of the time.
    Finding how to do it is hard. His own book doesnt say how.
    No studies verify it, so it is quackery, but some high profile journals carried articles on it so maybe there'e something there??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Todays weight: 85.1kg
    Maybe by thursday we should see 83.x on the scales. This aint just water loss either

    Todays exercise:
    Waterbury 10 10 DAY 3
    Circuits: 5
    Reps: 8
    Load: medium (a weight you could lift 10-14 times before failure)
    1. Push press or standing shoulder press - Rest 45s - 50kg
    2. Row - Rest 45s - 30kg DB's each arm
    3. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift - Rest 45s - Didnt later - forgot lol - good mornings at 50kg
    4. Front squat or Zercher squat - Rest 45s - 50kg - didnt go past parallel more thru fear than anything else - Knee was fine but a lil bit tight
    5. Repeat 4 more times


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Day 4 of the cut :
    These next 2-3 days are always the hardest. The body fights to hold on to its fat stores, so no hugely noticeable change in body composition. But come Day 8 it just seems to drops off almost simultaneously!

    Training today...
    Tabatha bike for 18mins. 50s medium, 10sec hard. Repeat 18x.
    Got a nice android app to time it - its a poker timer lol - 45sec off, 15 on - repeat 18s :)
    Love android! That Htc was the best thing I've ever bought nearly!

    Plus i'll do 2 P90x circuits - Ab ripper again and stretching maybe? Or maybe Beachbody Abs and stretch?
    We'll see

    BW = 85.5kg this am


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Last night did 30mins Abs with beachbody - Tim Hortons program before P90x. Good stuff really.
    Kicked the crap out of my hip flexors - must do again - a lot!

    This am - BW - 84.6kg :) Love it!

    Had my 1st cheat today. Small slice of apple pie+ spoon of cream + 1/2 cup of milk. First milk in a week.

    Todays training will be:
    DAY 5
    Circuits: 4 - Reps: 15
    Load: light (a weight you could lift 18-22 times before failure)
    1. Good morning - Rest 60s
    2. Incline dumbbell bench press - Rest 60s
    3. Woodchop - Rest 60s
    4. Reverse lunge (alternate legs with each rep) - Rest 60s
    5. Wide grip pulldown - Rest 60s
    6. Repeat 3 more times


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Today - Day 6 so no training. Tomorrow day 7 no training either but im definitely doing something.

    Been reading bullet proof knee's by Robertson. Seems ok. Quite a bit of anatomy in it. Low enough level stuff. I got a bit worried when i saw the massive page borders used to fill the book out to 220 pages. Shame really...



    Prob finish it before i go to bed tonight
    145degrees of flexion are back in the knee now - pain free for a month...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    yesterday - 8 sets of 3 - wide grip chins, push press @ 60kg, bulgarians with 20kg.
    Today - 23 min HIIT cycle + AB ripperX

    Diet went a bit skew ways last few days... Back on track today...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    2 big days...
    Exam results today - 2 more sets of exams and im a real doctor lol.

    Tomorrow - meeting the surgeon about my knee...

    Today - unilateral day.
    bulgarians - 45kg, db row 25kg, db press 25kg- 3 sets of 5 each side
    some core work too

    burpess pushups mountain climbers


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    I dont know lol!

    Lachmans positive - anterior drawer sign inconclusive - no posterior sag.
    Clinical picture positive of ant cruciate damage.
    MRI suggests cruciate damage.

    BUT - the consultant asked me how i've been doing. I succintly relayed the contents of this diary. So - ive been doing everything bar playing a match.

    And then he shocked me...

    He said go back to full training.
    And scheduled me with a physio for a rehab program & some isokinetic testing...

    What? You just told me my ant cruciate was torn, but you advise me to go back training?

    He finished by saying theres a 50-50% of needing surgery. The acid test is going back and trying it out.

    I dont get it... What do i do? If he said i definitely need surgery then ok - lets go... But now i dont know where im at... I dont want to lose next year aswell... ****...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Went training - just jogged around.
    My knee felt ok sometimes and other times it felt like 2 lumps of meat held together. Proprioception was poor. Couldnt fully flex my hip.

    Maybe just maybe thats down to not running for 6 weeks...
    But i doubt it - so i booked in for surgery this am...
    Could be 3 months waiting :what the fook:

    Disaster...


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    23 mins on bike - tough going!
    light plyo's - maybe the knee can be built up...
    I have 3 good tendons/ligaments - maybe it can be done...
    Tomorrow i'll be starting Bullet proof knees program...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Breakdown - im ****ed...
    Its too sore to carry on.
    Im only swinging a lump of meat on the end of my leg that used to be my shin and foot. Its alien to me now :(

    Time to find a surgeon who will operate asap - in ireland or overseas...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    In Blackrock clinic on Friday to meet a surgeon who should be able to operate on me inside a week hopefully...
    Been cycling & weights quiet a bit since.
    Diet is going steady. Im giving up rugby to concentrate on speed alone, so the plan is to be around 77kg for next summer. Im 85kg at the moment at 15% BF, so if i hit 8% BF then thats the 7 or 8 kg i need to lose - loss of fat only fingers crossed...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    ACL surgery tomorrow hopefully, although it seems there may be a cock-up in the Beacon about scheduling. Here's hoping :)

    Leg is 100% these days. No problems on daily 2miles runs on rough terrain


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭eilo1


    Good luck with the surgery tomorrow!

    Let us know how you get on and by the way which surgeon did you get??!?!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Mr. Nelligan in the Beacon...
    Just had last meal...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭eilo1


    Dont worry he is a lovely man and excellent!
    I watched him carry out an ACL reconstruction a few months ago and it was fabulous!

    You will probably have physio with one of the girls tomorrow, fit you into a Donjoy brace and head off home after that.

    Best of luck!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    eilo1 wrote: »
    Dont worry he is a lovely man and excellent!
    I watched him carry out an ACL reconstruction a few months ago and it was fabulous!

    You will probably have physio with one of the girls tomorrow, fit you into a Donjoy brace and head off home after that.

    Best of luck!
    Thanks!

    Job done, awaiting brekkie physio and DC. :)
    The beacon is fantastic!


  • Registered Users Posts: 384 ✭✭connollys


    Best of luck with the rehab, this is where the work really kicks in, had it done myself last year and luckily havent had any issues since. Never got any brace for it though like mentioned in earlier post, feel kinda left out now :)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    connollys wrote: »
    Best of luck with the rehab, this is where the work really kicks in, had it done myself last year and luckily havent had any issues since. Never got any brace for it though like mentioned in earlier post, feel kinda left out now :)

    Thanks!
    I have to say the beacon is the best hospital I've ever been in.
    fantastic care, excellent surgeon, included cryo cuff. Really top stuff...

    Hard work begins now. No pain, 110 degrees flexion.


Advertisement