Yesterday I had a 10+ month post op visit with my physician assistant. Overall I updated him on the "experiment." He reiterated that ACL knees are never going to be normal again, the best case doctors can hope for is 90%. My new "staying in the present" attitude is not going to try to guess when that will be or how much normal I will return to. Just experience and appreciate everyday as it comes.
I was still having a lot of pain perhaps from the Sunday walk in the snow, so much that he could tell by looking at me sitting in the chair trying to find a comfy position. He highly recommended I try a steroid shot in the knee (depo-medrol). I was reluctant at first (OMG I don't have time to research this???). It did not hurt as much as I thought even though the needle goes into the joint cavity! It should kick in by day 3 to 7, if it's going to work. Wow, to be pain free even for a little bit will be such a relief! I forgot what it means if it doesn't work (what does that indicate?). I wanted him to help me pin point what set off this multi-day pain fest, what did I do wrong. He said you probably didn't do anything wrong, this is just probably your new normal right now. I expressed how I felt lost and "unguided" without a physical therapist. He didn't think I needed one. He said I research things so well, he knows I'm not going to try anything like skiing, the ACL itself although still healing, it's generally not at risk for tearing (unless you do the same kind of move I did to tear it of course) so whatever I do I'm not really going to damage anything. Prior to this, I did contact a physical therapist who specializes in pain management therapy (90 miles away). No reply yet. I just always second guess what I should be doing. It would be nice to have someone to answer my PT questions! According to the US Women's Ski Team physical therapist who I've been writing to, he said physical therapy can be your friend when you have this bad graft pain. I'm doing it, but is it right? Right now it just feels like a guessing game. I'm trying to figure out what things I can do and not set me back on the couch for a week, rehab wise and general outdoor fun wise. Obviously it's not an easy or straight forward task! I've been reading about chronic pain integrated management, and just recently chronic pain and how yoga may build grey matter in the brain. Grey matter is brain tissue with numerous cell bodies and is located in the cerebral cortex and subcortical areas. Chronic pain is known to cause brain anatomy changes and impairments (this is now my excuse when I am forgetful or clumsy ha!) including less grey matter. Several studies indicate that when you practice yoga regularly you have more grey matter in the area of the brain that regulates pain. There are lots of articles out there on this. I have been doing yoga at home almost daily for about 3 months now. They said if you do it everyday it will change your life! I tried my third legit yoga class today, but it was a bit too much at this stage (class was called energizing flow). I finished the class though, but felt pretty swollen. I think I'll go back to the slow flow or restorative type yoga for a while longer.
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AuthorA 45 year old active female who tore her ACL in January 2017 (at the age of 40). Reconstructive surgery in February 2017 with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft. Archives
November 2022
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