Last weekend I went on a ski trip to Tahoe with friends. I didn’t ski as a personal choice. As much as I want to get my fresh powder fix, my knee and my recovery means to much to me to risk coming back prematurely. I know this is not the case for most people and most people would be skiing 7 months post-op. I am taking the cautious route because I NEVER EVER want to go through ANYTHING like this again. Period. I’m still working at my knee every day and there’s hope for me towards the end of the ski season. Back to the title of the post, Two ACLS, I won’t talk about me because I wasn’t the only the reconstructed ACL on the ski trip. My friend Kate, who tore her ACL skiing backcountry in Tahoe last year and had surgery in June, came along, too. She skiied. No problems for her. I should also mention that she is way more of a hard core skier than me. There was also an UFC fighter on the trip. Last year he tore his ACL, MCL and PCL (Ultimate fighting is intense). He also skied just fine. Then again, he had more to recover from, but also probably spends way more time in the gym than most people.
While I was in Tahoe, I couldn’t stand still, so I went snowshoeing, a rather enjoyable, quite strenuous and very low-impact workout. I would highly recommend it for anyone who is not ready to get back to skiing but still wants to go on ski trips with 30 of their best friends. My therapist agrees that snow shoeing is great. While it’s certainly not the same as carving down the mountain, it still affords the same view.
…kind of a morbid thought, but so true. So it was this week last year that I tore my ACL up playing indoor soccer. To commemorate the occasion, I’m going to Tahoe to not ski this weekend. I suppose it could be worse, like skiing this weekend and getting hurt before I’m fully recovered to return to skiing, which, in the words of my surgeon, is the hardest sport to return to.
Hopefully others out there can successfully return to skiing this season. I’m aiming for March now. I better run off to do some more clams and one-legged squats. Here’s hoping–on my ACL anniversary–that I make myself strong enough so nothing like this ever happens again.
This whole time that I have been rehabbing, I’ve had my sights set on making my big sports comeback on the ski slopes. When I tore my ACL last Jan., I did it one week before a ski trip to Whistler. (Ouch!) I had to sit on the bench for the that one. I even booked my ski trip this year eight months post-op, hoping that would give me ample time to get fit. But sometimes, no matter how far in advance you plan and no matter how much prep work you do, your plans just fall through. Mine did.
I saw an orthropeadic surgeon a few weeks ago, and she told me I shouldn’t ski. What?! You mean to tell me that all my rehab and all my PT over the past months and all those times I unwillingly drug myself into the gym when I just wanted to collapse wasn’t good enough?!?!? Are you telling me that my knee is STILL in need attention and that I’m STILL not back to normal?! Ugh! FML!
Talk about disappointment in the midst of an already brutal, and sometimes seemingly elementary rehab process. Hearing that news sucked. But it wasn’t as bad as I thought, seeing as how I already heard that similar news about a year ago when I first tore my knee. If my knee isn’t getting stronger, at least my skin is getting tougher.
My first thought was, “What did I do wrong?” Then the guilt started creeping out. I should have gone to the gym more. I should have scheduled more PT sessions. I shoulda, coulda, woulda… This whole ordeal has taken enough of my time, stress and frustration. I had to give myself a break. After all, I have a life, and so do you. We can’t all make one singular ligament the sole focus of our crazy busy lives. We don’t all make a living playing professional sports, so sometimes the incentive to work the knee every day is non existent and just a hassle–at least it can be for me, your average former high-school athlete who wants to keep sports a part of her life for the rest of her life.
Before my doctor came to her conclusion about ruining my ski trip, she made me do the one-legged jump test. (You probably shouldn’t try this until you are ready to get back to sports.)
Stand with about 3-4 feet of clear space in front of you (hard surfaces work great)
Start with your non-surgery leg (I’m doing my best not to say “good/bad knee”)
Jump forward as far as you can. Stick the landing. Repeat with your surgically enhanced leg. It’s not that easy, huh? I didn’t do so hot. I didn’t jump very far and my landing was not stuck–I took an extra step like a nervous gymnast. The good thing was I had the confidence to attempt it–I did it without thinking twice. Just goes to show you how powerful confidence and attitude can be during rehab. That’s honestly what got me through this bit o’ bad news and allowed me to reset some goals and reevaluate my overall process and program. Now, instead of attempting the bunny hills next weekend like I would have, I plan on skiing in March at the level that I left off on; my therapist said she could even get me trained for jumping. We’ll see about that. I’m sure I’ll slowly immerse myself back onto the mountain, but this time I’ll certainly be stronger than expected. No use half-assing it. I’ve waited so long so, so hopefully I’ll be ready to conquer the mountain, as opposed to just bunny-hillin’ it.
OK, so I don’t officially have a “Yes Knee Can” awards ceremony in place, maybe because the trophy market is slightly oversatuarated at the moment. Anyway, there’s no reason why other deserving awards can’t overlap into the “Yes Knee Can” category. We all know how devasting it is/was to hear the dreaded knee “pop,” so we need to recieve inspiration from others who have successfully rehabbed whenever we can. Here’s a little bit of hope for you:
It’s amazing to think he tore his ACL on September 7, 2008, had surgery on October 6, 2008, rehabbed in the off season and came back to play a full season this past year, all while he was about 10-11 months post-op. Seems like a text book recovery time. But this is the NFL … come on, people! That’s the creme de la creme of athleticism (some think). This is no pick-up soccer game with your friends, unless, of course, your friends average out at 350 lbs. Doubtful, though. Either way, hats off to Brady. Another shining example of how we all can really comeback to the exact level that we left off at prior to the “pop.”
Happy 2010 everyone! Since 2009 brought me a new knee, I resolve to get it into tip-top shape in the new year. That said, here are my 2010 Knee Year’s Resolutions. And, please, feel free to add yours, too!
1. Get in shape to hit the slopes in the coming months–Tahoe and a TBD Colorado destination
2. Work on plyometrics/my jumping
3. Continue to build up stamina to run a 12K in May. (I did my first 5-minute jog last week–woo hoo! Yes Knee Can jog again!)
4. Try my best to do PT EVERY DAY! (This will be the hardest one of all!)
5. And finally, for the enjoyment of all of us, I plan to compile the unofficial running list of professional atheletes who have torn their ACLs. It’s an exclusive club and the price is steep, as we know, but we should keep track of our members. You heard it here first!
Leaving the office and heading off to the gym for my first post-op jog! It feels good just saying that. I’m limited to five minutes. And will let you all know how I feel after that.
Slow and steady wins the race. I imagine I will be as just like this girl, Corkthedork33, on her 1st post-op run:
Here is the next video in the series. Be sure to stretch, stretch, stretch! I can feel myself getting stronger by the day and can not wait to hit the slopes. One more month! (Note: some of these excercises in the video are for advanced skiers. You know where you are in your progress, so only do what you are comfortable with and capable of.)
Any ACL rehabber knows it takes a little more than three weeks to prepare for something. But, here’s a series of videos I found on youtube to help prep me even more for the slopes. I head to Tahoe in about a month. This programs claims to prep you in three weeks.
