Yesterday I had intended to ride my mountain bike for an hour. It was still crazy windy, and hard torque on the knee when I went into the wind, so I called it after 45 minutes. Knee started out sore today for the first 5 minutes on the exercycle, and then eased up for the remaining 25 minutes. I added rolling resistence intervals like short hills. Did the usual weight routine and all the leg machines with a bit more weight. The only pain I get doing that is behind the kneecap. Think that will be there a while. From reading about the procedures I had, I learned two things. They flush the knee out twice; once before they start to get a clearer view of the crappy stuff, and really well at the end to insure that there are no bone scraps left behind that could work their way into places that could hurt or cause catching in your knee. This process removes your normal viscous sinovial fluid that helps lube the joint. It takes a good 4 weeks for your body to replace it. The other thing I learned is that although most people can return to most activities around 6 weeks post surgery, it generally takes 4 to 6 months for full healing to occur. So, this rehab stuff will probably be a remainder of the year process indeed. Rehab involves three issues that need addressing. Strength, range of motion, and balance. I am working on the first two presently. Regarding range of motion, there are two exercises I have to do....one is o.k., and the other hurts like crap. The painless one (just stiffness) is knee slides where you lay on your back with your knee sliding from straight to as close to your butt as possible, hold, and return. Do that about 10 times a few times a day. The other kills me. You put the heal of your bad leg on a pillow or folded towel about 4 inches off the floor. Your leg is straight. You then put a weight (I am using a 5lb ankle weight) on the knee, and try to relax all your muscles to allow your knee to bow past straight as far as possible. It takes a minute or two for your damn leg muscles to stop fighting it, and then your leg begins to stretch in a way beyond what God probably had really intended. After a couple minutes, it aches like hell. Unfortunately, I think this is the one I need to do the most, as my walking stride requires a straighter leg on landing and propulsion. So anyway, that is where I am on the two week anniversary of surgery! I think that this is now my 8th lifetime rehab stint from stuff.....
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