I started my 5th week with the most excruciating pain in my knee since the incident itself. I wasn’t really doing anything challenging or strenuous in that moment, just sitting at my desk. It was really sharp and stabbing and seemed to be centered right where the torn cartilage and microfracture repair was located. It shook my confidence and for the first time since this process got started, I questioned my return to yoga, driving, work, and other activities so quickly. Let’s be honest, other than having to use a backpack for carrying things while on crutches, I haven’t let the surgery slow me down from life. The same day of the sharp pain I had my weekly appointment with Jon at physical therapy and was worried what he would tell me. Will he tell me that I screwed soomething up and will have to have the microfracturing done again?
Jon listened and said that it was most likely just scar tissue starting to break up. Nothing to worry about and then like every other week, he proceeded to use some sort of rubbing compound and jab his fingers into where the incision points are. Breaking up that scar tissue hurts like torture also but the incision spots are barely noticeable at this point.
One of the exercises that he assigned is laying on my back, he attaches 10lb weights to my ankle and I do 2 sets of 10 leg lifts. Then I roll over and repeat laying on my front and then on both sides. The last side hurt and was the first time I had to quit anything i was asked to do. ugggg.
We also discussed the process of weaning of crutches on the 6 week mark. I thought it would be a line in the sand and then I was done with them, however he says that there will be a period of walking with 2 crutches then walking with 1 crutch….up to a couple of weeks. Again, uugggg.
Fast forward a few days and I forgot about the pain and start the “walking” with 2 crutches movement. No real weigh on the surgery leg, just moving the leg like it would normally during walking. Just getting it ready for the transition back to walking.