I will be honest – Day 2 was one of the worst for pain. I think if you have a hold on your pain meds, then it might not be such a problem. BUT. i was all over the place, trying out 2 every 4 hours, then 1 every 2 hours.. i just overall was not feeling very good. And the bruise on my arm from the needle finally showed up – I felt like a mess! It actually looked way worse in person.

Below are some tips and what medicine/oils I was taking on the second & third day:

  1. Lavender, Frankincense & Helichrysum – spray above & below wrap, over top wrap: every 3-4 hours
  2. Lemongrass, Cypress, basil (good for muscle spasms), wintergreen, marjoram, lavender: applied to both legs (above wrap on bad leg, knee on good leg) + bottom of both feet: every 3-4 hours
  3. After applying all oils, Peppermint was applied as the final oil – this helped drive in all the oils deeper
  4. stomach blend – applied to stomach whenever I could remember
  5. Diffused: frankincense/flue oil blend throughout the day
  6. Mom did an Aromatouch massage on my hands in the afternoon/at night
  7. For pain: lemongrass, clove (This helps numb any area), eucalyptus, white fir – try out which oil works best for you. Lemongrass was a godsend – i remember crying from the pain, and my mom applied lemongrass to the pressure points on my feet & in between my toes – the pain was reduced within 5 minutes! (see chart below for knee pressure point on foot)
  8. sports oil blend – applied to ear pressure point (see chart below): every 3-4 hours

  • Vitamins/pain medicine
  1. homemade antibiotic – melaluca, oregano, flu oil blend & thyme: 2 drops in an empty capsule, 3x/day
  2. calcium & magnesium: 1 each, every 4 hours
  3. Multi vitamins
  4. pain medicine: I tried to take 2 every 4 hours, but it made me too nauseous and out of it. So, I started taking 1 every 2 hours. this helped me keep up on the pain, but it was annoying, as I had to set alarms through the night to wake up and take my medicine. AND you have to eat when you take it, so i was literally stuffing my face with rice cakes at 2 and 4 in the morning and then going back to bed.

  • Your Knee
  1. Keep elevated at all times. prop pillows up so your leg is above your heart, with your heel on top. Let gravity keep pulling your knee down. This is critical in your recovery!! Elevation and icing helps reduce the swelling, which will help you move your leg quicker and easier.
  2. Don’t put weight on your leg until your doctor says you can. Since you are on so much pain medicine, you won’t be able to tell if you are hurting something in your leg.
  3. Listen to your doctor! My doctor was different from what I had researched and heard from everyone else – he didn’t want me moving my leg, didn’t give me a CPM machine and did not recommend setting up physical therapy until 1-2 weeks after surgery. I still moved my leg a little bit, but only a little – I knew when to stop. Use your judgement!

   
moveleg_1

I hope this helps! If anyone has any questions, please let me know and I can try to answer or add to this post in more detail!

If you are just starting out in your recovery, check out my yoga for ACL recovery course! This 2-month course includes 1-2 videos a week you can do over the course of your recovery, quickly improving ROM, strength, balance, and flexibility. Based on my own recovery, I created this course specifically for anyone recovering from ACL surgery, and includes 15+ videos full of safe & effective postures & flows that progress with you.
Learn more at ACLYoga.com.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE:

The information I have provided is not intended to be used in place of professional medical advice. This is information that I have gathered on my own through a variety of sources, and if you decide to use/apply any of the ideas from my site, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. This information is not meant to diagnose or to treat any medical condition. Please consult with your primary care physician holistic doctor to diagnose/advise of any medical condition if you have any questions. I am not liable for any damages or negative consequences resulting from any action by any persons reading or following the information on this site.

This e-book was created as a guide to help everyone – Adults, Kids, Athletes, and Non-Athletes – recovering from ACL surgery. After reading this guide, you will have a better understanding of what to expect, surgery options, costs & insurance, and a detailed timeline for recovery.

Improve your range of motion, increase your strength, and feel more confident post-surgery with a 2 month yoga progression plan.

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