15-day Follow up with Surgeon:

• I drove to my appointment (could drive about 1-2 weeks post surgery, just depends on your knee flexion)
• Knee looks great! Still  little swelling under knee, but that will eventually go away within a few months (each person is different)
• Can walk with 1 crutch when going out and about
• Bruising is normal for about 1-2 months post surgery
• I returned my ice machine at the 2 week mark – so I ended up buying a compression knee brace that I could take to work – I bought it on amazon, for about $30. Only issue is that the brace doesn’t ice the knee cap, which is where all of my swelling is! So I just put a smaller ice pack over my knee cap under the brace, so it works out.
• No need to elevate my leg when sleeping anymore (THANK GOD!)
• Had my steri-strips removed – most likely will not be any scars! (See images below)

Tips from PT:

• Quad squeezes, as often as you can. You want to strengthen your quad and get your knee-cap moving. The stronger your quad, the sooner you can begin walking, and the less atrophy you will experience.
• Ice, elevate, repeat to get your swelling down. My knee was still a little swollen, which was preventing my kneecap from moving up as far as it should when I was squeezing my quad. There is no such thing as elevating your leg too high.
• Pain is normal – especially when doing PT exercises.
• There will be pain. not like post-surgery pain – this is different. Using your muscles again, its more of like a sore/cramping pain. And it feels awful. But DON’T let that stop you! You will be sore, it will hurt, but just know that you are strengthening and conditioning your leg/knee for use. There are nights I have a terrible time sleeping because of the aching in my knee – if that happens to you, just try taking a pain pill or aleve before bed.

Oils/Medicine:

• I started following a protocol to help with bruising, pain & swelling: 5 drops Helichrysum +  4 drops Lavender +  3 drops Cypress +  3 drops Lemongrass +  3 drops Geranium. Mix with a carrier oil and place in a spray bottle. Spray over swelling/bruising & top with 1-2 drops of Wintergreen + sports oil blend & layer on peppermint last.
• Some days I switch it up – Cypress + wintergreen, topped with peppermint & lemongrass + lavender on the bruising in the morning. Marjoram + Wintergreen in the afternoon. Sports oild blend after icing…. I try to switch it up to see what feels the best at the moment. Find out what works best for you!
• A few other great protocols for athletes can be found here
• The left side of my shin is numb, where the surgeon hit a nerve. So, I have been rubbing a circulation oil blend on that area specifically, to help stimulate feeling and circulation.
• Diffused a few different oils: Balance, Purity, Wild Orange, Peppermint, Wintergreen, Lemongrass, White Fir. None really stood out for me, but try out a few different oils and find out which one you  like the best.
• Began taking Arnica 30c + rubbing Arnica gel on my leg to help with the swelling/bruising. This is what I used.
• Continued to take 1 calcium + 1 magnesium pill, 2x a day
• Continue to take cod liver oil vitamins, 2x a day on an empty stomach
• Cut back on the homemade antibiotic to 1x a day, every other day: melaluca, oregano, flu oil blend: 2 drops in an empty capsule
• Took 2 Aleve once or twice a day. If the pain was unbearable, I would take 1 pain pill, which would last for a good 5-6 hours

And that’s a wrap for week 2! I am now driving myself to PT, running errands, going out to dinner with family… it is great, but very tiring. So when you start venturing out again, make sure you are giving yourself enough time to rest or take a nap! I am going to go into work next week, 2 half days and 1 full day for a class. I also have 2 PT appointments and a few meetings almost every night next week… so fingers crossed I survive! It seems a little overwhelming, but I think once I can begin to walk better in the next month or so, things won’t seem so bad.

I hope this 2-week post surgery recap is helpful! Oh, and one more thing: ACL reconstructive surgery is expensive. Like, SUPER expensive. Thank God for insurance!

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.

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