Yoga Poses After Knee Surgery

Yoga for Knee Surgery Recovery

Hi Everyone!

In this blog post, I am going to go over a handful of yoga poses that you can safely do (or do with modifications) post-knee surgery. This is more specifically aimed towards those who are recovering from ACL Reconstruction surgery, but can also be applied to anyone looking to get back into yoga after recovering from a knee injury or surgery.

Before I begin, I must preface with – please check with your surgeon and/or physical therapist before getting back into yoga post-surgery! They will have a MUCH better idea of where you are at in your recovery process, and can recommend which movements are safe and effective for you. I am not a physical therapist or a doctor – the yoga postures I am posting about are purely recommendations for those who are in a safe and stable place in their recovery (or on a structured path for their recovery). These are postures I have chosen based on my knowledge of the body (as a yoga teacher and personal trainer), and from my own yoga journey post-ACL surgery. Everyone is different, so please go slowly and at your own risk!

With that being said – the ONLY person who knows how your body feels, is YOU. While my surgeon and PT didn’t know much about yoga while I was going through my recovery process, I listened to their advice and ventured slowly, listening to my body and did not force myself into any poses.

If any of the postures are difficult to get into, please pause and check in with yourself to see if maybe you can hold off on entering that pose at this moment in your recovery. OR, maybe you just need a wall or chair, something to help you balance in case you fall out.  If any of the poses cause any pain, please stop immediately and consult with your surgeon and/or physical therapist.

Ok Great! Let’s Begin.

Depending on where you are at in your recovery, some of these poses may be easier than others. And that’s ok! Recovering from an injury is incredibly humbling, and the best way for the body to heal and strengthen is to GO SLOW and love on your body! Check in with yourself before, during, and after each pose, and see how you physically feel. Stop or modify when needed. If you feel comfortable in these poses and are coming along nicely in your recovery, feel free to hold these postures longer, or begin to piece them together for an actual yoga flow.

The poses in this post are obviously not every yoga pose out there, but these are some postures I explored when starting out post-surgery. If you have any questions on other poses not mentioned, leave a comment below!

If it is helpful for you to have someone instruct you, check out the free ACL recovery yoga videos on my Youtube channel here.

If you need more structure, I  created a 2-month Yoga for Knee Surgery Recovery course that progresses you starting at 3+ months post-surgery. This is for anyone who is committed & looking to improve their ROM, strength, and flexibility.

Seated/On the Ground Postures

Upward Facing Dog

This pose can take a little longer to get back to, as it puts pressure on the knee and can feel a little weird while your body is still recovering. I recommend only doing this posture if you are at least 3-4 months post-knee surgery.

In the meantime, you can stick with low cobra for a heart-opening & back-strengthening alternative.

low cobra

Benefits: Opens up the front body, upper back, and shoulders. Engages the glutes & quads.

Modification: Low Cobra

locust pose

Benefits: Strengthens the upper and lower back, improves shoulder flexibility, engages the glutes and quads

Locust Pose

This can be easily done around 2+ months post-op. If laying on your stomach/knee bothers you, place a blanket or something soft under your knee.

Seated Forward Fold

This is a gentle stretch that can be done 2+ months post-op. Start with bent knees, and allow yourself to fold over the legs without force. By keeping your knees bent, you are releasing any tension in the back, which helps you stretch deep in the belly of the hamstring muscles.

seated forward fold

Benefits: opens up the hamstrings and calves, releases tension in the lower back

Janu Sirsasana with block
Janu Sirsasana

Benefits: Opens up the hip joint, hamstrings, and lower back

Janu Sirsasana

This pose can be done in a few ways 2-3 months post-op. Remember it’s ok to bend the knee in this stretch, as this allows for a safer and deeper stretch in the hamstrings.
1. Full expression is one bent knee, folding over the other leg
2. If there is pain or limited ROM, place a block/pillow/blanket under the knee
3. For a lower back stretch, walk your hands to the outside of the straight leg

Seated Twist

This posture can be done safely 2.5-4 months post-op, depending on where your ROM is. Go slowly, and don’t force. Keep your spine straight, and breathe deeply.

seated twise

Benefits: Opens up the spine, shoulders, and side body. This helps to free up any tightness in the muscles attached to the hip, which can restrict movement down to your knees.

reclined knee to chest

Benefits: stretches the lower back, stabilizes and stretches the pelvis, improves digestion (and helps release stuck air! haha)

Reclined Knee to Chest

Try this posture 2+ months post-op. Depending on your ROM, this may be easier or more difficult. Be patient – the goal here isn’t to force. This posture has benefits other than bending the knee 🙂

Downward Facing Dog

This pose is a little bit trickier, as it requires a little more upper body strength and flexibility. If you feel comfortable supporting yourself, go ahead and try this around 2.5+ months post-op. Keep the knees bent and play around with gently straightening out the leg. As you ROM and strength in your leg improves, this pose will get easier.

downward facing dog

Modification: Place hands on an elevated surface, like a couch or chair, and come into a down dog shape

Benefits: Opens up the entire fascial tissue from your heels all the way up to the back of your neck and head, stretches the calves & hamstrings, opens up the shoulders and back

Standing Postures

chair pose

Benefits: Strengthens legs and core, opens up and strengthens shoulders

Chair Pose

This is a pose you can do earlier on around 2 months post-op, as it doesn’t require a lot of strength. However, if you struggle with balance, make sure to have a wall or chair nearby to help out. As you get stronger, you can try lifting your heels and balancing on your toes.

Crescent Lunge

Depending on where you are at post-surgery, I recommend holding off on crescent lunge, as it requires more balance + leg & core strength. If you feel confident, give this a try around 2-2.5 months post-op. If you struggle with balance, have something nearby to hold onto for support. If you need a little more time, wait 3+ months post-op.

crescent lunge

Benefits: Strengthens the legs, improves ROM in the knee, stretches the hip flexors, Strengthens and opens the shoulders

tree pose

Modifications: Keep toes on ground or at ankle

Benefits: Strengthens core, legs, and improves balance

Tree Pose

Tree pose can be done a few different ways at different times in your recovery. Start off modified, with your foot still on the ground or at your ankle, with something nearby to hold onto. I recommend starting out at 2 months post-op, then work your way up to a full expression once you have more ROM in your knee and improved hip mobility. Don’t ever place your foot on the inside of your knee – only above or below.

Pyramid Pose

Pyramid pose can be done with modifications 2.5+ months post-op. Make sure you have blocks or something to support you on both sides of your leg, and keep your knee bent. Don’t fully straighten the leg in this posture so early on in your recovery, as it will put too much pressure on the knee joint. Wait until 4+ months post-op to really work on straightening the leg.

If doing the other way around with your “good” leg, make sure to keep the recovering knee bent, with more of the weight shifted to the front foot.

pyramid pose

Modifications: bend knee, use blocks

Benefits: stretches hamstrings and lower back

warrior 2

Benefits: strengthens the inner thigh, quads, glutes, and core

Warrior 2

This is a trickier pose, as it puts pressure on the knee and puts your new ACL to the test. Because of this, I recommend waiting 3.5-4+ months post-op + have decent strength in your quads.

If you are doing this posture with your “good” leg forward, wait until 3+ months post-op, making sure to keep a slight bend in the back leg + put a little more weight in the front foot.

Side Angle

Side angle is another tricky pose, as it puts pressure on the knee and also tests out your new ACL. I recommend holding off on this posture until 3.5-4+ months post-op, as this posture requires more leg + core strength. If you are lacking in the strength, you can put too much pressure on the knee or fall out of the posture, putting yourself at risk for reinjuring yourself.

If you are doing this posture with your “good” leg forward, wait until 3+ months post-op, making sure to keep a slight bend in the back leg + put a little more weight in the front foot.

side angle

Benefits: Strengthens the core, legs, and opens up the side body & pelvis

triangle

Modification: bent leg + block

Benefits: Stretches & opens up the side body and hip, strengthens the legs and core

Triangle

Triangle pose is a bit more difficult, as it can put a lot of pressure on the knee. Even when bending the leg, you can end up dumping a lot of weight into the knee, especially if you don’t have the upper body & core strength. I recommend waiting until 4+ months post-op to really get back into this pose, and always have a slight bend in the knee w/ a block or something underneath the hand to give you support. NEVER lock your knee out in this pose!

If you are doing this posture with your “good” leg forward, wait until 3+ months post-op, making sure to keep a slight bend in the back leg + shift a little more weight into the front foot.

And that’s it! I hope this was helpful to anyone going through an ACL surgery, or recovering from any knee injury! It’s so important to check in with your body when embarking on any new exercise routine, so go slow, be kind to yourself, and don’t push yourself to do anything that your body may not be ready for.

ACL Guides

If you enjoyed reading about these yoga postures and are ready to get back into yoga after knee surgery, head over to ACLYoga.com and sign up for my 2-month Yoga for ACL Surgery Recovery course.

You’ll also receive a free copy of The Complete ACL Surgery Recovery Guide, which has a complete timeline of my own recovery, every single physical therapy exercises I did week by week through month 6, how I decided what graft to get, and more!

This course can be done at any time 3-months post-op and out, and includes weekly yoga videos that progresses you along in your recovery (in addition to your physical therapy!). The course will help strengthen the body, improve range of motion, balance, and flexibility, and build overall confidence as you recover.

ACL Post-Surgery Week 3

3 Weeks Post-Op! I feel like time has absolutely flown by! I guess when you move slower, time really does go by faster. Recap of week 3 is below, along with a few PT exercises & what I have been doing vitamin/essential oil/nutrient wise. Below are a few pictures of 2.5-3 week post op. Bruising it pretty much gone, my scars are healing awesome… the first 2 pictures are 2.5 weeks, and the last 2 are from today, 3 weeks post-op that shows most of the swelling gone. Obviously, my left leg is skinnier than my right. It looks so sad.

3 wks post op ACL 2      3 wks post op

ACL Post Op 3 weeks      ACL 3 weeks Post Op

Recap/PT:

Between the 2.5 and 3 week point, magic happened:

  • I suddenly remembered to walk, with almost no limp
  • I can cross my legs comfortably (I could actually do this sooner, maybe around the 1-2 week mark; I just happened to notice when I went back to work and was sitting in a chair for half the day)
  • My swelling went down considerably
  • Pretty much all bruising gone!!
  • Only icing 1-2 times a day
  • I could do more exercises at physical therapy
  • I discontinued stim at PT since my quad had gotten strong enough
  • I got the go-ahead to walk around the house without my brace
  • I can stop using my brace in the next week or so
  • I started going into work (half day only)
  • I began to workout at the gym
  • I started to get energy again
  • 2 weeks: 95 degrees flexion
  • 2.5 weeks: 110 degrees flexion
  • 3 weeks: 118 degrees flexion
  • Started walking backwards on an incline on the treadmill

My leg has been straight since my first PT appointment, so I never had to worry about hitting 0 degrees. I am not sure what happened between that 2.5-3 week mark, but even my PT was impressed with how well I could walk. I literally just got rid of crutches at 2.5 weeks, and I came strolling in a few days later. I walked to the gym the night before my 3-week PT appointment and did upper body weight lifts, PT exercises and core work. I felt really great afterwards – and if I had any regrets about anything I have done for my recovery, not staying active would be the only thing I regret. And I really don’t have any regrets about the whole surgery/process. So, anyone after ACL reconstructive surgery, pay attention – GO TO THE GYM!!! I know you cannot do much, but getting that circulation and blood moving in your body is huge. Just doing upper body weights is good enough! All-in-all, I am so happy with my recovery so far. I try not to compare myself with anyone else, so I don’t care whether I am behind or ahead in recovery. I know my body, and I have been so impressed with the healing so far.

Vitamins/Essential Oils

I started taking multi vitamins again, which I am wondering if they had anything to do with my speedy walking recovery… my cousin, who is an oil consultant, also gave me a new protocol to try on my leg. I think I have been over doing it with the oils in my body, so this is a little bit more simpler, and I am not applying the oils as often (mostly because of going back to work/being more active).

  • Began taking multi vitamins again (I had run out)
  • Continue to take 1 calcium + 1 magnesium pill, 2x a day
  • Continue to take cod liver oil vitamins, 2x a day on an empty stomach
  • Not taking any pain medicine, not even aleve
  • 1-2 drops of wintergreen on quad (for muscle development) – 2-4  times a day
  • 1-2 drops of fennel on bruised area – 2-4 times a day
  • Sports oil blend roll-on whenever my knee was aching, or right after PT/doing my PT exercises at home
  • Food wise – lots of chocolate, gluten-free pizza & tortilla chips. My body hates me, especially the rolls on my stomach & back that appeared over night. I am going to start incorporating more protein to help aid in the strengthening of my muscles + more veggies to help aid in healing/balance my PH levels. A girl can’t live on chocolate forever! (In my dreams maybe)

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.

 

 

On another note, My first 1/2 day back to work was great! My co-workers decorated my desk & put lots of creepy pictures of sloths all over it – it seriously made me so happy! I love sloths!

Welcome Back

Sloth 2        Sloth

And to top off last week, my cousin was in town – AKA time to be super weird together. So we went to Kroger down the street to embarrass her younger brother that works there. I drove around the cart with my sunglasses on, complete with my cousin putting a bird house on the back of my cart. I kept hitting things and people with my crutch – I had to put it in the front basket because there was no where else to put it. So if a grocery cart maker is reading this – you should really consider a place to put crutches. It will leave the store in less shambles after I leave.

Kroger Cart 3      Kroger Cart 2

Kroger Cart

Until next time!

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.

ACL Post-Surgery Week 2

The second week can be summed up in a few words: Pain, Progress, Ice. The more I have been going to physical therapy, the more I am motivated to get better. My second PT appointment, I was told my quad was not as strong as it should be. So every hour, I set an alarm, doing quad squeezes – 20 times, holding for 5-10 seconds each time. Below are a few tips/warnings my PT/PTA gave me + a few of my own. I will also talk about the Doterra Oil protocol/natural medicine I was taking the second week + my 15-day follow up with my surgeon.

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)

ACL 2 Weeks     ACL 2 Weeks 2 ACL 2 Weeks Side Incision   Side Knee Bruise ACL

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.

OSU ACL

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!

20140218-152848.jpg

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.

ACL Surgery Day 6 + Day 7 First Physical Therapy Appointment

Day 6 was probably one of the best days yet. Why is that? Because I got to finally WASH MY HAIR! After I was given the go-ahead from my doctor, I was able to take off my brace, put a trashbag around my leg and actually take a full-on shower. It was like dancing under heaven’s magical, hot, steamy liquid droplets that made every tragic disaster in the world disappear. Never again will I ever complain about taking a shower. Below are some shower tips + my first PT appointment experience, 7-days post-op.

Shower tips:

  • My boyfriend bought a handicap chair for me to use in the shower – only used this once, but it might be useful for other people. on the 3rd day post-op surgery, I drew a small bath (up to my ankles) and sat on the chair with a trashbag covering my leg. I didn’t wash my hair, but I suppose I could have in the sink. It was too complicated for me, so I just didn’t.
  • To tape up your leg: get a trashbag (i used a drawstring one for a normal sized-kitchen trash can). put a hole in the bottom and slip your leg in. tie the bag at the top, making sure your bandage/wrap is completely covered. Take some tape (I used sports tape) and wrap the top and bottom of the trash bag to seal it.
  • Take a shower – while standing on one leg. I tried to use the chair, but just ended up pushing it out of the way. I didn’t stay in too long, because I was afraid the water was going to seep in through the bag/tape.

Day 7 – Physical Therapy – 1st Appointment

  • Arrived at physical therapy – the place I went to is where I had my surgery, it is about 10 minutes from my house + my insurance covers it. I think I get 60 appointments a year with a $20 co pay – I have anthem PPO, which has been pretty great (besides having to pay the 3K max out of pocket) – but check with your insurance beforehand & find out what your coverage is.
  • Did a few exercises (see below)
  • Got stim on my leg (see below). Every time I got the prickly-stim feeling, I was supposed to squeeze my quad muscle for 5-10 seconds. This was done to stimulate my quad muscle + help teach it to work on its own again.
  • After the Stim, I put my wrap back on. My leg was tired!
  • I was taken to the game ready ice machine, which iced/compressed my leg for 10 minutes. You can see the picture of my boyfriend studying the exercises – he is going to have to help me with some of them the first few weeks until my leg gets strong enough to lift on its own
  • Went home and slept. literally. all. day.

stim    PT exercises

gameready    review

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.

ACL Post-Surgery: Day 4 + Day 5 Surgeon Follow-Up

I am not going to write much in terms of what oils/vitamins I took, as it has stayed the same as the first few days, except for what i started on day 5 after my bandages were taken off. My boyfriend took me to my first surgeon follow-up appointment – I had to sit in the backseat of the car on the way to the surgeon because I wasn’t sure if I could bend my leg yet. Below are a few pictures of what my knee looked like 5 days post-op -the swelling is not too bad, my leg is completely straight and i have really great flexion already.

Post Op 1st Appt

Day 5: 1st visit to the Surgeon

  • Arrive at surgeon’s office with a list of questions
  • Nurse comes in, asks a few questions and took off my bandages
  • Bruising on the right side of my knee and shin bone + behind my knee (see below for behind my knee – the bottom part is my thigh, the picture is kind of confusing)

bruised back of knee

  • Shin feels like someone threw a huge brick at it
  • Doctor says knee looks pretty normal (excuse the dr suess socks/slipper- it’s ZERO degrees here in ohio & I just wanted to be warm + I just put on whatever was the easiest to get on my foot :))

Acl Post Surgery 5 days   Acl Post Surgery 5 days_3

Acl Post Surgery 5 days_2    Acl Post Surgery 5 days_4

  • I requested a refill on the pain medicine + a handicap parking pass + my physical therapy prescription
  • Nurse came back in, put a new wrap around my leg, and re-adjusted my brace. I can bend my knee up to 90 degrees!
  • Nurse gave me my old wrap, which I washed – I can alternate wraps now.
  • My hamstring also started twitching later in the day – I called the nurse, who said that my hamstring was just getting used to part of it not being there anymore.

Oils/vitamins/pain medicine:

  • Homemade antibiotic – melaluca, oregano, flu oil blend: 2 drops in an empty capsule, 1x/day
  • Calcium & magnesium: 1 each,3x a day
  • multi-vitamins
  • Pain medicine: 4th day, i was taking 1 every 2 hours. The 5th day, I started weaning off – taking 1 every 2-4 hours. It really depends on the person and how much pain you are in. You can start to take Aleve instead (up to 5 a day), but check with your doctor.
  • For the twitching hamstring: basil
  • Day 5, applied directly to my knee: spray mix of frankincense, Helichrysum & lavender + 1-2 drops: lemongrass (for pain/repair), white fir (for inflammation)  (or melaluca, eucalyptus or rosemary – find which one works best for you), clove, wintergreen and a sports oil blend. I applied peppermint last to drive all of the oils deeper.
  • This might sound funny, but I have been talking to my knee the whole time! I tell it how great it is doing, how amazing it looks, i tell it thank you for healing, that i am so grateful for it… it sounds funny, but i truly believe in the power of positivity. If you don’t believe it, check this out – so many people have done this experiment + it is proven that energy, whether positive or negative, affects water. and guess what – our bodies are made up of 75% water! So you better believe I’m talkin’ to my knee! I might even sing to it later ;).

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.

ACL Post-Surgery: Days 2-3

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.

arm

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

Ear pressure points

  • 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!

rest_Elevate   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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