Week 1, day 1: Rehab

When I got home around 5pm, I strapped myself into the CPM machine and had my sister help me get the Game Ready system going, with the articulated knee wrap. I put the ice machine on medium pressure and that seemed comfortable enough.

I did CPM for about 5 hours. I was able to quickly get to 60 and 80 degrees flexion. I left it at that, while letting the Game Ready ice/compress for 30 minutes and then take a break for 30 minutes.

I got to 110 degrees flexion without pain, and it seemed as though I didn't have to force it. Of course, this is a CPM machine on my couch, so a heel slide may tell a different story. My surgeon said that my hamstring will be sore, making the heel slides a little tricky.

I spent 5 hours in the CPM machine, though the dr only recommended 2-4 hrs. I was icing/compressing half the time (30 min on / 30 min off cycle). At some point I realized that I should be doing quad sets (static quads) on the 0 position of the CPM machine, while pushing the middle my kneecap down a bit. So I would do one quad set a minute or so. I ended up doing only about 30-40, but I hope that it will make a difference.

I popped a Percocet at 7pm and then again at midnight, before bed.

However, I then stayed up and used the Game Ready straight knee wrap to ice/compress for another 2 hours (same 30 min cycle). I also realized that I haven't been doing anything to get knee extension, so I ended up resting the heel (and heel/calf) on a pillow. This also kept it elevated above the heart. I had to alternate between a heel and a heel/calf because heel-support only was getting a touch too painful at times.

I attempted straight leg raises, and they seemed to be OK! I had the straight knee ice wrap on, granted, and haven't attempted that in a brace, but I did 3 sets of 15 and it seemed alright. I could feel my quad working a bit.

4 minutes until the Game Ready shuts off and then I'm going to sleep in the brace only. I could've slept in the Game Ready (but I don't know if I would've fallen alseep), but I think the safety of the post-op brace is worth not having the knee iced for the duration of my sleep.

The knee is still swollen, but I feel like I am making good progress on the day of the surgery. My surgeon calls tomorrow and we'll see if I'm on the right track.