I'm almost exactly one year post-op and I can tell you that my knee feels MILES better than it did 6 months ago. I would just say, keep at it but also listen to your body. If you are feeling really swollen/ sore you probably are pushing too hard at this point. You still have a ways to go, it's a long process. Good luck!
> I'm almost 6 months out from ACL Recon (allo) and a
> trimming of my lateral meniscus. PT and Doc have told me
> all along that my recovery was on or ahead of schedule.
> I've been running on treadmill since about 4 mos. post-op
> with no problems (other than trying to get my lungs back),
> and I just got cleared to resume sports with a brace. Had
> one session of intense workout with the brace (sprinting,
> cutting, lateral movements, etc.), and the knee felt great.
> I have not had any instability at all since the surgery.
> Despite all of this positive progress, I am still very much
> aware of the fact that I have a reconstructed knee. I get
> occasional sharp pains and cracking, still have swelling
> after workouts, and was very sore last week after working
> out pretty hard 4 days in a row.
> I guess my question is, for those of you veterans who had
> successful surgeries and returned to sports, how good
> should I expect it to get? I know the graft will continue
> to strengthen for the next 12 mos+, but I take that to mean
> mostly internal, unseen strengthening. Will my knee
> continue to improve in ways that I can perceive (e.g.-
> swelling, pain, cracking) or has my recovery pretty much
> leveled off after this point?
> I ask because I really have no idea what to expect. I am
> extremely grateful to have reached my goal of getting well
> enough to return to sports, but even within that framework
> there are degrees of success. I am not naive enough to
> believe that I will ever be "as good as new" in
> every way, but I am hoping that my knee will still show
> some incremental improvement going forward.
> To those of you who have been through the fire, how good
> does it get? Will ice be a necessity after every workout
> going forward? Will I be more comfortable in 6 months/1
> year from now?
