So, “Later” always shows up. In my case, the wear and tear that grew off of old injuries to my knee that had the cap broken from a horse with a nasty attitude when I was 17. When I was 27, I tore the ACL while skiing. My Wonder Woman mentality at the time lead me to push myself to working out sooner than I should have (I was still competing in fitness competition and there was a show 8 months post surgery I was shooting for) which caused me to pop all the screws out during a squat = redo of ACL surgery. Twenty plus years later, the knee pain has me waving the white flag after I have exhausted all resources of scopes, injections and more.
And now, this is what Later has come to: One knee replacement on one side, a scope to repair a torn meniscus on the other. Post goal…on horseback in 3 weeks…hey, there’s no compression to the joint!! 2nd Post goal is to be back on a snowboard in 90 days! And with how this procedure is performed today compared to yester-years, and by the testimony of others I have met and spoken with, this is all on target! My role Pre-op is based on the condition I enter the surgery. 2 key players will be; as much strength as possible and a strong immune system. Training is now performing any leg exercise that is not painful, reps are kept moderate vs high numbers that increase repetitive motion to the joint (10 rep max) and higher sets (5-7 sets). Supplementation during training is BCAA’s for muscle development/retention and a high intake of Glutamine for recovery (15-20 mgs) daily.
Post care is also in place: I will be weight bearing the day of the procedure and PT will start the next day. Medical massage and ART to prevent scar tissue from developing beyond what can interrupt range of motion and function, Acupuncture to increase circulation and increase tissue repair and enzymes to also increase repair. I’m trying to find out how to train the dog now to bring ice packs for me and make lunch….if I pull this one off, I will share those details next!
