Holly B. is an active professional in her late twenties who spends her free time playing recreational flag football and league basketball. She recently tore her ACL and will be sharing her experiences with us as she works towards getting back into sports.

It's been 5 months since my arthroscopic knee surgery in August to repair my torn ACL. I'm doing well considering I'm probably not the most diligent person when it comes to physical therapy (don't follow my bad example!).

Here are some things I discovered about recovering from ACL surgery:

  • Your quad muscle (the muscle in your thigh) really weakens FAST! Most of the past few months have been trying to re-strengthen this muscle.
  • Going down stairs is harder than going up stairs. I knew I was getting stronger once I could walk down stairs normally instead of 1 step at a time.
  • The muscles around your knee really affect how it moves. The last part of my recovery is to continue to strengthen these muscles so that I don't have any patella tracking issues.

It's been a little scary because sometimes I feel like my knee doesn't move the right way. This is mostly due to the weakened muscles around my left knee. The key is that I need to keep working out, keep visiting my physical therapist, and to stay motivated in the New Year!  If you've torn your ACL or are recovering from ACL surgery, check with your doctor for the best treatment options for your situation.

P.S. Cycling on a stationary bike at the gym has been a great addition to my physical therapy as well.  Talk with your therapist to see if it's something you can add to your routine.