Finally got to deadlift again

Recovery from my meniscus surgery has been going really well and with it being less than a month since, I’m much further along than I anticipated. During my first physical therapy session, my PT let me know, unsurprisingly, I may be a candidate for arthritis as I get older, but it would likely not affect me as much as others. This was also true for the knee recovery and steps necessary to improve; due to my powerlifting training, he said I have a different relationship to pain than most people. This didn’t surprise me either, but I found it helpful to hear this directly from a physical therapist that specializes in sports medicine. I’ve gained an awareness of pain, an awareness of the different levels of it, ‘good’ pain vs. ‘bad’ pain, and where my limits need to be. I think this awareness likely started in my youth when I experienced a crushed vertebrae, then finally years later found that strength training could help my body overcome a lot of the discomfort I felt with a weakened back.

The meetings I’ve had with the physical therapist have been fantastic and I’ve learned a number of movements to strengthen my knees, quads, and hips that I will likely use even once the recovery is complete. I’m also fortunate enough to have a leg press machine in the garage gym that my precious wife had got me. That thing and my foam roller have been vital in the knee recovery. Today my PT saw how far my recovery has already come along and gave me the OK to start doing light deadlifts to see how they went, with the directive of “for now, walk away from them still wanting more”.

Did my PT work:

  • foam roller
  • leg press (0 weight, just the sled)
  • body weight squats (holding a strap around the power rack to stabilize)
  • 1 leg squats (holding strap)
  • 1 leg lunges (holding strap)

Then I got to do a little lifting:

  • Deadlifts (225 x 5 x 4 sets) [left wanting a LOT more, but hey, progress]
  • hanging leg raises
  • reverse hyper (only 90 lbs, again, light to let the recovery continue)

So dang happy to be back out in the garage gym.

Meniscus surgery

So a little while back I hurt my knee. I don’t think I did it in the gym, but out in the garden of all places; picking strawberries. I tried to let it heal on it’s own but, well, it didn’t. Finally saw my doctor and after an x-ray and MRI, we found out I’d torn a small flap in the meniscus of my left knee.

A referral over to the orthopedic doctor and he confirmed I’d need a surgery. Not what I wanted to hear, but what can you do. It was my first surgery, so that meant it was my first time going under. Giving up control of falling asleep and being woken up definitely caused me some anxiety, but Dawn told me it would be the best nap I’d ever had and not to worry. Seemed everyone I talked to had a similar surgery and assured me it wasn’t a big thing to worry about; all of which I definitely appreciated. 

I had the surgery yesterday and it went off perfectly. I was a little anxious but everyone at the hospital was wonderful. My anesthesiologist asked if I wanted something to reduce the anxiety so I agreed – moments later I was floating. LOL. Oddly, that medicine gave me a minor cough, but she said that wasn’t uncommon.

They wheeled me into the operating room, got me over to the table, and had me start taking a couple breathes of oxygen. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room, happy to see anyone that came to talk to me.

Dawn said it was pretty funny.

 

I took off my sock and noticed my left foot was a different color – turns out my whole leg was. Then I remembered they said they’d wash me with anti-bacterial right before. So, here’s a shot of my mercurochrome skin.

 

I had a couple pages of pictures the surgeon took while in there. Here’s a before and after of their work. Pretty cool to see.

 

The rest of the day I definitely felt a lot of pressure on the knee area and hobbled around the house on crutches. Surprisingly though, I haven’t needed them at all today. Mostly sitting on the couch with my leg elevated and putting ice on it every couple of hours.

I’m happy it’s over, I’m grateful to all the wonderful people at the hospital that took good care of me, and I’m extremely lucky to have Dawn and Ian at home taking care of me.