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Post ACL lifting

Guillotine

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Get Shredded!
Life took a turn 3 weeks ago today. Had my ACL repaired using patella tendon.

TRT + 2iu hgh/day is the new normal, but after sitting on my ass for 3 weeks, I need to lift something heavy.

Anyone here have any experience starting back up while recovering? Obviously no leg work as PT is kicking my ass on that, but upper body should be fair game, no?

Machines and sitting instead of anything standing?

Ideas?

sent from a remote bunker while banging a Terminator Model T-X
 
I did anything I could without running the risk of hurting the knee again. The main problem I had was carrying plates where I needed them.(hard to do with crutches) I had no partner. That's where my main issue was.
You ought to be able to do a lot of machine work, and cable exercises. Just anything to get off the couch and keep your sanity. Good luck with rehab!
 
I did anything I could without running the risk of hurting the knee again. The main problem I had was carrying plates where I needed them.(hard to do with crutches) I had no partner. That's where my main issue was.
You ought to be able to do a lot of machine work, and cable exercises. Just anything to get off the couch and keep your sanity. Good luck with rehab!
Thanks, dawg. I'm actually walking on my own so that's one thing off the list.

sent from a remote bunker while banging a Terminator Model T-X
 
I had a cadaver ACL <<<the only option I would ever choose, done 10/30/13. I say that because My ortho who is one of the best knee/hip guys around advised me to do so as opposed to weakening the patella tendon, patella, or on the flip side same with using the hamstring graph or quad tendon graph. Plus many horror stories of recovery on the graph areas being worse than the actual acl recovery along with leaving graph sites weak. Hopefully HGH will take care of that.
Full range of flexation/extension was back in 4 weeks. The issue was getting the quad muscle to turn back on and fucking work. So while trying to walk the quad tendons took a serious beating shouldering the load. That was the worst part of recovery along with getting the 2.5" back that my quad atrophied from the surgery trauma.
My PT was very aggressive (he's a pro powerlifter) which really helps over the run of the mill pussy PT's. I wont lie, for me it took a year for the tendon issues to straighten themselves out. Or being able to squat down fully (just squatting, no weight) or sit with my ankles crossed under my ass....sitting on my feet without pain. The surgery part, the drill holes, screws, the graph ect was all better than new and healed way ahead of schedule.
I took 3 days off post surgery. After 3 days I was off percocet and 800mg motrin every 3.5 hours and just on motrin. I was in the gym on crutches. Fortunately I had my wife or my kid with me at all times to carry plates. The worst part was 14 stairs up to the gym and getting in and out of my car. But I took the fucking isolation brace off after like 3 days. Along with the dressing they told me to leave on and not shower for 10 days.
Common sense. If it hurts, dont do it. All upper body is fair game. Mine is better than new. Not for lack of testing it. 600 lb super wide stance low box squat, 600 lb sumo deadlift, 600 lb sumo 4" block pulls for reps ect ect. Itll take anything I throw at it now. If you do stiff leg deads just dont lock out your legs fully.
 
Nice, man! I've been told I had the best knee guy in the US...but who knows. He recommended the patella tendon b/c of its strength vs other options.

I'm 4 weeks out and at 90% RoM (140degrees). This muscle atrophy fucking SUCKS donkey balls, and I have the same quad shutdown issue you did. I'm pushing weight on the leg press though, so it feels good to have weight to move (even if it's 60 lbs single leg).

I'm still wearing the brace - I'd get reported if I didnt. Sleeping with this bitch on is actually the worst part of it all. It's worse than getting the knee cranked by the PT by several orders of magnitude.

sent from a remote bunker while banging a Terminator Model T-X
 
Your new graft is weakest @ like 2-2.5 months post op. while it rescafolds into a ligament from a tendon(patellar tendon) The other posters are right -- hit all the upper body you want plus I didn't see this mentioned, but work the un-affeckted leg on it's own as there are studies supporting cross-over effect where your body tries to maintain homeostasis side to side and this may help you retain some more muscle on the leg w the new ACL before you can train it hard.
 
Nice, man! I've been told I had the best knee guy in the US...but who knows. He recommended the patella tendon b/c of its strength vs other options.

I'm 4 weeks out and at 90% RoM (140degrees). This muscle atrophy fucking SUCKS donkey balls, and I have the same quad shutdown issue you did. I'm pushing weight on the leg press though, so it feels good to have weight to move (even if it's 60 lbs single leg).

I'm still wearing the brace - I'd get reported if I didnt. Sleeping with this bitch on is actually the worst part of it all. It's worse than getting the knee cranked by the PT by several orders of magnitude.

sent from a remote bunker while banging a Terminator Model T-X

I still wore a brace while out and around. I already had one of those nice donjoy braces like you see NFL players wearing. So once the swelling went down I wore that while I was out. I took the stiff brace off while at home. I think I kept wearing the stiff brace out for maybe 2 weeks. I saw another person or two out and around who had just had the same thing done and they had hinged braces on real early so I said fuck that stiff brace as soon as I could get into the donjoy.
Atrophy wise it took over a year to get it all back even with AAS. It was really hard to work my quad with the quad tendons being so wrecked from overuse. Even two years later I still see a slight difference. When I show people both legs no one sees it but I do.
 
Yeah, 2 years sounds about right...I had ankle surgery in 2012 and went thru all of this back then, and 2014 was about when it felt 'right'

sent from a remote bunker while banging a Terminator Model T-X
 
If a person could swing it, I'd say a low dose of HGH would do wonders for healing. I bet it would speed up the healing a lot faster.
 
If a person could swing it, I'd say a low dose of HGH would do wonders for healing. I bet it would speed up the healing a lot faster.
Doing 2iu a day. No idea if it is actually helping, but mentally it is. LOL

sent from a remote bunker while banging a Terminator Model T-X
 
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