Hi there
@Legseleven -- thanks again for your timely advice -- I appreciate that a lot.
I'll try to reign myself in a little!
I will also be sure to follow the guidance of my private Orthopaedic Consultant and Physiotherapist, and will take on-board that recovery is not a perfect 'straight line' to success.
First Private Physiotherapy Session Today And What It Entailed
On the above note, I saw my private physiotherapist for the first time today. He was excellent.
The session went very fast, and was all-business. It broadly involved the following:
- Questioning about my injury, my post-injury timeline so far, and my most recent interactions with health services (UK NHS and private).
- Questioning about my self-led physiotherapy/related activities, when I started them (only recently), and how effective I have found them so far.
- Great set of mobilisations and assisted stretching techniques employed, which also utilised some tension-based (tension on/tension off) techniques. It was very challenging, and often uncomfortable, but was under full and safe control.
- Suggestions on useful items to buy for home massage and assisted stretching (if I didn't already have them).
- Recommendation to hold-off on remedial massage from a professional for the moment. This can be considered later.
- Frank assessment of the need to regain leg extension capability, for future quality of life.
- Frank assessment that the process will take time and effort.
Adjustments to Home Regimen
I ran a broad summary of my daily regimen by him and he was happy with it.
I am actually to try a new movement. My understanding is that I am to do this as an
alternative to
Prone Hangs, which have not worked great for me so far. (That said, I don't see too much of a problem either varying the two movements, or sometimes combining them in a session, if time permits.)
I learned and performed the new movement today. It feels like a good one. For
one of my legs/knees, I achieved a level of leg/knee extension on the movement that I have not managed to achieve in a long time.
The movement involves laying on the back (on a mat or on the floor), placing the heel of one or both legs on a stability/fitness ball, then extending the legs outwards as far as sensibly possible (then back again), for repetitions. Additionally, a variation is possible where the heel is pressed into the ball, thereby adding extra tension to the hamstring(s).
Looking ahead, my plan is to:
- Adapt my daily regimen, and dial it down to about 1.5 hours or so, as follows:
- About 30 mins on massage work, using the hands, a lacrosse ball, and a massage-stick/roller (which is very easy going, in my opinion).
- About 30 mins on strength work (which is still quite easy-going, in my opinion).
- About 30 mins on stretching/lengthening techniques (the most difficult thing to do, in my opinion).
- Take a day off if my legs and behind-the-knees areas are feeling very irritated.
- See my physiotherapist at one week intervals.
Plan to Continue with Physiotherapy Activities Until MRI and Post-MRI Consult
My
private double-knee MRI has a small wait time -- 2-3 weeks or so. This is because the private hospital selected is very busy, as is their imaging department. Nonetheless, this is still
much faster than a multi-month (about 3+ months at the moment, I have been told) wait for a UK NHS double-knee MRI, plus the additional multi-month post-MRI wait to see an NHS consultant about it.
After the double-knee MRI is performed, I will wait a few days, then book an appointment with my private Orthopaedic Surgeon to discuss it, and any future leg-extension strategies.
That's where I'm at!
All the best folks, and thanks so much for the guidance and advice!
United States
