After being cleared by the surgeon at month 10 post op, month 11 was a welcomed relief. I still had about six weeks left of physical therapy and was not 100%, but I felt so much closer to being back. This month was all about continuing to increase my agility, power, and soccer progression. In this post, I detail my 11th month post-op, including my progress and new exercises.
For a full breakdown of my injury and surgery, head to this post.
How I Felt Month 11 Post Op
I felt very relieved and motivated this month. In my eyes, I had made it past the biggest hurdle, which was being cleared. I knew I could not play yet, but I felt it was within reach, and was excited to start returning to sport.
I was excited to add in more playing, and by the end of the month, I participated in my first scrimmage. Overall, I felt very positive and content.
How My Knee Felt Month 11 Post Op
I no longer noticed my knee at all during daily activities. With intense activity, it would still get a bit sore, but I was able to do every activity.
I was also back to lifting with both legs, and still focusing on getting all of the power back in my left leg. Even when strength seemed pretty equal, I did notice a discrepancy when it came to power.
I only had one small issue with my knee. During one of the first times when I was playing in a more live scenario, I felt my knee shift when I cut off of it. Over the next two days, I had increasing pain along the medial joint line. By the time I went back to physical therapy five days later, I had basically no pain. My physical therapist checked it out and did a few functional tests. He told me it seemed fine and was most likely tightness where my hamstring connected. This did actually end up being an issue, which is described in this post.
Major Events
- Ecstatic to be cleared
- Began return-to-sport progression
- Six weeks of physical therapy left
- Played my first scrimmage by the end of the month
11 Months Post-Op Exercises
Focus: The main focus for this month was power, agility, and soccer-specific exercises.
Watch some of my exercises HERE
Strength
- Bosu ball SL holds
- SL squat jump
- Landmine SL squats
- Assisted pistol squat
- Heavy shoulder-elevated glute ham bar
Soccer/Plyometrics
- Resistance jumps
- Hopping patterns
- Hex bar squat jumps
ACL Surgery FAQs- 11 Months Post Op
Could you sprint?
Yes.
Did you have full range of motion?
No. I had the same extension but was a few degrees less on flexion. This was not a concern.
Could you play soccer?
Yes, but month 11 post op I played in my first scrimmage with local college girls.
Did you have pain in your knee?
I did not have much pain in my knee, but was still managing patellar tendonitis.
My Entire ACL & Meniscus Surgery Journey
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Month 7
Month 8
Month 9
Month 10
Month 11
Month 12