My fourth month of recovery from my ACL and meniscus surgery was still challenging, but definitely better than the first three. I was still working on my range of motion but also starting to focus more on strength. However, this month did come with some frustrating news. In this post, I will share the details of my fourth month post-op, as well as the new exercises I incorporated this month.
For a full breakdown of my injury and surgery, head to this post.
How I Felt
I continued to make decent progress during this month and felt pretty good about it for most of the month. I felt much better on a daily basis and was pleased that I could do more daily activities without an issue. Overall, I felt better about my workouts and progress.
Going into my appointment, I was very hopeful that I would be cleared to jog. After doing the two-step biodex, the surgeon told my left quad was only 55% of my right one, and my hamstring was 77%. My surgeon wanted my quad to be around 70% of my other one and felt I should not begin jogging. I was very frustrated, as I was doing everything I possibly could (and more) and felt I could not do much else. In general, I was impatient and really itching to jog. After that appointment, I was just a bit discouraged and felt so far behind what was “normal” since the soonest I could possibly jog would be after my fifth month.
How My Knee Felt
My knee was still improving this month. I felt more comfortable walking and was able to stand/walk for longer. I was no longer noticing my knee constantly and was able to do more and more difficult workouts.
I was still working on my range of motion, but it was no longer a priority as I was in a workable range. I was also able to add in mini jumps and increase my weights on primary exercises (like squats). Atrophy was still a concern, and strengthening was my main goal. I mixed in pool workouts every other day to give my joints a rest while still maintaining cardio. I was also able to jog in the pool even though I could not on land.
Major Events
- I really felt I was making a lot of progress this month, and thought my surgeon may let me begin to jog. At my four month follow up appointment, I did part of the biodex to measure my quad/hamstring strength in both legs. My left was about half of my healthy leg, so my surgeon did not allow me to jog. My focus between then and my next follow up was strength.
- I could handle stairs normally.
- I started adding a lot more core exercises.
- While I was still working on ROM, strength became a bigger focus.
Month 4 Post Op Exercises
Focus: Month 4 of rehab I will still focusing on ROM, but the focus began to shift to strength as well.
Watch some of my exercises HERE.
- Iso squats with the compex machine
- Leg extension machine
- Banded, elevated clamshells
- 4-way plank circuit with leg lifts
- SL squat to reach down and touch a cone while controlling the knee
- Bike sprints (heavier resistance)
- Dead bug
ACL Surgery FAQs- 4 Months Post Op
Could you walk normally?
Almost. My walk was much closer to normal by this month. I may have still had a minor limp, but it was close to normal. I still had to limit my total activity and could not walk too far or for too long.
Could you run?
No. While some people can begin jogging at 3 months, I was not able to. My surgeon wanted me to get more quad strength back first.
Was your knee painful/swollen?
My knee still did not feel anywhere near normal. My pain, stiffness, and swelling were continuing to go down, but I still had these issues. I was frequently icing, elevating, and compressing.
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
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Thank you for this blog. Just found it, I’m almost at 4 months post, still swollen, some pain, not quite normal gait. Have to go back end of 5 months to see if I can get the go ahead for kayaking, paddle boarding, etc. I thought I was far behind everyone else. Glad to know maybe this is normal. Thanks again.
Every recovery is quite different! So many factors affect our recovery rate and experience. Try not to focus too much on expectations, just listen to your doctor and do all you can. It may take some time, but it’s much better to be diligent and patient than to rush. Best of luck during your recovery!