Month 12 post-op was an important month for me. I finally felt very close to “normal” and was so excited to be back. I was still working on my power, cutting, and soccer-specific skills, but I was already making plans for playing in the summer and then overseas. In this post, I detail my 12th 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 12 Post Op
I was very encouraged this month since I was playing and training normally. I felt like I was truly past this injury. A couple of months back, I started reaching out to teams and had a great summer team set as well as some interest from professional teams. This month, I felt very good about where I was and where I was going. I really thought I made it out on the other side of this horrific injury.
How My Knee Felt Month 12 Post Op
My knee did not hurt at all with daily activities. I did not feel any major pain or issues, aside from the patellar tendonitis I was managing for months with heat, compression, and tape. I did not notice my knee when playing and could participate in all of my normal workouts and training.
Overall, was confident physically and felt like I had returned. I did have some small soft-tissue issues since my entire body was re-adjusting to the level of activity. For example, my hip flexors and arches were very tight.
The one thing I did notice is that occasionally my knee felt like it was shifting. When I made a hard cut at full speed, my knees sometimes felt like it caught or shifted weird. After one occasion in month 11, it never hurt when this happened. This was not very frequent, maybe once every couple of weeks. It did end up being an issue. Read more about that HERE.
Major Events Month 12 Post Op
- Full hyperextension, very close flexion.
- I could fully play soccer.
- Managing anterior knee pain/ tendonitis
12 Months Post-Op Exercises
Focus: The focus was on soccer-specific movements, game fitness, and agility.
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- 12 Months Post Op
Could you sprint?
Yes, I could fully sprint.
Could you cut?
Yes, my agility was very close to normal.
Did your knee hurt?
Not really. My knee felt quite normal, aside from some minor patellar tendonitis and occasional catching during cutting.
Could you play soccer?
Yes, I was practicing and playing in scrimmages.
Did you have any problems after this?
Yes. Part of my surgery failed the next month. Read about it HERE.
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