I thought I was dumbbell curl-to-pressing padded orange weights, until I realized that I was performing an Upper Extremity Workout on an Unstable Surface!
This past week I got on a plane and headed to Vail to see Dr. Millet for my 6-week post-op checkup. It was a bit of a pain as a) I am currently in Boston b) the trip isn't cheap, and c) regardless of money, Vail is kind of a haul just to be making 48-hour trips to slap hands with a doc and do some physical therapy. On the other hand, the cost is (almost) a drop in the bucket when factoring in the other surgery expenses, and both the doctor and the adjoining rehab department, Howard Head, really are that good.
First things first, my knee is doing great. I had some swelling fluid aspirated from the knee, but the analysis came back negative and it was only a product of not getting quite enough ice on it in the summer heat. The mobility and strength of the leg are sound. Second, I can finally engage in activities that activate my quad, such as biking with two legs, walking up and down stairs normally, and everything else that people (myself included) take for granted when they are healthy. I was so happy to be biking on the stationary bike and get my first real aerobic exercise in 4 months that almost got something in both my eyes and started misting up. I also broke out into a huge sweat and needed a towel to wipe down myself and the equipment after 20 minutes. Awesome!
But the really special part of the trip was leveraging my iPad's picture and video capabilities to record the next 6 weeks of my rehab exercises, narrated by Howard Head's Super Rehabilitator Thomas Olson. Thomas has seen me through some if not most of my rehab since the NASTAR Nosedive, and we have developed a good repoire. It so happened that I was showing him a picture from my photo gallery when we were planning the next 6 weeks of therapy, when we realized it would probably be best to capture the exercises on picture and video instead of typing out an explanation.
Thomas is very technical, which is great when I am so limited in mobility because it makes everything I do sound really intense. Here's a clip to show you what I'm talking about. This hurt like hell by the way!
I would have totally butchered doing this drill correctly in about 2 weeks time, and definitely wouldn't have felt as cool if I couldn't remember that not only was I lifting a 6 lb medicine ball above my head, I was doing a progression of an isometric lunge hold. All kidding aside, the 20 or so videos I have with me now are hugely helpful. I'm looking forward to working on these progressions until I head back to Vail for my 12-week checkup...who knows what kind of crazy stuff I'll be into by then!
Until then I'm gonna get stronger and watch the Summer Olympics and follow the training/racing in New Zealand. Go USA! GO ITA!!!
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