Getting Back On Your Feet with Physical Therapy
When I had ACL reconstruction on my knee, there was a lot of physical therapy that I needed to do to help me recover completely. I had to go to physical therapy with a trainer and also did a lot of exercises at home. My physical therapist was excellent; he helped me gain confidence, learn to move my knee in a way that helped it heal and grow stronger, and he made recovery more enjoyable.
I always really enjoyed going to physical therapy. Since I’ve always been a very active person, it was hard for me to rest after surgery. Physical therapy gave me a way to expend my energy that I couldn’t spend running around like normal. It also sped up my recovery time a lot. My favorite exercise in physical therapy was this slide board thing. I put on hospital booties over my shoes and just slid side to side on a plastic board. I had such a great time sliding back and forth and strengthening my knee at the same time. I remember after the first time I did the slide board my muscles were sore for the first time after surgery. It felt so amazing to be sore after having to be stationary for so long.
