Anyone ever experienced ACL and MCL reconstruction? It's been four months since surgery and I think I'm still a long way from being able to grapple again. Any suggestions on exercises, conditioning or dieting that I can do in the mean time to stay in shape.
I had an ACL reconstruction and it wasn't fun. I didn't really feel comfortable with my knee doing activities until a yr or so. Grappling will be a long distant goal I will tell you that. Just focus on your rehab, focusing on your quads, hams, and calves. For cardio, just ride the bike or elliptical when you're ready for it. Your physical therapist should have answered any questions you make have such as this...at least a good one should've
ACL Rehab, rehab, rehab. Like the previous poster said try your best to work on your muscles and flexibilty. Don't come back too soon.
i'm in the same boat as you. i tore my ACL and MCL and had surgery (patellar) to replace the ACL on april 25th. anyway, i just recently started to gain my full flexion back. i had my extension pretty early in the game, and maintained it, it was just the flexsion that was giving me trouble. i would hover around 95-110 degrees and go no further. just recently i've broken the 120 mark and i'm on my way back to normal. like the penultimate poster said, ride the bike. that's what helped me the most. i was going to make a post about this in the grappling forum. i don't know when i'll return to the mat, but i know i'm not ready yet; i don't feel i have the strength in the knee. if someone tried to break my guard, i'm scared that the knee will buckle or something. maybe i'm just gun shy, but i know my body pretty well and i don't think it's ready yet. after i go for my 6-month check-up on the knee, then i'll see what's up. but for the time being, i'm just working on my knee's flexibility and steady building my leg strength back. good luck, and i wish you a speedy recovery.
