Day 11: Tiggers Like to Bounce

Today was a good day! I was a bit skeptical because I went camping this past weekend and was bending a bit more and ran a little, after some kids, so my knee felt a little funny. Not pain, but just funny right where the injury is. Today though, my physio told me to hop on both legs. No problems. Hop on my good leg, then hop on my left leg. I was kind of scared, but it was fine. No pain or discomfort so he added bounding to my routine and next time standing up sprints on the spin bike. Read more below.

At the end of my session as I waited to get iced my physio was saying how far I've come since I first started and how happy he was at my progress. I could not help but beam a smile all day. Once I get my up and down exercises going, he'll start throwing in the side to side stuff. if my knee can take it then I'll be back on the soccer field. WOOO HOOO! Back to Gol!

My Routine:

• 7 minute warm up on spin bike
• 7 30 sec sprints x 30 second rest
• 20 x 3 quad sets with 5 second hold - I think I was still asleep because I kept losing count
  
• 15 x 3 quad set with 3 second leg raise -again lost count, but I think I did 45 in all.
• 40x10x30x10x20x10 times 3. Quad pumps on the table. Same position as quad set except heel is off the table. Hold 10 then pump 40 then hold, then pump.... All the while keeping your biofeedback reading at maximum activation. This was a bit tough, not sure if my leg was tired or the bio feedback wasn't calibrated correctly. I could not keep the light activated the whole time.
  
• Ham string bridges - 15 sec hold -15 pelvic pumps - 15 sec hold x 5 - Watched myself in the mirror to make sure I wasn't cheating on these. They were tiring.
  
• Side leg lifts - On my side, position 1 is my left leg out straight and I push up on aide's hand for 15 second count then do 15 pumps with the weight of his hand on my leg giving resistance. Position 2, same thing except leg is bent 90 degrees but knees still aligned. Position 3, bring knee into my chest and do leg lifts. Do this for 3 sets.
  
• Shuttle work - on my back with leg up on vertical platform doing holds near 90 degrees. Did a few full range pumps. Holds were tough to maintain. The aide had me do some of these on my own since he had another patient. I was burning myself out by holding positions.
• 20 x 2 - Calf raises on the shuttle. This was my break time from the holds.
• NEW - 20 x 3 - bounding on the shuttle. Meaning I do jumps. I'm horizontal on the shuttle so I'm not landing with 100% of my weight. Felt good. My lands were not jarred and were relatively smooth. This is a good sign because once I get on the soccer field I will need to be able to land smoothly or risk locking my knee and getting injured again.
  
• Standing calf raises - 15 x 3 sets. I tried to do these without holding onto something for balance. I almost fell on my bum. I guess my legs were a bit tired from the jumping.
  
• Squats - position 1 - squat arms crossed but pointing outwards from my chest. Hold here and then 10 pumps up and down. Position 2 - Deeper squat, stick that booty out and put arms out superman style, but still keep the back straight. Kept a hold there for a little bit before. Position 3 - reach through between legs, 15- reps. This was killing again. Burns your whole quad from hip to the knee. Back to position 1 and hold x 3. This is getting less hard. However, my right quad felt like it was working harder so in my last set my aide made sure I stayed aligned and pushed harder on my left leg. Whozzers were my legs ready to collapse after that set, but no pain. Yay!
  
• Ice to go