Bertha Arimas

I’ve just finished my third week of therapy, and it’s been more than a month since my surgery.

I still have lag- that’s what you call the bend in affected knee. It still takes long to complete heel slides and I haven’t progressed to wall slides successfully yet. On the bright side, I am walking faster!

I’ve lost weight since getting injured, around 10 lbs. How? Avoiding carbs and being on an alcohol detox. I’m now down to 95-96 lbs which was my target weight for so long. I could never hit it until now so that’s one good thing to come out of this injury
Here’s what I do during my rehab session
2:33-2:48 ice
2:48-2:49 patellar mob
2:49-3:00 stretch
3:00 -4:00 Heel slides 50×110 degrees final reach 114 degrees
4:02- 4:04 hip flexion 50 reps with rubber tubing
4:04 single calf raises 30 reps with tubing 4:05 wall squats60 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold
4:11 single wall squats 50 reps
4:13-4:16 hamstring curls black tubing 150 reps
4:17- 4:29 leg press with rubber tubing 4:30-4:35 wall squats 90 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold
4:36-4:46 step ups 150 reps
4:47- 4:49 single leg balancing on baps board 1 min and 1 minute with eyes closed
4:50-5:10 prone hangs with 2lbs wt
5:10- 5:25 ice

One major perk from getting your ACL fixed is having a reason to borrow a wheelchair at a theme park. This is me three weeks after surgery at the Universal Studios Singapore. It would’ve been too difficult to be walking around the park all day and standing in line for rides, so we rented a wheelchair for $15 SGD.

It’s a great investment, since it allowed me special access to the front of all the rides/attractions in the park.. They let guests in wheelchair go through a special queue straight to the front!

Yay! The only bad thing about the surgery here in Universal Studios was that I couldn’t ride the Battlestar Galactica roller coasters. My 8 year old niece rode it for the first time and I was really jealous. I love loopy roller coasters.

Must visit theme parks in wheelchairs more often,

Bertha

Lunch at Marche. Walk around 313@Somerset, check into hotel.

Nap before a huge dinner at Long Beach at the East Parkway Seafood Center.

Bamboo Clams, Pepper Crab, Chili Crab, Fried Bread dipped in chili crab gravy.

Yum!

My knee is tired and I haven’t walked this much since I got injured. But I’m well fed and happy to be here.

🙂

Bertha

MONDAY May 16

3:00 Arrive at therapy

3:00-3:15 Ice

3:15-3:18 Patellar Mobilization 50 reps

3:18- 3:50 Heel Slides 50 x 90 degrees – ending with 100 degrees

3:50- Quad setting with electrical stimulation- 20 seconds 10 reps

3:57- 4:03 Co contractions 20 seconds 10 reps

4:03- 4:08 – Co contractions with ball squeezing 20 seconds 10 reps

4:10-4:11 Hip Flexion 50 reps

4:11- 4:13 double leg Calf raises 30

4:13-4:17 Bathroom break

4:17- 4:19 Hamstring curls 50 reps 5 lbs weight

4:20- 4:30 Prone hangs for the first time! **

4:30-4:40 Prone Hangs last five minutes with 2 lbs wt

4:45-5:00 ice

TUESDAY May 17

10:14-10:30 Ice

10:30-10-32 Patellar mobilisation

10:32-10:45 heel slides 50×90 degrees final reach100

10:45-11:03 co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

11:05 -1106 double calf raises 30 reps

11:06-11:08 hip flexion 5 lbs 50 reps

11:09-11:11 hamstring curls 5 lbs 50 reps

11:13-11:28 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

11:30 -11:45 ice

WEDNESDAY May 18

10:02-10:18 ice

10:18-10:19 patellar mobilisation

10:19-10:30 heel slides 50×90 degrees final reach100

10:32-10:45 heel slides 50×90 degrees final reach100

10:45-10:48 co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

10:48-10:49 hip flex 50 reps 5 lbs

10:49-10:51 double calf raises 30 reps

10:52-10:55 hamstring curls 5 lbs 100 reps

10:55-11:10 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

11:10-11:25 ice

*** I started driving again! YAY!!!

THURSDAY- BREAK

FRIDAY- May 20

2:50- 3:08 ice

3:08-3:09 patellar mobilisation

3:09-3:16 heel slides 50×90 degrees final reach 105 degrees

3:18-3:32- co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

3:34- 3:35 hip flex 50 reps with rubber tubing

3:35- 3:36 double calf raises 30 reps

3:37- 3:54 wall squats 30 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold, 60 degrees **

3:57-4:00 hamstring curls black tubing 100 reps ***

4:02- 4:22 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

4:23- ice

SATURDAY- MAY 21

10:08-10:21 ice

10:22-10:23 patellar mobilisation

10:24-10:44 WALL slides 50×90 degrees final reach 100 degrees

10:52-11:02 seated co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

11:03-11:04 single calf raises 30 reps ***

11:05 -11:18 wall squats 30 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold, 60 degrees

11:18-11:19 single foot balancing ***

11: 20- 11:24 step ups 50 reps ***

11:25- 11:27 hip flex 50 reps with rubber tubing

11:28-11:30 hamstring curls black tubing 100 reps***

11:31-11:51 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

11:51-12:06 ice

*** First time for exercise/additional difficulty added!

As for walking around, I still limp and can’t walk full speed, but I’m definitely a lot faster than last week. I also started driving on Wednesday. I can comfortably sit down with my knees bent at 90 degrees.

This week marks me being alcohol free for one whole month. ACL patients are discouraged/ banned from drinking alcohol since it makes our knees swell. So far I’ve been really good about not sneaking a drink in since I’m determined to get this knee rehabilitated as soon as possible. BUT…. I miss drinking- a nice cold beer, a glass of wine with steak or champagne when toasting at an event, some scotch with friends.

It’s ACL therapy plus alcohol detox.

I’m writing this from the Mabuhay lounge while waiting for my flight to SG, and my ACL knee hurts from the cold. 🙁 For this trip, I’m using my Vibram FiveFingers as my travel shoe and it’s great. I didn’t remove if for the security check, I just said I was wearing socks.

Excited for Singapore, hoping that walking won’t be so difficult. I want to shop during this trip!

Love,

Bertha

I’ve graduated from normal heel slides to wall slides. It looks like this! Yay!

This was what I did yesterday:
Therapy Friday
2:50- 3:08ice
3:08-3:09 patellar mobilisation
3:09-3:16 heel slides 50×90 degrees final reach 105 degrees
3:18-3:32- co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball
3:34- 3:35 hip flex 50 reps with rubber tubing
3:35- 3:36 double calf raises 30 reps
3:37- 3:54 wall squats 30 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold, then 60 degrees, 10 reps 20 secs hold
3:57-4:00 hamstring curls black tubing 100 reps
4:02- 4:22 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt
4:23- 4:38 ice

I’ll be absent from therapy for a week because I’m off to Singapore for a family holiday!

I’m still limping a bit so I hope the rest of my family walks slightly slower for my sake.

I was at the Football Philippines Magazine launch last night, bumped into the my team captain Marielle and updated her on my progress in therapy and how my surgery went. She asked if I’ll be ready to play in October in time to prepare for the SEA Games, and I said I’ll see. I took a long time recovering from my first ACL, and I liked how relaxed my pace was. I’m not sure if I have the time or energy for uber competitive play anymore.

I’ll post another update specifically on how therapy has progressed this week. This is just a quick post to test out Posterous.

Bertha

Just to recap, I had surgery on May 2 (Monday) then my follow up checkup was on May 4 (Thursday). I pretty much just stayed put at home after surgery because moving around was difficult and it was still painful. I took Arcoxia, the painkiller for 3 days, and antibiotics for a week. As for taking showers, I just did sponge baths and went to the salon to get my hair washed. My first trip to my shower stall was on May 11.

20110504-IMG_1712 — With the post surgery bandages.

One of the things that is a problem when recovering from an ACL operation is peeing. It’s hard to sit down on a toilet wearing an immobiliser, and squatting is impossible. My solution? The PStyle. What is it? “The pStyle is a plastic device that allows you to pee standing up without undressing. It is a simple design that works exceptionally well. The pStyle is easy to position properly and the rounded edges are very comfortable. Because it is made of rigid plastic, the pStyle is easily maneuvered into the clothes you are wearing. The rounded back edge can be used to wipe with so there are no drips! It is easy to clean by shaking vigorously or rinsing.” Taken from their website.

It looks like this:

The PStyle — The pStyle! Enables me to pee standing up.

It’s super helpful to have around, especially since ACL patients have been known to pee on their immobilisers. I won’t name names. 🙂 I don’t have a problem using public bathrooms. I’ll definitely start bringing this around when I travel too.

I saw the Pacquiao fight with my family while we celebrated my Ate Donna’s birthday and Mother’s Day on May 8. I also got a haircut that day, and ate at Chuck’s Deli in Serendra. Good milkshake, bad sandwich.

Therapy started on Monday, May 9 at the Sprain and Strain Clinic in Alabang. My therapy with PT Raissa goes like this:

Cold compress for 15 mins.

Electric stimulation for the muscle for another 15.

Raissa moves my knee cap back and forth to loosen any adhesions.

Heel slides for my knee to reach my goal of bending it 90 degrees. I only reached around 60 degrees that day. It took forever and was painful and tiring. My muscles were so weak from being immobilised for so long. It’s uncomfy. I cry because it hurts! Raissa tells me I can stop using the immobiliser.

Tuesday therapy was the same, although I reached around 70+ degrees. I still use my crutches

Wednesday therapy I reached 90 degrees once, thanks to the pushing powers of my therapist, Raissa. I was bawling myself out in pain and couldn’t endure it for one more time, so I decided to call it a day and try again tomorrow. Quad sets, leg raises and hamstring curls were introduced to my routine.

20110512-IMG_1728 — May 12, 2011 My ACL leg is yellow!

For Thursday therapy I came prepared. I asked permission to take a painkiller before going to therapy, and my PT said okay. I was able to reach the required 90 degrees for 50 repetitions!

Friday was my day off for therapy and my first day back at work.

On Saturday I did everything from Thursday in a shorter span of time. Yay! Now I just have to reach 100 degrees. I hope next week therapy goes well and I’ll start walking normally.

So now, on Sunday I’m walking with a limp because of the lag (bend) of my ACL knee. There’s still discomfort, but at least I can bend my knee 90 degrees, and sit without having to prop my knee up another chair.

My scars are fully dry, the stitches from the 3 smaller ones from fixing the MCL have fallen off. The long one will take a bit more time to heal.

Wish me luck for next week!

Love,

Bertha

Late Post Mothers’ day post:

1. She’s my ultimate cheerleader and soccer mom. She watches my games no matter how far it is. She travelled to Spain, Finland and Sweden for both of my Europe football trips, China, Malaysia, Thailand for my outings with the National team. She was our team mom for Unigames in Bacolod, and she’ll drag my dad to our UAAP games. My mom will make sure my team and I are fed and hydrated.

2. She’s a great cook! Our kitchen is filled with every kitchen gadget imaginable. If it comes in pink, you’ll see it in her kitchen. Pink mixer, blender, knives, pots, pans. She makes great Korean food, prepares yummy pasta, potato salad, buco lychee salad, vegetarian gyoza and so much more.

3. She’s a runner! She can run 5k easily. I got her a running coach and she’s really gotten hooked!

Berthas iPhone Photos-39 — Mom's a real fun travel buddy too!

4. She loves to eat. She can eat and eat and eat but not get fat. My mom can still fit in her bell bottoms from the 70’s.

5. Whenever I get injured/hurt, she’ll nurse me back to health. My mom accompanied me to two ACL surgeries, and the first therapy sessions.

I love you Mom!

I Lost 10lbs in one month since surgery

Wheelchair bound in Universal Studios Singapore

Magnum Gold

Singapore Day 1: Long Beach Seafood Dinner!

Second week of therapy: Day by day recap

Wall slides for therapy Saturday

I wish: I could teleport to the beach right now!

Heading off to Singapore with the family next week!

One week of therapy done. Two weeks after surgery.

Top 5 reasons why my mom is awesome!