Alan, age 45
The physical rehabilitation went along smoothly, and I still recall the pleasure of returning to my favorite activities. Today, I play doubles and singles tennis, I hike and bicycle and occasionally jog.
I play sports with my three sons, aged 8, 11, and 16, and even wrestle with them from time to time. (I’ve recently stopped wrestling with my sixteen year old—though I can’t honestly say it has anything to do with my knee.) And, except for downhill skiing, I never use a brace.
For about a year and a half after the surgery, I did experience some pain in my knee. It wasn’t terrible, but it would make me quite uncomfortable from time to time. After I took a yoga class and learned some excellent stretches for my leg, the pain went away. Although I no longer do yoga, I continue to use those leg stretches, for they do make a difference.
In general, my left leg takes a little extra care. The extra time is minimal, but it seems important. After playing tennis or using a Stairmaster or treadmill, I will make sure to always stretch out my left leg. I know it’s something that I should do for both legs anyway. But if I don’t stretch my left leg, I will notice some tightness and occasionally pain in the knee.
My left leg is not quite as strong as my right one. The difference isn’t glaring and really doesn’t limit my activities. But when the difference in strength becomes apparent, I will begin a series of strengthening exercises for my left leg. The routine is simple—I do three sets of leg lifts before I go to bed and then again when I wake up. After about a week, I no longer notice any difference in strength between my two legs.
Clearly, the surgery made a very big difference in my life. After seven years, I continue to be delighted with the results.