Since the MRI results showed that my knee suffered a full ACL tear, I've been going to physical therapy. They said that the stronger the muscles in the leg before the surgery, the quicker the recovery will be.
Since I was in no pain at all (apparently because it was a complete tear, not a partial tear), I could choose when to have the surgery performed. My parents were coming out from Australia in January and I had big projects in December and January, so I told them any date after February 3rd. Kiron had researched which was the better hospital for this surgery (Rex or Wake) and decided that Rex was better.
So February 20 was the date selected.
So, once a week until then, I've been going to physical thearpy to build up the leg. Here are the exercises I've been doing:
Warmup: bike for 5 minutes; sometimes treadmill instead
Step up, step down, step side: Using one of those plastic aerobics steps with one or two extra legs, do 15 (later 25) steps using the bad knee, each time, coming back down touching the heel of the good leg on the floor.
Vectors (aka reaches): Standing on the bad leg, stretching out the good leg, touching the heel to the ground while bending the bad knee to maixmize the reach. Do this at the 0 degree mark (ie straight out), then 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 135 degrees, 180 degrees. Each time, return the good leg back and stand up straight again. Repeat 10 rounds. Actually to keep the good leg, I continued the circle and did the same angles on that side too.
Wall squats: Standing up, leaning back against a smooth wall. Feet about 30cm from the wall, Put an inflatable ball (20cm diameter) between my knees. Slide down the wall so my legs are horizontal, then squeeze the ball with my knees for a 5 count. Slide back up again. Repeat 15-25 times. Later I did these squats just on my bad leg (no ball) - much harder.
Balancing vectors: The therapist has a half-circle length of foam. The foam piece is place on the floor with the curved size on the bottom and flat side facing up. Stand on the bad leg on the foam and do the Vectors (0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees as described above).
Balance & catch: On the same half-circle of foam, stand just on the bad leg and play catch with the therapist. They will throw the ball (a fairly heavy one) attempting to throw you off balance. Good for strengthening the ankle.
Leg extensions: Using a piece of flexible rubbery material, tied to form a loop. This is tied round the leg of one of their tables. Insert the bad leg into the loop, at the ankle. Then, standing near the table leg, stretch the bad leg away from the table leg, such that the rubber loop is providing resistance. Repeat this in all four directions (front, rear, both sides)15-25 times.
Seated knee compresses: Sit on a stool facing the table leg with the bad leg in the rubber loop. Attempt to pull your ankle towards you so as to stretch the rubber loop and strengthen the hamstring.