Teresa Murphy is Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Fletcher Allen.
It’s been two weeks since my surgery and last week I officially became “crutch free”. This was my first time using crutches and to be honest, I wasn’t a big fan. Why?
Here are my top five reasons:
5. Getting up during the night or early in the morning requires a new level of “alertness”.
4. Transporting oneself from point A to point B requires twice the time and in some cases a whole new approach.
3. Professionalism can be questioned when the briefcase is substituted for a “knapsack” on my back.
2. Regardless of what you do to them, or you, crutches are not fashionable.
1. It’s impossible to carry a cup of coffee (something I need!) throughout the day!
So what’s next? My physical therapy started on October 21st at the Orthopedic Specialty
Knee Post Surgery
Center. Initially, my range of motion was limited, causing me to walk with a limp. It turned out that my quad muscle was very tight, so Nancy, my therapist, started me with some nice, easy stretching exercises . . . including a massage! That was clearly the highlight of the session.
Physical Therapy Exercises for Knee
In subsequent sessions, I’ve started incorporating more strengthening exercises. I now need to focus on all my “homework” – over 11 daily exercises! They’re not too difficult, but committing to them is hard work. Fortunately, the results are quick, which I like.
My goal is to be running again in three months. . . . if not sooner!
Teresa Murphy is Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Fletcher Allen
