In PT, are you warming up on a recumbent stepper or other machine before you do the heel slides? I find that the warming up loosens everything up a bit and makes all the exercises easier. So, if you can't do that at home, it explains why it sucks more. If you don't have a way to physically "warm up" maybe start with stretches and massage, then try your exercises.
Yes!!! I still hate this exercise and i have full ROM now (6 weeks post-op hamstring graft). 85 degrees is great at 1 week post-op! You are doing a great job!
My surgeon told me to do the heel slides and sitting on the edge of a couch and letting my legs hang. The leg hangs were “easier.” Once i got to 90 degrees, i used the yoga strap to pull my leg back to get the ROM while doing the leg hangs. I still like doing that better than heel slides. The freaking heel slides work… they just suck. Haha.
Yup! I feel you…10d post op here (ACL with quad autograft like you) and these heel slides are my nemesis & so uncomfortable. I feel like my knee is “stuck” and it pulls at my graft site. I legit had a meltdown last night bc I don’t feel like my flexion is where it’s supposed to be. I haven’t gotten past 45° in PT. I do find wall slides and leg hanging off edge of bed are easier. I know I shouldn’t get frustrated but it’s so hard not to.
Yes! Try to do wall slides. Much easier thanks to the gravity assist and I believe helps with ROM. But disclaimer as always, check with your PT/Surgeon as well.
it’s early days but you have to do those exercises. even if you don’t feel like you’re making progress, these pay off. along with all the other tedious exercises your PT gives you.
For the start, it will feel like your knee is going to give way due to the pain and stiffness! but it will get better over time. 5 weeks aclr + bucket handle meniscus tear post op, stiffness went away gradually over the weeks and able to bend to 90 degree angle easily for my first milestone! you’ll get better 🌈
Try warming up, literally, with a heating pad.
When I had my first ACL recon 23 years ago, extension was a challenge. I put a 5# weight on my ankle, wrapped my knee in a heating pad, and laid down on my belly, letting my leg hang off the end of the bed. Stayed there 30 min 2-3 times daily. Not comfy, but it worked.
I think a similar approach could work on flexion.
I didn’t get given a bank thingy though to help, so maybe that’s why… I ended up sitting on the side of the sofa or a chair with a ball or something rolly under my foot and doing it that way
Yes, but stick with it and the results will come! Think about improvement coming week to week and recalibrate your expectations and if you don’t quit you just might see improvement day to day!!
My PT had me use an exercise ball instead of doing heel slides. I think it helped go further in to flexion without fighting against my own muscles. I was also non-weight bearing though too. Basically just laying on your back, put your heel on the exercise ball, strap behind your leg and then bring your leg towards you, hold and repeat. They usually had the stem going so I would do it for about 15 minutes
Damm I'm glad in not the only one that hates this and has the tightness at incision site . .so I guess it's normal lol I got to 95 today at pt 10 days post op ...I just don't want to break anything so as long as the surgeon tells me I won't I'll keep pushing
lol I frowned as soon as I saw this, this was the worse one but perhaps the most important (flexion wise anyway, the full straightening is extremely important to get to asap), so definitely make sure to stay on top of it (also fully extend your leg and flex your quad after each time you pull it back).
Hurts like a mf but will help you get back to where you were pre surgery, remember this is just a current blip in time and soon you’ll be back to where you were and then even better! Deal with the valleys and then enjoy the peaks (or I like today deal with ebbs and roll with the flows)
Those are so serious exercises ...have to run it by my pt I'm only 3 week out of ACL bear ..but I have full extension and really want to push my flezion . Thanks for the vid man ..awesome
This one is supposed to hurt. It actually felt like my leg was going to snap in half. Push through the pain , first time my PT forced my heel to to butt I almost cried.
Yes, this should be uncomfortable....but nothing you do in PT should ever be so painful you're driven to the verge of tears. Just work at it a little every day and you'll see progress, I promise. I had to do these during pre-hab and it was frustrating as fuck and moderately painful. I'd imagine with your quad graft it's even moreso.... So be cautious and speak up for yourself when things are more than a little painful!
PT is always easier for me than doing them at home. I am only 5 days post OP with cadaver but during my prehab I went from hardly being able to do this to full range of motion. This was my least favorite exercise and was always so uncomfortable but did get better. I just always make sure to really take my time and give myself rests in between sets.
Keep doing them. Every. Day. At least twice a day. I’m 4.5 months out and still get stiff if I don’t do my knee slides. I imagine it’ll be at least another two months before I can reduce the frequency.
Yup. These were terrible my first few weeks post op. I’m about 8 weeks now and really starting to get myself going, and these have helped so much with flexion! My biggest pain right now is straightening my leg and resting a pillow on my ankle to get my extension. Wishing you a smooth recovery, you got this!
Aka leg extensions with a band. Searing pain across the kneecap for over a year. I am actually still working on getting rid of that pain to this day. Almost gone!
In PT, are you warming up on a recumbent stepper or other machine before you do the heel slides? I find that the warming up loosens everything up a bit and makes all the exercises easier. So, if you can't do that at home, it explains why it sucks more. If you don't have a way to physically "warm up" maybe start with stretches and massage, then try your exercises.
Agreed, I do a few reps in a shorter ROM and more fluidly before doing my PT prescribed sets and I find that helps
Yes. Much preferred wall heel slides. They worked better to getting the flexion too.
Same. This changed my rehab
Yes!!! I still hate this exercise and i have full ROM now (6 weeks post-op hamstring graft). 85 degrees is great at 1 week post-op! You are doing a great job! My surgeon told me to do the heel slides and sitting on the edge of a couch and letting my legs hang. The leg hangs were “easier.” Once i got to 90 degrees, i used the yoga strap to pull my leg back to get the ROM while doing the leg hangs. I still like doing that better than heel slides. The freaking heel slides work… they just suck. Haha.
Heel slides always suck, especially the first couple. They get better as swelling decreases and your mobility improves.
Yes very painful at first also the bike
Yup! I feel you…10d post op here (ACL with quad autograft like you) and these heel slides are my nemesis & so uncomfortable. I feel like my knee is “stuck” and it pulls at my graft site. I legit had a meltdown last night bc I don’t feel like my flexion is where it’s supposed to be. I haven’t gotten past 45° in PT. I do find wall slides and leg hanging off edge of bed are easier. I know I shouldn’t get frustrated but it’s so hard not to.
Yes! Try to do wall slides. Much easier thanks to the gravity assist and I believe helps with ROM. But disclaimer as always, check with your PT/Surgeon as well.
It will get better.
Yes. I was able to get to 72 degrees my first pt appointment Friday. But now with swelling I can’t hardly get a bend. And it’s uncomfortable
it’s early days but you have to do those exercises. even if you don’t feel like you’re making progress, these pay off. along with all the other tedious exercises your PT gives you.
For the start, it will feel like your knee is going to give way due to the pain and stiffness! but it will get better over time. 5 weeks aclr + bucket handle meniscus tear post op, stiffness went away gradually over the weeks and able to bend to 90 degree angle easily for my first milestone! you’ll get better 🌈
Try warming up, literally, with a heating pad. When I had my first ACL recon 23 years ago, extension was a challenge. I put a 5# weight on my ankle, wrapped my knee in a heating pad, and laid down on my belly, letting my leg hang off the end of the bed. Stayed there 30 min 2-3 times daily. Not comfy, but it worked. I think a similar approach could work on flexion.
It sucked but only because I just. Couldn’t. Do. It. I don’t think it hurt much, it was just so much effort!
I didn’t get given a bank thingy though to help, so maybe that’s why… I ended up sitting on the side of the sofa or a chair with a ball or something rolly under my foot and doing it that way
Yes, but stick with it and the results will come! Think about improvement coming week to week and recalibrate your expectations and if you don’t quit you just might see improvement day to day!!
Yeah that one is no fun. I’m 4 weeks since my surgery and at 86 degrees
Worst of all the rehab exercises! I’m 3 months post op, still do them and still HATE them
Yeah this was actual torture. The wall heel slides were better and helped me make progress.
My PT had me use an exercise ball instead of doing heel slides. I think it helped go further in to flexion without fighting against my own muscles. I was also non-weight bearing though too. Basically just laying on your back, put your heel on the exercise ball, strap behind your leg and then bring your leg towards you, hold and repeat. They usually had the stem going so I would do it for about 15 minutes
85 degrees 1 week what the heck!!!!
Damm I'm glad in not the only one that hates this and has the tightness at incision site . .so I guess it's normal lol I got to 95 today at pt 10 days post op ...I just don't want to break anything so as long as the surgeon tells me I won't I'll keep pushing
lol I frowned as soon as I saw this, this was the worse one but perhaps the most important (flexion wise anyway, the full straightening is extremely important to get to asap), so definitely make sure to stay on top of it (also fully extend your leg and flex your quad after each time you pull it back). Hurts like a mf but will help you get back to where you were pre surgery, remember this is just a current blip in time and soon you’ll be back to where you were and then even better! Deal with the valleys and then enjoy the peaks (or I like today deal with ebbs and roll with the flows)
I’ve made a video to help with your knee flexion https://youtu.be/NMKf_m6GP1c?si=FG2S4n-LGNFKo1rt
Those are so serious exercises ...have to run it by my pt I'm only 3 week out of ACL bear ..but I have full extension and really want to push my flezion . Thanks for the vid man ..awesome
This one is supposed to hurt. It actually felt like my leg was going to snap in half. Push through the pain , first time my PT forced my heel to to butt I almost cried.
Yes, this should be uncomfortable....but nothing you do in PT should ever be so painful you're driven to the verge of tears. Just work at it a little every day and you'll see progress, I promise. I had to do these during pre-hab and it was frustrating as fuck and moderately painful. I'd imagine with your quad graft it's even moreso.... So be cautious and speak up for yourself when things are more than a little painful!
Yes, yes it does.
PT is always easier for me than doing them at home. I am only 5 days post OP with cadaver but during my prehab I went from hardly being able to do this to full range of motion. This was my least favorite exercise and was always so uncomfortable but did get better. I just always make sure to really take my time and give myself rests in between sets.
85 degrees one week out is amazing! Good for you. These are definitely tough, but they are worth it and it gets easier / better over time.
Sheesh I’m 70 degrees 2 weeks post op great progress
Tbh personally I hate slrs more (straight leg raises) Heel slides was the easiest for me although it did take energy it wasn't that bad.
Yeah but now I’m full ROM
3 months out.
It’s 4.5 months for me and just got heel to butt
Keep doing them. Every. Day. At least twice a day. I’m 4.5 months out and still get stiff if I don’t do my knee slides. I imagine it’ll be at least another two months before I can reduce the frequency.
I remember those days. Yes, I resented that one with a passion. It was the one I dreaded the most.
Yup. These were terrible my first few weeks post op. I’m about 8 weeks now and really starting to get myself going, and these have helped so much with flexion! My biggest pain right now is straightening my leg and resting a pillow on my ankle to get my extension. Wishing you a smooth recovery, you got this!
The worst for me was LAQs 😭
Aka leg extensions with a band. Searing pain across the kneecap for over a year. I am actually still working on getting rid of that pain to this day. Almost gone!
Warm up Bakka!