rob878

Right this may sound and bit snively and whiney, however i'll write it anyway.

Recently I had a knee operation to replace a snapped acl (anterior anterior cartilage) and remove most of the cartilage after I successfully managed to tear that. Apparently all went well, however now I am suffering with a massive doom on at the moment and honestly the next six-nine months of rehab look like hell.

Previously I have dislocated 2 shoulders and spent 9 months rehab'ing, but at that time i knew that i had a goal, namely to get back playing rugby. Now with this injury i haven't got that too look forward too. So i'm doing my rehab, with no goal and too be honest i have **** all motivation to do it. Even lifting weights which I used to love, has no point to them, I was never one to like lifting with out a goal, and my goal was smashing the bejesus out of someone on a Saturday, or stop myself getting myself beaten up on the paddock. So consequently I have quietly slipped on a few kilos of lard on and am hating myself for it. Also my right leg is now like a chicken wing compared to my left which is super annoying.

So my question is what do other people do when to keep motivated at the gym? whats is your motivation and how the **** can I make the next 9 months sail past and I can hurry up and stop walking like some kind of Hunch Back of Notre Dame. And what the hell am I going to do on a Saturday afternoon to keep me out of Ikea and the pub. Otherwise i'll be like a fat alcoholic pine furniture lover.

And for the freak lovers

BOB.T

Cool scar

Take up arm wrestling Can you not look at rugby coaching, that way you'd keep your hand in but not bust your knee again

rob878

Yeah I am a qualified coach (rugby not arm wrestling ) and have been coaching for 2 years, but it gets frustrating as you see something that you have found easy to do, being repeatedly fecked up and in the end I run out of patience.

Not saying i was a good player, my frustration during coaching probably has more to do with my verbal skills at getting my ideas and points across, than the lads themselves. Though some of them have hands like cows ****, and really should take the boxing gloves off before trying to catch a ball.

mrsf

Rob,
I've also snapped my ACL in my right knee although it was over 4 years ago. Like you I had it replaced BUT I had the hamstring graft. This weakens the hamstring considerably more than a BPB. Anyway I paid for this privately as I didn't want to wait 18 months on NHS. I did the rehab for 9 months and managed to snap it AGAIN! Last June I had it replaced again (on the NHS with a wait time of 6 weeks) but this time I had the Bone Patella Bone (BPB) graft which seems to me (and my physio who is a well known football physio and has treated a few 'stars') a lot stronger although Doc's will say that there is no difference! I am now 11 months down the line and starting to play football again!

BTW Has the Doc said you can't play again?

Excuse the username my mother signed up for me when looking for a Scoob for my little brother!

Lee247

Rob

That's the second nasty scar I have seen today. New lad at our place, had a major motorbike accident and was proudly showing us his battle scars today. He's lucky to be alive and is the same boat as you, is needing motivation to get to the gym. I'll keep up with this thread and let him know the comments.

Glad the op went well.

rob878

Thanks for the reply

I have had the hamstring graft done after being told by one consultant that i would have the BPB graft. However by the time i got to surgery they changed consults and the other guy only did hamstring grafts. .

I was told not to play again as the lack of cartilage in my knee would mean i would accelerate the wear to the area and would need an artificial one sooner. Additionally at my age 31 i'm not going to play at any higher level than i have already done. So the risks of snapping it, in some mickey mouse game really isn't worth it.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Rob, I know this isn't much but try to set yourself a series of small goals instead of one big one, that way achieving each goal will be faster and easier and you may well feel like you're achieving more. Your first one could be something small like wanting to get your legs back in shape (and matching ) by the time you go to Singapore. It'll be warm and humid there and you'll need to be wearing shorts so having matching legs will make you feel better Measure all your vital stats and aim for improvement in each area by the end of say, a fortnight.

For the time being concentrate on the little goals which as you achieve each one will make you feel better, hopefully you should find that the future will gradually open up to lots of possibilities as you get fitter and back in shape.

Hang on in there matey, it will get better

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Generally, cycling is good for this type of injury; once it's healed enough to put a little stress on it.

Get out there in those lycra shorts and remember chicks dig scars

davegtt

Surely your motivation is to get the knee back to full working capacity. You mention youve piled on weight and hate yourself for it, is that not enough to get doing something worthwhile? Maybe look at swimming? No real stress but the use of the joint will help. Then set the goal as to how many laps you can do or how many in a certain time etc....

Good luck with it

SJ_Skyline

Rob,

Best of luck and hope you pull through

I popped my kneecap last weekend during an adventure race, the paramedic that treated me reckons I've done some fairly serious ligament damage to my ACL . I'm now waiting on an appointment with a specialist to see what they can do to sort it out but it looks like I'll be in the same boat you are now. With running and mountain biking playing a big part in my hobbies, I'm finding it hard looking down the barrells of a year or so out of competition.

How did you find the whole psyching yourself up for the operation and then getting about imediately afterwards?

For the score board, it's my left knee.

The Zohan

Yup, would second that, cycling is very rewarding, set yourself goals for speed/distance, etc. You can make it as tough/easy as you want and you get out in the fresh air.

One of my favorite rides on a Saturday afernoon we around Rutland Water (long route) really used to look forward to it and built up to two quite quick (for me) laps.

rob878

Thanks for everyones replies , but just to answer your question SJ_Skyline, to be honest i didn't really psyche myself up for the op. It was more of a case of accepting first that I had done to injury and then concentrating on getting to the op in the best possible shape. In my case I had 5 months between injury and operation date, so during that time i was cycling in the gym and doing isometric contractions of the quads to try and keep some muscle bulk and tone. I also did closed loop exercises, leg press, controlled body weight only squats, and stayed well away from leg extensions. I tried to get my hamstrings as strong as possible as they stabilise the knee and work with the ACL to do this. (guess who did a lot of reading before his op)

After the operation, it was a case of don't rush for anyone. Ice 20 mins every 2 hours, when they tell you too take 1000mg of paracetamol every 4 hours, do it as the pain without (and i hate taking tablets) isn't worth it. Stay away from brufen based products as well as sodium diclofenac based products after the first day as these apparently effect the grafting process. Getting about is fine i found, double crutches for the first 3 weeks single crutch for a week then off them completely by 4 weeks.

Hope this helps.

Davegtt i know what you are trying to say, but i think at the moment it's trying to get my head to appreciate a change of priorities, in the past weights running etc, was just for sport, looks was a happy by-product . Just going to the gym to look good is a bit odd to me at the moment, but hopefully i will get this sorted. But the pool idea is something i will defo being doing, thanks for your post

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Tore my ACL back in 94 & after about 12mnths of "rehab" it was fine to play football again & I've been playing ever since. Rugby might be a tad different seeing as it's a proper contact sport though! You'll probably need to change sports & set your goal as getting well / fit enough to play that instead?

TX.

Devildog

Motivation?

Do you want to end up like a lard **** and never get sex again?

Seriously though - it sounds like its the not playing rugby that's filling you with doom and gloom. Or maybe not just playing, but the whole social scene round about it.

The reality is, playing the sport you love is causing you no end of damage, and you will live to regret that in later life.

Presumably you can still coach though?

Going to the gym is not just about looks or for a specific sport. Its about general wellbeing and overall fitness.

There are many non impact sports out there that require a good level of fitness - you just need to adjust and find something else you enjoy.

rob878

Not having sex ever again??? theres no worries on that front i got married years ago, so sex hasn't been available for ages.

I think you're right about the social bit as well as the game, my entire week was geared up for saturday afternoon. Training twice a week at the club, gym three times a week, no drinking on a friday, swimming on a sunday etc etc, and of course the evening after the game getting pished as a lord

As for playing a sport that has caused me a pile of damage, the Dr at work printed out all my injuries related to rugby, the other week to press home the need to retire. I was a little shocked.

2 dislocated shoulders, 12 concussions, damaged ulna nerve resulting in stingers when tackling and tingling in the hand when working with my hands above my head. Numerous broken knuckles including a thumb that wont straighten and is now like a claw. Dislocated fingers and thumbs herniated belly button. One floating rib caused by popping it off my sternum. Floater in my right eye after an eye gouging incident. Numerous twisted ankles and knees .

I can coach but as i said before, after 2 years it has got very frustrating. Mind you when it goes right and you win, it's almost as good as winning when you are playing, almost

But you are right there are a lot of sports i can still attempt to do, off the top of my head cycling and kayaking are ones i will look at a bit closer.

DCI Gene Hunt

You need motivation?!?.... you sure that wasn't a sex change you had....

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Harsh but a fair point

rob878

Well it was the only way i thought i could get you to notice me, you good looking son of a gun .

Sal!! thats not nice

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

I got bored of being sympathetic

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Now I feel mean so have a look here, the sea kayaking sounds good Tayside Region

I've watched people doing it up at Lossie in pretty rough seas and it looked like fun

rob878

That must have taken some balance to do IT in rough seas, it's bad enough on a soft mattress.

BOB.T

I've got my bike out again, really enjoying Well, doing about 45ish down a chuffin great hill was a tad scary, especially as I had to tighten all the spokes in my front wheel the night before....I've never trued a wheel before!

DCI Gene Hunt

+



+

BOB.T

Stalker!

mart360

your motivation is there allready!

look like a chicken freak, or normal?

a dose of self pity wont solve anything, only you can,

harsh but true

stop whinging, get of your ar*e and burn calories boy !!!



mart


nice wound btw

rob878

Too true Mart , a big portion of "man up" and another of "get the **** on with it" has been taken this evening.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

It is hard to keep motivated when beset with injuries but don't let yourself slip. I have had similar problems, torn rotator cuffs, torn pec, bulging disks. It is very hard when you take one step forward and three back but just keep plugging away. Alter your diet and go light with the weights. Infact you'll get a better burn and your workouts will be no less intense if you go light. Above all and it's such a cheesy cliche, maintain a positive mental attitude. It is hard to face the fact that the pavement will no longer crack with your step but hey that's life. Don't laugh but try yoga it may help.

rob878

Fella you have just made me giggle like a loon at A) the cracked pavement bit and B) the yoga.

But mind you as The Todd pointed out there are nice women in lycra at yoga, doing all sorts of stretches, and you have to think outside the box to get into......... well you get the idea.

What the **** did you do to get into that state by the way? league per chance?

Maz

iTrader: (34)

No not league but being silly It was the exuberance of youth in my defence. The rotator cuffs went in one rep on the bench press bringing the bar down too fast and then stopping. The torn pec again benching too heavy . The back problems I always had but deadlifts and squats made it worse. I can still workout light and maintain reasonable shape but the days of heavy lifting are gone. Keep your chin up there's always light at the end of the tunnel.