Having a strong focus on your rehabilitation after surgery can make a huge difference to your results. Also, a young family and an active career were big incentives for Joe to make a strong comeback after his ACL surgery with Mr Punwar.
Here, Joe talks about his ACL experience, and hopes to inspire others to take their rehabilitation as seriously.
Joe’s ACL Injury
It was ten years ago that Joe suffered an injury when snowboarding in France. When he returned to the UK, an arthroscopy revealed existing issues within the knee tissue that may have led up to his injury. The scan showed that as well as trauma, there was a problem with blood supply to the ACL causing a weakness.
Then, Joe faced two choices – either knee reconstruction or managing his ACL condition. Wanting to avoid the risks of surgery, he chose the self-management path. But this meant avoiding impact sports like football and running, two things he enjoyed.
It was some years, and three children later, when participating in contact exercises that were part of his safety training for the police, that his weak knee gave way. This highlighted a need for surgery to fix his knee instability permanently.
ACL Repair Rehab
After his ACL reconstruction, Joe was determined to recover well, both for his family as well as his career. He had already begun some physio before the operation, although he said after the operation he really had to push through it.
“Friends of mine had told me that the success of your repair depends on strictly following the physio, so that’s what I did. Also, the physio before surgery to prepare you for what’s to come.”
“The day after surgery, I remember doing some basic foot pumps. It felt so alien! My body was telling me not to do it. It was only having read up on it and understanding how important it was that I pushed through with the exercises.”
A ‘model patient’ for ACL surgery
The success of Joe’s approach to his rehab was evident at his four-week check-up with Mr Punwar. Joe spoke to another patient that had surgery a week before his own repair. The other, seemingly younger patient, was on crutches, whereas Joe had arrived on foot, and without any walking aids. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want him to feel bad,” said Joe.
Mr Punwar has performed successful ACL surgery on patients of all ages. But although there is no age barrier, the ideal candidate is one that is motivated to get back to their activities.
“Dedication to prehab as well as good post-operative rehabilitation is the best way to achieve a full and successful recovery,” says Mr Punwar.
Mr Punwar uses the UltraSTAR surgical technique for ACL surgery, using a single, quadrupled semitendinosus graft. Studies have shown that this method can lead to better outcomes.
Joe gets running for charity
Now a huge convert to physio, Joe is continuing to recover well. He is working through a ‘Melbourne ACL rehabilitation guide’, supplementing his regular post-op physio sessions with a framework of guided exercises.
Four months after ACL repair surgery with Mr Punwar, Joe joined fellow workmates in a ‘Run, Row, Ride’ challenge raising funds for vital rehabilitation equipment, helping those with lymphoedema after cancer treatment. This was his first mile run on a treadmill since the operation 4 months ago and Joe is hoping that it will inspire others.
“This was an amazing day, to be able to be involved in such an important charity event and organised by the people that got me there.”
Joe left a 5-Star review for Mr Punwar on the Iwantgreatcare website as follows:
