Coming back from knee injury

[TreSk8sAZ]

Hello everyone. As many of you know, I took a horrendous fall the morning I left for Adult Pac Coasts. I skated there, but came home and found out that I had torn a bunch of stuff in my knee. Well, the surgery is over, and I've finally got the stitches out. I'll be resuming my physical therapy and have a few weeks to go before I'm allowed back on the ice.

However, my Orthopedic surgeon basically just told me that once I'm back on the ice I am restricted from jumping for another three weeks. I'll be asking my coach and physical therapist this question (while I mull over it for another at LEAST month) but thought I'd get everyone's opinions here.

When I do get back on the ice (eventually 4 months after I fell) what types of exercises should I do to regain my skating muscles, being able to bend, etc?

I'm assuming I'll have lots of stroking, crossovers, cross-rolls, etc. But what drills do you all think would be most helpful? Especially getting the feel of turning again on my newly repaired knee (I have to say I'm a bit worried about that).

Keep in mind I'm a Silver level dancer, and on Intermediate Moves. I also used to be working on my doubles -- though jumps I'm ignoring right now. Thanks in advance!!

[jenlyon60]

I am in the process of resuming skating after having my right knee scoped to clean it up (I had a fairly decent case of Chondromalacia patellae). Completed 2 months of physical therapy a couple weeks ago. This is what I was told by my physical therapist and my gym trainer (who used to be an NHL strength and conditioning coach).

1. Start with not more than 20 minutes per session, 2 times a week. (FWIW, the first time out, I couldn't do more than about 5 minutes continuous, but that was because my boots had dried out and my ankles were in excruciating pain, even with bunga sleeves.)

2. Focus on basic stroking and just getting feet under me and using the knees. (This I did and have been doing. Biggest thing I've noticed is that while I am stroking correctly, I don't seem to have any great amount of power in the stroke. This is on both sides so I think some of this is mental that either I don't totally trust the "fixed" knee or I'm overly cautious. In any case, the root cause is that I'm not getting the weight shift quite right on the stroking. It's getting better each time, though.)

Think out a gradual return to activities. You don't want to hope in and immediately start putting too much stress on the knee.

I was surprised how "beginner" I felt the first time I got back out on the ice. The boots are feeling pretty normal but I'm still feeling strange.

One of my coaches also recommended that I not even think about taking a lesson until I could stay in the skates with minimal breaks for 30 minutes. And she said that after having returned to skating after meniscus surgery.