March 25th marks the 8th month since my microfracture surgery. I recently heard a professional athlete say that his expected recovery time for his microfracture was 8 months. Based on the way I feel, the 8 month number sounds about right.
6 months was the basic time frame that my surgeon gave me. The 6 month mark felt much different than the 5 month mark (for the better). At 6 months, I felt pretty good. All in all, I would say that I was recovered. But, I would not say that I was very strong or capable to do much. The difference I feel between 6 and 7 months, or 6 and 8 months is not nearly as dramatic as with 5 to 6 months. I feel better.
At 6 months, I think I turned the corner on recovery. Medically, I think that is the right number, but at 8 months I feel much better both mentally and physically. I don’t think I am as strong as I could be. I feel like I am not doing rehab, but rather I am working out again. I am putting good efforts in on the bike and generating a sweat. I am doing more with the leg weights in the gym. I don’t think about it when I jump or skip around. I can chase the kids and the dog again.
So, I think the procedure was good for me. I can do more now than I could before the surgery. The recovery is long and hard. I don’t think I am done, but that may just be the fact that I am not 16 anymore. No matter what I do physically will take work. At least I can put in the effort and enjoy doing things again. I am going to continue to ramp up my activities until the 1 year mark. I doubt I will do much running, but that wasn’t ever rally part of the agenda.
I don’t think the blog will end here, but if it did, I would say this has been a successful microfracture surgery. Thank you Dr. Behr!
Awesome, Steve! It’s great to hear you’re doing so much better.
Hope to hook up to do some climbing again some time…
Rob