I woke up at 4:00 a.m. with my daughter jumping on the bed. Neither of us managed to fall back asleep, so breakfast came early. I decided to head to the office earlier than usual. I had to leave at noon to see Dr. Sergio, and I could feel the nerves building. Big appointment. Big questions. And on top of that, the surgery bill was still an unknown. Not exactly calming.
Dr. Sergio, however, changed the tone immediately. He was genuinely happy with my progress. He saw me using one crutch, asked me to drop it, and told me to walk. Then he said it clearly. Stop using crutches. You’re done.
That moment landed hard. In a good way. Walking again on two feet felt amazing and strange at the same time. Out on the street, without support, I realized how much conscious effort it still takes. Every step requires attention. Nothing is automatic yet.
The doctor told me something else that mattered. He expected much worse. People who travel this much, for this long, often come back with serious setbacks. I did not. That felt like validation for all the discipline, ice packs, hotel-room physio, and early exits.
He laid out the next phase clearly:
- Swimming is allowed (freestyle only), with legs kept between the arms, for the next 45 days
- Gym work includes leg press up to 45 degrees, stationary bike with very low resistance and no time limit
- Elliptical training is allowed
- No golf yet, only putting is permitted
- Driving and travel are fully allowed
- Ice and elevation are now used only when needed, not as a mandatory routine
- Main focus shifts to flexion, extension, and muscle gain
- Post-op physiotherapy continues for about 1.5 more months before transitioning to sport-specific work
I walked out of that appointment genuinely happy.
Later, I met with Cleyber. He was also clearly pleased to see me without crutches. We worked on muscle release and practiced walking. It is surprisingly hard after two months. Patterns need to be rebuilt.
Then came heavy quad activation with NMES on full intensity. Pain showed up on the upper-left side of the knee. We tried a brace, but it did not help much. I pushed through it. After that, we went hard on flexion. The doctor wants around ten degrees per week. I started at 100 degrees and finished the session at 110. That is real progress. It was also extremely painful. Cleyber reminded me that this is often the most painful phase of recovery.
I got home, iced, rested, and jet lag finally caught up with me. I fell asleep on the sofa.
Today hurt. But today also proved something important. I am not just recovering anymore. I am rebuilding.
Key Takeaways
- Crutches are officially done
- Progress exceeded medical expectations despite heavy travel
- Walking still requires conscious effort and relearning
- Next phase focuses on range of motion and strength
- Flexion gains are painful but measurable
- Recovery is now shifting from protection to rebuilding