The Secrets to Rapid Recovery
Written by Gina Fontaine and originally posted on www.ginafontaine.com on June 17, 2022.
One year ago today, on June 17, 2021, I had a total reconstruction of my right knee ACL. I celebrate that my recovery at the age of 48 has been rapid and I feel stronger now than I was before.
I am competing again in USTA tennis league for the first time in 11 years. In May, I climbed the 2,744 stairs of the daunting Manitou incline along with the 4 mile descent with ZERO PAIN.
I believe injury and illness are an invitation to change. My big change was SELF-CARE. Taking several months off from seeing clients and teaching classes gave me the opportunity for the first time in my 25 year career to focus my attention on ME.
This is me hours after surgery.
What was my secret to rapid recovery? I am going to share with you 5 tools and practices I used to regain strength, mobility and confidence and return to the game of life better than before.
1. Blood flow
“Blood touches everything, and it is involved in every aspect of your life,” says Edmund Kwan, MD, in his book Let It Flow. It carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells and takes toxins and waste out of the body. Anesthesia stunts blood flow and it can take up to a week to get all the residual out of the body.
I use a pulsed electromagnetic device (PEMF). It is a muscle stimulator that increases total body blood flow by up to 30 % for 15 hours! I began using my machine after I got home from the hospital. My swelling was minimal. 4 days after surgery, I was pedaling a full rotation on the stationary bike. When I had this surgery as a 16 year old, that accomplishment took at least a month! For more information about this device click here.
2. Hydration
Blood is 80% water, so it stands to reason that quality water improves recovery. I use an Electrolyzed Reduced Water system made by a Japanese company. One 32 oz glass of this hydrogen infused water contains the equivalent amount of antioxidants to 5 pounds of blueberries. In short, drinking this water protects the cells from oxidative damage which leads to inflammation. When my physical therapist saw my knee 5 days after surgery, she could not believe how little swelling I had.
3. Neurology
What if you could wear a sock or a brace that triggered the nervous system to regulate pain and improve motor control and balance? This technology exists in the form of the VOXX HPT technology. When neuroreceptors on the feet or in the knee come in contact with the pattern woven into the socks or brace, a neuro response is triggered that activates the pain control center of the brain. Cool huh? I love this technology so much, I became a rep for the company. Check it out here.
4. Good Nutrition
I admit it. Nutrition is not my favorite thing. If I could eat ice cream every meal, I probably would. When I discovered I could get high quality, organic produce by consuming yummy tasting gummies, I was sold on JuicePlus+ as a daily habit. The majority of Americans consumes less than 1 cup of fruit and 1.5 cups of veggies per day. I like knowing that I am getting my daily requirements met, especially during times of recovery like post-surgery. I began taking these supplements immediately after my surgery, and I am not a supplement kind of gal.
5. Positive Mindset
When I would look at my knees in the early days, it looked like an image from a horror flick. I quickly realized that my disgust was not helping my cause. I developed a mantra “I love my body and my body loves me.” I talked to my knee telling it that I appreciated the lessons it had to provide me. During my recovery, in fact, I finished writing and editing my book and I believe the positive mindset fueled my writing.
This is me just this week competing in my first USTA tennis match since surgery. I am moving with confidence, running from the baseline to the net, cutting side to side and doing it with ease.