I’m like Superman
by Joe Lauzon on Apr.30, 2009, under Blog
Whenever people hear “ACL surgery” they assume the worst. I know for a long time, an ACL surgery was the end of an athletes career. I have gotten so many emails from people telling me it ended their football, soccer, track and basketball careers. Tomorrow will be 8 weeks since surgery and I am amazed at how much more I am able to do. Rehab has come a long way.
I think the last time I posted an update on my knee, I was just starting to get calf raises and they had started stretching my knee more. The last time they measured the range of motion in my knee, I was around 140 degrees and I have improved a little bit since then. I still don’t get my leg completely straight to 0 degrees… but I am pretty close. I was at 5 for a while and now I am at maybe 2. They had me on a certain setting on that spring loaded brace and I wasn’t using it as much as I should have been because I was on the go a lot more. I have been focusing on getting the time in though and have bumped the setting on it to give more tension and its made a big difference.
Stability is still a little bit tough… my balance just isn’t where I would like it to be. They have me standing on my bad leg and doing different exercises while maintaining my balance. I do alright at it, but not as well as I would like. I have been working on it at home and I do fine before my leg is tired, but they have me do it while my leg is fatigued at rehab and there is definite room for improvement.
Strength though has been great. Right now I do 3 laps of lunges with a medicine ball, 4 sets of 10 front squats with a 30 pound bar, vertical leap to a box that’s 24 inches high while holding a medicine ball, jumping rope for 4 sets of 1:30, leg press machine (4 sets of 10 with 320 pounds using both legs, then 4 sets of 15 with 140 pounds on my bad leg), a slide board (that resembles roller blading by pushing off with one side and then the other) and then walking sideways with a elastic band around my feet to add resistance.
I feel like I am crushing the strength stuff, even when we add something new. The balance stuff as I said is still a little slow, but they will come.
I have been going to my school a lot and even did VERY light training on Monday night. I put on the gi and did very slow guard stuff… armlocks, sweeps, etc with people I trust to go slow and not do anything stupid. My knee felt good the entire time but I definitely felt anxious about even the smallest movement. At the end of class I was walking across the mat and Joe Pomfret was telling me to slow down and take it easy and I did one of those vertical leaps onto the desk (about 30″ high). And he just goes “oh…”. It was pretty funny. He didn’t realize I am like Superman… it just so happens MMA fighters and knee injuries are my kryptonite.
15 Comments for this entry
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April 30th, 2009 on 12:12 pm
Great blog update, Joe. I’m happy to see how well you are progressing! That is a quick recovery. How has your weight been? Have you gained more than you usually do? What about stuff like your Abs – maybe you could write some about your diet – what you eat. Obviously that goes a long way towards the weight and tone/definition.
Keep up the great work!
April 30th, 2009 on 12:18 pm
Can not wait to see you in action again always love watching you fight. oh yeah but “take it easy” lol
April 30th, 2009 on 12:40 pm
Glad to hear it. Can’t wait to see you back in action. I predict a title shot in the near future.
April 30th, 2009 on 12:58 pm
http://twitter.com/MMA/status/1661192745
#MMA world can’t wait til you’re back at 100%. you don’t need to be Superman, just be J-Lo the Psycho. RT @JoeLauzon http://cli.gs/e6BR2P
April 30th, 2009 on 1:01 pm
The MMA world can’t wait til you’re back at 100%. You don’t need to be Superman, just be J-Lo the Psycho.
April 30th, 2009 on 1:37 pm
Haven’t been doing anything for abs… we do core at rehab and then I do my normal upper body stuff (chins, dips) twice a week.
I’m eating buffalo chicken pizza right now… and weighing about 160. Lost a lot of weight because of the muscle loss in my leg.
April 30th, 2009 on 6:13 pm
Joe – Dont write about your diet. Please! – Jeff
April 30th, 2009 on 6:21 pm
Good to see your progress coming along Joe. Don’t over-do yourself too much.
I can’t wait to see you in the cage again. You’re a class act guy.
May 1st, 2009 on 10:50 am
Hey – thanks for the answer to my questions Joe. Ah, so the usual “core” work takes care of your Abs. Well, you’re still young. Wait 20 years – then see if you don’t have to work on your abs much
Course, by then maybe you won’t care. I’m not sure why I do. I guess I just don’t want to look like a fat, sloppy effer – lol.
Yeah, I hadn’t considered the fact that you would actually *lose* weight because of the muscule loss.
Keep up the positive attitude and work.
May 2nd, 2009 on 8:45 am
Hey sounds like you are really coming along swiftly – probably to what good shape you were in before the surgery – keep up the good progress. See you at the fights tonite.
May 3rd, 2009 on 1:53 am
Once again you give us some quality insight into how the whole fight game has evolved in the last 20 years. Especially the new athlete with access to new sports medicine and sports technology grouped together with old school hard work is inspiring. Your relationship with your coach seems key also- it sounds like he definitely puts your well being & health before the “business”- also inspiring.
Could you give us a few reflections on his influence- maybe some simple stuff that seemed not a big deal at the time, but in hindsight showed how he helps as a guide for “Team Lauzon” – maybe his simple encouragment to seek outside training.
May 3rd, 2009 on 1:56 pm
Joe,
I feel for you as I just tore my ACL 2 weeks ago. I am probably going to opt for “double bundle” acl reconstruction. Did you know about this procedure when you were deciding upon your surgery? Comments or opinions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8qSIHvJDx8
Get better Joe.
May 6th, 2009 on 2:16 pm
Heal safely! 3 months out from a spinal fusion surgery after a severe auto accident, everything was ahead of schedule, attempting a return to work. 1 year out facing a second, more serious, complete 360 degree fusion, losing a job as a medic, due to “incomplete adhesion”.
In other words, you are a fine tuned athlete with amazing recouperative powers. Please remember if you re-enter competition too early, it may reduce your total MMA career in the long run. As a couch jokey, your work ethic is apparent in your wins and hopefully in your decision to return.
XMedic
May 11th, 2009 on 10:07 pm
Joe, you are AMAZING! 8 weeks after surgery and you were already doing 4 sets of front squats of 10 with 30lb bar. I was barely allowed to carry a medicine ball at 8 weeks. This is my 12th week, and I am using 8 inches box and still no jumps yet!
I found that doing stretches in the jacuzzi really helped me regain my range of motion. Even though I am still unable to kick my heel to my butt (neither could I do it before the injury.
, I was able to achieve 0 degree around week 6.
Keep on the good work–you are my inspiration now!
May 17th, 2009 on 7:38 am
Just get better and stick to the regiment. Do what it takes to get back.
Cold temperatures gave me nerve damage when I gave up my room for my sister after her brain sergery and slept in the outside porch. I’ve been limping since Jan but am improving slowly. Only my left arm suffers partial paralysis and pain from about 4 falls I took.
If I can make a small comeback without any aid from doctors I cannot afford. You can do it with a trained staff at your side. Please make it back. Love your brother (the Upgrade) but still a fan of yours since you wiggled your ears on the The Ultimate Fighter show.