Hi everyone,
I had a complete ACL reconstruction with quadriceps graft and a meniscus repair surgery in my right knee. I'm 5 months post op now (with the first month being mainly bed exercises). I do physiotherapy regularly, consisting of 3 days at a physiotherapy clinic and 3 days at home for nearly 1.5 hours - different exercises like bosu balancing, squats, jumping, mobility, strengthening, etc.
However, I am facing an issue with deep lunges in my right knee (left foot front and right leg back). When my right foot is in the front, I'm able to push my left knee completely down and touch the ground. But when the right is in the back I am unable to push my right knee to the deep lunge position - I just can't push more than a certain extent like around a 60% deep lunge - it feels blocked and very tight.
I am able to do deep squats, sit on ankles (although with some difficulty), so knee mobility/flexion doesn't really seem to be the real issue cause I can bend more than lunge requires. What I noticed was after taking table/chair support on both sides and lowering in a deep lunge with my right in the back - at that position my right foot is basically not taking any weight and is unable to. The entire support is on my left and I assume its impossible to do the deep lunge without the right providing significant support to body - but it just can't even if I intentionally try.
Is this normal to happen or kinda some exception scenario. What is the solution to do, will it just come eventually with quad strengthening. Are there different exercises specifically for deep lunge (quad strength in deep flexion). Do I have to stengthen some different muscle instead. Would really appreciate support cause I've been struggling on this would nearly 1.5 months despite a lot of phsyio (also I feel my quad progress is significantly below what it should be - apparently the leg extension machine test said its only around 35%)