Another milestone! Coming up for 9 weeks post TKR
Posted , 7 users are following.
Last night, for the first time since the TKR we went out for a meal with the family. Living in a bungalow means I've not done steps and because of knees haven't done steps for over 10 years but with the increased exercise and increasing confidence in the new knee, we went to a restaurant that had two lots of four steps. I managed fine! The new knee is wonderful! I'm now able to do my bike at a level seven resistance - before only went up to two or three and am pushing to get closer and closer to the pedals because I figure this is good for the knee that will be done late summer too. Am just about as close as it's physically possible to get now, with no problem. Service was slow in the restaurant and we were there sitting for about two plus hours. When I stood up both knees were stiff but the operated one eased within a few steps. It was the unoperated one giving me the grief, but hey, what's new LOL!
I wondered if the sitting, and probably more swelling would affect the bend last night (yes, still did that when we got home) but got to 136, so well pleased the way that's going. Aiming for 140, but we'll see.
I feel fitter and stronger than I have for about 20 years, already! This is so good! A few weeks ago I was feeling weak and unbalanced as I walked but now feeling so much better. I think part of it is confidence in my new knee.
I just want to encourage those feeling that the time has come for a new knee but are really worried. I put these ops off for so long because I was worried about 'something going wrong' but then once I decided I was going for it, decided it wasn't going to 'go wrong' and it's been the best thing I could have ever done. Can't wait for the next one now! I'm 67 but this has taken years off me! Before, I felt like an 80 year old, struggling to walk so much. Yes, the other knee is still bad but one good knee is so much better than no good knees!
Just a tip, that MIGHT help others waiting for a knee op. EVERY morning (or in the night if I have to get up for a wee) I NEVER get up out of bed without straightening and stretching the unoperated knee and did this with both knees for years. If I got up without doing this the knee would give way with the most awful pain, but just stretching and straightening it first made so much difference. It might just help someone else! Wishing you all a pain free happy day!
2 likes, 21 replies
jenny80029 chris00938
Posted
Congratulations! Fantastic news, and encouraging! I am 7 weeks now,
and it is lovely to hear of your achievement!😃
chris00938 jenny80029
Posted
Thanks Jenny! You'll soon be there too:-))))
ellen57898 chris00938
Posted
I never thought that I would ever be pain free. But I am off of everything.
Those struggling with pain and PT and sadness it WILL get better!!
Ellen
chris00938 ellen57898
Posted
Ellen, it's SO exciting, isn't it! And to walk your pup like that - WOW!!!!! While my husband was out I tentatively got on his eliptical (cross trainer). The last time I tried it was the day it arrived, about three years ago and I didn't have a hope and had to get straight off. Couldn't manage one rotation but today I did a couple of rotations:-))) I didn't think I'd be able to attempt this until after the other knee was done but having one good knee and working the other one harder is paying off! The stronger muscles are making up for the weakness that the arthritis is causing in that unoperated knee and making me feel safer! It is all SO exciting! Yes, those struggling with pain and bend and straightening - it IS SO worth it!!!!!!
cheryl90571 chris00938
Posted
Nice progress!😊👍👍
Great to hear how you are noticing your successes because that really helps in creating a positive attitude in this recovery marathon that we are all on here!
Totally agree with you about the stretching thing BEFORE ever standing up! I still do that nearly two years post surgery!
Glad you did well with the steps! I'm good at going UP steps but STILL quite cautious going DOWN them. We have a split level home, so there's only six steps to the upper level and six to go down to our family room. Both of our sons and their wives have FOURTEEN STEPS to their upstairs and our oldest has an additional FOURTEEN to their basement playroom/ workout room. THANK GOODNESS there railings on both sides! Stairs can be pretty scary!!!😬
Wishing you much continued success in your recovery!😊
chris00938 cheryl90571
Posted
My daughter in law was SO surprised to see me handle the steps at the restaurant yesterday! She looked at me in alarm and said 'Oh my goodness - you can do stairs now! I'll have to clean upstairs in our house!' LOL! I am going to try half a dozen of their stairs when I go round next, and if they're not a problem, then away we go LOL!
Yes, I DO think we need to celebrate every little milestone towards recovery because it's all a step better than it was before the op! We have to be grateful for that! Thanks Cheryl and the same to you!
cheryl90571 chris00938
Posted
That sounds like something MY daughters-in-law would say!😁
It was funny the other day when our little granddaughter (19 months) came to visit. We usually go to their house because EVERYTHING is baby proofed, but on THIS day she and her daddy, our son, came here. They are the ones with TWO sets of 14 steps and have baby gates EVERYWHERE (tops and bottoms of their steps FOR SURE!)
They have been practicing with Arya at their house, holding her hand and having her hold the railing.
She was SO EXCITED to go up and down OUR STEPS using her new skills! She kept coming to us, taking our hand and leading us to THE STEPS! I must have gone up and down those six steps up and six steps down to the family room a HUNDRED times that day!
I have to say, MY WHOLE BODY was achey THAT night!😬
YES! Celebrate EVERY bit of progress!
📣🎵📣😁👍??😁📣🎵🐦??👍??
chris00938 cheryl90571
Posted
Oh LOL! That's so lovely about the granddaughter LOL! Perhaps when I go round to my daughter-in-law's I'll make them all watch while I show off my new skills there too LOL! But it must have been wonderful exercise for you going up and down with your granddaughter:-)))))
cheryl90571 chris00938
Posted
Oh, YES! It really warms my heart when she comes to me and takes my hand to INCLUDE ME in her adventures! ????
For SURE you DO need to SHOW YOUR NEW SKILLS! Each bit of progress is a HUGE victory!
😊😁👍👍😊😁👍👍😁😊👍👍😁😊
chris00938 cheryl90571
Posted
As soon as one knee was done, my grandson said 'now you can come and see my bedroom!' but was so disappointed when I said I'd need the other knee done first. But now I've discovered I CAN do stairs he's going to have me up them next time I go round there LOL! They're both going to be SO excited LOL! It rather reminds me of the last time I did stairs out over 10 years ago. We were by a Cathedral and knees were hurting so much that I wanted to take the shortest distance back to the car and that involved four steps. When I started there was no-one behind me. By the time I finished there was a huge queue and they all clapped when I got to the top LOL!
marilyn10235 chris00938
Posted
Hey Chris
You are really doing well!
I think we should all celebrate the milestones we pass! We tend to focus on the negative but really we should be looking at what we've achieved on this journey!
Well done Chris!
Yes I always have stretched the leg before trying to move on esp after sitting for any length of time. Now the unoperated leg deffo needs to be stretched otherwise no walking anywhere!!
I have tried not to let arthritis from stop me from what I want to do, & still don't. It's just painful,inelegant & difficult but hey that's life isn't it??!!
Marilyn
XX
chris00938 marilyn10235
Posted
Marylin, before I had the one knee done, the arthritis stopped us both doing so much. I'd given up really. I felt weak, and old and useless. We never went anywhere that needed walking more than a short distance because it hurt me so much. I'd been told not to keep using the sticks to help me walk, and stopping using them ended up with me just not walking! It was really depressing. But I've discovered the working on the operated knee has encouraged me so much that even the unoperated knee is benefitting by the strength I've gained. Yes, it does still hurt, and yes, as I'm walking round a supermarket I still sound as though I've got tourettes, with an 'ouch' suddenly leaving my mouth before I had a chance to stifle it, but I've now got an attitude of 'I can do this' rather than 'I can't'.
If I wasn't preparing for the pre-op where they weigh me, I'd still be celebrating each milestone with chocolate:-))))) We truly do deserve it!
Are you still trying to bring your date forward or have you settled for October? I'll be SO pleased to get my operating date!!!! To be able to write it in my diary and do a weekly countdown will be wonderful. Bag is already half packed from last time:-) I'm reckoning at best it will be late July but more likely August sometime.
jan01779 chris00938
Posted
Hi Chris,
You are doing soo well! It is good to focus on positives. Keep it up.!
9 weeks and a bend of +136 is fantastic. I'm 19 weeks +125 to +130 and happy with that . If I get more fab. Still work on ROM.
Absolutely agree have always stretched and staightened limbs sInce diagnosed.
I too am so pleased I had it done. Stairs, getting up from a chair, pottering in the garden, standIg in one place, walking so much easier despite my creaky unoperated knee. I read Chicos exercise link. Not doing gym but bought the resistance bands to strengthen along with aquatone. The bands are great.and really work.If your other leg allows might be good for you.I'm exercising both as will need other doing a so point. The static bike or cross trainer I don't think alone will build quads up. I also have ankle weight's started of low and built weight up great for curls and lateral raises do each leg separately.Might help further down the line but not sure if your operated leg would take the weights? ?
Like you I would not hesitate when need my other knee doing but asking me that at week never thought I'd say that lol!! Happy Bank Holiday x
jan01779
Posted
chris00938 jan01779
Posted
Jan, I wondered about what the static bike does and I don't know about the upright, but they reckon the recumbent does build up quads. It's funny - I only looked it up yesterday LOL! Suddenly wondered if I needed something else or if the recumbent would achieve what I wanted as I was putting the level of resistance up. I was quite surprised just what it did build up really. But one thing you mentioned is something I've been thinking about - I wonder how long it will be before I can get up and down from a chair without using arms! That will be SO SO good! When I can do that I think I will 'have arrived' LOL! No, I don't think unoperated leg would take weights at the moment, although the operated one would. That is so strong now! It's been 'my best leg' for a good couple of weeks now, which says so much for the operation! Yes, a Happy Bank Holiday to you and all too:-))
chris00938 jan01779
Posted
Jan, if they'd asked me a week after my op, if I'd like the next one done the following day, I'd have been there LOL!
jan01779
Posted
The static bike is good to get knee moving and warm up muscles and I think helped before ROM exercises for me. I haven't got a recumbent bike but heard they help. I still use it at 19 weeks to warm-up but have gradually upped resistance. It does have fancy programmes like inclines etc so will use that when I feel stong enough and on days when unoperated leg feels it can cope. My husband want me to try our tandom soon my goal is my single bike August but will see. Have always enjoyed cycling but not done for 3 years pre op as knee was nackered!
chris00938 jan01779
Posted
I'm sure they do help the bend too Jan. I'll contunue to use the recumbent almost every day, permanently now, as I did before the op. Yes, mine has various programmes for strength or cardio and something else, but I prefer to put it on manual and raise the level every few days or so, myself. It certainly is the unoperated leg that's the weak link though! Oh how lovely to be able to cycle again! I wouldn't risk a bike, but I have said to my husband I'd love a tricycle! Then we could take it to a local National Trust place but he's not keen LOL!