Stationary Bike
Posted , 10 users are following.
saw surgeon yesterday re 6 mos check up. He recommended still continuing with bike riding which I dread at gym. I thought if I just walked and did heel slides that would be enough but biking seems to be a good addition. It’s been now about a month since doing it. Question I have is should I invest in home bike so I don’t have to go to gym. I am thinking if it’s right there I might be more inspired lol maybe even more than once a day. I think I am leaning toward yes. How vital is bike riding vs heel slides? Are both absolutely necessary? I am thinking yes but just wondering what some of you might think? Thanks 
3 likes, 17 replies
JunieR robin15577
Posted
Im sorry icant answer your question as im only 3 weeks post op, but i shall be interested to know what other people might think. Idid purchase an exercise bike before my op to help strenghthen my knee beforehand. I did wonder when I can get back to it, but afraid it might be a bit soon yet. Also I'm surprised that you still have to exercise after 6 mths, I thought that would cease after about the 3 mth mark. But what do I know ?
deb06149 JunieR
Posted
No it doesn't ease up at 3months . I am at 14weeks still going to p.t. and still doing exercise bike. My surgeon said it can take up to a year to feel normal. When not at phrase to do straight leg raises, heel slides, wall squats, etc. I still have night pain. This is a longer road then was led to believe. Good luck
robin15577 JunieR
Posted
JunieR robin15577
Posted
Thank you for that & wishing you too continued success with your recovery. 😁
ali95530 robin15577
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Trants08 robin15577
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robin15577 Trants08
Posted
linda_50869 robin15577
Posted
So i can lay off the biking???? ( i jest) ..post op day 12 R tkr......is all I should be doing now is gentle walking and my exercises 3 times a day??? I'm good at all my exercises.....I did a lot of quad work beforehand so am good and strong...but I dread the heel slides....I used to read about them in here and wondered why everyone went on about them...NOW I KNOW.....I'm a member of the dreaded heel slide club!!!! .i save them for last in my regimen...and grit my teeth and distract myself with music and go for it...what should my bend be at this stage????? I was about 85/6 on discharge....PT is booked for after staples are removed this week ...I dread them telling me I've regressed...what were you all at around 2 week please?
robin15577 linda_50869
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jenny80029 linda_50869
Posted
Dont worry you are doing fine. Seems here in UK that the general expectation is that do should be at 90 degree bend at 6 weeks , which is ages away. Some have it sooner. Then it continues to improve as swelling reduces. Don't let anyone scare you ....I sometimes think scar tissue should be renamed "scare tissue" because many people develop anxiety about it! Protocols and advice vary, as do attitudes of physiotherapists, and you will get a good variety of people being told different things about where they should be by when on here. But unless you are one of the very small percentage of people that generate excessive scar tissue very fast, as long you keep your knee moving, respect it and keep up the exercises without overdoing things it will go well and the bend will come in its own good time.
Regarding the exercise bike, I used to sit in front on mine facing it in a chair and used the pedals that way, even within the first two weeks. My bend was only just about 90, but I managed to use the bike that way, before I could even get up on it. It was really good for loosening things up, highly recommended.
Got a foldable one ..details on my own journal which you can get to by looking on my profile , just select my profile image to get there. Not allowed to mention products directly on this forum, but my bike was a good buy and I still use it now just as general exercise help.
CHICO_MARX robin15577
Posted
What you are doing are ROM exercises and completely ignoring the fact that you have to rebuild all the strength in your atrophied quads, glutes and core. This is the next MANDATORY step in your recovery. It's the only way to rebuild all the musculature to support the knee as your body was built to do. Here's the program...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527
The bike is only a warm-up...then the stretching...then the real strength work. Wanna climb stairs normally again? PS: "Climbing stairs" is defined as going up and down with alternating legs while holding onto NOTHING! Can't do that without all that strength back...especially the quads. The work is also designed to help regain your balance which is probably shot to hell too. You are on track...people typically undertake this work when they are off the meds, have most or all of their ROM back and have enough energy to undertake the program. This will occupy the next six months of your time but will be well worth the effort. It's the only way to really get your life back. Do the work...reap the rewards!!!
robin15577 CHICO_MARX
Posted
I am on it! Thanks so much. I know I still have a lot to do. I am going to gym to do light weights on lower body strength and I have to do stairs everyday a few times because of two story house. Going up ok going down much harder but am beginning to go one at a time finally. Mostly holding on still. So much work ahead lol 😂
CHICO_MARX robin15577
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Read the link. Endurance before strength. Lots of reps at low or no weight before you start adding weight. My daughter is a total pro at this for 17 years...the ACSM certification is the "gold standard" for personal trainers worldwide. 5' 2" @ 126 pounds of pure muscle...3% body fat. Kicks P90X without breaking a sweat. And that's after beating breast cancer 4 1/2 years ago!!!! The woman is a true force of nature!!!
robin15577 CHICO_MARX
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John5006 robin15577
Posted
Hi Robin,
?I never ever bothered with a bike, static or otherwise. I found walking, exercising many times a day, including heel slides, did the business for me. I find gyms the most boring places on earth - you'd never ever get me in one. But I did combine all my exercising with visits to my sports injury massage therapist (once the dressing was off and I was declared free of infection) who gave me intensive massage on and along and around the incision line. This was to prevent scar tissue forming. My feeling is that 1000 bikes aren't gonna do any good if you get scar tissue form within the knee wound. You just must prevent, or break up the scar tissue otherwise you'll never bend the knee. I was back at work driving a bus in 11 weeks and have never ever looked back. you'll also need to learn to walk again. Heel, ball of foot, then toe ...... heel, ball, toe and use this motion to make your knee work. Try it with your non operated knee.
Basically, if you can get a bend of around 130 degrees or better you ain't gonna walk properly again without further surgical assistance to break up scar tissue.
John