Having had a moan or two on this forum, herewith some good news...
Posted , 10 users are following.
A week away from my first TRK anniversary. Its not been fun and despite two MUA's my ROM remains (and I suspect always will) at 90 degrees.
Having ridden my first motorcycle 40 years ago (54 now), I have been fairly confident throughout my TKR year that my motorcycling days were over, as my poor ROM wouldn't allow me to get my foot where it needed to be, on the footrest. A few times Ive shuffled into the garage, climbed aboard and then struggled to get off with a heavy heart and a pointless leg.
So as not to bore anyone any further (as this is somewhat of a selfish post), I bought a matching seat for my bike from a breaker and took a bread knife and saw to it, the thinking being that the further back I can get by a**e, the less bend I will need from my knee.
Last week I took the butchered seat to a local upholsterer and collected it this morning.
Just fitted it to my bike and rode it all of 5m down my drive.
A VERY uplifting and liberating moment after 12 months of TKR unpleasantness. Also walking unaided for 40 mins a day, having lost the limp, which I couldn't have done 8 weeks ago. And the sun is shining.......
Things do get better, its just hard to imagine it !!
Regards to all....
0 likes, 17 replies
jancon peterb64
Posted
brilliant Peter. There is hope for me yet then, that I may sit in the bath for a soak eventually. 🙄
peterb64 jancon
Posted
sarah87162 peterb64
Posted
Lovely to hear from you.
Is this really the same Peter who not long ago was having trouble sleeping? I can't believe it!
I am going back to the consultant who replaced my knee 6 years ago. Had a bad infection in the knee in November last year, ended up in hospital, demanded the same consultant. He was very worried and thought he might have to replace the knee again but we avoided that mercifully. Fairly sure he will completely discharge me tomorrow.
Hope you start enjoying the bike again.
Take care.
Sarah
Lady1104 peterb64
Posted
So glad to hear your good news. As most people on this post, I always enjoy reading posts about progress. I'm 13 weeks post TKR surgery and many days I am down in spirits wondering if I too will be able to report one day good news about not having pain, discomfort, sporadic need for a cane and being able to walk up and down stairs normally. I want my normal life, before any kind of knee pain, back..... I know it takes time.....I think its just that the surgeons DON'T tell you all there is to know about the possibilities during healing. I purposefully scheduled my surgery in February thinking, I don't mind being house bound in Winter and by Summer I'll be all healed ( back to normal ) HA HA.....and ready to enjoy myself dancing, etc. Well little did I know that the hearing process can take up to a year or longer......That's the thing that I think a lot of us are disappointed about. We just did not know the process. I too had one MUA, it did help a bit but my range of motion fluctuates from 115- 120 on a good weather day !!!! and I still experience tightness on both sides of my surgical knee which at times causes me to limp slightly. I'm working on that but we tend to do whats most comfortable when trying to walk. I've also noticed discomfort in my lower back on my non surgical side. I put a store bought pad in my shoe and it does help.There's just a lot that goes along with this TKR surgery. So good luck and thanks for sharing your good news. Enjoy riding your motorcycle. This site gives me hope i didn't have before joining.
peterb64 Lady1104
Posted
Good move on the dates. I did mine this time last year and had a 6 week heatwave in my compression socks. I still have traces of the hoof-rot (or whatever it is) it left me with. Sock changes became exquisite and agony !
Im by no means 'there' wherever that is. Still need ice and ibuprofen after a walk, but I can walk. My right (non operated knee) was in the same condition as my now, TKR and was scheduled to be done within 3 months of the first. Its also done the best part of a year propping up my new knee, yet my new knee is still more uncomfortable. When that balance changes, I may consider doing this again.
But I doubt it !
There is an awful lot the professionals dont tell us. That does result in some major surprises along the way, but had I been presented with a pre-op video called 'TKR - the first 12 months' in all its gory detail, I would have had second, second thoughts...
Great forum....
jenny80029 Lady1104
Posted
Sounds like you are doing very well..take heart...it is a long haul but 6 months onwards improvements continue and at more ofa pace. I am now 14 months post op and it has been more than worth it. Put making a judgement til the year mark to be on the side of caution, but i am sure you too will look back and smile at this time...even with a bit of nostalgia thrown in.
Yes, I won't be rushing for my next TKR but i am not disabled now, whereas i certainly was before.
Sending you good healing wishes!
Lady1104 jenny80029
Posted
Nance133 peterb64
Posted
jenny80029 peterb64
Posted
That's fantastic, thank you for sharing!
pattiecake peterb64
Posted
peterb64 pattiecake
Posted
There will be times when you cant even see the tunnel. Then you find it again, but no light at the end, not even a faint breeze....
I was determined to be driving in 4 weeks post-TKR, no matter how painful. I thought I had a good understanding of pain with two bone on bone knees for the last 20 odd years, but..... I didnt...
Having said that, I have a friend who was back at work 6 weeks after his first TKR and cycled in for his 3 week followup after his second... Hes no longer my friend !
Either way, you've found the forum, so will be fine.... Friends and family tire of you (me at least) eventually, but there is always someone here to moan at....
All the best....
Snoozy69 peterb64
Posted
Oh peter I had a big grin on my face reading your post. I too have a motorbike and poor flexion has been my issue too. Ive gone into the garage multiple times and sat on the bike wondering if I'll ever be able to bend my leg enough to ride the blooming thing. I had a left TKR so I need to be able to bend it properly in order to use the gear shifter if it was my right leg it wouldn't have been so bad. Well if am pleased to say I can ride it now but I have an interesting technique. To start with I'm practically sat on the pillion seat and then I slowly slide forward as I ride along which doesn't half stretch the quad muscle. A month or so ago I couldn't tolerate the pain it caused but it is getting easier now so I can commute to work on it. I love filtering through the traffic I get to work with a big grin on my face. Only going short distances for now but I'm sure I'll be able to go out longer in time as I'm only 8 months post op at the moment x
peterb64 Snoozy69
Posted
Hi Snoozy - I currently have a DL650 which is made from cast iron and other even heavier stuff. As a result of taking it on and off its paddock stand yesterday to give it a wash, I have damaged by back and right shoulder ! Seems its not just my legs that have weakened over the last year.
The challenge, like yourself, has been getting my foot under the gear selector. I have fiddled with the linkage which has lowered the lever a couple of mm, but the seat was the key. Best £100 ever spent.... Before my second MUA, my leg was stuck around 4 inches in front of the footrest at 65 degrees. First time I climbed on, in the garage, I was literally stuck, so had to phone my son (who was 10 yds away in the house) to assist. He must have seen it was my number so ignored it. I had no choice but to take to the ground head-first. Not ideal.
My slight concern remains that my TKR will stiffen up when riding and wont be able to hit the floor quick enough at the next set of lights ! Would be a pain if the bike fell on my TKR after all this....
Top tip for removing flies from your bike. Mine was covered from my last blast, last May. All you do is leave it in the garage for a year and the flies turn to dust... Very easy clean..
Delighted you are back in the saddle...Cant beat it...
Snoozy69 peterb64
Posted
Yes i have a CB600F also known as the Honda Hornet. I've had this bike for the past 16 years and I was quite depressed at the thought of not riding it again. My husband was going to get it adapted so that you could change gear by hand but I persevered with the Rom exercises and I can finally do it without any adaptatations x
laurel65763 peterb64
Posted
peterb64 laurel65763
Posted
Hi Laurel.. Good news that the first is strong and pain free. Something I look forward to and after this last few weeks, Im far more optimistic.. Parking the car is a drag as I need to be able to fully open the door. I therefore avoid going out unless necessary. My bike overcomes that and traffic jams, so a bit of a life changer...
Its been an interesting year in having to downgrade my expectations every few weeks. Having established after the second MUA that my leg won't ever bend beyond 90 without further surgery and even then there is no guarantee, was a very low point. Sitting here typing this however with a healthy looking right angle at the knee, Im grateful it isn't worse.... If it ever hits 93 or 95 I may open a bottle....
Next Sunday is my knees first birthday. It won't be getting any presents, but I might walk to the local because I can.
TKRing is so much more than changing a joint..