1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Knee Problems

How can you accept the changes that have come with knee pain?

Posted , 14 users are following.

maria38027
maria38027

How can you accept that you can’t play the same sports anymore, work the same job, dance a night away? It’s all really depressing and overwhelming. I’m not ready to say good bye to everything yet..

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

Next
  • jen04209
    jen04209 maria38027

    Posted

    Hi,

    I was an avid runner and had to stop after bilateral knee replacements. I went through a severe period of mourning and self-pitty. I  now bike and the runner void is almost filled. It takes time for your mind and body to adjust.  Hope this helps. Hang in there. It will get better.

  • gloria12849
    gloria12849 maria38027

    Posted

    It is a life changer. For me the misery I felt every day and my inability to live life made the decision for me. I hope when I am through this I will be able to take my grandson to the park by myself. My new normal is different than I imagined however I am still working toward my goal, one day at a time. Never give up that is what I am learning from this group.
  • Snoozy69
    Snoozy69 maria38027

    Posted

    I just learnt to adjust, I got depressed after my second arthroscopy when I was told there was nothing else they could do apart from a TKR but because of my age they wouldn't do it. I took up cycling and changed my job to one that didn't involve running around as much. 12 years on and I've had the TKR and I've found that I've had to adjust again, but you just have to look at things you can do and not the things you can't x

  • Guest
    Guest maria38027

    Posted

    I had my TKR on the 12th Jan 2018, I am just about managing to get back to the activity I did before. I’m now doing yoga, body pump, swimming, walking  and gym,I am able to do more things now than before due to the arthritis. I can now actually clean the house and change the beds. Something I couldn’t do before surgery. I guess everyone is different but my TKR has given me a new lease of life. I hope that as time passes you to will achieve the results you are hoping for. Good luck xx 
    • maria38027
      maria38027 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Louise! What age are you if you don’t mind me asking?
    • linda_50869
      linda_50869 Guest

      Posted

      Body pump??? Wow.....I can swim, do the gym ....but yoga?? I doubt i could cos I don't bend properly and getting up and down off the floor difficult ....great it's given you such a new lease of life already...I feel I'm much further behind than you even though there are only two weeks between our ops.....

    • Guest
      Guest maria38027

      Posted

      Hi Maria, I’m 52. I am also training to be a yoga teacher which has helped me focus, I am 4 months into my course. I have really worked on my thigh

      Muscles, hamstrings and quads etc. I do have good days and bad but this has been a complete life changer for me. I had to give body pump up last April because my knee was to bad. Yoga was a struggle I kept collapsing in poses. So at the end of last year my activity levels went way down. Nearly back to my best. I know every recovery is different but you have to believe in your new knee. I am lucky as I have no other medical problems that impact on my TKR likes some others on this site. 

    • maria38027
      maria38027 Guest

      Posted

      Did you sometimes get pain when exercising? I’m confused as I don’t understand what “rest” means. Rest until the pain goes away and then try to exercise? But so what if the pain comes back when you try to exercise again? There’s so many questions I have and none seems to have the answer. It’s difficult to strengthen your muscles if you get pain whenever you try. Good luck with your yoga class!
  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX maria38027

    Posted

    Had my hip replaced in '09 (that's before the knee and all the spine hardware).  Two weeks later, went back to the doc for a checkup on the op.  Everything was fine.  Then I asked him when I could get back on my skates.  "Skates?"  "Yeah...skates.  I've been playing hockey for 45 years."  Ready?  Wait for it............

    "Sure, you can start again tomorrow.  But instead of lasting 25 years, you'll need a new hip in about three."

    Sold all my gear the next day.  The decision was a no-brainer.  Do I miss it...desperately at times?  Ohhhh yes!  But there is really no other choice.  Now with the metal knee and two spine fusions, and their accompanying metal, you just accept it and move on.  You go through the five stages of grieving in 10 seconds...and then get twinges from time to time.

    No hockey, no lifting bags of fertilizer anymore...can't even bend over to pull a weed out of the garden.  Bending has been replaced by squatting.  Heavy items now go on a handcart.  You make changes...substitutions.  For those with just a knee, singles tennis is replaced by doubles tennis.  Or you get real good at darts.

    Yes, you have to leave parts of your old life behind but there are sooooo many new things to try and fall in love with.  The world is a huge place.  Walk your path not looking down at your feet but with your head high searching for the new possibilities that surround you.  Mourn the dead, if you must, but there is no mourning when you have life in your body and light in your heart.

  • Irish_Al
    Irish_Al maria38027

    Posted

    All great advice Maria. But it is hard, bloody hard. I try to remind myself how lucky I am. Luckier than others I know with cancer and other worse problems.

    Also try to adjust like everyone here is advising....

    I think it was Darwin that said 'It's the not the strong or the toughest or the brightest that survive, but those that can adapt to change' (or something like that).

    Take care,

    Alan

    • maria38027
      maria38027 Irish_Al

      Posted

      I’ve never liked change. I hate it, but sometimes we have no choice. There’s people out there who don’t have legs anymore, so I should man up.
  • debbie08326
    debbie08326 maria38027

    Posted

    Hi Marie

    Yup , right there with you. I was a runner prior.  Knee became to bad I could barely walk at times . Could not do stairs without hanging on and dragging myself up. Ridiculous when I think of how it was.

    Now I can get up and down on the floor with my grandkids. I am a business owner so am always running around with that. Busy Busy Busy ! It is great to not be thinking about the knee and its "non function" any longer.

    Yes I had to mourn running. But when I really think about it , it is so bad for you anyway !! Bad on the knees !.

    I have tried other things at the gym. Bottom line is nothing that pounds the knee anymore if you want it to last.

    It stinks but you can do this !

    Debbie

    Y

    • maria38027
      maria38027 debbie08326

      Posted

      I know it is frustrating how I used to be able to move like a ballerina and now I go downstairs like a bot lol. It’s good that you can still work and do other stuff at the gym.
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.