trekking poles following knee replacement recommended!
Posted , 3 users are following.
7 weeks post op and I have been finding walking with or without a crutch challenging because I felt my knee buckled and felt unstable even though I have been religiously doing exercises and using the stationary bike to strengthen my weakened quads. Prior to the op I did lots of hillwalking and used trekking poles to help with my total lack of cartilage and subsequent pain. Yesterday, I decided to experiment with walking using my trekking poles rather than a crutch. What a revelation! I only planned on going round the block but my gait felt so much better and more natural than with a crutch that soon I was in a great rhythm and did 3 miles on off road paths through the woods and fields near my home. It felt fantastic. Yes, I was a bit swollen and sore afterwards, but this morning the swelling has gone back down and I can really feel how it has properly worked my quads and seems to have 'righted' my gait and given me more confidence in my knee! This morning I have been walking around the house with no crutch and my knee isn't buckling like before. I am in the UK and read some articles from the USA on using trekking poles to aid walking post knee replacement which made me think it was worth a shot. Totally recommend it!
0 likes, 8 replies
kmelish Caitibean
Posted
Good for you!! I have always been interested in trekking poles. I am 9 weeks PO and I have been walking without my cane for a couple of weeks but I want to step up my walking so I will try the poles. Good luck in you recovery!!
Caitibean kmelish
Posted
They're much lighter than crutches and canes and mine are anti-shock ones so good on uneven ground. Good luck too!
climber Caitibean
Posted
Caitibean, Good to hear a success story on this Forum particularly after just 7 weeks after TKR well done!!!!
Caitibean climber
Posted
Thanks, I did 4 miles today with a steepish slope up through the woods too so hoping I'll be back out in the hills and mountains in the not too distant future. I'm going to have to resist the temptation to overdo it though. It just feels so good to be back out walking after these weeks of 'captivity'!
climber Caitibean
Posted
Caitibean, You mention hills and Mountains in your post, are these in Scotland and if so what are your favourite hills / mountains also have you tried walking without the aid of crutches / walking poles?
Caitibean climber
Posted
My most local hills and mountains where I try to walk as often as I can are the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains, but I go up to the Lake District when I can as I absolutely love it there and am in the process of working my way through the Wainwrights. I've not been to Scotland for walking but would really love to as it looks stunning.
I've been walking around the house / garden without crutches or sticks, but every now and then I get really painful twinges or 'twangs' just below the knee, particularly on the outer side that can literally make me yelp. Also, my knee buckles slightly on occasion, though this is happening less as my quads strengthen. My main issue is tightness. Following my walks over the past few days my knee feels pretty tight and stiff, though it felt that way before the walks to a slightly lesser degree. It feels like it has a circle of taut elastic bands all the way around it. I've also got some pain into my hip today which came on during my walk yesterday. Might have pushed it a bit for 7 weeks maybe but I enjoyed it and am missing walking so much. Also, I've stopped taking codeine in the last few days so it might be part of why I'm feeling more pain.
climber Caitibean
Posted
Caitibean, At 7 weeks you are just at the START of the journey to full recovery. You will have read from the various sites on this forum that no knee replacements are identical for recovery but you seem to be doing very well. On a personnel front i am just over 12 months post TKR on a way to full recovery, i found that at times during this post recovery that by trying too hard to regain recovery (over exercising in relation to my knee condition) that i worsened the condition of my knee, so that now when my knee is feeling a bit uncomfortable i rest up accordingly. Hope that you are soon back out on the Brecon Beakons and the Black mountains (Why are they called the Black Mountains)
Caitibean
Posted
i have no idea to be honest! It's very confusing because there is a range to the east of the National park called The Black Mountains, with one of the peaks named Black Mountain, then to the West of the park is another range called the Black Mountain (singular). Very confusing!