Tripped and Fell Today

Posted , 6 users are following.

Just wanted to ask about falling.....was out for my morning power walk (almost 2 years out from  right TKR) - not paying attention and took a hard and fast fall to the pavement.  Took me by such a surprise and I fell on my right arm and leg.  Bloody and stunned, I walked home, not a happy person.  So the soft tissue is swollen and knee is sore, but I can move it with no problem, so I'm guessing that the device is ok.  Anyone have comments??  I'm icing it today, but hope to back to my walking routine tomorrow.

Thanks 

Mary Ann

1 like, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    I'd want to make sure my device was not damaged so an x-ray might be prudent. My sister took a fall on her hip and her hip device became loose. Her knee device was o.k. I'd need the x-ray for reassurance. Good luck and be very careful and mindful in future. It's my biggest fear over shark attacks and funnel web spiders. I continue to live as well as I can but falling is something I try to avoid. I travel on escalators and walk miles in Asia on uneven roads and wear Merrells walkers or Nike Structures for support. Good luck.x

    • Posted

      Thanks Lyn....I'll see how I'm doing in the morning.....to add insult to injury, my left ankle is swollen, no doubt from the way it twisted on the road, so right now, that is more painful than the right knee/leg.  I was just walking a bit too close to the edge where the road was uneven and bam! before I knew what was happening, I was down - no time to brace myself.  I never thought or feared about falling as I'm pretty active, but now, I know I'll be very careful where I walk.

  • Posted

    I asked my surgeon about falling. He said the artificial knee would be fine. It's very strong. He also said that if anything would be damaged....it would be the bones themselves. So....I agree with the advice given above....get an X-ray to make sure NOTHING is damaged. Falling is also one of my biggest fears.

    • Posted

      That's what I figured Gerianne....this device is indestructible....never thought about the area around it.  Thanks for your comment

  • Posted

    I had a bad fall just before Christmas last year , stepped off a 3 foot high wall in the dark and landed on concrete fooor . I have 2 replacement knees , one is 19½ years and the other is 17½ years old . My first thoughts were about the knees and the damage that may have been caused . Fortunatly my knees were fine , the only damage I  suffered was a very bad gash on my left shin , a few aches and pains but nothing serious . I guess these new knees are quite tough once they are recovered and part of us .

    • Posted

      Geez, that's a tough fall.  Good to know these will outlast the rest of the body.  I'm icing what seems to be a sprain to the other ankle, so if that's my only issue, along with cuts and scrapes, I'm good to go.  Thanks for your comment

    • Posted

      When I had my first tkr I was told it would last 10 to 15 years at the most . I have had check ups and xrays every year since . At my last check up almost 3 years ago my surgeon told me all was ok , no sign of any problems and yearly checks were not needed , just go back if I have any problems . Don't know about them outlasting the rest of the body , I'm 75 and am trying to beat my mother's lifespan of 100 years . lol.

  • Posted

    Hi MaryAnn!

    Sorry to hear about your fall.

    It's good to hear that all seems fine.

    I was wrapping our backyard hose

    last night, one loop caught on the

    edge of the patio bricks I put down

    as a place for the 100 feet of hose

    to keep it out of my soil. Before I

    knew it I had lost my balance and

    flew against the siding. My bottom

    landed in the soil just narrowly

    escaping one of my tomato plants.

    My right leg (TKR October 2015)

    landed in a twisted position, and my

    left leg (TKR June 2015) landed in

    a normal bend.

    I sat there assessing whether I was

    hurt or not. Of course my first

    thoughts went to my devices im-

    planted in both knees! They both

    seemed fine. THEN I needed to

    figure out how to GET UP off the

    ground without kneeling. NOT an

    easy task, for SURE!😨I scooted

    on my bottom off the soil and onto

    the coil of hose. I leaned over to

    try to reach the deck railing. I got

    it! THEN I had to pull myself up.

    That's when I felt a very sharp pain

    in my right leg.😖 I stood there

    awhile deciding what to do. ( I am a

    VERY stubborn (I like to call it

    PERSISTENT!) person, so I was

    going to DO THIS myself no matter

    what.

    I found that walking didn't hurt

    UNTIL I slightly twisted my leg.

    Owwwwwwwww!😵 Didn't want to

    do THAT again!

    I walked inside and got ice. I told my

    husband what had happened when

    he came downstairs after his

    shower. I iced my leg for 20 minutes

    then took the ice off. I tried moving

    my leg. Again, PAIN-PAIN-PAIN if I

    even slightly twisted it. I took

    Ibuprofen, had some tea and had

    my husband get the crutches from

    the garage...just in case.

    Before bed as I was walking I heard

    and felt a POP. My leg felt MUCH

    better! Hmmmmmm!🤔

    We went to bed, I MUST have slept

    all night, AND I must not have had

    any pain. When I woke up I was

    back to normal. That POP must have

    been my leg aligning itself again!

    I thanked God for making legs

    that will DO THAT and for repairing

    me!

    I felt fine today.

    Falls are very scary, but the body

    seems to deal with it.

    I was thinking I MIGHT Check with

    my doctor, but I decided I was OK.

    I hope YOU are doing well!??

    • Posted

      Cheryl, I'm smiling reading your post...just because I'm picturing the task of getting up from "being down".  Even if I'm on the floor doing exercises, it takes me about 3 minutes to find a way to get up.  When I fell, aside from being stunned that it happened....I was thankful no one was driving by!  And I feel no worse today, actually, my other ankle is swollen (probably a slight spain) which I'm icing.  But knee made it through!!

      I'm glad we found this out in a not so serious way.  Except for David...falling 3 feet...YIKES!  Thanks for responding Cheryl....stay safe and tame that hose!

    • Posted

      Glad you are still feeling ok on the second day! Sometimes injuries are worse that next day. Ankles can be real buggers! I sprained my left one forty years ago, and it STILL acts up at times! Ice is good. Ibuprofen is good, too, and it gets me through the intermittent pain cycle.

      You mentioned getting down on the floor to exercise and getting up again. Do you kneel on your prosthesis? I have just completely AVOIDED getting down on the floor since my surgeries.

      Ah, that hose often has a mind of its own! It is a "no-kink" variety which is pretty good at not kinking, BUT the drawback is it is always pretty stiff. I have to wrangle it like a cowgirl! ( I am strong but DEFINITELY no cowgirl! 100 feet of it gives me a workout. Sometimes I win, but yesterday day before yesterday IT had ME! GARDENING: The new MMA Challenge!

      Stay safe!??

    • Posted

      Well, I only have had my right knee done (but the left is in same condition as right, before surgery).  I'm determined to keep it at bay.  So, I don't kneel much on my right knee, and if I do, it's not for long and I always put extra padding under both - like a foam pad (gyms would have something to use) or I just use a towel folded many times.  It's not pleasant - my Dr. told me kneeling would not hurt my knee, but that it would not feel good.  But I have found on youtube...any exercise for the core/butt can be done standing so that's what I usually use.  Just search for standing abs workouts on youtube.  

      Those of you who have had both knees done...you have my utmost admiration!

  • Posted

    Thanks for answering! I usually bend way over at the waist or sit on a chair or stool if I need to get close to the ground/ floor. I really miss being able to sit on the floor, though.

    Having my second knee done was necessary because it was as bad as my first one. I actually couldn't WAIT to be done with the pain! Best two things I did for myself in years!!!

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