When can we stop doing exercises
Posted , 8 users are following.
I have a question for those of you past the 13 weeks mark. When can we stop doing the leg/knee exercises that we did after coming home from hospital & physical therapy? I'm 13 weeks post op now and want to know if walking and biking are all I need to do now? I walk 30-45 minutes and ride the bike 30 minutes every day. Is that enough now?
Thanks!
0 likes, 24 replies
carol45436 betty07083
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jennifer86104 betty07083
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betty07083 jennifer86104
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Well I keep hearing how important walking and biking is, so I'm focusing more on that now rather than the other exercises I was doing ( otherwise I'd spend my entire day just exercising!) I was a walker before TKR so it was easy for me to get back into it.
I have no pain when walking but still have some stiffness - what I do notice though is how tired and heavy my legs feel. I feel like taking a nap when I get home! I guess it's from my leg muscles being weak - I don't know, but I know I have to force myself to keep it up so I can get stronger.
Always nice to see your posts. I feel we have a lot in common![smile](https://patient.azureedge.net/forums/emoticons/smile.gif)
Take care & I know your hamstring will be strong again soon!
johnros betty07083
Posted
personally, I think I will keep the booklet with the exercises in for future reference if it plays up but will ease the exercises back when I get back to my "normal" level of fitness and can once again pull a ten hour shift at work, on my feet for most of it.
i shall start going back to the gym whenever the physics let me, doing cycling and swimming to build it up. I might even try the rowing machine if I can to get it flexing better.
betty07083 johnros
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lynn08926 betty07083
Posted
I do go on my peddling machine several times a day as I still feel my knee stiffens from time to time.
Unfortunately, as I have to get knee number 2 sorted, walking any distance is out of the question.
Like Jennifer, I still tire easily and the knee still feels heavy. I can well understand that it takes one to two years to recover.
Lynn 17 weeks
betty07083 lynn08926
Posted
That's a good idea to do a set before getting on with your day. Which exercises do you still do? I was sent home with about ten different ones ( some include balance) so that's why I decided to focus on walking and the bike, or I'd be doing them all day.
I guess the quad sets are still important in straightening the leg. Those are good and easy to do in bed.
You leave soon for your trip - are you feeling confidant about it?
Good to hear from you too!
lynn08926 betty07083
Posted
Over onto my tum (not a pretty sight) and bend my knee backwards for 30. I then put my othernfoot behind that foot and nudge the knee further for 10. I hate the feeling of bending my knee behind me; always hurts.
Yep, off to the US on 23rd November for Thanksgiving. Still get wobbly moments, but they soon pass. Can't wait to see my daughter.
betty07083 lynn08926
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How long will you be in the U.S.? Hope long enough to make that long trip worthwhile!
Does your daughter get back to the UK often, now that she's married to a real live cowboy![smile](https://patient.azureedge.net/forums/emoticons/smile.gif)
Take care of yourself my friend
lynn08926 betty07083
Posted
My daughter comes over every couple of years. Next March, in fact. She has so many animals it is difficult to find anyone to mind them while she's away.
She's coming over to meet her newest nephew, born last February.
betty07083 lynn08926
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betty07083
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lynn08926 betty07083
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keep in touch.
Lynn 17 weeks
betty07083 lynn08926
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I was just reading your post again & realized you said that you did straight leg raises on each leg. Do you do each leg on all your exercises? I've only been exercising the TKR leg - is it to straighten your other knee before your surgery?
I'm also wondering, being that you are a few weeks ahead of me, does your TKR knee ever ache during the night? So many people have said how they could not sleep in the early weeks, but I was just the opposite. I slept better than I ever had the first several weeks, but around the 12th week my old sleeping habits returned - waking up numerous times during the night and now I can't get comfortable and my knee aches no matter what position I'm lying in. Maybe because our weather has turned chilly? It's happening every night now. I almost feel like taking a pain pill before I go to bed, but that would be taking a step backward I think.
Anyway, just wondered if anyone else experiences this at 13 weeks or longer.
lynn08926 betty07083
Posted
I just do straight leg raises with both legs to help strengthen the knee that needs operating.
Funnily enough, I did have a few weeks of disturbed sleep after having slept really quite well. Can't be sure exactly when, but not so long ago. Woke myself up yelling out a couple of times when I turned over.
betty07083 lynn08926
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Thanks Lynn
jennifer86104 betty07083
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i must tell you how chuffed I'm feeling. I've been for two 20 min walks today, the 2nd one to our local pub with my husband. Had a beer, then caught a bus part of the way back. I'm still getting the hamstring pain but the knee itself is more flexible so decided to walk through the pain and hope that I'm strengthening the muscle at the same time! It was so much better than being at home doing the exercises 😊
Hope you get a better night's sleep. If I were you I'd try the painkillers for a couple of nights. Jen x
betty07083 jennifer86104
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I just got back from a 30 minute walk around my neighborhood and now on my way to my last physical therapy session. I'm going to miss my therapist, as weird as that sounds, but I guess I've graduated, ha.
I am going to take a pain pill tonight. It may even help me sleep! I wake up so much during the night!
Have a good evening Jen, as I start my day![smile](https://patient.azureedge.net/forums/emoticons/smile.gif)
Betty
lynn08926 betty07083
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jennifer86104 betty07083
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A 30 minute walk is good. Hope your last physio goes well and you get a good night's sleep tonight. I should sleep well after all the walking and the beer 😊 Jen x
betty07083 lynn08926
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We are so spread out though, that it's too far to walk to shops or restaurants, unless you lived in a small town or village.
Well if I had waited a day, I would have answered my own question. I had my last physical therapy session and she told me to continue the leg lifts & other exercises we've all been doing, for at least another 3 months. Basically they should be continued for 6 months post op. Don't have to do all of them in one day, a few each day.