TKR 12 months and Strong

@Vansan oh no id need more than 8 yrs.....definately I'm going for the 20yr mark.........best advice i can give preop is exercise and build up your leg muscles -goid and bad knees. After op will feel like maybe a waste BUT after you get throu first 3-4...it slowly comes together.
Good luck
 
@Kiwigirl62. I went back and reread your thread
The 8 years was what you expected to get out of your other knee. Lol [emoji23]

my pre op for TKR is 2/12.

I am trying to stay strong before surgery. Although i have really limited my workouts in the last 6 months. First 3 months was bad sciatica
Then next 3 was the swelling of my knees

I am almost bone on bone but i am still able to get around quite well. Except going down stairs
And Zumba classes.

I was doing a lot of spinning/biking classes before July. Since July my cardio and muscle strength has went to hell [emoji20].

Right now, I am working on building some core and quad strength I bike 3 times a week inside for 20 minutes. And i am going to start doing planks this week. I do all my leg strengthening every other day for my quads

Its a weird feeling that I can do all this pre op

Somedays i convince myself I dont need this TKR


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@Vansan ....i know feeling of thinking you don't need it. I did really well managing bone on bone for a few years and after swimming i felt amazing walking out of the pool.......until 3 mins later it was all back again.
I'm at the beach and had a swim in waves-well a paddle to my knees thighs and could feel the current so limited my time....then a walk in soft sand for a bit an have clambered over fences and up and down -slowly carefully banks. Happy to report no ill effects the next day. Having a slower day today but will do a little swim again tomorrow
Just a different form of functional exercise
 
Wow! Now, that's improvement! Sand walking is very difficult and you did it with no after effects! You go, girl!
 
@Vansan ....i know feeling of thinking you font need it. I did really well managing bone on bone for a few years and after swimming i felt amazing walking out of the pool.......until 3mins later it was all back again.
I'm at the beach and had a swim in waves-well a paddle to my knees thighs and could feel the current so limited my time....then a walk in soft sand for a bit an have clambered over fences and up and down -slowly carefully banks. Happy to report no ill effects the next day. Having a slower day today but will do a little swim again tomorrow
Just a different form of functional exercise
That sounds like a lot of fun!
BTW. You might really like the books by Katy Bowman (e.g. Movement Matters).
 
5 Month update (bit of a book)
Swelling/stiffness - minimal, got to say it is starting to feel somewhat normal and the knee is not always the focus of my life. YAH!!
ROM – don’t know but OS eyeballing it says around 125 (same as at 3months) and extension is definitely improving and nowhere as tight so I reckon at this pace will be 0 in an month or so – walking longer strides and stretching it definitely helps
Functional exercise only I like to always move where possible
Cycling – now doing about 4 days a week and can do one back to back day to work – hills are included and use granny gear to get up. If I don’t get a good run up will jump off half way and walk rather than push the knee. I restrain myself from standing up on pedals as quads no strong enough yet. Doing around 80kms a week.
Walking – on non-riding days will get in an hour walk and once on weekends do a 2.5 hr walk including inclines and steps. Doing around 25 kms a week. I noticed about 2 weeks ago I am back to striding around the office like 18 months ago.
Might start doing some specific leg weight exercises in a couple of weeks – well will test it out at least.
Stretching – do this most days for about 10-15 mins – helps keep everything flexible and less tight – progress more as I am able re the knee
Meds – None for several months, take Turmeric daily for inflammation and continue to use magnesium oil on muscles several times a week when tight.
Flying - went to NZ last month (4 hr flight) wore compression exercise tights and knee was fine – no aches or stiffness whatsoever
Stairs – finally can go down stairs slowly and carefully. Now walk up the escalators where possible rather than standing
Kneeling - Have found myself doing sometimes - forgetting – on soft surfaces (like the bed or furniture) not so bad but tried a hard surface and really uncomfortable.
Sleep – is good again and if it has been a day with not a lot going on physically or I have things on my mind I use melatonin (1.5mg) coupled with Magnesium oil on feet I sleep all-night.
Noises – Started about 2 weeks – so noisy and creaky on bending – especially cycling - drives me nuts – not painful but really really ‘snap, crackle and pop’ – hopes if gets less by next update.
Hospital visit last week - x-rays good and OS came in and signed me off – don’t’ need to go back anymore unless I have any problems
Reflections at this point – defiantly a slow and steady approach. Seemed so slow for first few months and frustrating until I got my head around everything at the ‘knee’s’ pace (well ligaments, tendons and muscles) but the last 2 months progression seemed faster. But really, I would advise; don’t compare and to look at the achievements monthly and you will be surprised at the things that change and get easier.

See you all again at 6 months.
 
What a fabulous report. Slow and steady is definitely a way to describe this recovery process.
 
@Kiwigirl62, fabulous update! Your achievements seem right in line with what I experienced at the same point in time. Keep up the good work. It definitely continues to get better.
 
@NavyGunns - yes I followed you religiously in the beginning because you were in front of me healing wise - so it helped and encouraged me enormously while giving me hope that life would get better :cheers:
@traceys - I still keep an eye on your journey and you are getting there - still think you will be racing around with your photo shoot later this year. May not feel like some days but slowly the better days become more in a row:console2:
 
Sleep – is good again and if it has been a day with not a lot going on physically or I have things on my mind I use melatonin (1.5mg) coupled with Magnesium oil on feet I sleep all-night.
Do you feel groggy in the mornings when you take the melatonin? I have trouble sleeping. I have to nap during the day from being tired since I don't sleep well at night.
@Kiwigirl62, do you cut a 3 mg melatonin in half?
 
@Cementless - no I don't feel groggy when waking and I don't sleep in the day. It is the first time I have ever tried as pre op never had a problem sleeping. The pills are actually 1.5mg in strength and I got them via the internet from your country. From some site called Life Extension. I didn't know what the mg was but have since discovered if is a fairly low dose. Only went to this site as a friend in NZ cannot get them sent in so I bought and took over at Xmas break.
 
It's been great reading your progress. I gave up cycling 10 years ago as my knees simply couldn't cope. By the time I'd reached my destination I couldn't walk. My husband is a keen cyclist and keen for me to get back on my bike, but I'm quite nervous about it, especially getting on and off the thing! I'll need the second knee done though before I can consider it.
Good luck with your coast to coast walk later this year.
 
@Lindylee thanks, I was very lucky re my knee as cycling caused no issues thankfully - just couldn't walk more than a couple of blocks re the pain just before surgery. I was very lucky to achieve rotation on the stationary bike a couple of weeks after surgery but put off getting on the actual bike for a bit - was scared I would fall off (interesting as have never fallen from my bike for years).
In the end I made myself do it cause I knew if I left so long my head would get in the way. I just waited until my muscles were a bit stronger.
When you do get back on pick a little quiet stretch and just practice short distance and yes getting on and off took some thought in the beginning. Thankfully practise makes perfect and it is again second nature.
 
@Kiwigirl62 I liked your 5 month update! I hit the five month mark next week, and am hitting about the same mileposts as you are. I'm jealous of your 2.5 hour walks though! I can't do that yet.
I did the same "accidental" kneeling things you did, lol. First times kneeling on the bed was so weird. Then, I started to do it on purpose for a bit every morning. That made most of the weirdness go away quickly. I've also, without thinking, kneeled briefly on hard surfaces and I won't be repeating that one on purpose for a long time. Eventually, I might have a bit of advantage at that, because I requested that my incision be angled a bit (avoids the point of the tibia).
 
@rustic - yes we forget rather fast after a while re the accidental kneeling. I am in mode to increase the length of time I walk each week by 15-20 mins (I usually have a 15 mins rest in the middle) and try to include inclines etc as I am doing a 16 day hike/walk across Northern England in Sept (1 year knee anniversary). so plan is slowly doing longer walk in weekends and then about 2 months out to start incorporating daily 2 hour walks with longer weekends to prepare. I feel knee will be good but don't want to develop shin splints or anything.
Still cycling a bit as is summer here but will exchange that for more walking as winter approached.
PS I have been stalking your posts also - your title grabbed me:loll:
 
I've been sort of stuck at the "one hour of hard hiking" mark for some time, and getting impatient. At that point, I get random pains around my kneecap (some of the same spots I had trouble with long before surgery). It seems more dependent on the total number of steps than speed, or incline, so I do hills to make it harder.
Likewise, when I get a chance to use a treadmill, I love to use the incline on the treadmill. It slows my cadence, so can last longer and it uses a bit more leg strength, and has more of an aerobic challenge. I can't believe how out of shape I got, and I want to build back up!
 
@rustic do you use poles? My pt wants me to get a set and start walking with them instead of my cane and I know nothing about them
 

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