TKR JASPA 2nd recovery

[Catalien45]

Your report is So exciting, @jaspa! I notice that we are about 1 week apart on our surgeries. I’m So glad you don’t need the additional surgery. It does seem that this whole experience is dotted with “ ups & downs”,doesn’t it? I’m experiencing some balance problems lately, & thinking I need to work more on the balance exercises my PT gave me. Also, my surgeon said that will improve as my glute strength does. With the strong winds we’ve had recently, we have missed some of our daily walks. And, I seem to be getting more & more involved in gardening. I need to carve out my leg exercise time First! We got our 2nd boosters for Covid yesterday, so currently, I’m recovering from side effects ( dizziness, fainting & fatigue), but, as my sister said, “ better than getting Covid”. Both she and her husband got it, had bad cases. They are 82 & 95 respectively,, and I’m 77, my husband 82. We’re pretty tough stock, but, sure want to avoid getting Covid. So I’m “ laying low” for another day or so. Maybe I should come up with more of a schedule?
Your swimming sounds incredible! Just, Wow.... and isn’t the water good for stiff joints, and easier as to pressure? I’m afraid my swimming abilities have never been very good. We’re both anxious to get back to our walks. Winds seem to be back, so it may be a bit.
Well, here it is, another day, and I will try to finish & send this. We still had winds through today, but it looks better for the next week or so. I’m still fighting lightheadedness & my balance is bad, but thinking positively that it will be better tomorrow. Hoping to get our tomato plants this weekend! It’s working out well that they will miss all these winds.
You just keep on improving. I still keep being reminded, pretty much Daily, how much better my life is since my TKR. and, with time, will get even better. I’m with you, this forum has been an integral part of it all. Have a lovely Weekend....

 

[jaspa]

Good morning to all. Thanks @Catalien45 for your comments. Today I will start back holding the Project Linus meetings, the last one I did was last August. I too have balance issues at time walking. Sometimes I think my neighbors are going to think I've been drinking. I do still CARRY my cane when I go for my walks which average 1/3 to 1/2 mile each time. I have managed to get 2000+ steps each day lately and do about 10 to 20 minutes on my under table pedal machine. Yes recovery is better than it was before the surgeries. I have driven some but family still have my car so I really don't have to drive anywhere.

 

[jaspa]

Hello everyone. 7months and 3 months out from surgeries. I've been swimming and walking and trying to do over 2000 steps each day. When I walk though, I carry my cane. My LTKR was the worst one with only 65 rom before surgery and at end of PT was just over 100.
I find the Left Quad hurts after awhile walking around the 1200 step mark when I am doing a long walk usually at least half mile. Not sure what type of exercises I should do to help this. I have no pains after swiming/walking at the pool for over an hour and doing about 1400 to 1600 yds. Any suggestions are welcome.
I also posted pics of my knees in the Scars today.

 

[Jockette]

At 3 months your left knee (and entire leg) is 25% healed, in this year long recovery. This is probably not what you want to hear, but give it time to heal. If walking that far hurts, don’t walk that far. The pool sounds like a good fit for you, so that gives you plenty of exercise. More exercises do not always equal better/faster healing.

 

[benne68]

I find the Left Quad hurts after awhile walking around the 1200 step mark when I am doing a long walk usually at least half mile.

I agree with @Jockette and here's another thought:

Are you carrying your cane on the correct side? The cane should be in the opposite hand from the operated knee and should swing forward with that foot.

Also, how is your gait? After my RTKR, I realized I was out of alignment and that caused pain in my hip and thigh. I focused on careful heel-toe walking and, after a few weeks, the pain was much reduced. Heel-toe walking involves striking the ground with your heel first, then rolling through your heel to your toe, and pushing out of the step with your toe.

Here is a visual

You need to slow down your pace and concentrate through the entire step. It's better to walk as shorter distance correctly, than a longer distance incorrectly.

 

[jaspa]

Thanks @Jockette and @benne68. Yes I am carrying my cane in the right hand and watching when I move my left leg forward to match it with the hand with the cane. I think my problem may be that I am not paying enough attention to the heal to toe walking. I really do not go very fast at all as I sometimes feel off balance some so go at a slower pace. I have not been wearing my compression stocking on that leg for 2 days and now that it is cooler I have put the stockings back on both legs and will watch my stepping. This is a pic my granddaughter took of the back of my leg this am as it is more swollen today after swimming. I think I have to remember to ice also which may be a problem. In the future after ortho surgeon give ok I probably will have to have some type of vein surgery in this leg.

 

[benne68]

Yes, be sure to keep icing, @jaspa I found that I still needed to ice and elevate regularly at 3 months. Listen to that newer knee and remember it's not ready to do what rightie can do yet.

 

[Jockette]

It took me months to be able to walk at a faster pace, and I had balance issues, also. They improved as I healed.

 

[benne68]

Hi @jaspa! It's been a few weeks since your last post. Is the heel-toe walking helping with that quad pain?

Give us a quick update when you have a chance!

 

[jaspa]

Thanks for asking @benne68 I'm doing ok some swimming when my car is available and I am doing the monthly Project Linus meetings. In addition to doing the heel to toe walking I have gone back to doing some of my old exercises that I thought I didn't need - silly me! I do leg raises before I put my compression stocking on the left and gone to doing the under the table pedal thing for 10 minutes most days. The left is just very stiff and seems to have lost some ROM. I see the surgeon in 2 weeks for a follow up and will see what he recommends. The swelling is down in the left due to the veins and will see if the orhto surgeon wants me to consider vein surgery. I'm glad I did the surgeries and know I need to be patient.

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you're doing really well on that lefty, especially since it's less than 4 months old!

 

[jaspa]

Well just another update swimming is very limited as family is using car. Walking between 2500 and 3000 steps throughout day. However quad still bothers me and I dont feel I have control or right movement with left. Doctor at last appt. Said it needs time as long as it doesn't feel like it is going give out. Back to usually sleeping with large ice pack laying on knees.

 

[Jockette]

It’s coming along. You had two major surgeries within 4 months, that a lot of healing. Hang in there!

 

[jaspa]

Well I finally did a walk ‍ I haven't done in years.

.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yay! They are wonderful numbers! You go, girl!

How did you feel afterward?

 

[jaspa]

Thanks @sistersinhim I came home and sat and iced both knees for half hour. My quad in the left did well until the last few yards but overall I am happy with the results. I am swimming less and just felt I need to do more walking and making me feel better about myself even though I track my eating in fitbit everyday, I'm not losing the weight I want to so I can feel better to walk more. Since the 4th of July I have walked at least 3/4 mile and yesterday and today over a mile.

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you're doing your recovery very sensibly which should keep the pain and swelling lower than if you went hog wild with it. You should do just fine!

 

[hawk2go]

That's a great walk @jaspa. Keep at it.

 

[jaspa]

Our indoor pool was cloudy so bad you couldn't see the drains so I would not get in it. I went home and wrote management and posted on our facebook pages about its condition, changed to gym clothes and went and rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes and 3 miles my knees weren't that happy but ok and came home to ice them. I even got a mile walk in this afternoon. I am blessed especially when it comes to having the wonderful advise and friends on bonesmart!

 

[hawk2go]

@jaspa, Roy Gardiner wrote this great article on training vs. healing that may help with using the stationary bike at this point in your recovery. https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/post-operative-exercise-–-the-bonesmart-view.25463/