Become an Insider

PKR 1 month out<

My strength in general in my leg is much better now and my ROM is also much better since the first couple of months. Because it takes Time:

Also keep in mind, it’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle,
and Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen.

I will not go to PT next time. I honestly don’t think the PT I had my first 8 weeks was all that beneficial. Anything that did help was undone by the non helpful (painful) things they had me do.
 
I know it takes time @Jockette - and I'm trying really, really hard to be patient and stay positive. I've backed way off of everything I was doing because I think I way overdid it from the start. In all honestly, the more I don't do anything, the worse it seems. I always feel better and move better after a PT session. I feel like it tenses up the longer I sit still. I'd be super happy if I could walk "normal" and ride a bike :)
 
Very few of us were out riding a bike at less than 3 months. I know I wasn't! You aren't ever 1/4 of the way healed yet. Patience, my dear!
 
Big day today! First I was able to bend my knee, all on my own, to 100 degrees this morning at PT. Second, I ordered one of those little, portable pedal machines and am able to go all the way around :yahoo: I have it pretty far in front of me, but still am considering today a big win!
 
13 weeks out update: still have the swelling/tight band feeling 24/7, but maybe not as much as previously. I did the Blood Flow Restriction therapy 2 times last week - would not recommend it lol unless you are an athlete. It didn't hurt at all, just weird. The thought behind it is that it helps build muscle quicker/easier with less pain. Well, I did leg lifts laying on my side to strengthen the quad muscles that are so weak, and for 2 days I felt like I had lifted 300 lbs 300 times! That pain you get after a hard workout, only worse. My hip/quad muscles were so sore, I don't even know if my knee was (it really wasn't). This week back to regular old PT. I've been practicing on my little pedal machine and was able to pedal all the way around a regular bike at the gym today - so that was a HUGE accomplishment! Still can't go down the stairs normally, but hopefully that is coming soon. I have had a lot of issues sleeping again the last week, but I think it's been due to the sore, aching muscles in my quad from last week.

I feel like further I can bend my knee, the more pain I'm having. I haven't had pain really in weeks. The PT said it's likely because the more I can bend it, the scar tissue that hasn't moved in months is now moving and causing pain. Does that seem right?
 
You had 2 treatments that resulted in pain, you’re able to do more things and that may be adding a little extra also.

This recovery takes approximately 52 weeks (one year ) and you are only 13 weeks into that 52. Does that put it into better perspective?
 
Yes, @Jockette I know I'm only 13 weeks into the recovery and that I have many weeks to go. I spend quite a bit of each day sitting with my leg elevated and icing also - but I want to do the exercises that will strengthen my quad muscle(s). The type of therapy I did last week didn't hurt my knee at all, nor do any of the exercises I'm currently doing. I'm just happy to see a little progress each week :)
 
@pacosmom,

I’m providing you this feedback from two perspectives: 1) as a fellow “gym rat” who enjoys exercising for the mental benefit as much as simply because I know doing so is good for me; 2) as a fellow PKR patient who is only 2 weeks ahead of you in our recovery. Please read and think carefully about what I’m saying and ask yourself if you are being honest with yourself about what’s good for your knee.

You are doing why to much in the way of exercising at this point in time! If your exercising is causing the level of pain you describe such that you have to ice, elevate, can’t bend your knee, etc. then you are doing too much too soon. Worse yet, you are NOT listening to your knee! What the PT is telling you I personally don’t accept! My bet is that you still have significant internal swelling, which you can’t see, but can feel as tightness and inability to bend your knee.

I just restarted my own leg exercises at a very small fraction of what I used to do. But, I didn’t start until after my OS gave the okay, I have no swelling, have flexion at 125 or greater, and most importantly, I have NO pain and do NOT exercise in a manner that causes pain. If that should happen, I stop and give my knee many days rest as it’s obvious it wasn’t ready. So far haven’t had that happen.

I’m sorry if this seems a bit like I’m “preaching”, but I’d hate to see you suffer a setback because you were overly aggressive. I recently read that for however long you are laid up recovering from surgery, it will take 3 times as long to get full muscle strength back that was lost during that time, regardless of how hard you work at it (I wish I could remember where I read it). Another thing to think about that I just realized myself. You want your new knee to last a lifetime, why risk screwing it all up in just a few months because you were in a hurry to get your strength back, etc. To me, it’s not worth it! Give this thought and ask yourself if what you are doing is in your knees best interest.
 
@NavyGunns thanks for the post. I'm most definitely not a "gym rat" lol More of a walk on the treadmill or use the elliptical machine, some light weights maybe. I'm not super concerned about getting back to the gym, more concerned with getting my quad muscle firing again, and building the muscle back up. Before my surgery when I asked my OS about exercising (after being all healed up) told me that he wouldn't want me to run after the surgery. Ummmm, okay - you'll never see me running unless someone bad is chasing me! lol

I ice & elevate because that what everyone says needs to be done, not so much because I have pain. I actually haven't taken even Advil or Tylenol for weeks now.
 
@pacosmom thanks for clarifying. I didn’t mean to infer you were a gym rat so please forgive me. Definitely keep icing and elevating if you feel it helps how your knee feels! In my own case, I haven’t had to do so for many weeks. The last time was when i definitely pushed myself into the ODIC (over did it club). Thankfully, it only lasted a day. Funny what you mentioned about running. I haven’t been able to run for years and haven’t tried to do so yet. Don’t feel my knee is ready. Of course my granddaughters keep trying to tempt me to try. Lol.
 
No worries @NavyGunns I do admit I miss exercising, but I've never been a "nut" about it lol It had been quite a while before my surgery since I had been able to do much that didn't cause my knee to hurt, so I think maybe I was just assuming I'd be back to being able to get into shape quicker than I obviously will :sad:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 810 (members: 0, guests: 810)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom