1 year out and still got problems

[aretha]

Hi Judy,

I found it really enlightening that you managed to get your ROM better using the pool. I go swimming/Aqua 3/4 times a week purely because I absolutely love it, and it really does make you feel "normal" in the water - whatever that is!! I have not got good ROM only about 90-95 and am just over 5 months after TKR and would love to actually get a little more, so I am going to try the exercise you mentioned about raising your knee and pushing against the side of the pool next time I swim. Getting a little problem with my knee at present with aching legs etc. but sure its because I am just not resting it enough or icing so intend to rectify this asap. Glad to find a BoneSmarty that like me, really enjoys the pool and the healing that it brings. Goold luck to you in the future, hope to hear more from you on this wonderful forum.:th_jumpy:

 

[Jeffreyd]

Bicyclists with TKN

Are there any serious bicyclists out there who had TKN? By serious I mean people who biked a lot before the knee surgery and what is their experience for recovering and returning to bicycling.
I've written previously ... surgery Nov. 3, 2010 ... so it's 16 weeks or about 4 months. I've heard from lots of people who did little or no exercise after surgery and recovered fine ... the advice is consistently do this and the knee rotation will come back eventually. And that's fine for them but what about people like me who have led a more active lifestyle. I have always had a very active lifestyle in comparison to most people I know. I probably biked 3 to 5,000 miles annually most of the last 30 years. I have toured extensively on a bicycle lots of places. I biked to/from work most days and in the Winter I skied. My other activities included gardening, landscaping, and home construction projects. In the office I was the guy who walked up/down stairs and on my lunch hour. Watching a football or baseball game ... not me. I'd rather go for a hike or run. So sitting around waiting for my knee to magically come back 'eventually' is an ordeal for me.
My knee seems to be coming back ... but SLOWLY ... maybe 110 degrees after stretching for a half hour or so. I ride an stationary bike 2-3 miles several times a week and gradually move the seat closer or I get on my outdoor trike and peddle and this helps. I can now ride my two-wheeler but have to move the seat up an inch or so and then it's like a flat tire ... a little bump and discomfort but it moves. After exercising the knee swells up a little and I've tried ice and it helps a little but I use it less and less and I'm able to walk pretty good. Movement helps. Watching tv or elevation stiffens my knee.
My knee does not bother me as much as the left ankle which was broken along with the femur 28 years ago and probably resulted in the knee issue. The surgery also fixed the 13 percent bend in my femur which was due to the original break and poor healing.
I recovered from heart bypass surgery four years ago ... and I did not recover by sitting around waiting for it to fix itself. I got on my bike 4 months after surgery and I rode the Rockies 5 months later.

 

[Josephine]

Bones and hearts are different! Bone healing needs rest and exercise in equal proportions. And " I ride an stationary bike 2-3 miles several times a week or I get on my outdoor trike and peddle and this helps" is not exactly doing nothing!

Our advice to let the body heal before going all out for the exercise is more for the first couple of months or so. After that, there's no reason you can't start ramping up the activity but I'd suggest you do it under the supervision of a PT or trainer. In the final analysis, listen to your body. It's the best judge of what's good and what's not.

So in summary, you have 110 degrees of flexion, can st bike-ride 2-3 miles several times a week and you walk pretty good. What's stopping you getting on your bike and riding around the block? 4 months - seems a good time to start, actually.

Enjoy!