TKR 12 months and Strong

[rustic]

@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

I haven't been using them lately, but I own several pair (a few different types), and I used them when transitioning from crutche(s). They had more utility than a cane when on trails, are much better than a cane on icy sidewalks, and the ones that fold up take less room in the car than a cane (they fit in a small pack or briefcase). If you still need to "hook your foot" (using a cane upside down) to get your leg out of a car, a pole can't do that.
If you want, I can tell you a more about the various types, but we probably shouldn't do it on kiwigirl's thread because I can get pretty wordy sometimes. I'm a total gearhead, lol.
@Kiwigirl62 , do you use them?

 

[Kiwigirl62]

@rustic - your walking/hiking seems more aggressive than what I am doing. Currently I'm fairly moderate but trying to get a base under my belt with long distance rather than hard out. save that for starting after month 6.
@traceys - yes, yes and yes - get poles. It is amazing how much they take some load of the knees, and help balance - especially down hill. I not using around town walks but when I get to country its a must.
I was new to poles when I got some for a 800km walk across spain 2 years pre-op. Had good amount of knee pain then but the poles got me over the line so to speak. Have a try.

 

[Trailers]

Just found this site on the weekend after doing a search looking for what to expect after 6 weeks following TKR.

In scrabbling around on the site I noticed that hill in your profile image , recognised it and then began to read your postings and am now up to date.

I have to say the slowly but surely approach which seems to be the message in the forum came as a bit of a shock as I have been working quite hard to move the knee on and I am now wondering that I may have been pushing it too far.

I found a number of similarities in your story which I think have made it particularly relevant to me not only from the shared camino experience in the past (I’m assuming Frances ? I always claim it was longer than 800 !!!!) but the fact that you motored on reasonably well bone on bone till not long before the op, that your leg was splaying and that you were happily cycling , without pain up to op time.

I’m sure that these and the implied impatience to get back walking and on the bike are not unique to some folks having TKR but because they mirror my own experience they made the posts very readable, enjoyable and helpful as I assess my efforts from here on in . So many thanks for that !

Wish you well with your Coast to Coast in September. If it is St Bees Head to Robin Hood Bay that’ll be another shared experience !

 

[Didot]

How are you going 6 weeks down the track?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kiwigirl62]

@Trailers
Thanks for your post - yes it was the Frances in 2016, St Bees to Robin Hood Bay this Sept (12 months post op) and planning the Via de la Plata for May 2020 (if all goes well).
I really encourage you to try to be 'steady eddie' and listen to your body's own recovery rate and I found really helpful reading lots of posts to help me work out all the aches, pains, strains etc were part of the new 'normal'
I notice you have not yet started your own thread - a good thing to do as we often forget where we came from in the beginning of the journey.
so many little things now amaze me - walking down normal an incline in the street this morning whereas 2 months ago it was very careful and slow.
Ill keep an eye out for your thread

 

[Trailers]

OK so this has to be slightly unusual in terms of shared roads travelled ..... I walked the Via de La Plata from Seville as far as Merida but family commitment meant I had to leave it there. Went back two years later to Merida and finished it on the bike. Don't know how popular it is now but then in 2010 it was little travelled and the better experience overall I think because of that. That said ,probably anyone's first Camino is pretty special.
Took your advice and did my thread and have probably indulged myself in the overall 'less is more' tone of the posts on here to get a bit lazy this week . Looking for that happy medium !

 

[Kiwigirl62]

6 month update (and not a lot to say)
OK so at the magic halfway point and very pleased to say that everything is rather normal.
Knee feels normal 90% of the time and the only meds I've taken in the last month were for a headache. Doing the same walking and cycling as last month although now trying to up the distance and frequency of walking to build a base for the trip in September.
I did trip up about 2 weeks ago on pavement (not lifting feet enough) - caught myself before falling but did pull one of the tendons a bit at the back of my calf/knee. This has only affected me climbing stairs - so staying away from them for a bit until its all good again - pesky tendons do seem to take a while to repair. (walking and cycling it doesn't effect)
Still very noisy (squeaky and crackly on bending up). Hate hearing that noise but it does not hurt. Only affects mostly when I am cycling - hoping from reading on here is will start to get less in the next month.
Got a free swim pass for month of april so will try to use that up most definitely.
So a really bland update but boring is good after this type of surgery.
See you again at 7 months,
Suzanne

 

[rustic]

Thanks for the update. I'm still following along. Next week, I'll post my 6 month update. I have my 6 month follow up with the surgeon as well.
I spent a month in NZ in the early '80s. I did the full Copeland track and some other mountaineering type things.

 

[Kiwigirl62]

@rustic I'll look forward to your update....there's not many oldies on here any more....hope yr doc gives a good report.......mine signed my off at 5months...bit fast but can go back if sny majors happen.

 

[rustic]

I think many people that have good outcomes drift away from posting on this site. That makes it important that people like you continue to post once in a while. So things don't look so grim for newcomers or people that are still considering tkr's.

 

[Lindylee]

Thank you for your update, not bland at all. It does help those of us who are months behind you when you share your stories. I'm glad you didn't damage the joint when you feel and I hope the tendon improves very soon.
It's interesting to hear when other people's surgical reviews are. I had my first at 8 weeks and the next is at one year when they will x-ray to check all is well.

 

[sistersinhim]

So a really bland update but boring is good after this type of surgery.

Amen, sister! Boring is the kind of recovery we all want.

 

[Kiwigirl62]

thanks everyone and yes you are right - it is the reason that I keep regular updates.....I hunted high and low at the beginning of my recovery for anyone who was 1 / 2 / 3 months ahead off me. What it did was help me take the pressure off myself doing stuff too early and set realistic little targets. Thinking I am ready to have a practice at a little jog - enough to get across the road in a hurry if needed - just have to bypass the mind that says it will hurt! Still am amazed at little things - can walk at speed again - even the fact that I can walk good with not pain/limp.

 

[Kiwigirl62]

8 Month Update
Hi well currently all is going normal as can be. Have taken a couple of spills on the pavement (I never normally fall). Walking too fast and not lifting my TKR leg up high enough. Mostly pride was hurt, Knee was good as gold. In the first one tried to right myself before I hit the deck and managed a slight pull of the tendon in my good leg. This only resulted in not being able to do stairs for about 4 weeks til it healed properly. Fell face down on both occasions, bit freaky - I need to slow down and focus.
So currently doing a lot more walking trying to prepare for my UK walk and once again started doing stairs - trying to build quads, currently about 10 flights a day with a lot of stretching.
The cold has set in here in Melbourne - well the mornings are cooler so not riding bike as much...just run out of time with full time work.
Not experiencing any swelling at all with the longer walks 8 - 10kms. Just the normal sore feet...haha
Extension is finally getting towards 0 although still a bit tight - that has been the longest thing.
I can say that my knee feels about the same now as it was about 5 - 8 years ago. Sometimes a little stiff with bending but only minor (last measure was 125 and will maybe find somewhere to do a measure at around 12 months).
Off to buy a new hiking pack at the end of the month along with some new hiking boots....Needless to say I will be looking for a lightweight pair.
Oh yes.... I can do a little jog...well fast shuffle really. So as my quads be stronger I want to be able to jog maybe 1km. Not the I want to do regularly (don't want to wear the knee faster than necessary) but want to be able to move fast in an emergency situation and know that my knees will carry me.
Hope everyone is doing well and hang in when it gets tough. I have been very blessed with this knee. Any pre op people out there....I really do think preparing as much as possible with muscles and flexibility does help.

 

[flsungirl]

Well hello my other Melbourne friend! The total opposite of weather has begun here in sunny Melbourne Florida!mornings aren’t so bad but days are lots hotter. Plus our fabulous daily thunderstorms!

I am glad that you’re doing well, compared to those first months post op! What a rough journey we have been through! I’m still terrified of falling and landing on “the knee”. The stairs, every once in awhile , I’m afraid I’m not lifting as high as I should...I haven’t tripped yet but the chance is still there.

The patella area is still numb, can’t feel it when shaving on that part. Super weird sensation!my flexion is not much better than my other knee and I’ve still not tried to kneel on it. Freaks me out! Extension is the best at 0.

Unfortunately my activity has not changed much. I can’t get on the ground and get back up by myself. Working 11 hour shifts with minimal discomfort at times. Still get that random zinger! Last week my right hip was acting up, it’s getting better but super uncomfortable especially at night.

I’m so proud of you doing the walking thing! I’m not much of a walker, except post surgery. And omg I’ve never run on purpose! Hahahah. I look forward to continuing on with my fellow knee buddy! Take care

Melanie

 

[Bionic]

@Kiwigirl62
Thankyou for the update. I had a TKR on 1st March this year so just gone 11 weeks now.
My extension isn't bad but my flexion isn't great. I have only just started going upstairs but finding that tough too.
On Sunday I managed 4 rotations on the exercise bike for the first time. Knee doesn't want to bend that far today though :-(
Its great to see what you can do at a few months ahead of me though. I hope when I get to your stage that I can give a move positive update too.

 

[rustic]

Great to hear another positive update from a fellow Sept.'18 er. We've followed each other from the start. I'm still a bit behind you on the hiking, but getting closer than I was a few months ago. With bad weather coming for you, will you be doing treadmills at all? When I get that opportunity, I practice sidestepping and backwards walking. Both of those are good for coordination and might help have anti-tripping effects.

 

[Kiwigirl62]

@flsungirl , great the hear from you again, yes I also have a bit of numbness the outside area of the knee and feels really weird shaving. also not a great kneeler either - am OK on the bed but hard surfaces are a no no. I look a sight when I have been helping at work with sorting phone and PC ports climbing under desks with the TKR one stuck out....but still manage to get up and down of the floor easily enough....helps that I was pretty flexible before starting this process. currently having a last burst of sunshine this week - 21d..pity Im stuck in the office.

@rustic, sadly most of my walking is urban related...flat and boring....often home from work....7kms. Doing this more to build a base (along with the stairs) but hopeful to get into some green hills if weather allows on weekends. Hate treadmills with a passion so as long as not raining too hard will still continue to walk home from work a few times a week with the brolly. Thanks for the tips for backwards and sideways...i'll incorporate these.

@Bionic, thanks for reading. I really found once I got rotations on the bike it helped to free up my knee and also stairs took a bit particularly going down...I never thought I would get there but I found from 4 - 5 months things started to get progressively easier, but really working the knee back is a full time job.

@traceys , glad to see you back and behind a camera again - I am following your progress although not on the site as much as I used to

I cant believe how long its taking to get muscles back to pre-op stage particularly the quads...although I've been a bit slack as seemed to never have time once I got to work but now having to make a conscious effort as I know I will get stronger if I do specific exercises.....slowly but surely....keep reminding myself it is at least a 12 month process.
Last but not least had a new grand daughter (Nellie) born a few weeks ago......such a delight

 

[Lindylee]

Aww, she's gorgeous.Such a wonderful thing, being a grandparent.
Great to hear you're doing so well. I'm full of admiration (and a tad jealous) of your 8-10 Km walking. Did your surgeon say it was ok to jog? When I asked mine if there was anything I shouldn't do, he said don't run or jump. They all seem to say different things.
I used to trip and fall a lot until I went to Pilates and they made me work my glutes as they said they were the stabilising muscles. I've not fallen since I'm pleased to say. I hope I haven't jinxed myself now!

 

[Jockette]

Nellie is beautiful!!