TKR 60 degrees ROM at 2 weeks. No progress at all :-( <

[Want2hike]

I am very prone to swelling in general and had a lot of swelling in both legs (not just the knees) when I went in for my 2 week check and to get the staples removed. My doc gave me an Rx for prednisone (6 day taper down doses). It worked great at getting rid of all the non-knee swelling, and reduced some of the knee swelling. Not sure if it would work for you, but you might want to ask your doctor (even your family doc) if a short course of steroids could get you over the swelling hump.

 

[highlander]

@bertschb I'm not sure if this is something you'd be interested in (at least for now). Someone posted this on here a while ago and I saved it. Take a look!

https://www.orthopedal.com/


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

@Grammy211 I just ordered a set of these- this is perfect for my home trainer. I cant get a full rotation on it- but wow what a cool product!

 

[Grammy211]

@Grammy211 I just ordered a set of these- this is perfect for my home trainer. I cant get a full rotation on it- but wow what a cool product!

I thought it seemed great too!


Sent from my iPad using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

 

[highlander]

@Grammy211 Will be going on my road bike too in a month or so

 

[Jamie]

@bertschb.... since you won't be going back home just yet, how about looking at Craig's List or in second hand shops for a used stationary bike? Sometimes you can pick them up very inexpensively and it would be better than the pedaler you have.

 

[little red canoe]

@bertschb.. If you were me I would so break out of the house go buy whatever it takes to get me on a bike and ride..

We have been in the car for several days. This rest thing is for the birds. We boated but not biked as everything was soaking wet.. No surprise the knee was stiff and unwilling to bend.. About three tough revs on the pedals and then off to do a half an hour five mile ride; the rest was easy peasy. Now its Happy! It really does need exercise at this point..

I feel so much better. I hate indoor equipment.. I have to be outside.. I got into a peekaboo with a raccoon during a five minute rest.

Maybe you gotta get out there if this rest thing isn't working for you.

 

[sistersinhim]

Aren't those raccoons beautiful! I live in the country, too, and have had to trap 3 of them and take them off further in the woods. One of them actually came in the cat door on to the screened-in porch and was trying to come through the other cat door into the house. He got out of here the next morning in the trap! I'm with you, riding the inside bike is the pits compared to riding outside! I haven't gotten up to 5 miles yet, so you are doing great!

 

[Spex10]

Oh you are so lucky! We love raccoons but have to go and see them in the zoo! We've got the nearest we could get to one - a Maine Coon cat. (I know he's not really related to raccoons though)

 

[bertschb]

I decided to stop sitting around waiting for my ROM to improve enough so that I could ride my bike. Instead, I started hiking the same trails I was riding. There are a lot of climbs on these trails so it's still a great workout. I've done 90 minute hikes three days in a row and my knee is doing fine. I have to be careful going down steep trails because my knee doesn't bend very far but overall I'm really excited to be back outside getting some exercise. In hindsight I should have done this a month or two ago rather than just sit around waiting for enough ROM to ride my bike. Now I just need to lose the weight I've gained over the last 4 months watching TV while on the ice machine.

 

[KarriB]

Wow! Those are some long hikes! I'm glad they're helping you feel better. Walking is the best thing you can do for exercise.

 

[Clipless]

That is pretty much what I did. Hiking is good!

 

[sistersinhim]

It feels so good to get out and finally being to walk in nature and it not hurt! I'm so glad you're doing that. Before you know it, you'll be on that bike again. In the meantime, enjoy that hiking!

 

[Spex10]

I can't exactly say I'm out in nature but I'm gradually increasing my walking. I find walking downhill harder than uphill or on the flat. My other knee and opposite hip were very painful at first so I have to be supercautious about my gait. If I only use my stick for occasional balance issues that seems to help me to remain properly upright and putting equal pressure on all my joints.

 

[little red canoe]

Its too hot here to hike.. We are going home.. the first hike I have planned here is 3 miles round trip to a waterfall with a 1000 foot vertical gain( will use hiking poles). We have done several 2 mile walks..but the heat gets to me
However I have done more biking than I have done in a long time.. Yesterday 10 miles on hard packed dirt trails.. so glad it was coolish.. But those tree roots!

At home I mostly ride roads and forgot completely the intracicies of balancing at slow speed and hurdles on the path. One of the obstacles was a snake.. That was a surprise.!

Moving is going to get you going bertschb I think.. You are past sitting icing and elevating...

I hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine.. Hiking poles are something everyone regardless of knee condition uses for stability..A few years back there was a brief fad of Nordic walking but everyone laughed as they have had hiking poles for years..

 

[Want2hike]

It's time to start using that new knee of yours and finding out all that it can do.

I'm not sure my ROM increased much from hiking (still between 100-110 on most days) but it has helped with building strength, stamina, and general cardio. Plus, it is building my confidence in my knee again. Yesterday, the trail I was on had a bit of a gully from recent rain (about 3' wide and 3' deep). For the first time in 20+ years I was able to "leap" across it and land on the other side without pain or my knee buckling.

 

[sistersinhim]

I agree with Want2hike. The more you use your knee, the stronger it'll get.

 

[bertschb]

I'm back to passing everybody on the hiking trails. I'm not even going to bother bringing my bike down here to Palm Springs next winter. I'm just going to hike the trails and do my mountain biking at home. As long as there are hills to climb, hiking is a good workout and a good alternative to biking.

 

[sistersinhim]

 

[bertschb]

Plus, at my current rate of increasing ROM (which is zero degrees per month), I may still not be able to ride by next March anyway!

 

[KarriB]

I'm glad you're getting out and using your new knee. How's it feeling?