Knee Infection* A long journey with many bumps

[mendogal]

@zippy005
Neither of my knees has been through this kind of 2 1/2 year cycle of procedures, but your walking experience leads me to share that for each of my TKRs their single happiest thing (besides elevating and icing initially!) was walking.
It was what loosened them up when I sat too long, and once I started community walking (as opposed to endless loops within the house), even in the earliest days of just crossing the street and walking past three houses, it was as if they had a life of their own, clicking happily "yes! yes! a little further today please!"

A reminder that in general but especially after icing and elevating, those muscles NEED to be slightly warmed up (even just doing a three minute walk) before you can safely stretch them.

 

[EalingGran]

have a recumbent bike, a treadmill and a knee press in my home gym. I do try to use all three pieces of equipment 3 to 4 times per week. I managed to walk two levels of our local mall from front to back yesterday and it’s the most I’ve walked in the seven months since my ordeal began.

It sounds like you are doing great. Being outside is so good for us. I find Winter really takes it out of mentally and physically these days.
If you want to vary things have a look at my excellent pilates teacher's free classes on YouTube ( Google Katja pilates and they come up). I used her side lying glute strengthening class with no squats which is geared for recovery after knee injury. Pilates is very good I find for rehab as it stresses gentle movement and no pain but really works to improve ROM balance and strength.

 

[zippy005]

@EalingGran, thank you for the tips. I’m definitely going to have a look at your Pilates teacher’s free classes. I did take a recommendation about getting out and walking. Since my TKR back in October and all of the issues that happened afterwards, I haven’t done any long walking. I decided to challenge myself yesterday and I went to my local mall thinking I would just do one level from beginning to end, but managed to do both levels of the mall. I walked the entire thing. I did stop three times for a minute or two to take a brief rest and continued on. It felt so good to work my knee and challenge it. Of course I am swollen a little bit achy today, but I would expect that. I’m going to try and do this 2 to 3 times per week to strengthen my leg and to build endurance. Thank you for the nudge.

 

[Jamie]

@zippy005 .... this is a really positive report! Although you did experience a little swelling after your long walk, assuming it is better within 24 hours, your plan to do the walk 2 to 3 times a week sounds good. If you have access to an exercise bicycle (not a peddler), that is also an excellent way to exercise your knee and gain strength. Just be sure you work up to longer times for either of these activities.

 

[EalingGran]

I’m going to try and do this 2 to 3 times per week to strengthen my leg

This is a great report. Have a coffee half way and this will help you rest and go further. It's good just to be out and see the world go by I find. Helps to really feel on the road to normality.

 

[Jamie]

@zippy005 …. How are things going? It appears that you got your login problems resolved with your Insiders Club account resolved. But it would be great to hear from you.

 

[zippy005]

Thanks for these replies! I am aware it takes time, alot of time. I guess I just had higher expectations going through an MUA. One of my therapists has been very good about explaining the process, etc. He agrees aggressive work is not a good thing to do when swelling, etc exists...the other one I have believes the only way that knee is going to be better is to push it. Guess which one I'd rather work with?

In addition to PT I have signed on for a couple of knee bending/knee extension course with Dr. Samantha Smith which you might have seen online. Her 'succeed courses' is where I do these from. I have only done the beginning stages of each course and you are supposed to do them twice a day (while icing every 2 hours). I do them on off PT days. Now I'm only doing PT twice a week but after the MUA I did a tortuous 10 days straight as that was what the doc ordered... Here's an example of what a day of the knee bending course looks like: (I took them off the course itself)

• Bike 5 minutes with heat (using a heating pad on quads to warm them up)
• Standing marches x15
• Standing knee bends x15
• Standing squats x15
• Standing hip hinge x15
• Laying knee to chest (hold) x15
• Laying Mini bridges x15
• Seated quad contraction, hold 10 seconds, stretch back x4
• Seated hamstring stretch, hold 30 seconds x2

As you go along in the course the exercises get harder to do. I haven't progressed from this type of example. I also do my 'own thing' with heel slides, stretching using my stretch rope (hamstrings). I also do basic walking for errands and very little 'fitness' walking per se right now as the weather is frigid here in NH. I do get out into some shopping centers and try to do a few laps.

Knee Straightening Course Day 1

• Bike 5 minutes with heat (heating pad on hamstrings)
• Seated toe touch x10
• Standing terminal knee extension x10
• Standing knee bends x10
• Long sitting quad sets, hold 5 seconds x10
• Laying hamstring stretch with rope, hold 30 seconds x2
• Seated hamstring stretch, hold 30 seconds x3

I see the doc in 3 weeks. I have 2 PT sessions scheduled and not sure what's going to happen after that. Not sure how many medicare/my co insurance is going to pay for...Like I said I've been in PT from Oct. 15th (not counting the home sessions the first week) to now.

Pain: mostly medial and about a 4 to 5 on a pain 'scale'. But not constant. Responds to ice and rest.

I realize there are those who would kill for a 105 and I apologize for sounding so ungrateful. I have read the stories of those who started out (like the example above) and with time did very well. I wasn't that flexible going into all of this and believe that is part of it. So I"m working at basic stretching of hams/quads/ glutes to help in the process.

Thanks again for the support! It is very helpful...

Please try to stay positive. I had a complicated TKR revision in Oct. 2024. Like you, I went thru torturous PT sessions that nearly broke me. After 24 sessions, I decided to follow much of the Bonesmart way, and gradually my knee calmed down, my confidence increased and I saw improvement. Still, after six months, I was stuck at a ROM of 90. I ended up enrolling in Dr Samantha Smith’s knee bending course and over the next six weeks, improved to 112. I then enrolled in the strength and balance course Dr Sam offers. By the end of the course, climbing, going up and down stairs, stability, endurance and balance were significantly better. At 13 months post surgery, I finally raised my ROM to 121. I continue to stretch daily, and there are days I am close to 125. Finally, I feel as though I can do most anything I could do before knee replacement. In fact, I just signed up to do the Level 2 version of the strength and balance course.

We all heal differently, and you will get there in your own time. I wish you the very best.

 

[Jockette]

@zippy005 I just wanted to let you know that I copied your post to @WillsNonni over to your recovery, it’s a good update to have in your history.

I’m glad you found a successful way to rehab, as yes, we all heal differently. Best Wishes for continued success!