TKR Amazingly better experience with knee #2!

Thanks, Jockette! I try to learn from past experience, especially negative ones, so as not to repeat them! And, here, I learned so much from others, too, the reading materials, the moderators, other participants, etc. Bonesmart has been essential in my much improved recoVery this time!
 
Hi all, checking in on week 8 today!

Such a different experience than with my left in 2016; it still is quite amazing… the right leg was the one that sustained the original injury in 1988 when I tried to be a 9 year-old! So, the one I just did was “the worst” knee, with the original injury, yet the outcome has been so much better and so much faster!

At PT today I was able to bend to 115! Who-hoo! Still at 12 on extension but I understand that since that leg was so crooked and never straightened pre-surgery. I wore a neoprene brace around it for support the entire last year pre-surgery.

This week I’ve been needing to be working some as our business needs to expand, so I was on my feet a lot looking at retail spaces. I’ve done fairly well, but by nightfall I’m really exhausted and needing extra sleep still. But at only 2 months in, that’s normal!

Driving is now second nature, but getting in and out is still a tad awkward and less than graceful! But our helpers all went back home so I’m on duty again and mostly it’s just fine. Arranged a way to paint house paint samples sitting down, so that helped…made a couple of repeatable meals I froze so I should have a break later when I need one.

I head to our Oregon coast next week for a family vacation (or work-cation, at times), so that much longer drive will be a useful test. Ice packs coming with me though!

Nodding off so will close now!
 
You’re coming along well, even if doing a tad more than you should, but for the most part you seem to be getting away with it! I’m sure you’re in tune with your body and will avoid really overdoing it. You are able to do much more, much sooner, than I was able to, and I “only had a partial!”
 
Jockett, I know I’m trying to get away with a bit too much, but it seems if I elevate it snd ice it following the too-much-ness events, I can keep the pain and stiffness from getting too bad… it does cause more discomfort, but it’s not really painful, more just annoying and telling me to sit down and behave!
 
I, too, couldn’t keep up with what you’re doing Barbara! I still get pretty depleted, energy wise and I’m much further out than you in time.
You do sound sensible and seem to know your limits, but don’t get crazy :heehee:!.
You sure don’t want to set back all your great progress.
 
What a wonderful thread. I just had my second knee done and can relate to the more positive experience you describe. The biggest thing for me was 1) not to overmedicate immediately after the surgery. I had an IV with a button I could press every 5 minutes. The first time around I was so afraid of pain that I kept pumping all night and by morning was nauseous and drunk...and then 2) I didn't realize that once they take you off the IV at 7:30 am you have to ask for painkillers and make sure they keep bringing them every two hours. Last time, I crashed out of the painkillers and the pain was unbelievable. I have never felt as weak as I did then and the feeling lasted for a couple of days. This time around I managed the pain killers much better and the results were dramatic.

I think, too, the second time around I have a better sense of what is "normal". I didn't have to discover how painful it was to bend my knee--I remembered it from last time.

What I'm really curious about is getting down on the floor and up. It took me a really long time to get used to getting on and up off of a yoga mat with one TKR. But eventually I got comfortable doing it and always kept a pad to kneel on nearby. I'm heartened to hear that it can be done with two TKRs. I have a bunch of core strengthening exercises that I need to do (someday again) and would love to hear about anyone's experiences getting up from the floor. I'm so encouraged by all of you!
 
BBCG, I had to renew my drivers license yesterday. Needed my social security card. Of course it’s in a safe on the floor. Tried 3 times to open but you just have to sit on the ground for the tight angle, so I did and got back up without any problems. So I think I just thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. :spin:Kind of exciting to know I can. I need to put my plants on a drip before we go to Las Vegas in August.
 
Freestyle, when was your 2nd surgery so the moderators can add it to your signature?
 
Hi Mar & Freestyle,

Well, I also needed to know I could get up and down from the floor, too! I do a thing called Melt, which is kind of like super gentle PT using a soft foam roller under your body parts. We now do it virtually, of course, and so I tried the other day! I added a really cushy soft thick yoga mat so my older TKR knee, the left, could be first down and land on that. I'm short, so it's not too awful to go down onto my hands and feet, like a tall bug! So, I carefully did that, then let my older TKR knee go down first, then sat down onto the soft mat. It worked!!

Getting up? I kept my new TKR leg (right) out straight, then raised up onto my hands and feet from my left knee down position, then brought closer together my hands and feet, then stood up, ding a slight squat with both knees evenly... I think! I haven't gotten back down but will again this evening, after I come back from the kids house...

When I do it again this evening, I'll memorize my actions, just in case I got it wrong here!
 
I'm just excited to know it's possible to get up from the floor with two TKRs! My other big goal is to be able to get in and out of a kayak. I have a kayak "arm" off our dock that keeps the boat stable, it's a matter of having the leg strength to push myself up. I have a feeling that I will be able to do it eventually and it's a nice goal to have as I work out my long-term physio plan. For anyone out there who is a kayaker, this is what I am talking about.
 
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I am a keen boater and even launched a 5M boat across the beach at about 4 months. Boat movement helps build lateral strength as you continually work to keep stable. I found this helps recovery, although expect some discomfort and icing will be required.
I am at nearly 11 months with a very good recovery and my weakest is sudden sideways, either left or right movement. The quad group still a works in progress!
I played soccer with my grandson yesterday and for the first time in many months have a little joint discomfort.
Remember boating or kayaking you should plan on ending up in the water and you might find your knee limits your swimming and recovery out of the water.
Enjoy though!
 
Hi Geoffa,

So, first question: what’s a 5M boat?

And my granddaughter was jumping into the river here, off the dock, and, despite being a competitive gymnast, was having trouble getting back up onto the dock. I told her I wasn’t ready yet to do a water rescue!

I drove yesterday for 5 hours with my husband to join family at a river and beach house and my knee was sore when I finally stopped, but the weird thing is the pain and ache in my high outer quad muscle! It makes it really hard to walk. I think it’s due to underutilization of my butt muscles but how do I strengthen them and still walk and cover ground!?

There’s another muscle that crosses over at the top of the thigh so maybe it’s that one? Will look into it as it bugged me even to walk a block today! Obviously, I’m still lopsided do guess this week I’ll work on that!!
 
BBCG,
5metre or about 16 ft.
Launching across a beach safely and not bogging the 4wd requires a few skills. Always easier to launch than retrieve.
Getting in the boat during wave surge is the challenge.
We also launch a small Zodiac across the same beach.
The issue always is surge changing directions with little warning. Being in the cool salt water is always therapeutic though.

Re your comment on quads, I would characterise my recovery approx 11mths now, as muscle limited after about 4 mths.
This has been my weakest recovery link, my upper leg muscle structure. I am nine years older than my LTKR my RTKR was robot assisted. It's hard to tell whether the muscle recovery reflects aging and more atrophy!
With this TKR the knee capsule itself healed better and quicker than previous!
Anyways can sit on my heels!
And very happy with outcome.
Though even at 11mths it is easy to overdo it, first time in ages have a puffy knee, did some exercises that let me know who was boss.
 
Wow, sitting in a car for 5 hours is a real challenge and test! I remember having a 3 hour Zoom session at about 8 weeks out and feeling wrecked afterwards. But I soon got used to doing that with minimal stiffness. Do you have a stationary cycle you can use? That really helped with building up leg strength.
 
Hi BBCG Your recovery thread is great i am just a little in front of you Right medial P.K.R April 19. The experience and knowledge you are sharing is great. Being a novice Knee person its great to hear your recovery. I have found bonesmart to be my go to for help and information.
 
Hi all! Finally back from the mini-vacation then visit by my sister but now we’ve got 108 degree heat here! The Olympic Trials here were called off today in the heat, it was so hot!
The driving over the vacation went surprisingly well, as I took breaks…lunchtime break included charging our car, so was about an hour… then my sister arrived, so t’was a busy week.

I think I found a solution to my thigh leg muscle tension issue… to be continued!
 
Okay...sorry about the cliffhanger!

So, I've been having an extreme level of tightness and restriction in my thigh, from the inside near the knee wrapping around, it has seemed, to the outer upper thigh/hip area. It really felt like the muscles had been twisted... the area outside near the hip would freeze up when I would walk, and it seemed to truncate my gait, causing alot of achey pain. I would have to frequently stop, extend my operated leg out behind me, and stretch through the front and inner leg before I could walk again.

So, I recently learned about a Pilates teacher in town who also does orthopedic massage, so I called on her. By gum, what she did was interesting: stretching and holding part of my leg still, then stretching the lower thigh away from the area she was holding. She had me lie of my sides as well as my back to try to unwring my leg, it felt like! It actually felt really good-stretchy! So, y'all don't have a Bethany, I know, but if you can find a massage therapist who does fascia work, it might be helpful if you run into this kind of distress. it HAS worked out, too: I can now walk way better, extending my leg out in front now, instead of limiting its range, the hip/leg ache is't happening, etc. I'm not able to get out for a longer walk yet, until our temps go BELOW 100 degrees F, though! It was 108 degrees here yesterday! But, I think temps ware supposed to moderate later this week, a bit.
 

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