Become an Insider

TKR Anyone have a good stationary bike?

SusieShoes, a question.
If I wait until it's relatively painless and then go to PT wouldn't that be about what I did?
I was feeling REALLY pretty good and then went and had it wrecked.

Wouldn't giving it a LONG time to get better just make any PT adjustment or exercise that much MORE painful?
 
Why go back to that particular PT place or person. Go to someone and tell them that you will NOT be bullied or pushed to do anything that will hurt your knee. They have to do what you say. You are their employer and boss, not the other way around.
 
While waiting for Susie, I’ll jump in here. I think she meant later on down the road when you’ve healed enough to handle the strengthening aspect.

A lot of PTs and surgeons want us to regain that ROM right away, and restrengthen our leg right away, and they ignore the fact that we have to heal from such a traumatic assault on our body first.

I have learned through this forum that we don’t have to do exercises in order to get our ROM back. The movement our knee does in the normal things we do every day are sufficient to take care of that, as we heal. Those movements, along with healing, will also get our strength back in our legs and quads.

While my PT experience was not as bad as the experiences of some other members, I’ve since learned they did do things that were agressive and unnecessary.

The first time they force bent my knee was exactly one week post op. My therapist was pleasant and soft spoken, he didn’t just jam my leg into a fast bend, but he just gently kept moving my leg into more of a bend until I thought my knee would explode. I held onto the sides of the table so tightly that it was the final straw that put me over the line to acute tendinitis in my shoulder, the pain of which was way worse than my one week old knee, and the Dilaudid I was taking didn’t touch this new pain.

I was so surprised he did that, he was so nice. That pain has affected me deeply, as well as other things in PT that increased my pain over time, to the point I seriously doubt I will ever trust a PT again.

And it was all so unnecessary because not all PTs do that, and not all surgeons recommend that. ( mine did)

Take a break from PT and let your knee heal. Many members here have not gone to PT and have had excellent outcomes as a result. PT is definitely not the essential part of recovery that we have been lead to believe.
 
One thing I have discovered this week is the medicinal application of
................Rum and Coke !!! :heehee:

Plus it is way more effective after 5 weeks teetotaling. :loveshwr:
 
Make sure you don't get tipsy. You don't want to fall! :beer:
 
Okay, I'm still alive. Kinda. :dubious:

It's at the 2 1/2 month mark now. I....think..... I won't regret the surgery, but won't make any promises.

I really want to ride my bike. :badspidy:

I have flat flat FLAT feet and bad ankles and can NOT walk.
I've tried. 3 blocks on concrete and I'm shot. The bike is my only exercise and I still (even though it's better) can not tolerate that top position of the pedal.

I quit that Marquis de Sade fizzy-cull thurpist I had who was setting me back.

I am trying to exaggerate normal movement past pain a bit more each day hoping that it will EVENTUALLY break through and let me do a ride.

I even tried a "crank forward" bike that has the pedals extended out somewhat. The geometry of the bike makes it hard to maneuver though. To the point of being dangerous to handle.
I don't want a recumbent bike as they get run down too often for my taste.

And.... I think trying to get used to having feet attached to pedals would drive me nuts.

Soooo....my question is:
Have any of you looked for or found a bicycle that has enough distance from seat to pedal to be usable for your new (and fabled) recovery from knee abuse?

The lack of exercise is taking a toll on the REST of me. :sad:

Thanks in advance.
 
Have you contacted a bike shop for an assessment? There are a few on here I know went in and someone helped them find a bike with a lot of different adjustments or style that made huge differences incl short crank pedals.
I still cannot do a revolution on a bike and miss that but can do things I never could. Love the elliptical now
 
traceys said:
Have you contacted a bike shop for an assessment? There are a few on here I know went in and someone helped them find a bike with a lot of different adjustments or style that made huge differences incl short crank pedals.
I still cannot do a revolution on a bike and miss that but can do things I never could. Love the elliptical now
Click to expand...
The elliptical again works my ankles and those have been a lifelong misery.
 
Pyrite said:
The bike is my only exercise and I still (even though it's better) can not tolerate that top position of the pedal.
Click to expand...
OK I think you need to get a static trainer to attach your bike to. This will enable you to raise the saddle of your bike so your just pedalling with your tip-toes. This would be wobbly on the road, but easy on a trainer. No rain or cars or cold either indoors :)
  • Set the bike to zero resistance
  • Set the saddle as high as possible and rock the pedals back and forth as far as you can with discomfort but no pain
  • Repeat several/many times a day, but don't go mad. Diminishing returns will apply; my guess is that half a dozen reps would be enough
  • And if you get any pain or swelling in the 24 hours after doing this, cut it down until you don't
You will eventually be able to make a full rotation.

Then:
  • Set the bike to zero resistance
  • Set the saddle low enough so that a single rotation is a challenge; difficult but not painful. When a rotation becomes easy right from the start, lower the saddle a max of 1cm.
  • Gently turn the pedals, through discomfort but without pain.
  • Continue until the knee is 'warmed up' and the rotation is now easy, or for 2 minutes, whichever is the shorter time.
  • Repeat several/many times a day, but don't go mad. Diminishing returns will apply; my guess is that half a dozen reps would be enough
  • Do not pedal fast or for more than 2 minutes, this is a stretching exercise, not training.
  • And if you get any pain or swelling in the 24 hours after doing this, cut it down until you don't
Here is a bit more chat and some pix and how 'healing' and 'training' are different
 
Legs are designed for walking. Lots of people have flat feet. Could you get orthotics and/or well designed shoes or boots which would allow you to just walk? I don't mean walking for miles just a reasonable amount to really get your knees doing what they're meant to do along with some stairs?
 
I have some prescribed orthotics. Plastic or fiberglass. I have no clue what the problem is. It's been since I was a kid and had to wear ...ugh...High top shoes. :gaah:
I constantly turned my ankles.
Maybe I need a new exam. The orthotics are fairly old and never did much for the ankles.

Stairs? Not quite yet. Close but still not fully ready.
 
Today I'm going to further investigate that static trainer for bike.
My bike is a Trek and the hubs don't fit in most static trainers.
I think I'll visit a welding shop. I know what WOULD work but so far haven't found one ready off-the-shelf.
I may even go get a junk bike at the dump and stick it in some sort of clamp.
All I need is to get it READY to make the full circle.
 
Just sat here reading your thread Pyrite - you started at the point I am at now.

8 days post op and with a massively swollen leg just round and above my knee. No way of bending it to the 90 degrees they want from me - almost but not quite.

Mainly taking paracetamol (Tylenol - I’m in the UK), but topped up with codeine too. So I either feel out of it and can’t do any walking around or I don’t take it and have pain.

Seems never ending but I know there’s hope here, especially after reading so many posts that are all mirror images of how it is for me.

We’re getting a new German Shepherd puppy at the end of April - I must be totally mad, but I feel it will give me a reason to press forward as my body allows me.

My old knee was almost at right angles to my new one, stuck out the side and waking affected my back and gait badly. I can already feel the benefits of the posture change. The new knee bears my weight without crunching or giving out.

Now just to get this swelling/pain under control...............

Hang in there
 
Steph said:
8 days post op and with a massively swollen leg just round and above my knee. No way of bending it to the 90 degrees they want from me
Click to expand...
Who is 'they'? It's what you can do, not what somebody wants the numbers to be! There is no rush to get to any certain numbers. Your ROM will be improving all through the next year or longer. Don't let anyone hound you about numbers.
 
It's a bear not being able to take opiate pain killers.

I did figure out the solution to the bike though.
My bike is a folder and I brought it in the house where I can easily put it next to the bed and get on it and move it manually back and forth and thus get the pedal revolution. I think a week or so of this will do the trick.

I....live ..on my bike when I'm "normal." Love the lil thang.
I had diabetes and weighed 354 when I got it 12 years ago.
Lost (and kept off) 115 pounds from the....BIKE !!! :dancy:
(also some diet change but mostly the exercise)

And.... am no longer considered a diabetic. :yes!:

So I'm gonna get back on it ASAP.
Bikes give more scenery too. :)
 
Pyrite said:
I....live ..on my bike when I'm "normal." Love the lil thang.
I had diabetes and weighed 354 when I got it 12 years ago.
Lost (and kept off) 115 pounds from the....BIKE !!! :dancy:
(also some diet change but mostly the exercise)
Click to expand...
That is so awesome!!
 
I like to relate it so people with Type 2 diabetes can know that less carbs and some exercise can remove the curse of diabetes. :loll:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 1,008 (members: 2, guests: 1,006)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom