backbay38
graduate
Here I am back in NJ after my 2 months teaching and doing business seminars in Prague. I haven't posted for a long time or read much I fear; I was just overwhelmed with work -- and life. that last being a good thing.
2 weekends ago my husband and I joined friends and went for a strenuous, day-long hike in the unusual mountains northeast of Prague. The area is called Cesky Raj (Czech heaven) and features lots of odd rocks and tall sandstone pillars formed millions of years ago when the ocean receded and the continents pulled apart. The climbing can be challenging -- lots of technical climbers (not me!) and lots of stone steps carved out -- sometimes hundreds up or down. A castle at the top of course - it's Europe. anyhow my knee was stellar! I did everything I used to do and more. and nothing hurt the next day.
I am living proof that Jamie's theory of daily living works. As, I read early on, it apparently has for her. I had some trouble in the first weeks with all the cobblestones and getting on and off the very high-step trams etc. But by the end of the first month my whole leg was so much stronger and surer. Everyday I walked hills up and down from our apartment, carried groceries up too, did trams and Metro stairs, purposely walked up and down every escalator I was on (and knew I had improved when I could walk DOWN those big steps without thinking about it), did cobblestones and Belgian block sidewalks that are hell on your feet. In short -- the day-to-day of living in a city. I went to the gym a few times a week but wasn't too good about killing myself there. I did, however, discover that the rowing machine is great for flexibility. I used it for 5 or 10 minutes a few times a week and made sure to pull myself up as close as my knees would allow. I'm doing it here at home now also. You can see the difference from when you start -- and finish.
So now I'm back in the suburbs where you have to drive everywhere and manufacture reasons to walk and look for hills to climb and where except for park trails -- there isn't the kind of uneven streets you find in an old European city. I am worried about keeping my knee as fit as it is now.
I was about 5 and a half months out when I left for Prague -- the perfect point to start "Jamie's therapy". And anyone on this forum who lives in a city already knows what I found out.
Even with all my work and the Prague summer, my quads on the replaced knee leg are still somewhat weaker than on the good leg. It took about a year to rebuild them when I had my ACL repair 25 years ago so i figure the same will be true this time. Again -- Jamie's year is about right -- adjusting for individual recoveries.
My one regret -- I never found the Czech woman I met in the gym last summer who had had her knee replaced 8 months before we met -- and told me she was back skiing. She started me thinking seriously about TKR and I wanted so much to thank her. One of the trainers who speaks English thinks she knows the woman so I hope the message will be delivered. But it's not the same as giving her a big hug
I hope everyone is doing well from the winter/spring TKR group and I will hoipefully find time now that I'm home to jump in and give encouragement to the newbies here and then. I will certainly try because this forum and the collective knowledge and experience of everyone have been invaluable to me!!!
2 weekends ago my husband and I joined friends and went for a strenuous, day-long hike in the unusual mountains northeast of Prague. The area is called Cesky Raj (Czech heaven) and features lots of odd rocks and tall sandstone pillars formed millions of years ago when the ocean receded and the continents pulled apart. The climbing can be challenging -- lots of technical climbers (not me!) and lots of stone steps carved out -- sometimes hundreds up or down. A castle at the top of course - it's Europe. anyhow my knee was stellar! I did everything I used to do and more. and nothing hurt the next day.
I am living proof that Jamie's theory of daily living works. As, I read early on, it apparently has for her. I had some trouble in the first weeks with all the cobblestones and getting on and off the very high-step trams etc. But by the end of the first month my whole leg was so much stronger and surer. Everyday I walked hills up and down from our apartment, carried groceries up too, did trams and Metro stairs, purposely walked up and down every escalator I was on (and knew I had improved when I could walk DOWN those big steps without thinking about it), did cobblestones and Belgian block sidewalks that are hell on your feet. In short -- the day-to-day of living in a city. I went to the gym a few times a week but wasn't too good about killing myself there. I did, however, discover that the rowing machine is great for flexibility. I used it for 5 or 10 minutes a few times a week and made sure to pull myself up as close as my knees would allow. I'm doing it here at home now also. You can see the difference from when you start -- and finish.
So now I'm back in the suburbs where you have to drive everywhere and manufacture reasons to walk and look for hills to climb and where except for park trails -- there isn't the kind of uneven streets you find in an old European city. I am worried about keeping my knee as fit as it is now.
I was about 5 and a half months out when I left for Prague -- the perfect point to start "Jamie's therapy". And anyone on this forum who lives in a city already knows what I found out.
Even with all my work and the Prague summer, my quads on the replaced knee leg are still somewhat weaker than on the good leg. It took about a year to rebuild them when I had my ACL repair 25 years ago so i figure the same will be true this time. Again -- Jamie's year is about right -- adjusting for individual recoveries.
My one regret -- I never found the Czech woman I met in the gym last summer who had had her knee replaced 8 months before we met -- and told me she was back skiing. She started me thinking seriously about TKR and I wanted so much to thank her. One of the trainers who speaks English thinks she knows the woman so I hope the message will be delivered. But it's not the same as giving her a big hug
I hope everyone is doing well from the winter/spring TKR group and I will hoipefully find time now that I'm home to jump in and give encouragement to the newbies here and then. I will certainly try because this forum and the collective knowledge and experience of everyone have been invaluable to me!!!