Taoquest
member
3 Months Out of Bilateral TKR-
This will be my final weekly report, and I will continue monthly ones for awhile. After the “acute stage” of the first 4 weeks, the 3 months were quite a journey of ups and downs. But it does get better.
I found Pre-Op physical therapy helpful. Upper-body strength training is a must, for getting out of bed, the chair, the toilet, etc.
Getting your home prepared: I was on one level- no stairs. The hospital provided a Walker, 2 Breg Ice Machines and compression sleeves for my calves. They were on nonstop the first 4 to 6 weeks. Then I used ice packs during the day and my ice machines overnight.
I bought a shower bench, raised toilet seat with rails, a leg lifter, Lounge Doctor, a Drive 4 wheeler, and trekking poles.
After a few trips to the Over Did It Club, I now listen to my knees and stop if it doesn’t feel right. They are definitely in charge. “Pushing through the Pain” is NOT a good idea.
This journey sure has a lot of trial and error-
I shudder to think how poorly this could have gone without BoneSmart.
To me, my ICE machines and ELEVATION with the Lounge Doctor made all the difference.
I tapered off the pain meds and onto Tylenol after the first month. Now I only use Tylenol PM before bed.
Physical Therapy- definitely helpful pre-surgery.
My in-home PT right after surgery was a nightmare- pushing the bend on a swollen knee was torture, moving me to tears. I did go to outpatient PT from 3 weeks to 6 weeks, but it was the same exercises over and over, so I stopped when my surgeon said he was happy with my progress. Now I use my treadmill twice a day working on my gait, and I am using the pool for walking and exercises.
I used the provided walker the first 3 weeks, and then a Drive 4 wheeler. At 8 weeks, I used trekking poles for my walks-helped my posture and gait heel to toe.
Also at 8 weeks, I found that I could no longer sleep with my ice machines on, so I only used iced packs after exercise or just before bed. I still sleep with my legs elevated on my lounge doctor.
At 12 weeks, I was walking without poles indoors, I could climb stairs. My gait is starting to even out and I feel more progress! But my posture needs some work- there has been a weight shift with my straight knees, and my center of gravity has changed. AND I still tire easily.
@Ghostpipe said “One thing that we with bilateral must always bear in mind is that the recovery curve is much different. We don’t have a good leg to help out, and healing two is a lot slower. “
A Big surprise for me was finding that none of my shoes felt right anymore, including the new ones that I bought before surgery. Having legs straightened changes your posture, gait, etc. I am now going to see a podiatrist to point me to my Forever Shoes.
This past week, I noticed that the tightness/stiffness around my knees is FINALLY starting to ease.
I hope that my journey will help other Bilateral Knee-zees, as we are not that common. I have certainly been helped by others who have gone before me.
This will be my final weekly report, and I will continue monthly ones for awhile. After the “acute stage” of the first 4 weeks, the 3 months were quite a journey of ups and downs. But it does get better.
I found Pre-Op physical therapy helpful. Upper-body strength training is a must, for getting out of bed, the chair, the toilet, etc.
Getting your home prepared: I was on one level- no stairs. The hospital provided a Walker, 2 Breg Ice Machines and compression sleeves for my calves. They were on nonstop the first 4 to 6 weeks. Then I used ice packs during the day and my ice machines overnight.
I bought a shower bench, raised toilet seat with rails, a leg lifter, Lounge Doctor, a Drive 4 wheeler, and trekking poles.
After a few trips to the Over Did It Club, I now listen to my knees and stop if it doesn’t feel right. They are definitely in charge. “Pushing through the Pain” is NOT a good idea.
This journey sure has a lot of trial and error-
I shudder to think how poorly this could have gone without BoneSmart.
To me, my ICE machines and ELEVATION with the Lounge Doctor made all the difference.
I tapered off the pain meds and onto Tylenol after the first month. Now I only use Tylenol PM before bed.
Physical Therapy- definitely helpful pre-surgery.
My in-home PT right after surgery was a nightmare- pushing the bend on a swollen knee was torture, moving me to tears. I did go to outpatient PT from 3 weeks to 6 weeks, but it was the same exercises over and over, so I stopped when my surgeon said he was happy with my progress. Now I use my treadmill twice a day working on my gait, and I am using the pool for walking and exercises.
I used the provided walker the first 3 weeks, and then a Drive 4 wheeler. At 8 weeks, I used trekking poles for my walks-helped my posture and gait heel to toe.
Also at 8 weeks, I found that I could no longer sleep with my ice machines on, so I only used iced packs after exercise or just before bed. I still sleep with my legs elevated on my lounge doctor.
At 12 weeks, I was walking without poles indoors, I could climb stairs. My gait is starting to even out and I feel more progress! But my posture needs some work- there has been a weight shift with my straight knees, and my center of gravity has changed. AND I still tire easily.
@Ghostpipe said “One thing that we with bilateral must always bear in mind is that the recovery curve is much different. We don’t have a good leg to help out, and healing two is a lot slower. “
A Big surprise for me was finding that none of my shoes felt right anymore, including the new ones that I bought before surgery. Having legs straightened changes your posture, gait, etc. I am now going to see a podiatrist to point me to my Forever Shoes.
This past week, I noticed that the tightness/stiffness around my knees is FINALLY starting to ease.
I hope that my journey will help other Bilateral Knee-zees, as we are not that common. I have certainly been helped by others who have gone before me.