TKR BoneSmart Works!

[mendogal]

Time for a status update on my almost 7 month old R knee! I'm happy with its ROM and overall function.
It does still have that obvious swelling on the topside; 45-60 minutes of elevation twice daily plus self lymphatic drainage massage don't seem to do much; it tends to diminish overnight and it's overall less severe than a month ago.
The evening deep aching in the quads is slowly abating.
I haven't done a long three mile walk in the past ten days because it's been either too rainy or too cold (I'm cold intolerant) to be out the full hour. Weather permitting I get 1.5 - 2 mile loop walks in the afternoons at peak warmth.
My exercise biking once weekly is still at a 20 minute plateau, but at the last session I was able to achieve a faster pace, closer to my preop norm though with significantly less resistance.
I've added short arc quads to the floor workout and if the swelling and tightness continue to abate will add a very light ankle weight soon. I can briefly kneel on it (knee at right angle, butt in the air) in the process of getting up and down.

 

[MSuki]

I think your 7 month report is very encouraging because of all you are able to do, and it slso highlights that this is really a long haul recovery. Do you still use tylenol/Aleve or similar at this point?

 

[mendogal]

@MSuki - I don't tolerate NSAIDs. I do take acetaminophen - 1000 mg once or twice daily - but it's more for an unrelated chronic pain than for residual knee aching.

 

[MSuki]

I think it’s wonderful that you are able to be as active as you are. Hoping I can get there as well. I know it takes commitment and consistency.

 

[sistersinhim]

Hoping I can get there as well. I know it takes commitment and consistency.

Actually, mostly it takes time and patience!

 

[MSuki]

Actually, mostly it takes time and patience!

True. But none of these come naturally to my ADD brain except time…..

 

[LittleBit]

"Actually, mostly it takes time and patience!"

100% accurate and patience is hard for most of us!

 

[sistersinhim]

I agree. We want to be well now! Unfortunately, that's where we get into trouble. We think we can 'work' our way to a quicker healing when most of the time working is what is slowing down the healing. Been there, done that!

 

[mendogal]

Two milestones today as I approach seven months on the newer knee:
- on the exercise bike I again pedaled faster than before - and for a full 10 minutes of the 15 total it was with the resistance set higher to 3.
-we watched a two hour movie and I didn't need to pause it for a three minute walk and it wasn't painfully stiff when I DID get up!

 

[sistersinhim]

Woohoo, what a great recovery you are having!

 

[MSuki]

I think people who haven’t had a TKR don’t realize that difficulty sitting with your feet on the floor for an extended time can be an issue, but it can play a big role in getting back to normal . Congrats! Now it will be much easier if you need to travel, go to a play, a graduation, wedding, etc.

 

[mendogal]

This three day weekend we celebrated my baby 7 month old knee and another journey round the sun for me.
A happy two day break from rain brought lots of outdoor walking!
And today I added a light ankle weight to my R knee for its twice weekly short arc quad to straight leg raise. A dozen slow controlled reps and it was HAPPY.
If this continues I will see if the PT who rehabbed my shoulder and got me into safe, sane weight training is taking referrals, and if so will ask my OS for a referral. A February goal.

 

[djklaugh]

@mendogal Happy Birthday! And happy, happy knee

 

[benne68]

Happy belated birthday!

 

[MSuki]

Happy Happy Birthday!

 

[mendogal]

Thank you Deb, Deb, and @MSuki !!!!

 

[mendogal]

I still have been stymied in distance walking but continue to progress on the gym bike on speed, time, and resistance.

The lateral numb area on my older knee has been giving me mild dysesthesia for several weeks and in recent days it's little sister has started. I wouldn't characterize it as zingers, but as intermittent periods of abnormal skin sensation. The basis is the same as zingers - little sensory nerves regrowing but unsure what kind of signals to send.

My older new knee is approaching its first birthday. I never did get to tell its story here so maybe on that day I will!

 

[sistersinhim]

The lateral numb area on my older knee has been giving me mild dysesthesia

What is dysesthesia?

We'd love to hear about the big sister!

 

[mendogal]

@sistersinhim ...
Dysesthesia is literally "bad feeling" and can be anything that sensory nerves normally convey that's happening in the absence of any external stimulus - feelings of hot, cold, itch, pain, friction, etc.
We all have "dermatomes" or specific and well identified areas of skin that share a main sensory nerve. For some reason I occasionally (a couple of x a year?) get a weird dysesthesia on an upper arm or thigh dermatome out of nowhere for a couple of days. My postop numb patches are now very intermittently doing this and it seems to be my idiosyncratic version of zingers!

 

[sistersinhim]

Thanks for the clear explanation. I bet I'm not the only one who didn't know what that meant. It sounds like something that is caused by nerves. Occasionally I get tingling in my shoulder and arm caused by a compromised nerve in my neck. Zingers in our knees are definitely nerve-related.