Bilateral TKR Chattalyn-6 months-still use cane for gait

6 MONTHS
Balances issues when walking are better, but I still use a cane when I go out.
Any idea why shopping at a big box store wears me out for two days-not so much knees, but back, hips, and thighs. I suspect my posture isn't correct when pushing a buggy. And it doesn't seem to matter how short my list is, things are on the opposite sides of the store.
 
@Chattalyn, it’s good to see you my fellow Chattanoogan! How do you like all our rain this weekend? Yuck! You mentioned earlier you wondered if one leg was shorter than the other. I know my gait was so off and it caused all kinds of back issues. Everything hurt. Thankfully all is good now and back is well and my gait has worked itself out! As you know it’s all connected! Take care!
 
True, somehow slow walking in a store is harder than taking a walk outside at a regular pace.
 
7 MONTHS
Gait is improving. Went to the Y today and walked in the pool for 30 minutes. Felt good but I suspect that was about 15 minutes too long.
 
Oh boy, I hope you don't feel it tonight and tomorrow! You should have started at only about 5-10 minutes. Walking in water is just like using weights.
 
@Chattalyn I just caught up on your thread. You sound a lot like me except I had my knees done 6 months apart. I had extremely knock knees, my right foot pronates , turns out, and I have balance issues. I walk so much better with my walker, but use my cane most of the time. You asked if anyone had back and hip pain in one of your posts? Yes! PT says weak hip abductor muscles will cause this and also balance problems. Has your balance improved? If not, you may want to do some exercises for your hip abductor muscles.
 
@jboles Yes, my balance has improved a little bit. Which exercises helped your hip abductor muscles?
 
I had a lot of balance issues, too, early on, I think it’s par for the course. It lessened over time without any exercises for it.
 
There’s a couple. They’re not too hard, you can look them up online. Standing up holding onto chair or counter and moving leg back, no too far. Laying on side doing leg lifts. But you really need to look them up or ask a PT so you don’t do them incorrectly.
 
@jboles thanks-I do the first one you mentioned occasionally-from PT. I'll check out the side leg lifts
 
The pool can be sneaky. Your knees (and leg muscles) can feel just fine right after and then later... bam! They're all sore. I really enjoy the pool for my thighs and belly. My knees prefer walking. :heehee:
 
I seem to be ok from the pool walking yesterday-a little sore but sore from exercising not sore from ADL
 
That was me, too, after my first aquacise classes. My thighs and tummy were sore, but in a good way, while my knees were mostly fine. Lefty got a twinge. That was it. The other muscles being sore was a good thing! Our whole bodies get kind of out of shape while our knees (before surgery and after) are out of commission.
 
It's been a few years since I've been to the beach. What are some of your experiences with walking on sand after BTKR?
 
Walking on sand is tough on a new knee replacement. Try not to do too much of it.
 
It's been a few years since I've been to the beach. What are some of your experiences with walking on sand after BTKR?

I made one brief foray to Ocean City, NJ at around six months. I definitely preferred riding a bike on the boardwalk to walking on the beach. After a little bit of walking on the softer sand, which my knees weren’t happy with (Lefty tired and got a little yippy with twinges), I kept to the firmer sand near the water. That was more pleasant. I wasn’t especially sore at night, though, just a little, and was back to normal the next day.

You can definitely try some beach at this time. Everyone’s different and your knees will tell you very quickly if they’re liking the experience. I’m headed to the beach again this summer and expect everything, including walking in sand, to go well. We’re both far enough out now that it should be okay, though we’ll probably have to build up our sand-walking muscles!
 
At my 4 month check, which was in July, my surgeon happily told me I could go in the ocean. (He’s a big fan of the water as there are many pictures of boats and lighthouse all over the office.)

I had already read here about members having problems walking in the sand, and they were further along than 4 months.

It was one more step away from trusting what my surgeon told me. He didn’t ask how are you, what can you do, etc.

My incision may have been healed enough to handle ocean water, but I knew there was no way my knee could navigate trudging through the sand to get to that ocean, nor handle the waves hitting it, nor how the sand pulls away from your feet when the waves go back out. :doh:

He had also hurt me pretty bad that day when he bent my knee too far to get a good measurement, even after I said, twice, that was too far. I was quite angry about these two things when I left the appointment.
 

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