Coming up on 1 year anniversary

[NJW]

On June 9th I will be celebrating my one year anniversary for my BTKR. For the most part, life has gotten back to normal. Walking is once again a joy. I go up and down stairs with ease, no longer needing to use the railing. I'm back at work and no longer walk like a penguin!!

Minor issues: I still have some swelling, especially after working out at the gym or doing alot of walking. My entire leg swells (both), all the way down to my ankles. I still get some stiffness but not too bad. I do have some pain in my right knee, off and on, but only when the leg is at rest. Wondering if all this sounds typical. I'm not complaining because I know how far I've come during this past year. If I could change anything, I would NOT change a thing. Walking pain free is something most folks take for granted. It is so wonderful to just walk and not give it a second thought!

 

[ship4]

NJW,
Congratulations on making it thru the first year! There are a few of us BTKR who are making that milestone this month. My anniversary is 6/18. I see the OS for my 1 year check up and baseline xray for my spacer on 6/19. I walk fine, do stairs without trouble. I even carried wood in a log carrier up from the basement all winter to burn in the wood stove to heat the house. I can use the toe hold in the bumper of the Chevrolet Avalanche and get up onto the tailgate! I was doing that last October. I can walk, garden, downhill ski, and do whatever I put my mind to. I even have taken up golf!
I don't have any issues with swelling or pain, but I do have "noise" issues only when I sit down, or stand up. Both of my knees make a squishing sound. It sound like my old knees! When I walk I have no sound, just when I stand up or sit down. Very strange. I will be interested to hear what the OS has to say about that in a couple of weeks.
My ROM has not been measured since my 3rd week of home PT when I was "discharged". I was at 130 then with both knees and at 0 with both knees. I know I have gained some ROM since then. At my 4 month check up the OS did not measure me, but did say if I got any more ROM out of the joint I would dislocate it...... So, I am happy except for the balancing when I am getting dressed for the day and putting my pants on. I think I need to practice the stance of balance from The Karate Kid!
Do you have a 1 year appointment with your OS? Just wondering. Wishing you well for the future!

 

[Josephine]

Hey, NJW! Nice of you to drop in again. It's great news you are doing so well. I'm really pleased for you.

 

[Gringo]

I use my prehensile toes to grab my shorts and pull them up until I can reach them with my fingers.

 

[NJW]

I have an appointment for my 1 year check-up on June 10th. Unfortunately my surgeon has left the practice and is now exclusively doing pediatric patients. My appointment is with another OS in the same practice who works alot in sports medicine and is one of the doctors for the TCU football team. I'm sure he's fine so I plan to arrive with a list of questions.

I'm having no clicking or squishing sounds. My balance is good. I have not officially measured my ROM but it seems as good as or better than it was when I quit my therapy at 7 weeks. Then I was at 125 and 0. No issues there. I'll report back after seeing the OS next week.

 

[Texas]

Hi that ROM is great. I am happy for you. Sounds like you are doing great. Thanks for posting for us newbies coming up. It really means alot and gives us something to look forward to . Good luck at your apt.

 

[Simon]

I will be 1 year on June 3rd. Overall doing good. Today, I was climbing all over the rock pile to weed it for the first time. My knees still get stiff at times and just have 1 sore spot that is more on the tibia which has been there since September, the OS injected it once so we will see.

I tried to cut out the aspirin but then on my annual blood work, the WBC was low and the monocytes high, a sign of chronic inflammation. So it was back to the aspirin mega dose to get things calmed down but that causes the anemia to return. I am trying a new NSAID to see if that will work.

The ROM is good, the right knee is still not totally straight but works fine. Now if I could get the hamstrings and other muscles to relax life will be perfect.

No more noise or anything else.
The surgery was well worth it.

Simon

 

[Judles]

That's great news, Simon!!! Keep up the great healing....and happy birthday (anniversary???) On the 3rd!!!!

 

[Brian]

... I go up and down stairs with ease, no longer needing to use the railing. I'm back at work and no longer walk like a penguin!!

Love that penguin description! Describes what I am tending to do with my LTKR some of the time and continually being told by my OH to pick it up!

 

[NJW]

Hamstrings! (Thanks Simon, for mentioning that.) That's the only other issue I'm having. Some days it's fine. Others, I can barely stand sitting in a chair or heaven forbid in the car on a road trip. I'm assuming it's all about doing some good hamstring stretches? Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Judles]

Take it easy with those hamstrings, NJW,,, and happy birthday/anniversary to you,too!!

 

[Jamie]

NJW.....stretches for the hammies are good....the kind where you stand with palms against the wall, one foot in front of the other, and bend toward the wall until you feel the stretch. Also, simple touching toes slowly....you might Google to find exercises that suit you....there are many out there.

 

[Simon]

Here is a website with all kinds of knee exercises (including hamstrings)

https://www.knee1.com/exercise/index.cfm

I also was having a problem getting a good enough stretch and just found this Stretch Out Strap that comes with a great booklet of exercise. I just got it a few days ago and I like it because it gives me the traction I need. It basically is a very long strap with loops that you can put your foot it and have something to grab onto.
According to the blur the program is based on partner resistance stretching and invovles a combination of isotonics, isometrics and prolonged stretch .

https://www.optp.com/Stretch-Out-Strap__440-2.aspx

Simon