PKR Ligament Sprain in GoodLeg

[sistersinhim]

Now, that's using something you already have on hand to help you! Smart.

 

[marieltha]

Cats do not like change.

My husband faithfully spent quality time w ours during my 4 surgeries in 16 mos.

Ours was terrified of the walker, in particular.

When I was finally able to sit out on our screened in patio with her after dinner, which is her favorite activity, I was afraid she might not have missed me.

Cats love attention, though, and she quickly responded. I have to rest my feet against her orthopedic patio bed/cushion. Wasn’t sure if she would tolerate that. To my surprise, she curled up facing me and placed her paws on my shoe!

Hope springs eternal.

 

[marieltha]

I was truly excited to go to Lowes yesterday! LOL.
We extended my euphoria by driving to the local state park beach and enjoying the views of the water.

Shoulder still slowing down my PKR recovery, but not as much as before. Better stamina. Knee feeling stronger and bends better. My walking is improved.

Today, I lowered the commode another notch. I am going very slowly with this transition on this knee, as I suspect I removed this aide too quickly earlier with both this PKR and last year’s, and twisted the right leg. So no rush.

Shoulder (RCR may22) is feeling more normal. More stable. I am sleeping more comfortably. Still being very careful as this repair (polymer anchor reattachment of repaired full thickness tear of the supraspinatus) is slow to heal and easy to re-damage. This affects the legs, of course, as I am not doing as much walking as otherwise I would.

My hips feel tight as I am not able yet to do the hips and glutes stretches and exercises I normally do. Cannot lie on either side. Can only do short stints flat on my back yet. Getting by with those I can do lying on my back as opposed to my side, and for short periods. Even a week ago, I could think ONLY of the shoulder and arm, and the recovering left pkr, and the recovering right sprained medial ligament. So I consider this awareness of my hips as progress.

 

[marieltha]

Struck by so many of us being so anxious to get moving again.
All the soft tissue in the knee has been traumatized, I was told, so go very slow, be patient, and do not overdo. Tendons and ligaments in particular take months to recover from traums, I have been told. Also, from my experience as a water-lover, it is very, very easy to overdo in water because it feels so easy. I must do stretches right as I get in, and right as I get out.

Definitions of “overdo” vary. When I last saw my OS, for a followup on my March left PKR, my May shoulder RCR, and my June right knee medial ligament sprain, we discussed definitions. Very helpful. He suggested I stop counting steps. He thought I was doing around 800 a day in perhaps four sessions? I was doing about four times that in four sessions. Plus all the walking just in daily living.

Instead, while the ligament is still aching, he suggested I should walk for 5 minutes once a day (!) and increase by a half a minute a week! He did say I could do a bit more if I walked in the pool (cannot do other yet because of the shoulder) and could carefully practice stairs in the pool, but I must listen to the sprained ligament.

I was shocked by what seemed to me to be such a small amount of walking, but I have done that for the couple of weeks since and am very pleased that the ligament sprain finally feels like it is healing. Keep in mind that just during the course of living, I still end up walking about 2000 steps a day. But I think I was walking about 5000+ before! And I thought I was taking it easy after the shoulder surgery.

 

[marieltha]

Stiffness! @CrazyTom used the TinMan analogy and I think it is very accurate!
There is a simple yoga pose to stretch the spine that I use every day when I get up, and frequently, during the day. It uses gravity to stretch your upper and lower spine and limbs. Right now, I can only do it with the left arm, because of the right rotator cuff repair, but even doing it partially feels good. The first link is to the book by Vanda Scaravelli who remained flexible right up to her passing in her 90’s. She is the pioneer authority on yoga for the spine and stiffness. Do not be put off by the cover pose. Advanced.
The second link is to a youtube video that shows someone in the simple gravity stretching pose (cannot speak to this person or video; I was just trying to find a picture showing the stretch. Arms up (10-11 and 1-2 on a clock) w straight but relaxed legs. Gravity stretching the lower spine. Remarkably simple, and I feel less like TinMan when I do it.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/awake...itality-and-energy_vanda-scaravelli/13428750/

 

[marieltha]

I just had a followup visit with my OS:
18 weeks left PKR;
8 weeks right knee medial ligament sprain;
10 weeks Shoulder RCR;
almost a year for the left foot posterior tibial tendinitis(PTT);
and ongoing big toe bunion, spur, and hallus rigidus.

Short version: Left knee great; ligament doing well; RCR/Shoulder doing great; and then, there is the foot. Sigh.
He is concerned that the foot issues may impair the functioning/alignment of the knees.
So, I am having a full foot and ankle MRI done this week to see just what is going on now.

At my previous followup, a month ago, my OS was concerned that because of the ligament sprain in my right leg, my new partial left knee bending might not be progressing as well as it would be. So he said I should make sure I do the post-surgery bending exercises on left knee.

So I did those faithfully and looked forward to finding out how he thought the knee was doing now. My OS rarely says the measurement numbers that I understand some OS’s and PT’s use for measuring the progress of flexion and extension. At this visit, he surprised me by saying, “Look, you are just sitting there casually and your left knee bend (Mar22,2019PKR) is 120.That’s very good.”

Now I am to keep doing the exercises and gradually increase my walking.

My OS believes the walking (especially in the pool) and sleeping are keys to continuing to improve my stamina. He reiterated that I should continue taking pain medication, Rx and Tylenol, as needed, reminding me that under-medicating impedes the recovery process.

Technically, my next followup is in 6 weeks, but I go back in 2 for the results of the foot MRI.

 

[marieltha]

Yesterday, August 4th, was my 68th birthday

First extended outing. We drove to the Museum of Fine Arts in St Petersburg, Florida, about 45 minutes each way.
And we walked around the galleries for about 2 hours.

I felt like shouting,
“Look,ma, no walker, no cane, no shoulder sling!”

I carried a pocketbook with tylenol, tramadol, lidocaine, ankle/foot straps, and a knee brace. Hahaha. Had to wear two tops because I cannot tolerate a bra of any kind yet. And of course, wore very supportive shoes. I was able to tolerate a very, very light blouse (open slits from shoulder to wrist, so my RCR was untouched), and a light, long skirt (to conceal the knee brace, which I did add to the leg w the ligament sprain for the second hour).

Very stiff legs, hips, and knees at first. Got better. Went slowly.

Happily, though, I walked throughout the museum and really enjoyed being out.

I feel renewed.

PS My legs were tired when we got home, but I was not exhausted.
I did one set of the shoulder stretches and some leg stretches before bed. Put ice on the knees and shoulder and moist heat under the calves and hamstrings last night, and first thing this am.
Today, I feel like I do most days. The distance and # of steps I walked in the Museum was about what I have been doing, but yesterday I did them in a compressed timeframe.

 

[Benay]

Yay! Congrats, fun!

 

[marieltha]

Sunday night, after I had my first big outing, I added moist heat under the calves and hamstrings while I am icing the knees on top. I did this at bedtime. This really helped with the stiffness, so I now I am continuing to do a bit of the moist heat (while icing on top of the knees) in the bed before sleeping and before I get up. Noticeable improvement.

I reviewed my activity the past couple of weeks and have decreased my total walking and duration of each timed walk and have improved.

And now I am trying to break up my periods of inactivity (rest) during the day by getting up and walking for a few steps every 20-40 minutes. This also seems to have helped with the stiffness/tightness/pain.

I also am sitting up with my legs bent comfortably more often than lying down with them elevated. I still do the elevation w icing, but now, at other times, I am standing, sitting, or walking.

Feel less stiff.

 

[marieltha]

Friday,August9

***First time in the Saltwater pool***

This was my first time in the pool since my knee surgery in March, followed by shoulder surgery(May), and a knee ligament sprain(June). While I have been recovering, we converted from chemical chlorine to saltwater, and had the pool resurfaced.

So today was the big day. The pool was ready for me, and I was ready for the pool. It felt very, very good to be in the pool. Water was warm. The saltwater has no odor or smell at all—noticeable change from the former chemical chlorine. It also feels very soft and gentle on the skin. Big improvement.

Because of the rotator cuff repair, I cannot swim, per se. My OS recommended walking in the pool for the legs, knees, and foot issues. I wore a water shoe that has a sole like a walking/running shoe, and added an arch support. I also wore my AquaJogger belt, which gave me a bit of boyancy, and perhaps made me lighter on my feet. I had a pool noodle as well to rest my right hand on, as a sort of memory device, to keep me from doing something I am not ready to do yet with that shoulder and arm.

Walking in the pool felt so much better than walking on hard surfaces.

The saltwater is supposed to be very therapeutic, so I hope walking in it helps relieve my leg and knee stiffness. Perhaps it will also help the sprained knee ligament heal.

I was cautious to not overdo—I think—as it is very easy to do that in water. Will see how I sleep tonight and how I feel when I wake up tomorrow.

I love love love the water. Neptune was rising when I was born.

 

[marieltha]

Post “first walk in the pool” update:

I am less stiff and in less pain this morning in the sprained ligament leg, so I think walking in the pool has helped.

The ligament still hurts, but the location is different and is different as the morning progresses. Whatever that means, LOL. Still hoping “walking on water” is not needed, and “walking in water” will suffice.

I also switched out orthotics for the umpteenth time, so that is probably a factor. I think I wore my Rx orthotics too much too soon after the March knee surgery. At present, I am in OTC softer ones. More on that later in my Other threads about my foot (posterior tibial tendinitis; hallus rigidus).
This “Patience” message in today’s Conscious Cat blog by author Ingrid King seems appropriate

 

[Benay]

Love the patience message.

 

[marieltha]

I am continuing to walk every afternoon in the pool. At the end of the walk, I go to the deep end and just let the Aquajogger belt I wear hold me upright, which allows the whole body to relax. Because of the shoulder surgery, I have not been able to do my normal hip stretches, so this “let the hips just hang” pose feels wonderful. Every day, my entire body feels better.

I am thrilled also with the improvement in the pool by converting from chemical chlorine to saltwater. The water is so gentle on my skin. There is no chemical smell in the water or air, or on my bathing suit. The water was clear before, but now is truly crystal clear.

I cannot help but think it is helping my muscles, ligaments, tendons, etcetera.

My OS (who has osteoarthritis and converted his pool to saltwater last year and told me and my husband how much he thought it helped him) told me that I should start practicing the stairs in the pool WHEN the recovering sprained ligament tells me it is ready. I am still doing them two-footed, but started doing some ups and downs cautiously yesterday on the bottom step which is also the lowest rise. It is still difficult to tell which knee is the “good” and which is the “bad.” It changes day to day. So I do as well, depending on what the knees seem to be telling me at that moment.

I used to chuckle a bit at those here who “named” their knees, but lately, as I find myself looking down and talking to both of them more and more,....

 

[Jockette]

Our community pool is salt water and it really is much nicer than chlorine. I spent a lot more time in it the first summer we lived here and my skin was super soft!

I don’t go very often these days as my replaced knee does not like water. I wonder if it is the water pressure against it. It hasn’t like the pool ever since the surgery. It doesn’t even like the shower water hitting it. So frustrating.

 

[marieltha]

Really! How frustrating indeed. The nerves perhaps? It does sound like pressure.

My RCR shoulder(May22,2019) is fine with water, and is even okay with a light sun protective top in the water, but out of the water, it is still very uncomfortable with clothes over it, even ultra light, but it is getting better/more tolerant.

 

[marieltha]

The further I get into recovery and as I begin to be more active, the more I appreciate quality sleep.
Here is a very interesting article about sleep in Brain Pickings, internal time.

 

[sistersinhim]

You can not buy a good night's sleep. It is a blessing!

Yesterday, August 4th, was my 68th birthday

Happy belated birthday! We are sister leos. I was 68 on August 7th.

 

[marieltha]

A sister Leo! How exciting! Thank you! And Happy Birthday to you @sistersinhim !

 

[marieltha]

I love love love being back in the pool!

Still walking in the pool every day. My whole body feels better!

This Big Cat picture looks like me (achieving self actualization) whenever I am near water:

Big cat pics

Russian artist Andrey Scherbak

Instagram

Dodo via BoredPanda.com

ConsciousCat

 

[marieltha]

LOL, pics of my feet touching now that my formerly knock-kneed legs are straight! Before my new PKRs, my thighs and knees touched, but then my feet and calves splayed out. I’m standing, looking down at my legs and feet—in awe.

I now have straight legs!!!!