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TKR Had a difficult time, feeling better<

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I can't find the one I got at Walmart so I can't tell you the brand, but it wasn't dependent on arm movement - it advertised that on front of pack (I'm not an arm swinger). The phone arm band doesn't use arm motion either.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
The arm swinging can work for you. I washed my RV and got all kinds of steps out of the work. I had hardly moved anything but my arms. I figured that it counted because I was working hard, just not moving my feet.
 
Ha ha, that's interesting. You washed your RV? Is there nothing you can't do? I'm just amazed! I washed the inside of my windshield and thought I was amazing. Can't keep up with you, girlfriend!
I do want to be able to walk further, though, like you do! That is what inspired me in the first place.
 
Oh, I washed the RV BEFORE surgery. I'm not up to doing it YET. :) and remember it is only 21 ft - not a big bus! You will be able to walk farther soon. It's just such a slow process. There are days when I am totally bushed but then bounce back. It's what happens.
 
I think washing inside of windshield IS amazing. I swept my patio and was disappointed the Olympic committee did not show up with my gold medal .


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Shoot, I couldn't wash the inside of my Prius windshield before the surgery, must less do so now! Sweeping is hard work. I think running vac would be easier, so you do deserve a metal!
 
I think we are all marvels, to be striving and walking and washing things. "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!"
 
Yes, we are all marvels in our own ways. We keep pushing our boundaries little by little, in the things that are important to us. I think we all deserve kudos for our individual fortitudes, whatever they may be. Change happens, even if slowly.
:bow: :yahoo:
 
Ok, so, I have been walking almost every day as long as the weather holds. I walk with still a bit of wobble sideways, it's strange, reeling almost like I'm inebriated. I just can't seem to control my walk in a straight line. I walk with no pain but tire easily. Haven't yet made a mile, but close to it. I don't have swelling, my ROM is fine, and I can walk up and down a hill ( small) with no problem. But......
I still have pain in the outer side just above my knee, and cannot go up or down stairs without grimacing in pain, and still can't initiate lifting my leg say, on a ottoman, without that same pain. Can it really be my quad tendon? Do you use a different muscle climbing up and down a hill, than climbing up and down stairs? Just don't understand it.
Ice does not help it, Tylenol doesn't help it, and even an occasional oxy doesn't help it.
I'm beginning to worry. I just can't figure out what it is. I don't go to PT anymore but the pt thought it was just a weak quad. I'm very far from the OS so I can't just pop in for an appt. what to do.? I went to a bathroom at the university last night, where I am taking a course, and it was one of those very low toilets. I literally couldn't get up! There was nothing to grab onto. I sat there for a couple of minutes and finally got up with all the power I could muster. That's how weak my muscles are. And the pain was fierce.

On a non-knee note, I have an appt for a sleep study at the hospital lab tomorrow night. This will be a challenge for this night owl. You have to turn off all your electronic stuff by 11pm and I don't know if you can read regular books after that time. My dr told me to take a double dose of my sleeping pill, but it won't help. I don't fall asleep until 2or 3 AM and they wake you at 6AM to leave. It's gonna be a night of torture!

I've already cancelled twice, and I, determined to go through with it. Should be interesting.
 
Are you walking with a cane? If you are a bit off during your walks you could be tiring out your quads and putting extra strain on your tendons to try and control your walk. Concentrate on walking in a nice straight line with heel to toe strides. If your knee isn't ready to do steps right now you will eventually. Since I've had problems with steps for years I'm still hit or miss with being able to do them now.
 
I used to ride...and will again post-knee recovery...an Elliptigo and on that, as on a bike, the Map my Walk app on my phone worked best. I wasn't doing enough up and down stepping to trigger my Fitbit's calculator, I guess. Not using my Fitbit now since I loaned it to my daughter since she and her husband are considering getting them. But, Map my Walk was pretty accurate when I tested with driving the routes near roadways. I'm a birder, so when I walk, slowly and thinking how I'm moving still, I listen to the birds around, thereby determining who's migrating through, who's seeking a sweetie, who's stating they have a great territory, who sees a predator or danger, etc! I'm fortunate to live close to the Willamette River and in town there is a 13-mile paved path on both sides of the river for human locomotion, both wheeled and footed. It can be really lovely, like today. There are multiple parks adjacent to various sections of the path, too, including one with a decent hill climb for when I get that good at walking again, too. No way could I do a 10K now! But my exercise today was being at the playground with my 5 year-old granddaughter! Now that's a workout!
 
I'm still going to PT and one person in the office is a sports physiologist...I call her a body detective. She watches me move then explains how I'm not using ("recruiting") the proper muscles to do the work and she gives me exercises to try to get those lazy or misdirected muscles their portion of work to do. It's often because I compensated so long for the knee pain that some muscles just stopped doing their job. Now they need retraining so they'll remember their roles. I also walk wacky, too! I tend to torque my right hip back, and my left shoulder forward, thereby misaligning my hips in the process. So, I have a couple of exercises she changed to help me retrain the proper body parts. Sometimes a sports medicine place has these sorts of folks, or you could see if any PTs there do gait analysis? Essentially, that's what this person does, but she assesses gait as well as sitting, standing, etc. I just wonder if you can find someone like that to analyze your gait?
 
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I read back farther and I tell you, I was celebrating when I could finally get out onto my deck to sweep off...turkey poop! Yeah, kinda yucky, but these birds fly up onto our deck to eat the bird food if the little birds drop some, and they leave their calling cards behind. It's dry and can be broomed with my outdoor broom, but doing it is a challenge but I can do it again now... Alas, as Sheila said, no Olympic committee showed up and the doggone turkeys came right back, too!
 
@mamazipp
Since you can't walk straight yet, I think you should still be using your cane. Don't lean on it. Just use it to help you correct your balance - and keep using it until you can walk straight without it.
Any good PT should be able to tell you what is needed, to correct your gait.
 
I probably should have another private consult with someone. Much as I really liked the great pt that I found, I paid him 70 bucks/session for him to juggle another patient at the same time he worked with me. Not sure I like that!
 
@BBCG, aren't you lucky having those turkey help you in your exercises! And they keep coming back to help. What dedication!
 
@Celle
I stopped using the cane a while back because it was causing pain in my shoulder and arm, putting pressure there. I found I was mostly carrying it, not using it. This weaving back and forth happens when I try to increase my speed.
 
It might be a good idea to call a few therapy centers and ask them if they have someone who specializes in gait analysis, just for a couple of consults. My PT told me a little trick today. He said that when we're working on walking correctly, to start out using the walker and go back-and-forth a few minutes because that gives me more help to get the glide working. Then set the Walker aside and now do it with the cane. Eventually we will move on to without the cane. It worked well for me today. So maybe keep the walker and cane handy, just to get you back in the correct mode?
 
If I read your post correctly, you are having a sleep study tonight. Hopefully, they will identify some things to help you. Coincidentally, my brother had one last night. I haven't called him yet - thought I'd give him a day of rest!

You probably don't want to hear this but it sounds like you'd benefit from more PT for strengthening but you may need a doctor's referral. Maybe you could start with a phone call to your OS office? Above all, you don't want to fall!
 
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