Hands and knees!

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FrogFeathers

post-grad
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I've been going to physical therapy for what I thought was arthritis in my right shoulder (brought on by having to use the cane for three years leading up to my surgery and the subsequent recovery). I have to drive an hour from my house to the hospital where I do this PT (its at the VA hospital in Madison, WI).

Anyway, the PT has been working with me on our "goals" (to be able to do yoga again- that's the big one, but pain reduction is the basic goal). She's helped me with some modified-by-us-as-needed yoga poses and some other typical PT type things. She's also the person to see at the hospital for edema, which I've been dealing with for nigh on five years now. But back to today...

Not only did I walk down three flights of stairs (first floor to the "ground floor" to basement one to basement two) like a normal person (as in, one foot in front of the other), I was able to get on my hands and knees on that big PT table/bed thing! I had weight on my surgical knee and we did some weight-shifting to make sure I could do it. Then we took a break, she gave me a pillow to add extra padding and we did it again. I did the yoga pose known (mostly known) as "the cat" or "cat/cow". On your hands and knees, then you arch your back up, then down (like a swayback horse). Ten reps, then a break.

This was my first actual on my knees moment since before the surgery. I've tried a few times only to chicken out before I ever made it to the floor. I'll be doing this on my bed for a little while- for the height and the padding (even though yoga isn't really recommended for such a soft surface- we're just starting out though!). But yeah! I got on my hands and knees with NO joint pain! Fronkensteen (my scar, for those not keeping notes at home) is the only thing that caused discomfort, but that's because he's tender anyway.

She also gave me a broken link removed: https://www.circaid.com/Images/Products/readyfit/readyfitpull.jpg compression thing. That photo is obviously not me as my leg isn't that skinny and my hands are not... well, manly. :hehe: She had to take it to "the seamstress" and cut off about a half inch at the bottom and run it through a sewing machine. Otherwise we'd have had to order a custom device which would take weeks.

Then, after all that, I walked up three flights of stairs. I beat the elevators. I was outside waiting on my truck at the free valet parking stand by the time the people waiting for those elevators walked by the main doors.

So, here I go... doin' the happy dance. (that used to be the gimpy happy dance). :D
 
I started with a basic "Yoga for Beginners" type of book. I did one of their routines so easily after a few months that I got another book- Baron Baptiste's "Journey into Power". By the time I'd been doing the beginner's yoga for almost a year. I did Baptiste's stuff for six months and lost another size in my jeans without losing any weight.

I haven't been able to do yoga since my knee injury in March of 2006. I tried a few times in that time period, but just never could anymore. So, this PT has been working with me- if I can get back to the yoga, I know I'll feel so much better.

I'm not even sore or tired from all the stairs today either. :D
 
That's wonderful!!!! But ice and elevate just for the fun of it. Don't want to pay for this tomorow. You're doing great!!!

Pat
 
Wow! That's amazing, Froggie! Fan-bloomin-tastic!
 
Congratulations Frog.......You are really doing so well.....Those tables really do seem mile high dont they...........Take care of yourself......)
 
This is wonderful! I was always wondering if it was safe & painfree to knee with TKRs.
 
I'm not sore at all today, except in my upper shoulder area and sort of under my arms above my ribs... deltoid muscles, maybe? Whatever they're called.

But my knee and my scar aren't sore at all. :D

EDITED TO ADD: they're called "lats"... I googled.
 
Does it hurt to kneel with TKRs?

Hurt probably isn't a good way to describe how most people feel when they try to knee after a TKR...it's just a really odd and uncomfortable feeling. It can stay that way for many months ... and even up to a year.

I'd say if you want to kneel again, just work up to it gradually. I started kneeling first on the soft bed mattress....then moved to carpet....and now at 1 1/2 years out I can kneel on hard surfaces for a while. Can't do it for long periods of time, though. I'm thinking that may never come.....but at least it's nice to be able to kneel down when you want to without worrying about the new knee.
 
My knee itself didn't hurt. My scar (which is awesome in its hugeness and ugliness) was tender and still is- but then, its been tender since the surgery. Plus, that numb area feels completely odd when I put my weight on it.

But just like Jamie said- gradually... I tried to kneel before, on sofa cushions, but I'd chicken out before I got any weight on my knee. I unintentionally worked my way up though. I sleep on my back most of the time, with my legs elevated (I've suffered with edema for almost five years) and since the surgery, I've found myself waking up on my stomach, my knees bent with the cushions I use to elevate, so my skin/scar/knee was getting some level of kneeling pressure without any actual kneeling.

I use sofa cusions (our sofa doesn't have back cushions, but instead really big, thick pillows- just right for kneeling). On my bed, I use a folded-up queen-size featherbed.

If you try it and it hurts- stop. That's what my PT kept repeating to me.
 
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