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mcirish
senior
Thank you Ellen. She is my reason.
PKR I'm Here.... PKR left lateral complete!
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DogLoverx3
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She's a good reason! You're a lucky man (and a very good dad)
RedRider
senior
Bikes, leg curls, scrambles...weren't you the guy who had a knee operation a few months ago? Dude, you're making some serious progress! Things are still settling and you probably just stress tested the new components. I wouldn't worry though, sharp pains seem to be a regular thing on these post-op boards. So stoked for you amigo!
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mcirish
senior
@RedRider well what you said makes it official. I definitely overdid it. I probably should pull back some. I have fighting the pain and actually pushing against it. My OS actually gave me the OK to start working through the patellar pain but I am sure what I've been doing was not what he had in mind. The pain has almost subsided tonight but still a little tender in the lateral compartment. What have you been up to? Have you decided what you are going to do about your knee?
RedRider
senior
So out of curiosity, on a scale from 1-10, where would you put your improvement at this point in your recovery (pain level, physical ability, etc), with 5 being no improvement from where you were pre-op?
I'm about ready to pull the trigger this winter (probably around Nov). I have to do a pre-op physical next week before I can schedule, but that'll be a breeze.
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I'm about ready to pull the trigger this winter (probably around Nov). I have to do a pre-op physical next week before I can schedule, but that'll be a breeze.
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mcirish
senior
7 months post op and the caveat here is I did this to prevent progressive damage to my medial compartment, hip and back. I actually did not have a lot of pain prior to the surgery. I could still run, play basketball, tennis, but I would definitely pay the price if I did. The reason I had the surgery was more to increase joint stability and prevention.
Definitely have much more pain now than before, but it is getting better. I still don't have my full strength and flex back, maybe never will.....I don't really have that slight limp I used to have.....and the joint is much more stable.
Current status:
Pain/discomfort Level: 3
Physical ability: 3
Gait: 5
Stability: 8
Definitely have much more pain now than before, but it is getting better. I still don't have my full strength and flex back, maybe never will.....I don't really have that slight limp I used to have.....and the joint is much more stable.
Current status:
Pain/discomfort Level: 3
Physical ability: 3
Gait: 5
Stability: 8
RedRider
senior
The bodies ability to compensate for injury is pretty amazing, although the caveat is returning back to normal. I'm in the same predicament in that I can do most of the activities I enjoy (not without pain though), but a long-term solution is needed.
Glad to see your stability has improved, that's huge. I may refer to that "grading" scale again, it's a great way survey your condition. There's not much to compare pre and post op so it may be useful in doing so.
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Glad to see your stability has improved, that's huge. I may refer to that "grading" scale again, it's a great way survey your condition. There's not much to compare pre and post op so it may be useful in doing so.
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mcirish
senior
It's definitely been a process. I was concerned about the recent pain in my knee as it lingered for a while, but after 3 days it was back to normal. I hit the gym again Sunday and stuck to the bike and a new lateral elliptical my gym just installed. I love that machine! Really works the lateral quads and is very low impact. Little sore today, but nothing major. I am really struggling with getting the full extension back 100%. I really get the sense that the lateral release the OS did is a big factor in hindering my full recovery. Never realized how important that one tendon was in getting that full extension....until now. The doc was saying that it had to be done, but he never advised me that he might need to do it and what the ramifications might be down the road if he had to perform that particular procedure.
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mcirish
senior
Did a 17-mile bike ride this morning! Some challenging hills, but mostly level ground. I actually just decided to commute on my mountain bike to work (save gas and get some exercise). Muscles are tired, but no "bony stress pain" to speak of lol. Still a work in progress though. Still can't really put a lot of pressure on the knee in certain positions. Still have a lot of tenderness under the knee cap, but it is improving week to week. Just need to work through it as it continues to heal. Almost 8 months post op. Hope everyone is doing great.
RedRider
senior
17 miles is no stroll in the park man, that's a lot of pedal strokes. Not to mention a lot of motion on a new joint, how'd it feel the next day? When it comes to knees, I've been told to keep you cadence high so that you're not putting a lot of torque on the joint, especially your new one.
I'm all about bike commuting, you get your physical therapy in plus some good cardio. Keep it up!
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I'm all about bike commuting, you get your physical therapy in plus some good cardio. Keep it up!
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mcirish
senior
Feels fine today surprisingly. My muscles are not really that sore or fatigued either which is weird, although I am one of those guys who usually doesn't get sore until the second day after a huge workout. Yea, the ride is actually pretty easy, just long. The elevation drops several hundred feet from where I live to my eventual destination where I work. Not a huge difference, but enough to make the ride pretty flat. Most of the discomfort I feel is under the kneecap and in the medial compartment and I have a little pain in my right knee under the knee cap. Actually what is bothering me the most is my right shoulder which I hurt at the gym working out on the heavy bag! Anywho, I plan on making this a regular workout, probably 2-3 times a week.
P.S.- another thing that has helped me tremendously is that I lost a bunch of weight in the last couple months, about 20-25 lbs. Really helped with the knee pain.
P.S.- another thing that has helped me tremendously is that I lost a bunch of weight in the last couple months, about 20-25 lbs. Really helped with the knee pain.
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DogLoverx3
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Hiya sweet pea! I hope you're doing well and had a great and pain free weekend! I'm still having my challenges with everyday things and running out of options, so was going to look into a DonJoy brace. I know that you had one of those enormous hinged ones, right? Did you have to go to a specialist or something to be measured? I am thinking of trying one for my Patella - not one of the under the knee strap things, but a full brace (of course, the red and black one that looks like a superhero would wear) and curious to know any information that you can tell me about it. As none of my doctors seem to think there's anything wrong with my implant, they have just chalked my pain up to pain. I think since I've had repeated issues with my Patella, that that might be a good place to start with 'fixing' it. If they won't help me, then I'll help myself! 
Eeek, sorry for the ramble/rant.
Oh, and thanks so much - you must be where I gained that 20 lbs from! ;-) Congrats on the weight loss!
Eeek, sorry for the ramble/rant.Oh, and thanks so much - you must be where I gained that 20 lbs from! ;-) Congrats on the weight loss!
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mcirish
senior
@DogLoverx3 hi gorgeous. I always wondered where the lbs. went when I lost them....Phoenix! (Or Chandler...Scottsdale? ) Seriously though, that is impossible because they are already finding their way home! Fact of the matter is they had a program/contest at work. Anyone who could lose 12% of their body weight would be awarded $300. So my need to lose a few pounds plus my affection for money motivated me to lose some weight lol! The contest ended last week and I can slowly see the bad habits that got me in trouble creeping back in :( oh well.
I am not familiar with the Donjoy being used for the patella, but I am sure they are out there. I can tell you that they look bulky, but they are surprisingly comfortable and you can usually conceal them under most pairs of pants as long as the legs are not the "skinny jeans" variety. It's still noticeable, but not too much. I also recommend wearing a sleeve underneath because several days of usage can definitely irritate your skin, even to the degree of getting those moisture type sores/bed sore if you have to wear them all day.
I still wear mine once in a while when my knee is sore from activity which happens weekly. Still struggling to get completely "right" or as close to it as possible. As I have mentioned, most of my discomfort is under my kneecap and the contact points with my leg bones. It's give and take, but I feel like I am making progress.
Back to your knee
..... I think the brace will definitely help as it adds stability and helps your knee track better. At the same time it will relieve some of the stress on your tendons, maybe give you some relief from the tendonitis. I wish I had some better answers for you. Have you tried acupuncture? Helped me tremendously when I had chronic tennis elbow when nothing else worked. I will keep checking back to see how you are doing. Just been busy at work. Have to thank @RedRider and you for keeping me connected to my KR family. Will be thinking good thoughts about you and your knee. Hope everything else in your world is going good.
) Seriously though, that is impossible because they are already finding their way home! Fact of the matter is they had a program/contest at work. Anyone who could lose 12% of their body weight would be awarded $300. So my need to lose a few pounds plus my affection for money motivated me to lose some weight lol! The contest ended last week and I can slowly see the bad habits that got me in trouble creeping back in :( oh well.I am not familiar with the Donjoy being used for the patella, but I am sure they are out there. I can tell you that they look bulky, but they are surprisingly comfortable and you can usually conceal them under most pairs of pants as long as the legs are not the "skinny jeans" variety. It's still noticeable, but not too much. I also recommend wearing a sleeve underneath because several days of usage can definitely irritate your skin, even to the degree of getting those moisture type sores/bed sore if you have to wear them all day.
I still wear mine once in a while when my knee is sore from activity which happens weekly. Still struggling to get completely "right" or as close to it as possible. As I have mentioned, most of my discomfort is under my kneecap and the contact points with my leg bones. It's give and take, but I feel like I am making progress.
Back to your knee
..... I think the brace will definitely help as it adds stability and helps your knee track better. At the same time it will relieve some of the stress on your tendons, maybe give you some relief from the tendonitis. I wish I had some better answers for you. Have you tried acupuncture? Helped me tremendously when I had chronic tennis elbow when nothing else worked. I will keep checking back to see how you are doing. Just been busy at work. Have to thank @RedRider and you for keeping me connected to my KR family. Will be thinking good thoughts about you and your knee. Hope everything else in your world is going good.
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DogLoverx3
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Well poo, I want someone to offer me $$$ to lose weight. ;-) Sorry it's already finding it's way back, but I'm sure you'll shut that down pretty quickly! Phoenix is where your 20 lbs landed - right around my butt. ;-) It's nearly impossible to lose weight when I can't exercise. Grrrr.....
Donjoy has all sorts of Patella braces and because I know they're bulky (I wear lots of dresses and short skirts), I am thinking about getting a very brightly colored one as there's really no way to conceal it. Thanks for the tip on wearing the sleeve under it. You're not talking about a compression one, but rather just a cotton one, correct?
Uhm, I've skipped over acupuncture and had my 1st 'test' lumbar nerve block last week. Horrifying experience involving a 6" long needle in my back for a good 10 minutes (felt like a combination of stinging and a 700 lb man sitting on my back) but it 'seemed' to do what it should. I am going to try one more (it's supposed to be a series of 5, spaced every other day, but as they're $300 each visit, I'd rather spend that money drinking in Mexico) and am just waiting for the scheduler to call me back from the pain clinic.
You had great answers for me! Always good to hear from you! As for all else in my world, erm, not so much so I'm going to Mexico this weekend in an attempt to ignore it all and have the ocean work it's magic on me! xoxo
Donjoy has all sorts of Patella braces and because I know they're bulky (I wear lots of dresses and short skirts), I am thinking about getting a very brightly colored one as there's really no way to conceal it. Thanks for the tip on wearing the sleeve under it. You're not talking about a compression one, but rather just a cotton one, correct?
Uhm, I've skipped over acupuncture and had my 1st 'test' lumbar nerve block last week. Horrifying experience involving a 6" long needle in my back for a good 10 minutes (felt like a combination of stinging and a 700 lb man sitting on my back) but it 'seemed' to do what it should. I am going to try one more (it's supposed to be a series of 5, spaced every other day, but as they're $300 each visit, I'd rather spend that money drinking in Mexico) and am just waiting for the scheduler to call me back from the pain clinic.
You had great answers for me! Always good to hear from you! As for all else in my world, erm, not so much so I'm going to Mexico this weekend in an attempt to ignore it all and have the ocean work it's magic on me! xoxo
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mcirish
senior
@RedRider Here is one of the good links I have perused since I started riding to work occasionally. https://www.roadbikerider.com/medical/total-knee-replacement-tkr Helps keep everything in perspective and makes me feel more confident that I am not over-stressing my knee.
Actually did the 17-miler again on Tuesday. Knee was a little more swollen than Week 1, but with some ice and Advil it was back to normal by Wednesday. Got to keep this short as I need to run to an appointment, but will post more later. Ciao.
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icep707
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Hey now ! Its great to see you back online. My time on BS has been diminishing. Thank God. !! Im bummed to hear you are struggling a bit on that knee. It can take up to a year , you know. We had a similiar contest at my job, in fact , we even had weekly weight watchers meetings there. But they got stopped. Everyone, most everyone gained weight back. its very hard. I myself have been going to gym 3 to 4 days a week. Plus trying to eat healthier. My knee is great and is much better than my other one. I estimate another TKR in about 5 years. I have slight osteoarthritis in it. Sadly bone on bone. But no where near as bad as my old knee on the right side was. My new knee ,I couldnt be happier with it. Relatively pain free since week 10. I ride bike , stair climber, leg presses and all. With no issues. Soon Red Rider will be on the other side, I hope it goes well. Plus I think he already got married. 2 life changing events in 1 year . I hope everyone in your family is well, especially the little one, Your job and dog. Everyone !!! Best of luck , my friend, Iceman
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mcirish
senior
@kneeper thanks for noticing lol. Hope you are doing good yourself. How's the LTKR doing?
@icep707 Happy for you man and at the same time......you suck man lol. You must have some alien genes or something like Adrian Petersen. Picture perfect recovery. I am actually progressing pretty well, but yea, it is still a WIP. Cycling has been a Godsend. the quads are responding beautifully, but it's just taken time to even get to the point where I am comfortable riding on a mountain bike and putting any kind of moderate load on my left leg. All the business the doc did on my patella and the lateral release really did a number on me.
@DogLoverx3 I am sure you will look just fine in a donjoy. We need to see some pics when you get it. I think you should go with red like that jacket you are wearing. Suits you....I do use a compression sleeve actually, but an athletic-type from Chick's or some place like that. The brace comes with one, but it's kind of cheap and ends up looking like an old stocking after a couple months of usage.....the lumbar nerve block...how does that work (or not work)? Is it a permanent pain relief thing? And the "stinging/700 lbs. man sitting on you" thing...I think that is actually the latest cool fad in Japan too, but if it works for knee pain too then you gotta try it. Seriously, I hope it helps. You have suffered long enough my dear. Have not been to Mexico in 13 years.....jealous....have a couple Cadillac Margis for me would ya?
@icep707 Happy for you man and at the same time......you suck man lol. You must have some alien genes or something like Adrian Petersen. Picture perfect recovery. I am actually progressing pretty well, but yea, it is still a WIP. Cycling has been a Godsend. the quads are responding beautifully, but it's just taken time to even get to the point where I am comfortable riding on a mountain bike and putting any kind of moderate load on my left leg. All the business the doc did on my patella and the lateral release really did a number on me.
@DogLoverx3 I am sure you will look just fine in a donjoy. We need to see some pics when you get it. I think you should go with red like that jacket you are wearing. Suits you....I do use a compression sleeve actually, but an athletic-type from Chick's or some place like that. The brace comes with one, but it's kind of cheap and ends up looking like an old stocking after a couple months of usage.....the lumbar nerve block...how does that work (or not work)? Is it a permanent pain relief thing? And the "stinging/700 lbs. man sitting on you" thing...I think that is actually the latest cool fad in Japan too, but if it works for knee pain too then you gotta try it.
Seriously, I hope it helps. You have suffered long enough my dear. Have not been to Mexico in 13 years.....jealous....have a couple Cadillac Margis for me would ya?
RedRider
senior
Hellloooo? (Crickets echo in the silence of this post)
How are ya mcirish? Still hitting the bike, or did you take a break from being unstoppable? Looks like you're a little over 10 months now, hope things are well.
I'm all dialed in for Nov 14th. Pretty freaked out about it, to be honest. My pre-op is next week and I've got an arsenal of questions for the doc though.
I had an awesome mtn bike before my wife decided that she liked it better than her own. Nevertheless, she promised me a new one next year to aide in my recovery. I'm looking forward to joining the mtn. bike communing club next year.
How are ya mcirish? Still hitting the bike, or did you take a break from being unstoppable? Looks like you're a little over 10 months now, hope things are well.
I'm all dialed in for Nov 14th. Pretty freaked out about it, to be honest. My pre-op is next week and I've got an arsenal of questions for the doc though.
I had an awesome mtn bike before my wife decided that she liked it better than her own. Nevertheless, she promised me a new one next year to aide in my recovery. I'm looking forward to joining the mtn. bike communing club next year.
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