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Bilateral TKR It's finally time!!

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@Threads LOL, I guess my hearing is just too good!!!

I am just now really working at the gym, and I am still having to be careful not to overdo it. Don't push yourself, you are still early on! That said, you are lucky to have a bike in your house. I don't - and it's a pain to go to the gym when I only want to do a few minutes to loosen up!
 
@ljrfrm - and I don't have a recliner, that's why I'm concerned that you get yours working in peak form waiting for you when you get home from ----!

After I read your post last night, I snuck downstairs to see if I could actually get my leg over the centre portion of the bike and actually ride it. Luckily, it's my right leg that needed to do that job, and it was up to it. I got my feet in the pedals and was able to do a few rounds without any resistance. That's all I did. I'll try again with a bit of resistance. How did you start off on the bike, how long were your sessions at the beginning?
 
@Threads Great job on the bike. I started on day 3 at PT with 5 min on the bike - just gentle rocking. Continued the rocking (always just 5 min) until I could finally make it all the way around backwards. At that point, I had to make sure the chair was pretty far back. I did 5 min backwards until I was able to go forwards (probably about 3 weeks after first going backwards). It wasn't until around 3 months post surgery that I started adding time from the 5 min or 10 min and working my way up to where I am now. I can now do 5 miles (about 45 min) always at a slow, steady pace. I usually have it on low resistance - just on 2 or 3, so it's not too difficult. It feels good to use the bike, as it helps loosen me up. I have a bad tailbone, so I was worried about how it would do, but so far, it's been ok.

As for my recliner.........good but bad news! The supervisor called me back and promised they would repair it until it no longer made noise and I was satisfied. The bad news......They are coming on Friday to take my beloved recliner away to work on it. She promised it would only be gone for 48 hours, but they are closed on Sundays and Mondays so I won't get it back probably until Tuesday!! I think I may be lost without it! I guess that may help me return to work on Monday, right?
 
@ljrfrm - thanks for the pointers! I had no trouble peddling forwards last night - good point to peddle backwards as well. I'll take your advise and keep the resistance low. I'm hoping to get back into the pool next week and then I can alternate days - water and bike. I need to get my left leg stronger and I probably won't get into my rehab hospital's out patient PT for another 6 weeks or so. It gives me something to work on, especially on our west coast rainy days. I just remembered, prior to surgery, I couldn't bring my right leg up and over the bike! Things are looking up!

Now - for something completely different - I didn't use "the word" this time, you did! :heehee: Good luck with your recliner and don't give in!
 
@Threads The pool really helped me early on as well - just walking forwards, backwards, sideways, bicycle motions, gentle leg bending and kicking, etc. Enjoy! Great job with getting on the bike!!
 
@Threads They came and picked up my recliner today......I am reclinerless! Oh No!!!
 
@ljrfrm - OK, now listen to me!!!! Deep breaths, breath in - breath out slowly; breath in - breath out slowly. Continue until calm......... Then go find some wine, rum and eggnog or drink of choice and consume - you'll be relaxed, wherever you sit. I know it's not the same as a hug from your recliner but just think - when your recliner comes home again - SOON - it will be fixed and quiet! Hang in there, you can do this!! :beer: :yes:
 
@ljrfrm - how are you doing??? Have you found some alternate, temporary solution to rest those legs of your??? I'll bet this past couple of weeks has done amazing things to increase your stamina, but still - be kind to yourself when you ..........................................
 
Five Month Update: As I sit here icing my knees, I realized that today is five months since my surgery. Wow!

Looking back, there have been a lot of minor ups and downs, but I'm so lucky that I haven't had anything major happen to hinder my recovery. I can do almost anything I want to (within reason of course, as I'm still healing). I still am stiff, but no nearly as bad as before. I don't wake up at night with muscle spasms anymore, and I don't hurt as much as before. However, I still have a long ways to go!

I am focusing more on working out and getting stronger. I go to the gym to meet with my trainer 2x per week. We work on strength (squats, leg-sits, machines for quads, calves, hips, etc.), balance and flexibility (I'm still very stiff in my ankles, calves, hamstrings and hip flexors). If I could give any one piece of advice I wish I had known, it would be to stretch my ankles and hip flexors often throughout the early months of recovery. Between being more sedative, and also walking with smaller steps, etc. they lost range of motion and I developed impingements. I am working with a massage therapist once a week (90 minutes) to work on my tight hamstrings, hurting IT band, calves, etc. Hoping it will only take a month or so and I can reduce the time - but it seems to be helping me quite a bit. I also try to walk or bike 3-4 times a week. I tend to bike about 5 miles, or walk 2 miles. My knees have been a bit more stiff and hurting more this week so I've backed off a bit so I don't overdo it. My knees have started hurting again as I walk down the stairs, and a bit on the way up. I'm trying to be careful and listen to my body and do just what I'm able to do.

I still need to take Tylenol or Aleve sometimes - and I do take a Tramadol every now and then after a long busy day. Most days though I forget to take the Tylenol at all until the afternoon (which means I must not be hurting much if I forget) and then I will remember when I start aching.

Hoping my next month's update will see more progress with my tight muscles - and a bit less achiness in the afternoon.
 
@Threads One of our sofas has a footrest so that's my back up. Not the same - but it works :) Tomorrow is back to work.....Yes, I said the W word! I will have to count down the days to Spring Break :)

Hope you're doing well!!
 
@ljrfrm - :wowspring:what an encouraging report. Thanks for taking the time to write it out, for yourself - I know, but it's such a help to me as I tread gently in your footsteps. What excercises do you use for your hip flexors? Sometimes at night, if I've been walking a lot during the day - I can feel my hips quietly talking to me. It would seem that it's something that I should pay attention to.

My bag is ready to go out the door to the pool in the morning. I'm looking forward to starting to move my knees and legs under water - gently, I know. Be kind to yourself as you slide back into the "w" routine and please remember to get up and move while you are attending a meeting. You could stroke your chin and have a very thoughtful look on your face - everyone would think you were in deep thought about the issue at hand.
 
I'm not sure what hip flexors are?

My left knee is right about where you are with yours, as usual. But then, I'm not doing all that wonderful exercising you are doing. I think it's fantastic that you are able to do as much as you do and not feel set back too much. I've been giving some serious thought to getting a massage. We have Massage Envy here in town and I thought I might call them to see if they have someone that might be familiar with helping me to solve the issues I'm still having with my right leg especially. This leg has suffered far more with tight muscles than my left one did. Really, at this point if it weren't for the muscles tightening so drastically when I'm up on my feet I would feel like I'm home free. I don't know why but deep in my mind I feel like there are toxins trapped in my muscles that need some help moving out. LOL!!

Keep up the good work! Sorry you have to go back to work tomorrow. Spring will be here before you know it and then a nice long summer break. And this year you'll really be able to enjoy it :) (((hugs)))
 
@gr82cu2 I began to have what I thought was hip pain (pain in my groin - both sides) a few months ago. My PT looked at me and what caused the pain and ruled out that it was my hip, but said it was the hip flexor. She told me that when you sit so much like we do in recovery and if your hip muscles are flexed, they will tighten up or become shortened. I would highly recommend trying the massage - I think it's going to be a huge help for me. Check with your health insurance. I was able to find someone through my insurance - it's not covered by insurance, but it's at a big discount. I am a bit bummed that I'm sore from my workouts - I felt like I was finally making progress and now I'm sore. But, I think it might be more the muscles getting used again and being sore, rather than my actual knee. I am afraid to hurt myself though so I'm trying to take some time off and rest.

@Threads The most important stretch I do that hurts SO much - and I wish I did earlier was this: while sitting, I take my left foot and put it on my right knee, like I'm trying to cross my legs. Because my ROM is sometimes tight or I'm sore, I can't always put the foot on my knee, but I can put it further down my leg and still get the stretch. I then do the same with the other leg. You can do the same stretch while laying down too, or even in the pool. Let me know if that doesn't make sense. Good luck at the pool, let me know how it goes.
 
@ljrfrm - you can do that? I'm sure that's not something I can do. I didn't have that movement prior to surgery! However, I'll give it a gentle go in the pool tomorrow and see if I can slowly build those muscles up. Thanks for the tip. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.
 
@Threads Some days I'm closer to my ankle than knee but I still get the stretch :) Looking forward to hearing a pool report!
 
How did work go today? Hope it wasn't too hard on your or your legs!
 
@gr82cu2 Thanks for asking! It was a hard day unfortunately. I think partly because I was used to (once again) hanging out in my recliner with my legs elevated a lot of the day, and also I think with the weather and snow that's coming, I was much stiffer than usual. So I was pretty achey and stiff. I swear this whole recovery is two steps forward, one step back. I guess I'll get to that finish line eventually!
 
Awww, sorry it was hard. Recliners can definitely be addictive. I couldn't wait to get to mine this afternoon when we got back from the doctor and grocery shopping. No two days are the same with this recovery, that's for sure. Just when you think you've made a leap forward something knocks you back down. Hang in there! We can almost see the checkered flag waving up ahead :)
 
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