TKR Jennszoo Staged TKR, working on running again

[Fire wolf]

WooHoo! Look at you go! Congrats on getting back to doing things you enjoy!

 

[Jennszoo]

Next day update - the knees were fine all day yesterday. Maybe just a bit sore. The end of the day, I rode to a friends house - about a 40 min drive. Knowing I had tired legs, and had just been sitting for a long time, I mentally braced myself for pain getting out of the car...nothing. Just a wee bit of complaint upon standing but as soon as I started walking, just that slight, ever present ache in the righty. So much different than what I woud,have felt after a race before surgery! I would have hobbled painfully into my friend's house.

This morning my hips are aching bc they got a nice workout - that good ache. And I'm sitting here drinking my coffee trying to decide when I'll be ready to go for 3.1 miles. Maybe the Thanksgiving Day 5K. But there's a Halloween 5k im intrigued by....but I don't want to push my luck.

 

[kmak81230]

That's awesome Jenn! A post-TKR PR and great post walk recovery! I'll bet you'll be ready for the Halloween event - you've got a whole month to get ready! So happy for you to be getting back to what you love to do!

 

[becticu]

Jenn, what an awesome report! That time was fantastic. You give us all hope and courage to keep moving.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[rubyyarn]

I remember jogging with my brother-in-law's family way back when I was young and slender. I was so slow the five-year-old had to hang back so I could catch up!

Needless to say, I can only blink in admiration at your accomplishment

 

[Jennszoo]

Continuing what I'm calling my Phase 2 Rehab: Strength. I rode my bike outside last night. What a difference from the flatness of FL a couple weeks ago. Even what I thought was a nice, flat, easy, paved trail around a park had so many little hills that were darn near impossible with my weak quads. Whew. I did 2 loops - 2 miles. My legs were toast. I'm definiteky going to try to focus on biking more, bc I think it targets those weak muscles better than walking right now.

Last night the knees were achy, sleep was tough. But this am, just a little residual soreness in both knees. I'll take some tylenol and hope for the best at work today. It's my first day back at the clinic taking clients. So I have a screening at a preschool in the morning and 4 private clients in the afternoon. I Think tonight's going to be frozen pizza night. Mama is already tired! Lol.

Hope yall are having as good a week as possible despite horrible things happening in the world.

 

[SusieShoes]

You go, girl! Your knees have really healed well and I think you're right about biking doing more for strengthening your muscles. You've got this.

 

[sistersinhim]

I agree with Susie. Using steps with foot over foot is a really good way to build up those quads. We wouldn't recommend using weights yet, and you really don't have to. You can get strength with those stairs.

 

[Polkadot]

Wow, biking twice around when it was a struggle! You go, girl! Frozen pizza is a definite must. My DH and I are walking when he gets home from work. The park closes at dusk, so we have a short window of time to do so. We've shifted to eating afterward, around 8:00 PM. Our meals have to be quick and easy. I think the trade-off is worth it!

 

[Jennszoo]

Hey all. Just popping in w some updates. I climbed a mountain on Weds! It's our local "mountain", 1.5 miles up and down via the road. (@becticu prob knows it). I made it halfway up and back down. My knees did great. My cardio? That's another story. I'm afraid my fellow walkers were thinking I was one deep breath away from them calling 911. Huffing and puffing. The next day, only muscle soreness. Knees were great!

Rode my bike 4 miles on Friday. Once again, I braced myself all afternoon for pain bc I worked out pretty insensly that morning....NOPE. Walked around the grocery store after the ride w zero problems. The new knees are working!

Went to the gym today and tried the leg extension machine. Was able to struggle through 10 reps at 10lbs on my right knee. That sounds about where it should be at 3m out. Left leg - I couldn't even lift the bar. Crazy how weak that 6m old leg is still. I guess it's time to look into PT again to target that lingering weakness/activation issue on the left side. I'll be scheduling a f/u w my OS next week and see what he says, now that I have full RoM and I don't need to hear his lectures on that.

Oh and I fibally got my eating back under control. I gained 50 of the 100 lbs I lost after my injury and surgeries. I'm down -13 since I reigned in my eating. Yay. It feels good to be moving again.

 

[kmak81230]

Sounds like you're getting lots of good activity Jenn. I also have a weak quad - it's slowly getting stronger with more biking and hiking but it's slower than I'd like for sure. Congrats on the recent weight loss. You are doing awesome!

 

[Pheebs52]

Wow, @Jennszoo, *LOUD APPLAUSE* at all of your physical achievements! You continue to ROCK!

Like SusieShoes, I have found stairs to be my best friend/challenge for rebuilding quad strength. I don't use a road bike yet, but do use an exercycle just for stretching the quads. You could just work on the weak leg with stairs since the other leg is so much stronger. It definitely would be helpful to get them equally strong and I'm sure would make a difference in your run times, though personally, I think your time was fab!

Congrats on the weight-loss as well; woot!

 

[Celle]

Went to the gym today and tried the leg extension machine. Was able to struggle through 10 reps at 10lbs on my right knee. That sounds about where it should be at 3m out. Left leg - I couldn't even lift the bar. Crazy how weak that 6m old leg is still.

Please be very careful with that leg press, Jenn. We recommend not using them at all for new knees, because of the danger of twisting.
I know you're working towards a race but do try to give your knees the time they need to recover properly.

 

[Jennszoo]

I'm not working for a specific time/race, just trying to get back to comfortably walking 2-3 miles. The machine was more of a "let's see what I can do" and I was shocked at how one leg worked and the other didn't. I'm mostly focusing on walking,bicycling and swimming because I much prefer strength building through functional things vs random repetitions of things. Stairs, too. Unavoidable in my life. And still so exhausting to climb.

 

[Canada35]

Jenn you are a Rockstar in my books! It made me tired just reading about what you did! I'm sure the extra weight will fall off with all the activity!

 

[KarriB]

I did leg presses and strength training later in my recovery, but still had pain upon walking or standing for long periods of time. But when I began walking much later I was amazed at how it helped and wish I had done it earlier. It took me about 4 months to build up to 2 miles, but I hate to exercise and didn't walk on hot days.

 

[katchmo]

Hi Jennszoo, not sure how often you check this thread but I hope you see this. I noticed you had a problem with a sleepy quad. I am four weeks out and my OS is very concerned about mine. No function, knee often buckles. How long was yours asleep?