PKR JusticeRider’s rehab adventure

[EalingGran]

I have done Tai Chi for a couple of years pre surgery and did a week long Tai Chi and gentle yoga retreat last Summer when my knee was getting pretty bad and I was walking with a stick.
It is superficially quite a gentle practice but is very good for balance and there are some atrengthening poses.
I am thinking of getting back to it ( now 10 weeks post -op) and I am pretty sure I
could do the poses and flow. The only thing putting me off is I don't enjoy it as much by Zoom and otherwise I have to get on a crowded Tube train to get to my favourite teacher. I think if you have a good teacher it would be a good practice and the real benefit would be falls prevention/ balance. I used to work with older people and we offered Tai Chi classes. I read the research and there is good evidence for it in stroke rehab.

 

[JusticeRider]

Thanks @EalingGran this sounds encouraging! Years ago, I did a ‘body flow’ class at my gym. It was a blend of tai chi, yoga, and Pilates. I absolutely loved it and was so sad to have to leave that gym when we moved. Anyway, I did like the tai chi parts and it seemed very gentle. So when I saw the senior center here had a class, I thought that might be a fun and safe way to get my body moving again. If you feel safe doing it at 10 weeks post op that bodes well

 

[beachy]

I'm really enjoying your rehab adventures thread!
Now I have a better understanding of your knee and the daily activities that you're involved in. A farm, horses, walking miles everyday...WHEW!
Girl, its no wonder your knee was a pot roast for awhile.
All I have to do is sit in my recliner with ice and have hubs cater to me LOL
I'm willing to bet that your knee will settle down and cooperate with swelling and ROM before too long. Let it heal and you will be fine.
Hang in there.

 

[JusticeRider]

Hey, thanks @beachy ! Good to see you here! You better just be sitting in your recliner with ice and your nice hubby caring for you…you just had surgery lady!

Yeah, my pot roast has been making fewer appearances lately, so that’s good! I’ve been thinking it’s time for another update since I just passed 5 months a few days ago.

*Warning* long post alert!

First, swelling. This has been my biggest struggle from the beginning. I had a lot of swelling for a long time and it affected every aspect of my healing. The last couple months I have turned a big corner with the swelling. It is SO much better than it was. I think I’ve only had 2 days of really bad swelling in the last month and a half. Once after Thanksgiving and all the activity and cooking, and once after taking my horses to the vet and a lot of driving and standing around in the cold most of the day. Other than that, it’s usually mild and mainly in the evening, if at all.

My walking has also improved a lot. I rarely limp at all anymore and walking is beginning to feel more natural. I still do have to think about my stride and form most of the time and have to go at a ‘leisurely’ pace, but I’m not embarrassed about walking around in public and walking is becoming more enjoyable. I have just reached 2 miles in s stretch by inching up the distance, slowwwwwly, as Miss Knee prefers. I just started adding in a few gentle slopes and it is actually feeling…fine! It’s always surprising when something that used to be painful suddenly isn’t! And that’s happening more and more! I haven’t tried anything too steep yet, just testing it out and easing into it. I’m getting around 7,000 steps a day most days.

I have been wearing a stretchy, lightly compressive knee sleeve since my knee really blew up at 4 weeks post op. It has been a big help with the swelling. I also think it has helped offer a little support as my hypermobile knee, weak muscles, and traumatized tissues have been healing. The last couple weeks I have started leaving it off in the morning for longer and longer. I’m at the point now where I don’t put it on until lunch time unless I’m going somewhere. The next stage will be only putting in on when I’m going out and probably still in the evening for a bit.

I’m still icing 3 times a day for 45 minutes. I also got a heating pad a couple months ago that I put on my hips and thighs while I ice my knee. Feels good on my operated hip and keeps me warm while icing! My ibuprofen and Tylenol are down to just one of each twice a day. If I have a tough day I’ll add more if needed.

Getting up and down from chairs is getting easier. My low loveseat recliner and low soft couch are hardest. I can get up without using my hands, but still need to put a hand back to sit down. Unfortunately my toilet is very low so I haven’t been able to bring myself to get rid of my beloved toilet rail. It just makes it so much easier! But I should probably take it down soon.

One small but important sign I’m seeing is that it feels like my knee is continuing to get more resilient. The uneven ground is getting easier to navigate. The little bumps and bobbles don’t bother it like they used to. A few times I’ve tripped or jolted my leg and braced for the pain and the pain never came I still feel I have to be careful, but it is less fraught. There is more confidence in my body.

Walking up stairs almost feels normal!! After 2 years of not being able to do it at all it feels so good! Now for going down. I’m not there yet. I think it’s a range of motion and/or fear issue. I will be patient. It’ll come.

I’ve been waiting for the moment when the scales will tip and I can honestly say that I am better off after the surgery than I was before. Y’all, I think I’m approaching the tipping point!!

 

[EalingGran]

So very pleased for you JusticeRider!

 

[JusticeRider]

Thank you EalingGran! Feeling hopeful! There is a light ahead. I have a long way to go to get back to how I was in 2019, before those 2 injuries and 3 surgeries, but that’s the long goal! And the really long goal is to get to a point where I’m even better than that because I’ll have one ‘perfect’ knee Who knows? It could happen!

 

[shr]

Good status report. My six month anniversary is this week so I should do one. You've inspired me.

 

[JusticeRider]

Hey y’all! I’m calling this post Undoing Bad Habits. I’ve had painful joints on my left side for so long (hip 10 yrs, knee about 25), I’ve developed all kinds of bad patterns of moving and being in order to compensate. Don’t get me wrong, my body was just doing what it had to do and those things served their purpose. But now that my left hip and knee are fixed, it’s time to kick those habits to the curb!

My physical therapist (me ) has observed a few things I need to work on. I know there are lots more but here are the two I’m noticing the most:

1) Bending over. When I bend over to pick something up, work on something down low, pet my little dog, etc, I do it…weird. If I can describe it, instead of facing the object in question, I stand beside it with my operated (L) leg furthest away. I then lean and twist to my right and bend down over my unoperated leg without ever bending my knees (I’m flexible). Clearly I must have been doing this to spare my left hip and especially my left knee. Except I think it probably puts a lot of stress onto my right hip and maybe even my back. And meanwhile I’m not using the muscles in my left leg much at all. So. Whenever I catch myself doing it, I’m going to turn and face the object, bend forward from the waist (abs in, tushy out) and also bend my knees (mini squat! Natural ADL PT!). Now that I’ve realized it and am paying attention, it is shocking how many times a day I do this! And how automatic it is. It’s going to really take some retraining.

2) This one is easy. Standing in one place. Whenever I’m standing still for more than a few seconds, I automatically shift my weight onto my right foot and sort of ‘kickstand’ my left foot to the side. It’s so ingrained, I’ve seen pictures of me from 20 years ago doing it and I still do it now. So whenever I’m standing and talking with someone, cooking dinner, etc I’m going to try and pay attention and make sure I’m standing squarely with my weight even on both feet. Again, I imagine this is something I’ll have to make a conscious effort at for a long time. Old habits die hard!

What bad habits have you noticed from painful joints? Would love to hear about it!

 

[EalingGran]

You are absolutely right.
I am still putting more weight on my "good/unoperated leg" and I have to try and remember to even up.

 

[sistersinhim]

@JusticeRider, these two habits are things most of us do and don't even realize it. Thank you for pointing those out. We will all be more aware now of how we are bending and standing.

 

[benne68]

What bad habits have you noticed from painful joints?

I soooo relate to this post. I also do that leaning-to-one-side when standing still. I remind myself to shift to the other side to even things out.

And I still catch myself "double stepping" to descend stairs -- even though my knee is just fine with a normal, alternate-foot descent.

Conventional wisdom is that it takes 30 days to create a habit. I think it takes MUCH longer to break one!

 

[shr]

Guilty as charged. In the months prior to my first knee replacement I noticed a number of imbalances and compensations but the most significant was putting most of my weight on the stronger leg.

 

[JusticeRider]

Conventional wisdom is that it takes 30 days to create a habit. I think it takes MUCH longer to break one!

Agreed, @benne68 ! It took me 25 years to get in the habit, it’s gonna take more than 30 days to get out of it!

Also: I can’t wait until double stepping down stairs is just a habit that I fall into once in a while instead of something I have to do!! Soon I hope!

 

[beachy]

I wanted to thank you for posting somewhere about using a heating pad on your hip while icing your knee! Icing my knee was to the point where I was dreading it because I got so cold. Bone chilling, teeth chattering cold. In front of the fireplace with a couple warm blankets cold.
I put that heating pad across my shoulders and it takes away all the cold discomfort!
Best.Tip.Ever.

 

[JusticeRider]

@beachy I’m so glad that worked for you! It’s already cold outside and then we have to soak ourselves in ice…brrrr! The heat feels so nice, doesn’t it?

 

[benne68]

I can’t wait until double stepping down stairs is just a habit that I fall into once in a while instead of something I have to do!! Soon I hope!

You'll get there. It took me at least six months to reach the point where I could go down a flight of stairs without holding on for dear life. My physical therapist would tell me, "Don't look down, just step down." To which I would respond, "If I don't look, I'll fall!"

(PS: I STILL look down!)

 

[JusticeRider]

It’s been a busy few days around here. I’ve started doing more of the barn chores the last couple of weeks and a few days ago I graduated to raking up the manure in all the stalls and also the loose hay in the barnyard. My hubby comes along behind me with the wheelbarrow and scoops up all the piles. Pushing the wheelbarrow and scooping are the hardest for the knee so I’m still letting him take care of that part. Glad he’s here!! The paddocks and arena/turnout are 6 inch deep sand, so he is also doing the pick up out there.

So at this point, I’m taking care of the house, the dogs, and the chickens, raking up the stalls and barnyard, filling the horses’ and cow’s hay nets, and mixing up and feeding the grain. It’s nice to be able to take on a little more of the work on the farm! Next thing to add to the list is turning the herd out in the morning and bringing them in at night. I’ve been waiting on that because the animals get very excited and tend to want to go through gates at high speed at times, as well as kicking up their heels with joy. I still don’t feel very safe working the gates while a 1,000 lb animal leaps past. But soon enough!

I’ve also been slowly but surely inching up the length of my walks. I am so fortunate to have a lovely quiet neighborhood, cute downtown, and beautiful riverside trails to walk on right outside my door. So almost every day I get out for a walk. Yesterday I walked over 3 miles which is my highest since the surgery! I’m so happy! Now I just need to add more gentle slopes, but that means I’ll need to drive somewhere because I’m in the valley and it’s pretty flat.

With all this activity I have had my first 10,000 plus steps/day. Yesterday I actually got to 12,000 steps!! The funny thing about all this exercise is I am so sleepy in the evening and so hungry all the time. I’m nodding off on the couch which is not like me! And I want to eat everything in sight Hopefully that means my body is busy building muscles. Healing is happening! The adventure continues!

 

[beachy]

How do feel after all that activity?
All that work made me tired. I nodded off just reading it LOL.

 

[benne68]

What a terrific report @JusticeRider! You are doing really well!

 

[EalingGran]

That is an amazing amount of activity. I felt exhausted reading all your work with the animals! Did you do the 3 mile walk in one go? I can do 10000 steps but it will be with stops. We do a 1 & 1/2 mile walk then spend maybe half an hour/ three quarters of an hour in a coffee shop and then walk 1 &1/2 mile back. I don't think I could do 3 miles in one stint yet.
Well done to be getting back to so much.