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Bilateral TKR JustJeff 4/9/14

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This is my last day of PT. But it is just the beginning of my strengthening and endurance. This I feel is the hardest part of all. .. to transition from "take it easy", "rest", to walk, ride, keep going and the all important, "Get off your piriformis!

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Hi Jeff! I just read your entire thread. You have had an amazing journey! I am about two weeks ahead of you with just one TKR and not even close to what you are accomplishing. I did have a two week detour along the way and am still trying to make up for that. You are inspiring me to keep my eye on the prize! Take care!
 
Hi everyone. Last PT went fine, except for stationary lunges which hurt, caused by IT band issues. They have a good fitness program there that I'm signing up for to take this recovery the rest of the way. Besides the machines, I get to ask my PT questions while I'm on my own there!

The new improvement today is being able to go down the steps normally fast! It was all about shifting weight forward and having the courage to "fall"to the next step, sort of like we do when we walk. Hopefully a few running steps are in the future once my quads get stronger.
I may take a video since I feel this is something we should all know and nobody is discussing it. But, a disclaimer: be safe in whatever new thing you try!

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It gets better and better. Stairs used to be painful , now its a non event . Jogging , walking them is a miracle. My issue is that im 6ft 3inches and about 255 lbs of solid mass. Thats alot of weight , so I do need to proceed with caution . I dont want to jar the cement loose or damage the implant . However yesterday I went to a play and sat in childrens cafeteria seats . No good on the butt , after 2 hours , got up and walked out without a hitch . The knee is great , yours will be too. Keep it up ! Iceman
 
Wow @icep707 , 2 hours of sitting! I still have "movie knees." Lots of stuff yet to look forward to. I'm going to look at my bike tomorrow. Fill up the tires and may take a ride around the block. More steps!

Thanks @referee54 !

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I tried tonight to sleep normally, like normal people do. You know, without a wedge or pillow. Just lay down and sleep with freedom to turn on either side, flex a knee or not. Well, it started out okay. Just laying there was fine. Then, I moved. I turned on my side, didn't know where to put my legs. Askew, one on top of the other. Double barreled pain from the IT bands and the incision burning kept me moving and up. Pain makes for a great organic CPM machine. Not so great for sleeping. So, experiment over for now. Once again, the knees said No!

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Yes, after my BTKR I had issues with sleep as well. While I was not in the pain that you report, I just could not get comfortable, and I also moved my legs quite a bit, as you did.

I wandered around the house looking for a place to get comfortable. I was like Diogenes, but instead of looking for one honest man, I was looking for one good night's sleep. I sought normalcy, and sleep was the last frontier.

It took me quite some time---and after returning to the classroom on about 2 1/2 hours of sleep, I decided to call my OS. (I was at eight weeks then.)

Ambien for ten nights did the trick.

I would suspect that it is a tad early for you right now, but it will come. Looking at when you had the BTKR, yu may have a ways to go yet, but you will be able to sleep normally and on your side. My IT Bands did not bother me when I slept, nor did the incision so it will take a little bit fo time. You may want at look at some IT Band stretches.
[Bonesmart.org] JustJeff 4/9/14
[Bonesmart.org] JustJeff 4/9/14
[Bonesmart.org] JustJeff 4/9/14
 
Thanks for the photos! I was just searching for something like them yesterday!
So I dragged the wedge back into position and slept like a baby, with both legs elevated and dangling.
IT band and incision burning pain; two forms of pain I never knew existed. My body hasn't stopped surprising me with new things!

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I think the knees do tell you when they're ready. I slept on my side from the day I returned from the hospital with a pillow between the knees. Then one night I woke to find that my pillow was gone. I haven't used it since.
 
Another helpful activity is an ice massage on the affected area of the IT Band Take a Dixie Cup, fill it with water and put it in the freezer. Then you apply it directly to the sore area, and, as the ice melts, you simply peel the paper from the cup away.
[Bonesmart.org] JustJeff 4/9/14
 
Wednesday said:
I think the knees do tell you when they're ready. I slept on my side from the day I returned from the hospital with a pillow between the knees. Then one night I woke to find that my pillow was gone. I haven't used it since.
Click to expand...

Ah how I wish that would happen to me!
 
And it will happen, probably sooner than you think.
 
Well Ref, the sore part is on the side of the knee, so my normal machine icing will do the trick, but that is of course what I've been doing, naturally. So that combined with stretching and time hopefully will work.

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I just put air in my bike tires and rode around the block 2x. First time in 5 years! Now I know how weak my quads are!

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Hi Jeff! It was not until about the 7-8 month before I had no more stiffness in bed, no more pain at all.... and I could do stairs like a normal person again. Now I go up and down them with no thought! I NEVER thought I would be able to do stairs normally again after 10 plus years of doing them one foot two foot. Give yourself time.... your knees will get there! It will be one full year on June 4 since my surgery - I forget I had surgery now they feel so normal!
 
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