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TKR kmak's TKR recovery thread

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Hi @Jockette: I did not have good extension in either leg prior to TKR -- I think both were around 5 so am used to lots of walking and other activities without perfectly straight legs. I think if your non-op leg goes to 0 it would be hard to walk correctly without full extension in the TKR leg. I've been walking correctly for awhile now probably because neither leg goes to 0. I don't really care if I get to 0 (my surgeon is obsessed with it) - except that I have to get the other knee done at some point and what if it goes to 0 easily? I'm skeptical of that happening since I have had tight tendons and muscles without full extension for years. I guess I just want my legs to be balanced so that I don't limp and cause other issues. I've been able to hike more because my surgical pain is mostly gone - unless I overdo it - and I've had to work up to those longer distances due to stamina, feet getting tired, etc. The walking and hiking is good for stretching those big tendons and muscles, which theoretically should help the extension. I wish you had a nurturing PT as well - I was very fortunate.
 
I feel like my stamina is pretty decent these days but my knee just doesn't want to do much. It gets upset if I walk around my flat neighborhood but does fine when I walk much longer while shopping at my super Walmart! Go figure. I told my husband that we should just go to Walmart to get our walk in several times a week!
 
@kmak81230 The hiking sounds glorious! I've always found the downhill to be more punishing on my knees than the uphill. Hope you're recovered from your most recent hike.
 
@kmak81230, yowza, you're a 3! You've come a long way baby! And hiking 5 miles? :holysheep:! In my dreams kiddo, in my dreams! This is really exciting!:yes!:

I know you're rather ouchy right now, but my guess is it will all be gone very quickly. You seem to have miraculous healing power when it comes to setbacks.:SUNsmile:

*Every day is different on the Scenic Route*:whistle:
 
*Every day is different on the Scenic Route*:whistle: - I'm singing this to the tune of "Everyday's a Holiday with Mary" from Mary Poppins :-) @Pheebs52. It sure is true - we never know what each day will bring. I will hope for you miraculous healing power as well so that you can continue earning those badges!
 
Hah, thanks Kathleen! I may hafta borrow some of that miraculous recovery juice from you!
 
Week 18
I'm still more swollen today, probably from my hiking adventure on Sunday. I had to raise the seat a couple of notches at spin class this morning -- I suppose my lefty is having a sympathy regression with Pheebs52's knee. I wore my clip shoes for the first time - thanks for the caution @Pheebs52 as I don't want to slip and I have begun standing more during class. Yesterday I met with a graduate student who has experience in gait analysis. He worked at a gait clinic in TX prior to coming to Colorado. I walked on a giant treadmill while he filmed me from all directions and I learned some interesting things. I generally only swing one arm when I walk (my DW said later "I could have told you that" - I did not know that!), I am so good at the perp walk that my op leg now always crosses the midline when walking but my nonop leg doesn't - so a little imbalance there, neither of my hips drop when walking (that's a good thing), and I do not stand up straight enough (need to work harder on the VPAC and pelvic tilt). So I have some things to work on. He also suggested that I walk backwards on the treadmill on an incline to work on glutes, hamstrings, and quads. We practiced yesterday and I tried it today - very slow pace 1.2 mph at 7% grade for 5 minutes. I can eventually work up to 2 mph and 10% grade for a longer period but that was enough today. I was glad to have the railings as it takes some getting used to in terms of balance. I expect it will help with balance as well. Boy, did I get the looks at the gym this morning. I also have to walk at the track, along a line trying to keep my op leg from crossing over. Interesting stuff. We'll see what my PT says about all this when I see her next week.

Sign ups for fall hockey season have started and I am wondering if I am ready - the rink opens in October so first games will be in about 4 weeks. I was hoping to play in the ladies league once a week this fall but they dropped that league. My only option now is coed which is a little faster. I've played coed every year but am a little hesitant -- One of my main goals for this TKR was to be able to continue to play hockey and my OS says it is ok so I guess I should just jump in. . . .
 
PS: I'm still clicking like a champ but I don't really pay attention to it much anymore. :snork:
 
Wow, Kmak, that gait analysis sounds awesome! You made me laugh when you said your DW already knew you swung only one arm. Of course she did! Does it make you wonder what else she's not telling you?? :heehee: The info you got from that should really help you improve in your ADLs, but also in balance, stamina, and form in the hiking, hockey, and other sports you want to do.

And that leads me to...HOCKEY! Wow! You have made giant strides (in recovery, as well as on that treadmill) :treadmill:if you are considering hockey in a month. You are my hero! I would vote for the Ladies League for a start, if just to be on the safe side, but that is because my daughter recently had an ACL surgery because of an injury sustained by a 6'3" out-of-control guy on the basketball court during a co-ed championship game. (Her team was winning, and he was trying too hard, I'm sure. "Stop that little point guard!"). I'm not familiar with whether or not hockey could put that new knee in much danger, but who would have thought that Lacey would just get mowed down by someone in basketball? --Her first major injury playing in 14 years, other than a few ankle and knee sprains, and she knows how to fall, how to take a charge, etc.
 
oh my goodness kmak81230, you're actually considering signing up for hockey league and starting in 4 weeks? yikes. maybe it would be a good idea to try out the skates first and see how you do, and see how it is wearing all the equipment. that's really interesting about the gait specialist and his observations about your gait. i sometimes see my reflection in the glass while i'm out the backyard on patrol and notice i'm slouching; well that's partly because i'm looking down in search of the day's remains lol! i think we all need to concentrate on our posture and gait ~ great idea to bring this to our attention.

sorry you're still swollen from your hike, but you will recover. i sure wish i had some clicking as everyone that has clicking seems to have a good r.o.m. you are doing so well in your recovery.:flwrysmile:
 
Kathleen, what an encouraging report! The gait analysis is fascinating and it's great to hear you are not a *hip-dropper* like me. I don't even know when I'm doing it, so it's rather difficult to correct; hah! It sounds as though you've mastered the Perp Walk, so huge kudos on that score; woot!:yes!: I'm trying to imagine walking backwards on a dreadmill, but....it's difficult. I used to own one and for reasons that escape me, tried that maneuver. Yikes! However, I can see how it could be useful for strengthening everything you mentioned and balance as well. If you're able to do this, I'm in awe!:loveshwr:

Now, seriously, are you really considering hockey so soon? Just read what @liam2015 wrote, several times over if necessary. You still swell. You haven't skated at all yet. Please, reconsider this idea. I know you really enjoy it and it's a great goal, but it does sound a bit risky, especially if you can't play in the Ladies League. Is there another sign-up time further on down the road? I hope so. I want you to be 100% before you start engaging in this sort of thing where people fall and get whacked with sticks. Just sayin'. :wink:
 
@Polkadot - :rotfl: what other abnormal movements have I been doing that DW is aware of that I'm not - I will need to follow up on this. So sorry to hear about your daughter getting plowed over by the guys. An ACL injury is a terrible result. That is my fear in the coed league. Nice guys who sometimes can't stop and who act like they are trying out for the pros.:dubious: Every year I have to give my little locker room talk (yes, we share a locker room) - "guys - relax, we're not going to the NHL, or the Olympics - heck, we're not even going to the A league in our small town. And feel free to wash your gear every now and then - it's called Tide with Febreeze!"

@liam2015 and @Pheebs52: thanks for your guidance and care for me and my new knee. I think you've convinced me to wait until the winter league in January. Our rink opens in October so there is not much time to skate before the games begin. I think I knew that was the right choice but just needed a little extra convincing. I will just go to open skating times this fall and try it out with all my padding on before stepping onto the rink with a bunch of meatheads - nice meatheads of course, but you are right that it might be too soon.

PS: no improvements in ROM for me over the past two weeks; I'm following my role models Campervan and Bertschb along the scenic route. :whistle:
 
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good for you kmak81230 ~ i love the idea of a locker room talk. when my son played hockey he broke his arm getting checked, had a cast on for 6 weeks and went to every game to encourage his team mates. after the 6 weeks, he played a game, got a goal, and broke his arm again, another 6 weeks in cast but took a long break after that. apparently after the 6 weeks, it is not completely healed. hockey is a great sport for girls and boys and adults ~ i'm sure you'll be ready for the winter league, although you might not want to try the "shoot the duck" skill in practise.:holysheep:
 
Omg - 2 broken arms in a row! That must have been awful for him (and you). I'm afraid to ask what the "shoot the duck drill is"
 
yes it was awful and he was in so much pain the 2nd time. funny but he was in high school at the time and even with his good arm in a cast, he got a "B" in art. he was never ever artistic whatsoever; they must have felt sorry for him or gave him props for trying lol. "shoot the duck" skill ~ you can find it on YouTube. the guys always practised it in hockey. you have to skate forward and/or backward, crouched right down with one leg straight out in front. even my daughter had to practise that in figure skating. maybe it's called something else in the u.s. i think it might be a few months before you'll be crouching down like that, although you might be able to with your unoperated leg if it has the flexion. i really don't think it's a necessary skill if you're not in competitive hockey lol!
 
I had a coach once who made us do that drill @liam2015 I didn't start playing hockey until I was 40 and I could never crouch low enough to do that drill. With as long as it is taking for this new knee to bend I expect I will be 80 before I could get that low and probably my hockey days will be over. My non op leg only bends to 125 - if I could get to there without pain I would be happy.
 
i love your optimism that you'll still be playing hockey at 80. hazel mccallion (hurricane hazel) was the longest running mayor of the city next to mine (mississauga). she retired 3 years ago at the age of 94 after 36 years mayor. she then started a new career at the u. of toronto. anyways, she still plays hockey on a women's league. that could be you if you take care of your knees. my son-in-law just started playing hockey at age 35, could barely skate when he first started 2 years ago and he has a bad knee, but loves it. he's from the u.s. and decided to be a real canadian you have to play hockey lol!
 
I love it @liam2015 . Hurricane Hazel will be my hockey role model. When I was a kid we played backyard hockey in our neighborhood and while our brothers got to be on a real team, girls were not allowed. We taped catalogs to our shins and all us girls wore figure skates. When I moved to Colorado twenty years ago and they had women's hockey in my town I literally cried tears of joy. Two years ago my knees really started limiting my hockey so that's when I started planning for TKR. Maybe I can be an honorary Canadian, eh? Many of us here in the U.S. have certainly contemplated it :wink:
 
Phew! I'm so relieved to hear you've decided to wait until January @kmak81230! Can you hear my sigh? I'm sure you can. Just think how much more healing and ROM will have taken place by then...tons! Heck, you might even give Hurricane Hazel a run for her money just by being smart about this; hah! What a great role model she is, eh? I really like the idea of you just practicing skating in the interim, and of course, providing the obviously necessary Locker Room talk, lol!

@Liam81230, LOL at your hockey anecdotes! What an inspiration Hurricane Hazel is for all of us, even non-hockey players! I do think Kathleen should be eligible for dual citizenship, don't you? Perhaps you can exert some influence, lol.
 
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