PKR Ligament Sprain in GoodLeg

[marieltha]

Monday 10/28 update
I cannot believe how much better my knee, lower back, and both legs feel today.

I did go in the pool yesterday but did all the walking in deep water (wore my back supportive AquaJogger belt) for less impact.

I have iced and elevated more and continued the quad, hamstring, hip flexor, and glutes stretches.

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I’m going to try the seated elliptical at my local Y that @luvcats describes. Even a week ago, I didn’t feel ready for this.

 

[marieltha]

I did a longer session of deep water pool walking yesterday and all the stretches and exercises I’ve recently begun.

I decided to not move up my next OS follow up to tomorrow as the knee and leg et al are doing better. So I go next week.

Today I had an annual eye exam at a huge complex an hour away. My husband drove and took me first to a nearby department store that in the past, I have liked. He knew I would enjoy that, and after the car ride, I wanted to walk before the 2-hour exam and ride home.

Like you @luvcats, I so enjoyed just walking around a bit in a store. And I’m not really a shopper per se although I love to shop for groceries, especially vegetables, which I look forward to also.
My walk still isn’t my normal easy going stride, but it is getting steadily better. I was even fine standing in the pharmacy for quite a while (computer glitches) after the exam. I could not have done this trip even 2 weeks ago.

My knees and legs are tired tonight, but neither painful nor swollen.
Bring on that dancing cat.

 

[luvcats]

Woohoo!!! Dancing cat! Soon it will be a dancing @marieltha!

I wish we could hold on to the joy and sense of wonder we're feeling every day as we do the simple things in life everyone else takes for granted. I expect eventually I'll get back to taking it for granted too, but I hope I can hold on to the gratitude.

 

[marieltha]

Following in the non-weight bearing footsteps of @luvcats and @Carole4815 , I have used the seated elliptical!

10 minutes at 0 resistance, with the left arm (right shoulder RCR not ready yet). Then I stood and checked with the knee implants and soft tissues for input and approval, and did 7 minutes more, with the seat tilt and legs adjusted to give less bend to the knees. The trainer showed me how to set it for my legs.
I liked this.

She also showed me how to use the recumbent NuStep cross trainer, which has pedals similar to the seated elliptical, but without the circular rotation, that you basically push forward. I did this at the lowest resistance for a gentle 4 minutes. Liked this, too.
Then I did my shoulder exercises and some standing leg stretches.

This felt like enough for my first gym venture since March.

My right knee and leg said let’s go home now and ice.

 

[Carole4815]

What a terrific workout, Marieltha! I haven't been back to ride the seated elliptical again, because my sweetie threw out his back and we have always gone to the gym together (back when we used to go regularly, years ago). I know, I could go by myself but that never seems to happen somehow.

Anyway he promises that by Monday, his back will be better and we will start going to the gym three times a week. I thought the seated elliptical was wonderful and never had any bad effects from it. I also want to try walking on the indoor track. My gym has the NuStep cross trainer too, so I might try that as well.

 

[luvcats]

That sounds like a wonderful workout!
I'm so glad the seated elliptical is working for so many of us. I have the resistance all the way up to 3 lol!

 

[marieltha]

@Carole4815
We have always gone to the gym together, but he has been going solo since August of 2018! when I injured my foot and switched to pool only, and then did the second knee in March and the shoulder in May. Long time. He rarely skips even a day, as he does the treadmill since he stopped running outdoors every day (multiple marathons). I used to do 6 days, but varied what I did. We both do hand weights a few days a week also. I plan to gradually add the gym a few times a week, generally on the days the water temp in our pool goes below 78. I wear a 1.5mm scuba vest over my suit when the water temp goes below 82. At some point, I switch to the Y pool, as it is 81 to 83, outdoors, in the sun, but not in the wind.
I look forward to hearing about your gym activities.
As @Izabel mentioned, “motion is lotion”. I think arthritis will always be looking for places to roost in my body, but I do seem to keep it at bay by moving—and,LOL, by occasional surgery, of course.
I am by nature, calm (euphemism for illustration at left, NYTimes), so I have to keep reminding myself to move.

@luvcats Whoa! 3!!! In my future, I hope. Do you use the arms?

My calves were tired and the outside & back of the right knee was stiff and ached last night, but I iced and stretched, and added some wintergreen to my leg massages and some tiger balm at bedtime.

 

[Macknit]

What a wonderful group of exercises/workout you had! It sounds so nice and I truly look forward to moving a bit more soon. Unfortunately, today I'm sure I over did. It was one of those crisp autumn sunshine days and we have a fairly large garden, that had leaves and pine-needles everywhere! It felt so good being out there, and hubby did most of the work, but I held the big contractor bags open and carried them about for a total of 3 hours, I took a break at the half way point, but my poor knee is definitely speaking to me. (I'm thinking I'll call her Mrs. Doubtfire...because I do have days I doubt I'll fully recover, plus days when she tells me she's angry and on fire!)

Enjoy the week ahead!

 

[luvcats]

Do you use the arms?

I do not. I feel I get a better leg extension and hip action if I sit back.
Plus I can't read on my phone if I'm using the arms. lol
My current arm plan uses some exercises I got from home PT after the hospital in February and my small weight. And also lifting my 17 lb cat.

As my knees get happier about weird positions I'll start using some of the arm weight machines at the rec center.

 

[marieltha]

Thanks @luvcats for your reply about the arms. I liked the feel without them, too. I am going to show my OS pics of the machines and ask him. I do not want to endanger my shoulder recovery. No picking up of large Nurse Cats in my near future. Wow: 17 lbs!
That’s a cat that can really do the laying on of the paws!

 

[luvcats]

While Neeka could stand to lose a few pounds, and is on a diet along with the rest of the household now that Mom has enough energy to manage it, she is also a very large cat. I'm pretty sure her healthy weight is around 13-14 lbs.

 

[marieltha]

Rx Orthotics update 11-4-19
I got the latest version of my Rx orthotics today. I went 2 weeks ago, but the dr didn’t like that redo, so they went back again.

This version feels really good. There is an additional thin layer under the top layer in the heel, and inside that is a “gel spot”, so the heels feel much much better. And LOL, the tech said the dr also had them “adjust” the right one (my right leg is my ever so slightly shorter leg) to make my legs even when I walk. My hips and glutes seem happier.

I forgot that when you get RX custom orthotics, each foot is custom/unique.

Anyway, I’m to very gradually work up to wearing them all the time and go back in 2 months.

 

[luvcats]

I'm so excited for you! Custom orthotics sound lovely. I will have to pay out of pocket if I decide to get them, so there is no rush. I'm waiting to see how my feet do as I actually walk enough to notice.

 

[marieltha]

They are expensive, but over time, so are multiple OTCs, especially for me, as the two feet have ended up being so different. You say you have diva knees @luvcats. Well, I have diva feet!
I wore them to a dr’s appointment this morning and to the gym this afternoon. Neither involved a lot of weight bearing walking. That was plenty for day 2 of the break in.
I used the seated elliptical for a total of 21 minutes today (got up & stretched after 11) and the seated NuStep for 10.
I walked stiffly after to the car, but after icing and later, a shower, my walking gait tonight was better.

 

[marieltha]

@Macknit I apologize but I somehow missed your nice post above about my recent workout. Thanks!
I am in awe that at only 9 weeks (did I get that right? I don’t see signatures anymore/on the new platform) you were standing out in the garden for 3 hours? Hello, Mrs Doubtfire!

 

[Macknit]

Yes, you did get that right, 9 weeks....but I did take a break in between ! I'm definitely going through some physical adjustments between outside activities and now full-time work. I have constantly shifting sore spots, (hence Mrs. Doubtfire) and also weird nerve shooting pains that keep changing locations, however, I don't believe it's worrisome!

I had orthotics that I wore for about 2 years before TKR, but now I need to order new ones also...yours sound lovely!

 

[Jockette]

I don’t see signatures anymore/on the new platform)

What device are you using? I use my phone, in the portrait view, and since the new platform I only see signatures if I rotate my phone the landscape.

 

[marieltha]

@Jockette, Thanks! I use either an ipad or an iphone. The signatures do show on the ipad in the landscape this morning. I’ll try that on the phone later. Have to think like a techie geek!

 

[marieltha]

Yes, it works on the phone as well. Thanks again.
PS The ipad update was really a major redo and has lots of improvements. It makes me sign in twice on BS, though, then tells me I’m already logged in. LOL.

 

[Jockette]

You’re welcome! It took me a while before I thought to rotate my phone!