Become an Insider

Revision TKR Loosening, RA ?Second Revision

Wow @Shortie! How inspirational your thread is! I too am a nurse working in a very busy unit with long shifts, etc. I have been off work for around 20 months now. It all started with a torn medial meniscus. Two arthroscopies, a partial knee replacement and a TKR revision six and a half weeks ago, my story is similar to yours. I only wish I had found this sight over a year ago! With the support and assistance of this group and the BoneSmart mantra, I think especially mentally, I would have done a lot better. I have read all of your thread from beginning to end and it has given me hope that I too will recover now if I maintain a slow and steady recovery following the BoneSmart way! Your thread has also made me realise that it isn't the end of the world if I too have to make a decision to find alternate employment and I will give this recovery time before I make a decision regarding this. Thank you for your amazing posts and your honesty throughout.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Hello Everyone - I know I have not been here for a while - I have been so busy! I hope everyone is either getting on well or on the road to getting on well!

@shelli22 well done for trawling through my thread!

So where am I am what have I been doing? I started my new job I now work full time and I am managing really well in a slightly less active job.

My knee still has good days and bad days and I am still trying to work out how to do lots of exercise without it being weight bearing. I love my bike but am finding it difficult to get out on it but not because of my knee. It is because I just don't have time in between going to work, getting home, cooking tea, taking son to gymnastics 3 x week or helping my 14 year old daughter with her cakes which, and I know I am biased, are fantastic (I will attach a picture of her latest one for her Grandads 70th birthday.

Longish walks with the dog at the weekend, shopping, washing ironing etc. Which is all good because now I can. OK I admit my knee does ache a bit (as does the other one) but I think this is more to do with my weight and total lack of fitness at the moment so that is my next challenge - to lose weight & get fit - I think I am now ready and able to concentrate on weight loss rather than my life evolving around my knee!

I think people who haven't been through 'knee issues' expect me and anyone who has had a TKR for the results to be perfect like a native, non-diseased and perfect knee which will never happen. HOWEVER - I am still loving the fact that: every time I enter a building I can wipe my feet with no pain; I can SLEEP in ANY position I like; I can scratch the back of my non-TKR leg with my TKR leg foot; I can just 'do' stuff without having to plan if I need to be able to walk the next day.

There are a couple of things which I am a bit daft about in that if my knee is achy I won't take pain killers as, although I am where I am, I am scared of going backwards. And first thing in the morning when I am still half asleep, I still shuffle one step at a time down the stairs until I remember that I can do them normally! I also forget that I am still only 7 months post revision with 2½ years of basically being disabled before that, so I forget I still have a bit to go - but I am getting there!

Right must go to bed - glad to say busy day tomorrow!

Take care everyone
Shortie xx


My Daughters latest cake @proudmum!

[Bonesmart.org] Loosening, RA ?Second Revision
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Shortie said:
HOWEVER - I am still loving the fact that: every time I enter a building I can wipe my feet with no pain; I can SLEEP in ANY position I like; I can scratch the back of my non-TKR leg with my TKR leg foot; I can just 'do' stuff without having to plan if I need to be able to walk the next day.
Click to expand...
I can relate to this even though I am only weeks out yet. But the idea of being able to scratch the back of my other leg with my newly operated one, YES! I can do that. Wonderful! Thanks for giving me a good chuckle!
Shortie said:
There are a couple of things which I am a bit daft about in that if my knee is achy I won't take pain killers as, although I am where I am, I am scared of going backwards. And first thing in the morning when I am still half asleep, I still shuffle one step at a time down the stairs until I remember that I can do them normally!
Click to expand...
I don't get the connection here, Shortie. Surely if you take a couple of paracetamol to quell that ache, you wouldn't be prompted to shuffle down the stairs! And please be assured that taking pain meds won't mean you are going backwards. You've had some pretty big surgery and it's perfectly natural for it to still be a bit achy at this stage.
 
@Shortie,

Great to hear from you! Please remember a revision takes longer in most cases to get back to complete mobility. You are doing terrific!:happydance:
 
Hi Everyone and thank you

@Josephine sorry I didn't explain properly - I only shuffle down the stairs in the mornings due to half asleep habit rather than pain! My brain first thing in the morning doesn't realise my knee can do the stairs now! My knee only gets achy once I've been on my feet a lot (or conversely sat in a chair without moving for too long) but you are right I shouldn't worry about taking the odd paracetamol (note to self: it's OK to take painkillers!! Lol )

Shortie xx
 
Hello Everyone!

Just a quick check in to say that that I am really quite happy today as 8 months after my revision I have just had a fantastic day on an off road, forest trail, 10.8 mile bike ride with my family and it was only my lack of fitness that was an issue NOT MY KNEE!!
:yes!::bicycle1::yes!:

So now I need to get fit again - in the last few weeks I am really seeing a proper normal active life again and not a post TKR revision subsitute - I'm not standing on the sidelines anymore!

Shortie xx
 
Shortie,
Thanks for checking in, great report, happy to hear you are back to your active life. Time to get fit, so you can go the distance! :bicycle1::walking::fasthorse::hiking::swim::tennis2::vespa::driver:
 
Hi Everyone!

I haven't posted for a while - I pop in and read a few bit here and there. I mostly (I am glad to say) just too busy to spend too much time on the internet.

So life is great I am back working full time in my new job as a Research Nurse and loving it - it is great for my knee and my family life - I have even been known to wear heels to work for a day or so at a time (although haven't managed two days in a row yet!).

I have to admit something though - and I have debated whether to post this or not because I know how many people on here are struggling with much more troubling different issues and this seems so trivial in comparison and so I apologise but I am struggling to find the answer from other sources who just don't understand knee replacement issues (including physios!) and hope that someone here will be able to guide me am really getting VERY frustrated!! Why? Well now my revision is 9 months out I really need to lose some, no lots of weight. I have been overweight most of my life and approximately 7 years ago I got very fit and 5 stone lighter by a combination of healthy eating and running. I always struggled with just healthy eating for weight loss and I know it can be an excuse but I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and so the combination of running and healthy eating worked. The adrenaline and endorphins really agreed with me and hence the 5 stone weight loss - my knee has stuffed this up (as well as me eating too much - I admit it) and I have put all 5 stone back on and as a result my 'good' knee is now struggling.

So what is the problem - finding that same sort of exercise as running that gives me the sweaty buzz that is low impact. So I am walking and cycling but it just isn't the same.

I was very excited a couple of weeks ago as I thought that running on a trampette was the answer as this was an exercise incorporated into a general lower limb physio class that I did - I came home all excited until my OH said is that really a good idea? Well I googled it and sure enough it came back from BoneSmart that @Josephine advises "Definitely do not use a trampoline! That's just the kind of activity that can cause the implants, especially the tibial one, to loosen." And whilst I was disappointed I do trust Josephines advise and having had a TKR with a revision 17 months later I am not taking ANY risks (but I do want to live life)

(it as here - https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/mini-trampoline-rebounder.13093/ )

So what to do - I own a treadmill but if I'm going for a walk only I may as well take the dog - consequently I am selling the treadmill.

I am still cycling - but although enjoyable it just isn't the same.

Swimming is good but for me to get to the pool changed, changed back and home takes a good hour and a half without the swim - just not something I can do 3 - 4 times a week before starting work at 8am.

Exercise classes locally are all either high impact, involve lots of squats or involve a lot of kneeling.

So this whole waffly post is really to ask two things:

1. What is the opinion of elliptical trainers after TKR / revision?

2. What are the other options for no/low impact heart pounding, sweat inducing exercise.

Sorry to post such a trivial problem but it is really starting to get me down - I've got this great new knee but just can't use it to its full potential to make the rest of me good!

Thanks if you made it to the bottom of this post!

Shortie xx
 
Thank you - I will have a look at them but I'm not sure I want to be sitting down - I would really love that feeling of running again.
Shortie
 
It's been a few years since I used an elliptical, but i found them to be a little jerky, which may not be best. Have you considered a spinning class? Some people find them very rewarding. Trying to think of other avenues you might want to pursue.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Good to hear from your Shortie,
@RunA42K has found a new training machine that mimics running, without stressing your joints. It is at some gyms in the US, not sure about the UK.
It is called the Zero Runner, https://www.octanefitness.com/home/products/zero-runner/zr7/
I haven't used an elliptical runner, but I know other members have, and do well with it.
I think @referee54 , has used an elliptical.

I have been using an app called Loseit to keep track of calories, just doing some walking and toning for exercise. My clothes are fitting better, so I guess it is helping.
 
Thank you everyone.

@Pumpkln your suggestion may have just cost me a bit of money OMG I WANT ONE!!! Zero runner looks fantastic and just what I've been looking for - and avaliable in the UK I could 'run' again and get that endorphin filled sweat inducing exercise satisfied feeling and really get fit again! only downside is they are quite expensive but 1. just have to convince OH (or at least pasify him) into thinking how great it would be for me and 2. Have seen a store that does 0% finance on it so I could spread the cost.

Oh I am a happy bunny on a Sunday morning - as always Bonesmart has been fantastic and given me hope

Thank you

Shortie xx
 
See if you can find a gently used one, but if you love it, it's not too outrageously priced.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Sorry :heehee:,
Bonnie will be along and can report on the Zero Runner, as she uses it more.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Corganics CBD
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

  • benne68
    benne68
    Staff member since February 4, 2022

Members online

Total: 595 (members: 3, guests: 592)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom