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TKR Macknit's recovery thread

Ow. I feel it with you. I had a horrible cold and basically haven't done anything for 2 weeks. Yesterday I was finally feeling better and not only hit the gym for the elliptical, but I also did a bunch of shopping. This morning I am definitely rethinking my life choices.

It's so hard to go slow because we've already GONE slow dagnabit! lol We'll hit 6 months next week. How is it we still have to go slow?

We do though.
 
:console2: We’ve all done this, too, for various reasons.

I had a ODIC weekend when I was 4 months post op. We went away for the weekend to visit friends. The morning we were supposed to go I remembered the standard low toilets in their house. I debated canceling, but it was the last minute and we hadn’t been to see them in a while, and I thought, how bad can it be.

Well it was very bad! This may be TMI, but there was nothing nearby in their bathroom to help me get up, I even tried putting my suitcase nearby to lean on to push up from, but couldn’t get it close enough. (The toilet was in an alcove.) It was better than nothing, but I struggled all weekend and I’m still amazed I managed to get up and down.

By the time I got home I could hardly bend my knee. It took a month to to recover. A month!!!

Then, at that point, my son got married, 90 minutes away from where I lived. 3 days of wedding activities, long drives every day, too much standing and lack of ability to elevate. My leg got tight and swelled again, and since I was just coming out of a major setback, this new one set me back, again, for another month.:bawl:

I had been reading Bonesmart since 4 weeks post op, but hadn’t joined. I finally decided it was time to join.

It took a really long time for my whole leg to recover these 2 major setbacks. I debated looking into a massage therapist, but with my PT PTSD, I couldn’t bear to let anyone touch my leg. I managed and eventually my leg relaxed and settled down and my ROM and quad strength is fine now.

Oh, and right after I got home from the weekend at our friend’s house I bought a portable seat riser so I would never go through that again! I made a denim tote to carry it in, and on the occasions I took it with me, no one ever asked what was in my tote.
 
Me too! It just feels so great when we start the great idea!
 
Thanks. It does help to know this is a common, "normal" behavior that happens to many of us :yes: !

I think I've shared this before but I'm trying to watch my weight also and that's where all my bright ideas get hatched....well, I did buy 2 homemade chocolate chip cookies yesterday (for the State food drive our office is involved with), but I had no motivation to move since poor knee was out of sorts!

I think that is why I justified the cookies, now that I think about it!!! Another bright idea :idea:
 
My knee was pretty mad all this past week.... which, in turn, makes me a tad crabby. I shared on Tuesday, what adventure I started, but now I'm thinking I might be on the @Jockette recovery road... maybe it will take a month?? :wink:

I have stopped all walking since Tuesday, just did my daily activities and it never settled down. :sigh: I only take Tylenol at night...1000 mg, maybe I should up that a bit? Any thoughts from our wonderful moderators??? Or @Jamie?

I do understand my patience is thin right now!
 
Thanks for checking @marieltha , (and I apologize for the mini-tirade last weekend. :umm: ) The knee has settled down an infinitesimal amount, however, it has been a full two weeks since I over-did it and for 6 months p.o. I'm surprised how slow of a turn around it has been as compared to the previous few months. I tried to add a few 15 minute walks back in, but then the knee wasn't happy.

Now, of course, that leads to speculation about what I may have caused long-term, because of this??
Thank goodness for this forum, and all the insight I've gained! It does help me turn my inner voice off when I start down that rabbit hole! :catbutterfly:

So, my plan is to settle into special chair and devote my weekend to my icing and elevating routine.
 
How odd that we should make similar mistakes the same week. I've started doing leg presses at the gym and the first day went so well I increased the weight the next day. Waaaaaay too far. sigh. It's been a week. So you're not the only one with a knee who isn't impressed by the 6 month marker.

I share your fears about doing something permanent because of how much and how it hurts, but I'm pretty sure we're both panicking. Mine is finally improving. I hope yours continues.

How about a new knitting project to keep you in your chair for the weekend?
 
@luvcats My thoughts exactly! In fact, remember the lovely alpaca socks I knit that were different sizes? :heehee: I've unraveled them and I'm trying to decide what to create....I really thought they were good for socks, but now I'm thinking a scarf instead???? Still debating while I rest!!

How interesting that it was leg presses, I also have added them to the routine, and I did do them at the gym 2 weeks ago, with increased weight :thud:...that might be the culprit right there!

When I got up this AM I still have medial pain that was there months ago and then had "disappeared"! My guess is whatever I irritated has swollen and is now rehealing. My plan this week is just the water, no leg presses! Thanks for the insight! Have a good weekend!
 
Thought of both of you @Macknit and. @luvcats when I saw the NYT article about the folks who were knitting weather forecast socks and now climate change socks. Couldn’t tell from the pics if any had knee implants. I can pick them out walking on the beach. LOL.
Leg presses. Which kind are you using: 1) Your seat stays fixed and the leg platform moves or 2) Your seat moves up on the track and the leg platform is fixed?
 
Think this was Celle’s graphic
[Bonesmart.org] Macknit's recovery thread
 
@marieltha, oh yes the graphic...I have it on my laptop, especially for those early days...I need to look at it for the mid-year recovery too.

The Leg presses I was doing, (have been since January) was #1 that you listed.
marieltha said:
Your seat stays fixed and the leg platform moves
Click to expand...
I didn't have any problems before, but we upped the weight this time 2 weeks ago, by 10 lbs. and that is the problem I'm sure! it has taken a long time to recover from that....I'm still learning from my mistakes!

I have to look up that NYT article about the sock knitting for climate change, was that written in 2020?
 
Yes, socks article was recent.
My OS always encourages increases in reps and sets for a very long time-wait until it feels completely easy, really with gradually increased reps and sets—before increasing weight. And then, a very slight increase, which often is difficult/not available at a gym.
I am following that to increase the strength of the delts after the RCR surgery and it is working. Started with 2 sets of 10 Freehand. Eventually increased reps and sets. Then moved to using stretchy bands. Then my can of pumpkin (1 pound). This week, I can do some with a 1 1/2 hand weight. I only do these 2x week, but as my delts have strengthened, I can use my arms more while walking in the deep water in the pool.
 
Knitters Chronicle Climate Change One Stitch at a Time. Feb 23,2020.
Doing something hand-eye like this—for me , drawing—really helped get through the post surgery brainfog doldrums.
 
Thanks for the update on the NYT article! I agree any of the hand-eye, even writing in a journal with a pen (if there wasn't too much to think about) has been extremely helpful!

Generally, I was better at slow increases in reps and weight, all of my issues started in the same week when I doubled up on my walks and added the extra leg press weight....

I did my recumbent bike and a short walk yesterday and I think I am finally turning a corner... My knee has settled down some.

My plan at the gym is to do pool work this week and then when I head back to the gym, drop the weight even a bit lower since that was what put me out of commission! Thanks @marieltha for the insight!!
 
Mine is also the moves at the feet style leg press. And I definitely went too far too fast. I'm finally feeling better, so I'll try again today with many fewer reps at a lower weight.

I haven't tried socks yet. Lace is fine, but for some reason I'm completely intimidated by socks.

I haven't been in the water for weeks. The pool is always a bit chilly and lately with the cold, damp weather, I haven't been willing to get in the pool. But I have a friend with bad knees, and I think we're going to start going together.
 
The pool at the clinic is about 86 degrees of salt water. It is so lovely on these cold days to get in. They even have a treadmill in the pool. So, we warm up with the walking then move through stretches, upper body and back strengthening, and a hard balancing in the deep end (standing in 5 ft section) while moving your legs....it really works my core and all the balancing muscles! We finish up with kicks while on a noodle. I feel great in the pool and afterward you know you've been doing something!!
 
Time for another update, I'd say the knee finally is close to where it was a month ago, before all the flare up! @Jockette was right, it took almost a month to recover from an ODIC event! Unbelievable.

I am noticing knee improvements, though some days are goofy and sore for no real reason. I have returned to daily walks, which have been just fine, but sometimes I think the goofy, sore events might be inconsistency in the shoes I wear? I probably should stick with one pair that is consistent... :unsure:

I'm still working, since the olde gov has told several state divisions that we are a government that is here "for the people", which I truly understand. However, since most of our work is database they are working on a plan for a work-from-home policy that will let us be home part-time. We have to have a very secure set up to do this, and Monday they will be letting us know what kind of progress they are making.

I have had to walk alone now, as one of my coworkers/walking partners has had to keep away from us since her mother (who is closer to my age) works with a lady who tested positive for COVID-19! I'm trying not to get too anxious about the ramifications of what THAT could mean for me, and I take all the precautions and wash my hands quite often. All the coworkers are doing a great job keeping up the social distancing.

@marieltha, we also have live-streaming from church this AM...this will be interesting! Everyone take care, practice your safety for contagious disease actions, and get creative with your new normal life in lockdown! Blessings.
 
A great way to keeps ones moral up is having a virtual lunch with friends today a group of us decided to have a video lunch we all prepared lunch and at 1pm turned our whatapps on to video calls and had a lunch party together- it broke up the mononity of a week being in confinement as we are now in total lockdown:-)
Glad to hear your knee is doing so much better.
Stay safe xxx
 
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