Hi Red's Mom,
Thanks so very much for the tips! I will take a look at ordering that model of walker -- it looks like just the ticket for keeping the heavy stress of my wrists.
My DIL (Daughter-In-Law) the RPT was here with the fam and kiddies for Easter- we talked about this very type of walker. She thinks I should definitely get in to see the hand ortho specialist prior to surgery to get clearance or find out exactly the limit of weight bearing I can do without damage. PT can work with any situation- they just need to know the limitation issues & physical boundaries.
She did a walk-thru of the house with me while pointing out any and all "risk" issues and giving alternatives ideas.
She recommended:
- taking the additional thermopedic 2.5 inch mattress topper off the adjustable bed to lower it abit AND to make it easier to 'slide' my legs and body. Those toppers are so dense when you get in the bed you sinks into the lovely cushy-ness, but she said it would cause me undue pain getting in and out, as well as trouble adjusting my leg once in bed, that can lead to less moving and thence more risk
-Using the back garage entry v the front door to go in and out of house. Front has very large semi-circle step with no support to walkway. Garage has two steps with a wall on left that we can add a grab bar to for safety.
-Remove all through rugs- everywhere in the house
-slice open tennis balls to put on walker feet to slide better on very dense bedroom carpeting.
-suggested that since we have a master bath remodel underway right now, do spend for the addt of a handheld adjustable shower head to the planned regular shower head. The vertical bar the handheld showerhead is on also serves as a very stable grab bar as it is setting and mounted behind the walls.
-suggested I NOT take the game ready to the hospital- it is unlikely that floor staff have worked much with these as they are not 'regular' equipment- and it also could find legs and disappear while I'm sleeping or at therapy.
-Put all 'Use every day' kitchen items either in top drawers or on top of counters. Messy, but "easier"
-her main emphasis was always
a) reduce risk of falls/overreaching
b) balance issues will be wonky for a while, between meds +the new mechanical aspect of the new knee which can sometimes buckle till all the muscles and things have tightened up and the swelling is down.To Just be aware - don't overdue. One of BoneSmart's mantras.
-She also said to keep an open mind about going from hospital to rehab for a few days if I just don't feel I can manage at home right away. When I made a face, she said just keep it as a good option- particularly if the fibro pain mgmt is tough.
Rehab facilities for even a couple of days can get a new knee patient past the hump and more ready to be at home. I still made a face, but said I would keep it in mind.
Her
personal opinion on Passive Motion Machines is that she, as a therapist, would rather see patients out of chair or bed doing basic natural movement-nothing fancy- just normal moving- any time possible rather that sitting or lying strapped into a CPM. Even in the hospital.
She encouraged me to be my own advocate as an inpatient- if something is not right for me, to simple decline that item or practice. Just because a nurse/therapist comes in to do something, doesn't mean not to ask 'why' or that I have to submit. I seem to recall this in the BoneSmart advice in some form.
She liked the Game Ready cold/compression machine, she has not personally encountered it in any of the hospitals she has been in, but again, she said that between (or while) usage to be sure I'm not depending on it to "be' the excercise just because there is compression. Normal movement, of any kind, + foot pedaling, foot slides glute squeezes, low leg raises, body stretches like neck rolling, shoulder shrugs, back rolls etc. all help to fight stiffness and ease pain of hospital inpatient.
She's a straight-talker- even to her MIL (mother-in-law).
I will be using the Game Ready starting tomorrow after I have a training session appointment on the machine with my ortho PT dept. I'm sure it will help both knees- I can't wait to try it.
Has anyone used a peddled exerciser like this one post-op?