TKR Member, ODIC --TKR 24 July 17

[Arttie]

I'm glad to see another "deep water" person. I have been doing it for many years, speed intervals. Now I have progressed (?) from intervals to jogging to walking. This makes me ready for my LTKR voyage of discovery in November, Lewis will be the first one.

 

[Jajakio]

Go back to work as you can. We are all capable of different things on our own timetable. I'm self employed also and started back with 10 hours spread over the whole week at 5 weeks out. I was back to full time by 8 or 9 weeks and it hasn't been a huge strain for me, probably because I can control my own time and rest when I need to. We are all different but like you I felt I needed some income. I did PT for a month then had to stop but I'd you are interested in doing the exercises, there are a bunch of instruction sheets and videos online. I felt it benefited me to go but I did just as well after PT doing exercises, walking and riding recumbent bike on my own. My theory is I've been sedentary for a good while even before surgery and if I want a more active life, I'm going to have to push it to the point of mild discomfort and keep it up at that level until it is easy, then push to a higher level. One step at a time and no being in real pain or wearing myself out too badly, just doing as much as I reasonably can do.

 

[KnewKnee]

@Jajakio
I see we had our surgeries pretty close. I'm cautiously optimistic that between the pool and the bike at my gym, I'll effect a full recovery without more PT. When yoga feels possible, I'll add that too, but I can do a lot of stretching on my own.
Thanks for the input!
Taza

 

[Jajakio]

As long as you do something, I'm sure there are a lot of ways to get there. I don't have a readily available pool or I'd be in too. As it is, I'm doing 20 minutes in my hot tub most days , mostly hip and back exercises. This week it seems my back hurts far more than my knee. Im guessing its not a long term issue, just the return of my body protesting a more active life.

 

[KnewKnee]

@Arttie
A personal trainer I worked with years ago clued me in to deep water jogging, but IDK what you mean by "speed intervals." What are they?
I just do figure 8s in the deep end of the pool, running in slo-mo (and hearing Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire" in my mind's ear!).
Taza

 

[Arttie]

@Arttie
A personal trainer I worked with years ago clued me in to deep water jogging, but IDK what you mean by "speed intervals." What are they?
I just do figure 8s in the deep end of the pool, running in slo-mo (and hearing Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire" in my mind's ear!).
Taza

@KnewKnee
After a short slow warm up, 1 minute fast tempo, 1 min slow recovery, 2 min fast, 1 min slow, 3 min fast 1 min slow ... 10 min fast, 2 min slow, 8 min fast, 1 min slow, ... 1 min fast, slow recovery. About a 60 minute work-out working step wise up to 10 minutes fast and step wise down.See this for a better explanation https://running.competitor.com/2014/05/training/make-a-splash-with-water-running_51775 https://www.denverpost.com/2011/07/23/hit-the-pools-deep-end-for-a-killer-workout/
On my own I have done up to 90 minutes of a rather constant moderate speed when our group wasn't scheduled.

 

[Celle]

@Arttie - I hope you won't try to do that until you've given your new knee a long time to heal first - at least 3-4 months. It's all too easy to overwork in the pool, because the water supporting much of your weight prevents you from realising how hard you are working.

 

[Arttie]

@Celle Surgery will be November 14th. I am trying to stay as active as I can until then. With deep water and a flotation belt the only resistance is water. As I said my knee is not letting me do the intervals so I go at a moderate pace. A bilateral TKR friend came back into the pool after 2 1/2 months. He did not do the speed intervals but rather worked on range of motion as he tolerated it. That is what I would try after being cleared by my surgeon to enter the swimming pool. It is also a social thing, something to look forward to.

 

[sistersinhim]

We always called that 'bicycling' in the water. So now it has a new name. It still feels good!

Water resistance is like adding weights to your knees. Let them be your guide. If you hurt that night or the next day, then it's too much for it right now.

 

[KnewKnee]

I'm going to weigh in here with the opinion that the video shows deep water *bicycling* instead of deep water *jogging* bc the person does not extend through the back of the leg!
The trainer that told me about this exercise strongly emphasized the importance of extending the heel "as if" I was jogging on terra firma! That's so necessary for those TKR's who (like me) have more difficulty with extension than flexion.
Get in the water and
jog baby jog
or bike baby bike
but know which one you're doing!
Taza

 

[KnewKnee]

@Pheebs52
Thanks for the kind encouragement!
Taza

 

[Polkadot]

My theory is I've been sedentary for a good while even before surgery and if I want a more active life, I'm going to have to push it to the point of mild discomfort and keep it up at that level until it is easy, then push to a higher level. One step at a time and no being in real pain or wearing myself out too badly, just doing as much as I reasonably can do.

@Jajakio-- sounds like a useful theory!

@KnewKnee--your deep-water exercise sounds like something I would like to try. I agree with Pheebs. You do sound like you are doing a stellar job of recuperating!

 

[KnewKnee]

I had a setback over the weekend....did too much and experienced the aftermath of pain & exhaustion that I hadn't had for a few weeks. I actually knew beforehand that I was pushing it, and I was right! I'm very grateful for an easy week ahead, and for the pain pills I still have left!

It continues to surprise me that I can't just bounce back from my surgery, and that's where this group is sooo helpful! And it also helps me listen better to that little voice that tells me it's okay to rest! (Not the *other* little voice that gives me a hard time for slacking off! That voice gets shushed! )

Have a happy Monday!

Taza

 

[Pheebs52]

@KnewKnee, this recovery is just chock full of little ...er...*surprises, lol. But, we learn from them and become much better listeners to our knees. Really, we do! I hope you recover quickly from this little trip to the ODIC and get back into the water soon! When I finally choose from the limited selection of pools here, I hope to just start with deep-water walking, lol. Eventually, I'll join you and Arttie with some jogging and hopefully progress to actually swimming, my first love.

 

[Pumpkin]

Take it easy, .

 

[sistersinhim]

Definitely a relax time is in order!