TKR Motorcycle riding????

[kbbroiler]

I go in Thursday for a total knee replacement. I worked out pretty much going into surgery. My worry is after.

Now I know I will have to focus on the leg to get the leg strong enough again. I can’t go to the gym obviously because I won’t be able to drive for 6 weeks. I have a portable home which I can use.

I’m just wondering to when I can go back and start working out again? I won’t be driving but taking Uber and the gym is not that far away so won’t cost me much if I can put in 3 days a a week. I’ll even settle for 2 days. Thx

 

[SteveInDC!]

Hi KB, I, also worked out like a fiend for weeks before my surgery. I was bone on bone in my knee which added a real limitation to what I could do. I'm a cyclist and use it for 30 mile rides as well as getting back and forth to work. Also, I discovered that going up stairs was easy and bent the knee so that the bones would not rub and thus cause the pain and swelling due to what I was to get surgery for.

My fitbit reports that I was doing up to 50 flights a day. I'll add that I could go up with no pain, but going down always kept me near an elevator. Yes, I did feel weird about that. I would mow half of my small lawn with our real mower and then take a break on the bike to loosen the swelling and then finish the work afterwards. There will be opportunities to do all of the exercise you need hopefully within a quarter mile walk (which you will be able to do by week 2).

As 'fit' as I was, I really could not even imagine doing anything more strenuous than a day's worth of up and down the stairs in the house. That might give me 10 or 15 flights by the end of the day. You will be eager to elevate your leg and ice more than you could ever imagine.

I laughed at my Doctor when she said I won't feel like going back to work in 3 weeks. I'll listen to anything she says now. I went back to work on Monday, exactly 4 weeks after the surgery and I was surprised that I had lost almost all of my stamina reserves. No bike, so I took a combination of bus and subway to work and by the time I got home I was ready to assume the position with my foot pointing up.

I swear that I learned some tips on this site that really made a difference. Keep this bookmarked for after the surgery! Don't make the mistake of lifting your foot on some pillows and calling that elevated. There are lots of right ways and wrong ways posted on this site. My PT calls it "your heel is a laser and shoot out that ceiling light" It took a couple of sofa cushions to recreate that at home.

You sound like an active person who can't imagine yourself being slowed down...(a lot like me) This surgery will slow you down to the point where you are swollen so much that it feels like you are wearing a tight ankle weight on your thigh (it will make sense, I promise) Listen to your body. Mine has been good about saying 'go ahead!' Hopefully yours will too. Also, stay tuned to this site! It's full of terrific helpful people who have been right where you are at any given time!

Have a great surgery!

 

[KarriB]

Well, strength work shouldn’t begin until at least month 4. Your new knee and surrounding tissue will be damaged from surgery which will cause swelling. Take a look at the guidelines below to get a handle on what your recovery should look like. With TKR recovery less = best.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[kbbroiler]

Okay guys thanks for the advice. I think I will take a hiatus from the gym. I will ask my doctor but from what I understand is don’t do more than you are supposed to and don’t do less what your supposed to. Thanks again.

 

[skigirl]

I found that I focused on getting rid of the swelling for the first couple of weeks. Lying in bed with your leg elevated is working on your knee!! Once the swelling is down, it is so much easier to begin gentle exercise. If you do too much too soon, your swelling increases which is going about it the wrong way!!

Elevation is the key to controlling pain and swelling

 

[Polkadot]

If you do too much too soon, your swelling increases which is going about it the wrong way!!

I can attest to this. I did all the exercises I was given, multiple times per day. Probably about two hours of exercise spread out, at least! If you take a look at Josephine's responses to the exercises people list when she asks her questions, you will see that most of the recommended exercises, particularly in multiple sets, are too much! I did all of those that people list, and more. (My doctor was on the aggressive-theory side of recovery.)

I became a champion "swell-er," and I didn't really start improving my 'bend," my inflammation, or my stamina until I cut way down on the exercises (around week 10, after studying on BoneSmart), doing them mainly at PT and mostly pedaling an exercise-cycle at home. You are a lot younger and a lot fitter than I am, and you already have a gym habit, so your experience will probably be different. However, many people on this site exercise like crazy at first and then realize that they have to slow down and let the knee guide them.

Elevation, icing, walking, and exer-cycling at no resistance helped me the most. At about 5 months, I started doing more strength-training and endurance exercises.

 

[KarriB]

You’ll be able to return to the gym, but it is really best to hold off until your knee/leg is totally healed. Follow the activity progression chart as I found my recovery really moved along that timeline. But most importantly, nothing that hurts the new knee!

 

[Josephine]

You sound like an active person who can't imagine yourself being slowed down...(a lot like me) This surgery will slow you down to the point where you are swollen so much that it feels like you are wearing a tight ankle weight on your thigh (it will make sense, I promise) Listen to your body.

Excellent advice, Steve!

@kbbroiler do read the articles Karri left you. Within lies wisdom!

 

[kbbroiler]

Now I thought I prepared everything and I was good but I forgot about compression socks. I did wear them at the hospital but now I notice my right leg which was done is always achey and really swollen. I also have discomfort behind the knee. It's not killing but I urge the need to behind it. I know it's supposed to swollen after surgery but I notice a different in my leg and ankle at the hospital and I'm at home. I ordered compression socks from amazon and they are supposed to come tomorrow. What can I do to make sure I don't get blood clots until that time? yes I'm doing the ankle pumps but is there anything else I could do? I am on blood thinners also. I take them once a day. Thx.

 

[KarriB]

I never wore compression socks after the hospital. Like you, I was on blood thinners, did ankle pumps and got up every hour for short walks around the house. It’s not unusual for your TKR leg to swell more after going home because you’re probably up a but more with the leg down. Be sure to ice formthe swelling and you can ice behind the knee for that pain as well. Ice is a great pain reliever.

 

[Jamie]

You'll be fine as long as you are at least somewhat active. That means you are getting up and walking about the house every hour or so and that you do some ankle pumps throughout the day. You shouldn't have to worry about blood clots. Actually the opinions really vary on compression stockings. Many doctors these days don't prescribe them at all.

You'll notice that I merged your latest thread with your original recovery thread. We prefer that members keep all their updates, questions and concerns about their recovery in a single thread. That way it's easier for us to go back and review your history when providing advice. So please post here when you're talking about your recovery. If you decide you'd like a different thread title at any time, just post what you want and one of the staff will change it for you.

 

[Scully]

I had my LTKR last August. I was driving myself to PT the end of 2nd week. It was a short drive. Thing is healing comes slowly & according to the experts takes a full year. I don’t have too much pain , just what I call glimmers of it, in unexpected places. I continue to love my big pillow with the flannel pillowcase filled with down that I can place my new knee on it at night. It is still hard to get up from a low couch and stand. It still hurts. But once I’m walking the pain recedes. I walk almost everyday, so I am constantly working out, but it’s easy, consistent walk with my dog. My other knee has to be fixed so This knee, my right knee sets the pace.
Everyone is different in their recovery but the best advice I’ve been given - listen to your body, it will guide you.

 

[funkymuse]

Hello @kbbroiler: I also have ordered compression stockings but not to avoid blood clots at my stage but to help with ongoing swelling throughout the day when I'm up and about. I have read where few folks on this site say that they have been helped by them and the nurse told me they'd also help. Outside of this site several TKR friends told me they wore them for a couple of months to help with swelling. So I think you will put them to good use!

 

[sistersinhim]

I never had compression socks either. As long as you're up and down every hour or so, you shouldn't have to worry about blood clots. Swelling more at home is natural because you are up much more than what you were in the hospital. Just be sure to ice and elevate every chance you get. I did it the whole time I was sitting or laying down. This keeps the swelling and pain under control. And no exercises for the first month or so. Just doing your daily activities such as bathroom visits, bathing, getting snacks and drinks; things like this are enough exercise for a brand new, traumatized, injured knee!

 

[kbbroiler]

I know everyone has problems sleeping after a knee replacement but as of right I can’t seem to fall a sleep in my bed. The constant tossing and turning deal. I can only sleep on my recliner. I ordered a wedge pillow which got good reviews on Amazon. It’s coming on Wednesday but is there something I could use in the mean time as a substitute?

 

[KarriB]

I used several pillows to elevate in bed and in my chair. Lots of TKRs who have recliners find it’s easier to just sleep in their recliner. I pushed myself to go to bed every night but it was torture.

 

[Celle]

I ordered a wedge pillow which got good reviews on Amazon. It’s coming on Wednesday but is there something I could use in the mean time as a substitute?

You could pin 3 pillows together, like this:

 

[bottomshollow]

I made myself spend at least the first 3 hours of the night in bed, then I got up and got in my recliner and turned on mindless TV and slept off and on til morning. I allowed myself to catnap during the day as I could.

I realized that it was going to take some time to be able to sleep five or six hours at one time which is the most I usually slept before TKR. You just have to roll with the slow, slow flow of recovery and not get discouraged because the day is coming when things will be "normal" again.

Hang in there and keep us posted. We care.

 

[DebM]

I was in my recliner for several weeks after my BTKR. It is not unusual but you will get back to your comfy bed eventually

 

[SuperSnapper]

I started back at the gym at about 12 weeks but with much lower weights than before. You’ll need to listen to your knee. Before then I did a few heel slides, extension stretches, short walks and hamstring exercises( this last after about 5 weeks into recovery). If an exercise causes pain even at that stage of recovery, rest the leg and try again in about a week or so. That was good advice from a physio and worked for me. You cant rush any of this or you’ll pay in pain, swelling and discomfort. Good luck with your recovery.