Revision TKR Never give up, keep trying, don't settle - that's me, Bonnie

[RestAssured]

Well at least your husband has Gracie to keep him company if you are out running!

It"s so nice to hear from you again! I have missed you! And so have Brandy and Myra my mini weenies! We should get together for a play date! On second thought You live a long ways away from me even though we both live in TX, so they say "woof woof" to Gracie!

 

[Pleinair5]

Bonnie I never read the earliest part of your thread before and just did now. I am so very sorry about your dear Molly. how difficult that must have been. I postponed my surgery for 2 years from when I was told I needed it (and my knee was terrible when I first went to the OS) because my elderly English Shepherd had cancer. I could not imagine leaving her for the week or two. She also was losing her vision and hearing especially in the months prior to her death. She died in November and then I scheduled my surgery, which finally came in March. I can't imagine your grief going to the hospital that day and I am in awe of your strength though I know you were heartbroken and probably just felt you needed to find a way to get through.

 

[Pleinair5]

Bonnie, I too worry about being injured in the bike as my original knee injury was riding a bike. I do love riding though and am trying to get back to it, and it drives my husband batty because knowing it was the cause of my original injury (a fall and knee twist) he says he would never again ride. But a month before my surgery I bought a new Cannondale and figured that was my show of faith in a better future.
Because I was injured so young I never was able to seriously run though I ran five miles a day through college. I was repeatedly sidelined by knee swelling and instability even then, and had ligament and cartilage issues. But I hung out with a running crowd after dating the cross country team captain in high school and spent my adult life with serious distance runners, always wishing I could (and every time I tried the knee gave out). Because my OS knew I had run short distances years ago he admonished me with the new knee NO RUNNING EVER. But my son works in a specialty shoe store that sells only running shoes and he says there are several customers who have had TKRs and are running seriously and daily and even a marathon or two. So he tells me all the time I should try. I would never dare at least tilI got some weight off but I do love my bike and in spite of my fear of falling and injury ( my great imagination thinks of all the things that could happen to the new knee on the bike) I will ride. I do find that when I ride the ITB pain kicks in so I stretch a lot. I also do still have some back an hip pain.

 

[RunA42K]

Well at least your husband has Gracie to keep him company if you are out running!

It"s so nice to hear from you again! I have missed you! And so have Brandy and Myra my mini weenies! We should get together for a play date! On second thought You live a long ways away from me even though we both live in TX, so they say "woof woof" to Gracie!

By all means, we need to have a play date with our Doxies! I guess its only about 400 miles? I always enjoy hearing from you Sonja!

 

[RestAssured]

By all means, we need to have a play date with our Doxies! I guess its only about 400 miles? I always enjoy hearing from you Sonja!

Yep ONLY about 400 miles, just, a hop, skip, and a jump away!

 

[RunA42K]

I saw my PT today and he worked on the aching left leg. By applying different pressure to pressure points on that side, he says it is....
"Piriformis Syndrome" He told me some things to do for it like rolling on a Trigger Point Ball, which I already have one at home, foam roller, heat and not do anything that irritates it. I still have my doctors appointment for the 20th so if it is not gone by then I will keep the appointment. Looking at my quads today while wearing shorts, my PT noticed visually what I already knew, my TKR leg is still smaller than my good leg. He says that we are going to bump up the weight and work on getting that muscle to catch up with the other leg. I've surprised myself how strong my arms have gotten because today I was holding 25 pound dumbbells and doing backward lunges. I think that I did this to myself after I ran 3 miles on June 30 on an uneven surface. The surface was a soft path but not smooth like asphalt. When I read about Piriformis Syndrome it was stated that once cause can be running on uneven surface. So while I thought that running there on a softer surface would be good for my knee, it hurt something else. If I was a couch potato I guess I would have no problems!

 

[Randi]

If I was a couch potato I guess I would have no problems!

No ---Other problems !!!

 

[RunA42K]

Pleinair5, thanks so much for your comments. What kind of a bike accident did you have that led to your surgery? I know just what you were going through with that swelling knee every time you started running. I used to run with a running club and would train for marathons with a number of people who all because good friends. It was so much fun and a huge part of my life. When my knee started acting up so badly, I told the friends in my group that I'd have to train on my own. With a knee that had a mind of its own, I had to run at my own pace and walk when I needed to. I didn't want to slow anyone else down or having people waiting for me. I continued to run on my own and trained myself for two more marathons in 2010, January and May. May 2010 was the last one. I am trying to like riding a bike but it is not as much fun, and I have fallen enough that it scares me somewhat now. I worry about cars running over me because someone will be texting and driving. Someone told me today to start doing 'Hot Yoga', saying that I would really like it. Hummm...I don't know.

 

[RunA42K]

No ---Other problems !!!

Yes you are right Randi. Sedentary people have health problems. At age 60 the only RX that I take is Nexium for acid reflux. BP is fine, cholesterol is fine, weight is fine, bone density is fine. I will have to find my happy medium with exercise!

 

[Randi]

Me...I haven't exercised much over the last few years (despite Josephine's sense that I overdo...)because of my knees and other body parts and at 60 I am overweight, high BP, etc. Also, every time I try to lose weight and /or exercise more I seem to end up having another surgery ! So, still trying to find that elusive happy medium..let me know if you do !

 

[RunA42K]

Bonnie, I too worry about being injured in the bike as my original knee injury was riding a bike. I do love riding though and am trying to get back to it, and it drives my husband batty because knowing it was the cause of my original injury (a fall and knee twist) he says he would never again ride. But a month before my surgery I bought a new Cannondale and figured that was my show of faith in a better future.
Because I was injured so young I never was able to seriously run though I ran five miles a day through college. I was repeatedly sidelined by knee swelling and instability even then, and had ligament and cartilage issues. But I hung out with a running crowd after dating the cross country team captain in high school and spent my adult life with serious distance runners, always wishing I could (and every time I tried the knee gave out). Because my OS knew I had run short distances years ago he admonished me with the new knee NO RUNNING EVER. But my son works in a specialty shoe store that sells only running shoes and he says there are several customers who have had TKRs and are running seriously and daily and even a marathon or two. So he tells me all the time I should try. I would never dare at least tilI got some weight off but I do love my bike and in spite of my fear of falling and injury ( my great imagination thinks of all the things that could happen to the new knee on the bike) I will ride. I do find that when I ride the ITB pain kicks in so I stretch a lot. I also do still have some back an hip pain.

Forgot to mention to you that I too work in a Running Speciality Store. That is all we do is running shoes and running clothes and gear. I get to talk about running all day long with other runners while I work. I get so many well wishes from customers regarding my knee and my love for running. I know several who run regularly with a TKR. Although I will say that only running in moderation with cross training is best for me. I am registered for the full Houston Marathon once again which is January 13, 2013. #13 just happens to be my lucky number! I don't know if I can do a full marathon again, I will just take it one week at a time and increase my distance slowly and see where it takes me. I know I can run a 1/2 marathon because I did at 9 1/2 months post TKR. I just had to prove to myself that I could and I did. If I can do it, it would be marathon #25! I like rounding the numbers, so I don't want to stop at 24! We'll see...

 

[RestAssured]

Good luck, and even running in marathons is a major accomplishment over what you could do before surgery! Keep that perspective and you will be fine!

 

[karmigirl]

Bonnie,

Can I impose upon you to tell me more about your bout with pes anserine? I think that is what I may be suffering with now at 13mos. Saw my OS this past Monday and he injected my medial below the knee,never gave the pain a name, and so far not much improvement. I am having pain in the back of my knee and all around the calf just below the knee itself, some is radiating. Does any of this sound familiar? He did re-xray and nothing shows to be wrong with the implant at all.

 

[PooShay]

24 is an even number! Hey Bonnie: glad to catch up with you. Not cool that your knee isn't letting you run as you wished to, but glad to see you are working around it (i.e. Planning for a full, but only if your knee agrees). I too am having to compromise on my exercise. I did quite a bit of walking in FL these past couple of days, and my R knee isn't happy. I'm glad I gave myself a few months before I teach aerobics, but I'm handling teaching strength training fine.

I'm of of those people who would LOVE to ride a bike! My quads, however, have always disagreed.

Hey, Friday is the 13th. Hope something good happens to you!

Hugs.

 

[RestAssured]

Bonnie, you know after I had had the knee replacements was when I got my life back! No, I don't plan on running a marathon, but to be able to walk fast for a mile and a half and not get tired is something I never thought I would experience again! We all have different goals, and mine is to be the Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Success! I have applied to be a workout buddy, since I no longer need to lose 200 pounds. I still have a ways to go, but I am getting there!

So even though our goals are different, I feel like we have so much in common when it comes to drive and determination!

 

[Pleinair5]

Hi Bonnie----sorry I did not get back til now to answer your question! It has been a week of trying to get my boys set for college, finding apartments, etc. so I have not been on bonesmart.

My original knee injury happened when I was thirteen. I was riding my bike and the bike hit sand. This was back in the days when traffic was not what it is now! The bike skidded out and I tried to break the fall but when my foot hit the ground my knee twisted badly and I could feel a pop. I was down on the ground and could not get up. A nice couple stopped to help me but when they lifted me to my feet the pain was so excrucuating that I passed out. And I was a tomboy, always active and pretty tough and pain tolerant! At the hospital I was told it was a cartilage injury and they did something they would never do now, they immobilized the leg in a full leg cast for six months. I did all the therapy but afterwards it remained unreliable and it was injured again when I was 17. I did not get the knee replacement til I was 57 but two orthopedists told me in the last couple of years that looking at my current x rays that whatever I did to the knee at 13 was "much much worse" that a cartilage injury. There was no ACL left at all, and I am thinking maybe it was a ligament injury.

I think in 1967 the imaging was not very good. My second ortho told me that even if they could have seen what the injury was, they would have had no way to fix it back then.

I give you so much credit for continuing to run and train even when you had the bad knee and you had to do it on your own and at your own pace. It takes tremendous strength and determination, both then and now, continuing to run and train after the TKR. I wish I had your drive and spirit.

If biking frightens you I think you might consider finding something that is fun for you. Biking is good because you can strengthen your legs and get a good workout but it is not the only way. I LOVE biking and to me it is tremendous fun, but I know what you mean about the drivers and cars frightening you. People drive with no consideration for the safety of bikers and pedestrians. I have a six mile route on a scenic road with a slow speed limit, but even that is narrow and full of sharp turns. I do sometimes ride off road but that has other issues. But still, I do love to bike and if I didn't I'd consider other alternatives.

I would LOVE the hot yoga, since I love yoga (something I am getting back to now that my knee isn't popping out of joint with every move) and I LOVE the sauna. I am a huge fan of regular sauna but have never tried the hot yoga. Let me know how you like it if you do try it.

 

[RunA42K]

Bonnie,

Can I impose upon you to tell me more about your bout with pes anserine? I think that is what I may be suffering with now at 13mos. Saw my OS this past Monday and he injected my medial below the knee,never gave the pain a name, and so far not much improvement. I am having pain in the back of my knee and all around the calf just below the knee itself, some is radiating. Does any of this sound familiar? He did re-xray and nothing shows to be wrong with the implant at all.

Oh gosh, life has been hard lately and I have not been here and I don't know how to do multiple quotes so I will try and answer all here.

The Pes Anserine tendinitis...how timely to read your question. You know that I have been plagued with what we thought was Pes Anserine since I was 8 weeks post op. It would settle down with inactivity and cortisone patches, I had an injection at about 16 weeks and it didn't help a bit. I never had pain radiating down my leg, but it was on the medial side, just below the knee cap (to the side) it felt like a rubber band flipping off of bone or metal, some times when I would walk I felt like it was pinching me. I would get a SHARP pain when I would move certain ways. I was worried that at 16 months that maybe something was wrong with my new knee. But... as of yesterday I saw my OS and now we know exactly what it is the "Saphenous" nerve that runs just along the medial side of the knee down into the lower leg and branches out near the ankle. My pain is and always has been right where that nerve is. The doctor would move his finger along where the nerve is and OUCH that was it. He said it probably was flipping around in there and feeling like a pinch and said that this was probably my problem all along. He wrote me an RX to take to a Compounding Pharmacy which I did yesterday and picked up today. "Ketoprofen/Lidocaine 10%/5% and oh my goodness it works!!! Around noon today I applied it to just the small area along the medial side and within 30 minutes...NO MORE PAIN. I am supposed to use it twice a day as needed. My nerve may have taken a trauma with the surgery or PT right after surgery, but nonetheless nerves take a long time to heal. The medicine has anti inflammatories with the pain relief of Lidocaine. I went and worked out for two hours at my PT place today, 1/2 mile fast walk on the treadmill at a 10% incline, all kinds of squats with and without weights, in other words I did a lot today with no pain at all, I can move better!!

So...maybe it is not the Pes Anserine that you have karmigirl: maybe ask your doctor about the Saphenous Nerve.
I hope this helps, I think it is good information for those struggling with lingering pain on the medial side. Since the nerve travels all the way down the leg, perhaps your nerve was bothered even more than mine. Look it up and read about it, when I saw it...Bingo! Right where my pain has been!!

 

[RunA42K]

Hi Bonnie----sorry I did not get back til now to answer your question! It has been a week of trying to get my boys set for college, finding apartments, etc. so I have not been on bonesmart.

My original knee injury happened when I was thirteen. I was riding my bike and the bike hit sand. This was back in the days when traffic was not what it is now! The bike skidded out and I tried to break the fall but when my foot hit the ground my knee twisted badly and I could feel a pop. I was down on the ground and could not get up. A nice couple stopped to help me but when they lifted me to my feet the pain was so excrucuating that I passed out. And I was a tomboy, always active and pretty tough and pain tolerant! At the hospital I was told it was a cartilage injury and they did something they would never do now, they immobilized the leg in a full leg cast for six months. I did all the therapy but afterwards it remained unreliable and it was injured again when I was 17. I did not get the knee replacement til I was 57 but two orthopedists told me in the last couple of years that looking at my current x rays that whatever I did to the knee at 13 was "much much worse" that a cartilage injury. There was no ACL left at all, and I am thinking maybe it was a ligament injury.

I think in 1967 the imaging was not very good. My second ortho told me that even if they could have seen what the injury was, they would have had no way to fix it back then.

I give you so much credit for continuing to run and train even when you had the bad knee and you had to do it on your own and at your own pace. It takes tremendous strength and determination, both then and now, continuing to run and train after the TKR. I wish I had your drive and spirit.

If biking frightens you I think you might consider finding something that is fun for you. Biking is good because you can strengthen your legs and get a good workout but it is not the only way. I LOVE biking and to me it is tremendous fun, but I know what you mean about the drivers and cars frightening you. People drive with no consideration for the safety of bikers and pedestrians. I have a six mile route on a scenic road with a slow speed limit, but even that is narrow and full of sharp turns. I do sometimes ride off road but that has other issues. But still, I do love to bike and if I didn't I'd consider other alternatives.

I would LOVE the hot yoga, since I love yoga (something I am getting back to now that my knee isn't popping out of joint with every move) and I LOVE the sauna. I am a huge fan of regular sauna but have never tried the hot yoga. Let me know how you like it if you do try it.

Pleinair5, sorry I am so late in getting back to you. We seems to of had some of the same experiences. When I was 15 I fell in a snow skiing accident and tore the ligaments in my knee, just like you said, back in the 60's they didn't know near as much as is known now. I too was put into a plaster cast for this but for about 8 weeks. Never any PT, it was not even suggested. Turn the clock ahead to 2000's, I am told I have arthritis and loss of cartilage in that knee. I was running long distance from 1997 through 2010 when my knee finally said no more! Last marathon May 1, 2010. RTKR March 28, 2011.

The good news is that I saw my OS yesterday...see my previous post. He took new X-rays of my knee and told me it was perfect!! It obviously didn't show that I ran a 1/2 marathon in January 2012! I told him all the things that I do working out with squats and leg presses, elliptical, treadmill walking, biking road and mountain which I am afraid of now. He said it was all good. Now that I know my knee is fine and have an answer for the medial pain, I am going ahead with my plan. First group run in my training group for the Houston Marathon is August 18.

I have a friend at my workout place that started doing hot yoga and she really likes it. I think that I may give it a try sometime too.

 

[RunA42K]

Bonnie, you know after I had had the knee replacements was when I got my life back! No, I don't plan on running a marathon, but to be able to walk fast for a mile and a half and not get tired is something I never thought I would experience again! We all have different goals, and mine is to be the Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Success! I have applied to be a workout buddy, since I no longer need to lose 200 pounds. I still have a ways to go, but I am getting there!

So even though our goals are different, I feel like we have so much in common when it comes to drive and determination!

Sonja, I admire your determination to lose all that weight! WOW 200 pounds that is amazing. Losing weight is very hard to do, it becomes a way of life with the right food and exercise. It is not like you can lose the weight then stop, the lifestyle has to change and I do believe that you have mastered that. Good for you on walking a mile and a half. We all start somewhere and at least you have started. You are young and still have so much in front of you that I know you will be successful in whatever you do. You've proved how driven you are already!!

 

[bottomshollow]

Bonnie, so glad you finally got this resolved after all this time. Hope it's a sign of things to come for you. We've missed you, but know that things are hectic in your life. Hope Dave is improving. Take care and post us when you can. We care.