TKR One down, one to go!

[Roy Gardiner]

Hi, Caloparker, I have completely missed your thread up to now, sorry.

So, my family wants me to go for it at the end of July. That is when I can get the most help.

In my utterly medically unqualified opinion GO FOR IT 100%. If your family are behind you, take it!

At the moment your dodgy knee is messing about with pain, posture and recovery. Not helpful.

But most of all, every day that goes by is putting off your FULL recovery by 24 hours. Knees can recover in parallel, ask me how I know

Josephine has said you're doing a bit much and I agree. You don't need to do any training (i.e. putting force through the knee) you just need stretching (for ROM).

So, on the bikes (upright and the recumbent) 10-12 or 20-30 minutes is training. What you need IMO to do is to set the saddle so low that it's difficult to make one complete revolution. You then keep pedalling until the leg loosens and making that rev (zero resistance from the machine) is easy. 20-30 revs, maybe a minute. The stop. That's a stretching exercise. Do it several times a day.

 

[Caloparker]

Hi @cafecortado! Thanks for helping. The 21 July date is the earliest I can schedule. That gives me 68 days. I will make the best of it. I am doing exercises with both legs now to prepare. I am hoping that having one strong knee will help this second go round. I know each knee is different. I am really happy for you that you are seeing real gains!! How cool is it that we can get our mobility back and enjoy our lives more! SO praying for recovery mercies.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

My PTs seemed a bit perplexed that, after 8.5 weeks, I had about 15ml discharge from my wound. Tinged pink and yellowy, watery, no pus noted, area not hot. They seemed to chalk it up to swelling and one tiny area of scar not fully sealed. Anyone else experience this? Of course, we will be keeping eyes on this.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

Hi @Roy Gardiner. Thank you for the encouragement to go for it. I need it a lot more than I let on. I have been thinking, too, that the sooner I get it done, the sooner my full recovery really begins. And for the bike suggestions. I have been resetting the seat 4-5 times a sitting, and have reduced the time to 10-15 minutes. This is the one exercise I actually enjoy. I will be reading your thread to find out about your experience. Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

PTs changed me to 2x/week instead of 3. They said that will give more time for my knee to rest. Advised to walk, stretch, practice stairs 1-2 day and continue on recumbent bike. Draining stopped. : )




Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

@Josephine. In response to this exercise:
- raise my straight left leg to about 60 degrees and slowly lower it. 1 set of 20, 3 times a week -

You said this:
what a strange exercise! Certainly never do 20 at a time! 5 once a day is plenty but you should lift your leg vertically not to 60 degrees, that's putting fat too much strain on your newly traumatised quads! Remember, you are only 8 weeks out. Save this for 16 weeks out at the earliest

Boy, were you right! This exercise was torture, causing great pain under my knee cap. I stopped doing it. Now, at 9+ weeks, I can lift it effortlessly. Quad muscles just woke up! I'll know better next time.

What a gift you are giving us! Thank you.





Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

@ Roy Gardiner.
Can't find your thread.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Josephine]

Calo, if you want to tag somebody, you have to make sure you don't leave a space between the @ sign and the name. It has to be like this to work @Roy Gardiner But once you've tagged him, you don't have to go to his thread as he will come and talk to you here. But if you want to read his recovery threads, the links to them are in his signature - assuming you can see them on your device that is!

I am SO pleased you took my advice and stopped that awful exercise. I couldn't do it now much less that soon after surgery. You should read the potted version of my recovery to see how little exercising I did! Knee recovery - UK style

 

[Phil75070]

potted version

@Josephine I am not familiar with that expression. Does that refer to the "short version" or the "long version"?

 

[Josephine]

LOL! It means it's a long story reduced to fit into a small pot!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

@ Roy Gardiner.
Can't find your thread.

In my signature

If you can't see that, here it is:

BTKR 6th Dec 2011 (PFC Sigma, long tibial stem, patella resurfacing). BILATERAL TKR Recovery Diary, broken link removed: https://www.roygardiner.com/btkr/ and Two year review

Exercise: don't hurt those knees, less is more, rest is best, no pain - more gain! ROM, Extension and Quad exercises
Information: FAQ (frequently asked questions) and Library index
Dates: USA style dates confuse me: 4/11/2012 is April 11th, everywhere else 4th November. I think if we all used an international style (e.g. 11/apr/2012) it would be helpful on this international board.

 

[Caloparker]

Two dark red spots, they look like blood blisters, have appeared on my scar. Is this unusual?


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[msmechanic58]

I just noticed what looked like a blood blister on my scar a few minutes ago as well. No clue why!

 

[Josephine]

Photo's?
Make sure they are a) in focus b) have a high resolution and b) are posted using full image not thumbnail

 

[msmechanic58]

 

[msmechanic58]

Does that work @Josephine?

 

[Caloparker]

@Josephine
What do you think?

Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

I think they look similar. What do you think@msmechanic58?


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[Caloparker]

@Josephine
I wish I scarred better. : (
I rather choose to walk though.

Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum caloparker4/21/14

 

[msmechanic58]

I think they look similar as well. I have pt at 8am. In 12 hours. I'll ask them what they think as well.