Question for winter knee experts

[Sandy R]

I'm not complaining at all... living in Southern California, the weather has been great on my operated knee. But, Sunday the temps went down to 55 degrees and Sunday night and yesterday it rained almost non-stop and it looks like the rain will be around for at least a week. I'm at 10 weeks post-op now and still taking an anti-inflammatory every day and Ultram 50 mg morning and evening. But, my knee is really, really stiff and aching more than usual. I'd love to know if you winter knee people have any remedies to deal with the cold and dampness.
Thanks, Sandy

 

[beachcomber]

Sandy,
I live in the Pacific Northwest and I WISH it was 55 and raining here! It is 24 and we have snow and ice for the next week at least. Very rare here....

Last year we "winter knees" commonly had the same symptoms you describe related to the weather. I am afraid we didn't find any great remedies. Soaking in a nice hot bath or hot tub is always soothing to me, but mostly we just hunkered down with our meds and waited for the weather to change. The good news is that at almost 12 months I don't feel weather changes like that any more.

Beach

 

[Doug]

Sandy, I'm another of the "winter knees". I hate to rub it in but it will be 79-80 the next couple of days. Which is great because I'm smoking turkeys and hams tomorrow to feed 600..I'll start at 5am.
As for the weather and knee pain solution, I can still tell when a low pressure system is coming. When a tropical storm is around, I pop an ultram..I think my body has gotten immune to most of the anti inflammatants. They just don't seem to work.
At this stage the heating pad in the evening is my best buddy. That an one of my boxers coiled up between my legs...
Best of luck.

 

[edk]

I agree with Doug. I think it's more "low pressure knees". I've found it gets less noticable after a while. Or now I just attribute it to other things.

 

[Nursepair]

I agree with you guys, nothing to do but keep the knee warm. It was minus 15C the other day and a bit damp, mine ached a little but not for too long.

However, it was fine last Saturday when I climbed the hills to cut down our chistmas tree with the kids and our 3 year old Grandaughter on her sled. Mind you it was only minus 11C and sunny and the snow only came to just above my knees!!! Yeah Doug, I hate you, 80 degrees, not fair!!!

 

[marennorge]

I live in Massachusetts, and this is my first winter with my new knees. And yes, my knee muscles are stiff and ache something wicked in this cold and damp weather. I have a heated mattress pad which helps at night. And today, I bought a pair of knitted leg warmers for my knees for added warmth. I hope this goes away eventually.

 

[Doug]

A sled...The one thing I have always wanted to ride on. Now it would probably take one big sled to slide my rear down a hill...by the way, do they have a brake on them??
Whew these 80's. Might have to go the beach this weekend. Ha!!

 

[beachcomber]

You are rotten Doug!

The snow and ice are not letting up here in Oregon and school has been cancelled all week plus tomorrow. A new storm is heading in Saturday morning and is projected to last through Christmas. Yikes! This is unreal around here! I had a minor accident on Monday so my Subaru is off to the shop... my rental car is staying in the garage until I HAVE to go out. Snowed all day long today, then rained, and now it is freezing again. Ugly.

BTW--- your FEET are your brakes on most sleds....

 

[Sandy R]

Thanks for your experiences! Except for the 80 degree weather, I'm not doing so badly with a few days of rain... so far 4 days with little let up. I was thinking of buying an electric blanket. Don't like them but can't stand the weight of an extra blanket, which I need now for warmth. Oh, I bought a stationary recumbent bike for the holidays. I love it! It really helps with the stiffness.
Sandy

 

[Jamie]

Good for you, Sandy!!! Sounds like you're figuring out what works for you. Everyone is a little different in recovery, but most eveybody has tales of something or other that they must conquer as part of the healing process. Hang in there!!! It does get MUCH better!!!

 

[JudyS]

Sandy
Our mountains are so gorgeous. I had my knee scope yesterday so really missed the miserable rain, but today I am getting ready to have my hubby take me for a ride to see our sugar coated mountains.

Doug
I always used trees as breaks for my sled!!! Kind of did for my attempt last march at cross country skiing (it wasn't like riding a bike for me, the 20 year lay off counted) Only 2 broken ribs!!!!
Judy

 

[Doug]

Brake by draging your feet from a moving sled....Run into a tree to stop...Guess I better not plan on riding a sled if I ever see snow....Unless it's a kiddie slope

 

[beachcomber]

You steer with your feet too--- at least with the old-fashioned sleds like the one in my garage. It was Kris' grandpa's sled (circa 1920s)and I bought it for him at the auction. I am framing a picture of him riding the sled at age 2 with Grandpa pulling him. Memories....

 

[JudyS]

One year my brother got a cool one with a steering wheel. He let me drive just once, I totally missed the tree, went flying by the tree into a freezing cold stream!!!
Judy

 

[Simon]

Sandy

I think your problem is the rain not so much the cold. I use to live in SOuthern California and now live in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I have spent the last two days outside shoveling snow (I really want to bribe the town plow guy not to pile it up in front of the mailbox!) and the knees were fine (6 1/2 months). I missed PT on Wednesday as I am at the end of the list for the person I hired to plow the driveway and when I tried to go out I made it just past the garage door and then started to slide on the glare ice that was under all the snow. I had to spin the wheels to get back into the garage. The ice is the worse -- on Tuesday I thought I would just sit down and slide to the garage. I did put down about 140 pounds of ice melt to clear the walk way and since the driveway had been plowed, I drove up and down a couple of times to get some tracks and put the ice melt down. If all goes well, I will make it to PT on Friday.

When it does rain, my knees still get achy and tight like you described. It is the change in barometric pressure and snow does not do that.

It is beautiful outside as all the trees have beautiful white coats on, earlier in the week they had ice and with the sun on them they sparkled.

I do remember how beautiful it was when the snow was on the mountains in So. Cal but not enough to move back.

I would increase the aspirin when it was rainy so maybe some NSAIDs will work for you.

Simon

 

[johnc]

get yourself a plain rubber hot water bottle at cvs or wallgreens for 10 bucks and fill with hot water, works great