TKR Slow but steady

[Jockette]

I used my cane for months. Don’t worry that you still use your crutches, you’re only about a month out. Most people don’t give it up this early.

 

[sistersinhim]

I was still using my walking outside of the house for about 6 weeks. It's much better to be safe!

 

[Jacimarble]

Today's milestones. Number 1 - I am officially "back at work". I am working from home this week, so I can take breaks and ice and elevate as my knee requires. I managed 6 hours today (with breaks) which i figured was pretty good, and enough, for day one working. I do have a certificate from my GP for the rest of the month so if I decide I need time off I can still have some.
Number 2 - I walked 1km (newest PB) this afternoon, including a slight up hill stretch. I'm hoping i haven't joined the ODIC with today's effort as IM a bit stiff now, so its back to ice and elevate for the evening.

 

[sistersinhim]

I've found I quite enjoy online grocery shopping, and I can get it all - frozen stuffs, deli, fresh fruit and veg.......

Was the quality of the fresh foods OK? I've been hesitant about buying those through a online and delivery service.

 

[Jacimarble]

I was impressed with the quality of the fresh fruit and veg. It looks good, tastes good and keeps as long as you'd expect good fruit and veg to last. I ordered a little in my first order to check it out and more in the second order - both were good. Very pleased with my online grocery so far. it has made life stuck at home easier!

 

[sistersinhim]

That's nice to know! Thank your for the information!

 

[Jacimarble]

@ Sistersinhim: You're welcome!
My knee feels different today!! Different in a good way. I think it is the numbness wearing off. I've also been resting up as I have a big day tomorrow, so it isn't swollen as it usually is by this time of the day.

 

[Jockette]

I've also been resting up as I have a big day tomorrow, so it isn't swollen as it usually is by this time of the day.

You should do more of this!

 

[Jacimarble]

Well I definitely joined the ODIC yesterday - but I expected to!. We had our biggest work function of the year - an Awards presentation where we award maths teachers and students who have done exceptional work in schools. It's a big lunch function. It was always my intention to attend when i decided the date for my surgery. A work mate picked me up and I was able to sit, stand, walk as I preferred during the day. I took some baggies and got ice from the bar and sat with ice on the knee for the second half of the day. And I made sure I took panadol on schedule (usually I take it as needed). When i got home I spent the evening icing and elevating. The knee felt very tight and stiff last night. It's better this morning, although a little warmer than it is usually. More ice and elevate and lots of rest today!! However it was REALLY good to see all my work mates (and be fussed over a little) and have a little taste of real life, and people to talk to! Even the director made a point of coming up to chat and see how I was going! The social and emotional gains were worth the physical discomfort this time!
It was also good to see just how I coped with a full on day!. It helps with consolidating back to work plans.
I am lucky to have such a supportive workplace!!.

 

[sparky9059]

Ive nhad a bout of cabin fever and grumpiness the last 24 hours. Trying to talk myself out of it - It's starting to work! And I baked cupcakes to cheer myself up!

I hit the cabin fever at 3 weeks!! I was so grumpy and bored! I finally came out of after 2 days. I knew I would a grumpy PIA so I bought my wife several "pre-grumpy" gifts before surgery!

 

[sistersinhim]

It's always best to be prepared for grumpiness and soothing the ones we love!

 

[Jacimarble]

I had my 6 week visit with the OS today. All is progressing well. I still have what he called "quad lag" the quad is not as strong as it could be - I know this. It will happen. He recommends walking 30 minutes twice a day. And maybe some stationary bike and pool work. That's dependent on me being able to get to the gym, for which I need to be able to drive, for which I need a stronger quad muscle!! Catch 22!!
I'll start with the walking - that's easy!

 

[SusieShoes]

Walking is easy! That's what makes it the perfect exercise for rehabbing a knee. It's what knees are built to do; it can be done just about anywhere at any time; and it costs nothing.

I can speak from personal experience that walking does strengthen the quads. Also consider some steps. A few steps up or down during the day really works those quads. I've seen a big improvement in my quad strength in the last few months, which I credit to doing more steps now that my knees hurt so much less! (Like not at all now, compared to agony pre-op.) It took years for my quads to get as weak as they were, so it took a while to get them back up to strength.

 

[Jockette]

He recommends walking 30 minutes twice a day

Walking is very good, but this amount at 6 weeks is excessive. I would start out much less than that. If you do well with a shorter time you can always increase it. Starting out with too much will cause a set back.

@KarriB started out with 10 minutes twice a day.

 

[SusieShoes]

I started out with short walks up one side of my block (house is in the middle) and down again to my house. Maybe 10 minutes. I did this twice a day. Once I could walk further, I cut it down to once a day. Eventually you can walk all around the town, but start out with short walks and let your knees be your guide.

Guidelines from surgeons or PTs are all well and good, but ultimately what matters most is what works for YOU. My surgeon wanted me to walk 3000 ft. early on. That didn't happen for weeks. No. I couldn't do it. I simply walked a much shorter distance as best I could and gradually built up that distance until I was doing 3000 ft. easily. Don't be bound to a guideline that doesn't work for you and your knee. Your knee wants to heal so let it tell you when to stop and when to push on.

 

[Jacimarble]

Thanks Susie and Jockette. I was thinking an hour's walking a day was going to be pushing it!! I'll start with 10 minutes twice a day and see how that goes!

 

[KitKat64]

I am just about 5 months post surgery. I've been back to work about 12 weeks. I really want to start my walking program again, but have been reminding myself to just be patient. I'm going by the BoneSmart philosophy, "slow and steady wins the race"!! I'm just taking it one day at a time. I know that eventually I'll get back to my walking!!

 

[Jacimarble]

So I saw the PT yesterday and he was very good. He listened to what I had to say about the ups and downs of recovery and how difficult it is to find the balance. My major goal is to get the quad strong enough so I can drive!! So i am just going to concentrate on one quad exercise (leg lifts) for the moment and see if we can get it happening. It has improved over the last couple of weeks so it is slowly happening. One of the good things the PT said is "The one thing I want to see is improvement, and you have improved since last time. Recovery is different for everyone" (I wish I could clone my PT for some of the rest of you who have more aggressive types!).

 

[Jacimarble]

This week's milestones: A friend drove me to the gym yesterday - I did five minutes on the bike and was surprised at how easy it was for me! I did all the "right" things - seat up, no resistance - and it was good. I used to do spin classes regularly before the TKR, so it's on the goal list of things to get back to. I also did 20 minutes walking the the pool. The knee seems to have coped with both of those without any more than the usual stiffness.
I did have a slight M without A yesterday - I went for coffee with friends later in the day and without thinking (duh) went to sit down as I used to pre TKR - that put the leg at slightly more flex that it is used to atm, and it protested. After a couple of minutes of silent swearing it settled down and I iced it and gave it some TLC when I got home. Note to self - be careful when sitting down!
Goals for this week - I have my first day back in the office tomorrow - a friend is driving me in. It will be interesting to see how tiring it is! And second goal is to drive somewhere a short distance and see how it goes.

 

[KarriB]

I can testify that walking totally helped with leg strength and quads particularly. I did start slow amd added time slowly. The first week I walked a total of 10 or 15 min 2x a day by setting the alarm on my phone for half the time I wanted to walk and turning around when the alarm went off. After 2 months I cut down to one longer walk but there was no pain at that point. I couldn’t have started with 30 minutes right away.