Become an Insider

TKR So glad the knee is in!

A couple of days short of 2 months and FINALLY I managed to do a few full revolutions on my exercise bike - going backwards, the easier way to do it. My ROM is still very slow coming although I do have very little swelling and minimal pain. I do form adhesions and quickly - proven from prior surgeries. Have had a little problem with adhesions in scar of hip but mostly from repair of tibial plateau and knee after my accident. OS had to remove adhesions from knee cap and shin (where scar was adhered to the plate he removed). My scar is now adhered to underlying tissue down the shin but not painful like it was with the plate. I am doing probably more aggressive PT than the advisors would recommend but my doctor, whom I trust fully, feels it is the only way to combat this - or a manipulation and then more PT because adhesions will form again... although hopefully less since it would be less trauma. I really want to avoid that so working with my CPM machine (3 times a day - now have it up to 86 degrees) and PT twice a week and just a little other exercising at home. But so excited to make the first time around on the bike!
 
:egypdance:Congrats on making the bike revolution. That is a big step in recovery. Everyone is different and everyone's problems in their knees are different so if your OS who you respect wants you have aggressive PT I'd go for it. I hope you keep progressing well.
 
Congratulations ! Keep up the good work it will be the best ever afterwards


Sent from my iPod touch using BoneSmart Forum
 
How is everything with your knee? I'm better tonight after icing most of the day yesterday and today.
 
@vongpo - Veronica, my knee has not budged much in flexion - mid 80's still. My extension, at least, is good. Pain is less although not gone. Really trying hard to have a better attitude. It's been 7 months since my bike accident and I'm pretty tired of this but have to make the best of it. Can't decide if I hope doctor wants me to have a manipulation or hope he doesn't. Scared of it but want things to get better.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Another doctors appt - he sees me every 3-4 weeks to monitor progress. Still holding off on MUA although flexion has been a little stuck at mid 80's. He wants me to continue gentle stretches (to discomfort and hold 30 seconds). Also no more PT. :)

He told me that with post-trauma arthritis and considering very poor ROM before the TKR, that he's not expecting full ROM - I'm hoping for at least 100 though.

I can walk quite a bit - doing at least 3000 steps/day with no real pain but I do limp because leg doesn't bend well and throws off my gait. So trying to spend at least half the day just getting on with normal life, still spending some time elevating and resting. Not using ice much - don't often have swelling and icing now is too cold - ever since the knee quit feeling warm.

Still kills me that a year ago I was riding my bike 10 miles a day building up for the week's bike ride in France last September that resulted in this! Now I can't even pedal my exercise bike...



Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Last edited by a moderator:
charmed-life said:
doing at least 3000 steps/day
Click to expand...
Darn those Fitbits! 3k steps means nothing to me. But Mr Google tells me it's about 1½ miles. Is that correct? If so, I'd say you are doing far too much for 12 weeks out. So little wonder you're not getting improvements in your ROM. You'd be better off walking 20 minutes twice a day though I've no idea how many steps that represents!
 
Actually I get those steps walking from room to room in my house and very occasional trips to a store or doctor. You wear the Fitbit like a watch- it records 24 hours. I used to do 10,000-12,000 when I actually went for walks. Furthest I've done at one time since my surgeries was ½ mile - around my block one day last week. Maybe 20 min at my slow speed.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Hi Charmed Life. I too am from Minnesota, the Twin Cities area. Love the flotation device! I am 9.5 months post-op. I am also a biker and I am doing well for the most part. I see my PA tomorrow. It is a long recovery. I am walking an average of 9000 steps per day this month, biking, swimming, etc. But I still have further to go. Patience is really the key to recovery, and I am not that patient! For sure I thought I would be 100% by now but I am probably only 9o%.
 
I would love to be back biking but not sure if that's going to happen. Like you were, I'm a little afraid but also I don't have the range of motion. Sadly my knee surgery was needed due to a bike accident while we were on a week long bike ride in France. I had perfect knees before that. Due to the injury and the stiffness after it my doctor will be happy with 100° but I'm still at about 85. Still deciding about whether I need a manipulation.




Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Now at 3 months, I am finally getting to 90 degrees! I can pedal my exercise bike if I use my heel instead of ball of my foot - makes it bend just slightly less. Still hurts a tiny bit but feels so good to be able to do it. OS is putting off any talk of MUA and checking again in a month but if I can keep progressing, even a little, he's inclined to not do it. He said I can quit PT and the CPM machine. He had me continue it until I could run it to 100 degrees because of the very poor ROM I had before TKR, due to earlier trauma and surgery.

My gait is still bad because the one position it doesn't bend well is walking - I get stopped by that tight band feeling, which seems to be mostly gone when sitting. But progress is progress.




Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Another step forward no matter how small is still a step forward and one to celebrate!! :yay:
 
Great news! Small but steady improvement is good. I never have the tight band feeling anymore and haven't for months. I think it was totally gone at about 5 months or so. That will come. BTW what part of the state are you from?
 
St. Paul, by St. Thomas University. Just got back from a bike ride along the river. Beautiful day. Hoping your ROM keeps improving.
 
My dad grew up on Ashland age ½ block from St Thomas (and he went to college there) and my sister lives not far away on Sargent. Very familiar with the area - we have often ridden bikes in that area.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Small world. It is a great biking neighborhood. Lots of bikes out today. I just posted a photo of my ride on the cycling club for us thread.
 
About 3 ½ months and slowly, slowly getting more ROM - measured 97 on my iPhone goniometer app tonight. Once I hit 95 last week, OS said I'm ok to not have an MUA. Guess it's the right decision but I'd sure like to get rid of the tight band across my knee! I've had no PT for several weeks now, just gentle stretching every day and riding 10 min on my exercise bike plus walking. Just on Tylenol and Aleve a couple of times a day and put up with some knee and back pain. Still elevating and some icing - with slight swelling.

This has been almost 8 months recovery from my accident - I'm so ready for it to not be an issue.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Last edited by a moderator:
charmed-life said:
Once I hit 95 last week, OS said I'm ok to not have an MUA. Guess it's the right decision but I'd sure like to get rid of the right band across my knee!
Click to expand...
UP to 95! That's great! :yes!::happydance::yay:
That tight band is normal. It will fade with time, but it can take months before it goes away completely. A MUA wouldn't remove it, so be glad that you've avoided the MUA.
"Tight band" feeling across the front of my knee
 
@Celle the tight band feeling now occurs mostly when walking - keeping my leg from bending very far so I still walk a little stiff legged. Is that a normal occurrence?


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 820 (members: 5, guests: 815)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom