Revision TKR Story of My Knees by RestAssured: Pt 3

[RestAssured]

Chris, Katie schooled me in hippo therapy today. I explained my definition, and she said she could see me saying that to y'all! I used to ride horses when I was a kid and I loved it! Katie said that they have several therapeutic riding programs in the area, and one that is about 15 miles away from the city where I live. She thought it sounded like a great idea. Dr. Maale went a little further with my muscle though, because I was having a very bad imbalance before surgery. So he did (gosh my brain is dead) something or other and one side of the leg has been dead until now. Today was the first day I felt any sensation in it and after e stim, I was able to do mini-squats!!!!! I could tell that it lit something deep down inside and I am so happy. Katie has been showing be how to isolate the muscle today after we got our communication on the same page. They could not understand how I was able to "run" around on crutches, have ROM of over 100 but have no feeling in that part of my muscle. After I showed them exactly what I was going through, then they understood. When we did the inital eval if you remember I was in the immobilizer. I did pull my leg up so they thought all was well and Maale sent a note that said evaluate and treat when I thought he had explained what he had done! Whew! See how things can start rolling downhill in a fast hurry? I guess I should have looked half dead and then we would have been better off!

 

[Orthodoc]

Ok I have a question? If they drilled holes in the kneecap during surgery to reattach the tendon, would that weaken my kneecap? Josephine, Jamie, Orthodoc

Sonja,

I would be happy to help. I know that you have had extensive revision surgery, so your situation will be different then a typical total knee. In a routine TKA, the knee cap (patella) would not have drill holes made (other than for the new plastic component to be cemented into). However, most OS will place a plastic component on the knee cap during TKA. This requires removing the arthritic component (usually with a saw) and cementing the plastic to the knee cap. This process does not generally weaken the knee cap (with some exceptions).

Well, now lets get to you. I am not sure exactly what was done for your knee cap. However, if drill holes were used to reattach the patella or quad tendon then there is some level of compromise, but may be minimal to none. Remember that strength comes from the surrounding muscles and not the knee cap itself. As long at the knee cap does not fail (such as the knee cap breaking or the suture breaking from the re-attached tendon), then you would not experience any subjective sense of weakening from the bone itself. At least not because of the drill holes themselves.

However, since you had to have a tendon repaired or reconstructed, the attached muscle will be weakened and will require time to heal. Additionally, the quality of the tissue (tendon) repaired and the strength of the repair play a large factor in your ultimate potential for full recover. I can think of a lot of various other scenarios, but it would be unfair for me to go through all of them without knowing a lot more details of you surgery.

I hope this helps you some.

Orthodoc

 

[RestAssured]

Actually it helps greatly! I heard a pop soon after surgery and Dr. Maale put me in an immobilizer brace. I think that I am putting everything together in my head now. Sometimes with having three surgeries on the same knee, it is tough to remember things that happen with each surgery! He said he did not want the sutures to come loose!

 

[ChrisO]

Wouldn't it be great if the actual op note and hospital discharge summary went to our rehab people ?

I asked for a copy of my op note... One thing i noted that OS forgot to tell me in the hospital was that he changed "corrected" the angle of my knees by 6 degrees on both sides. I have had a set of custom orthotics in my shoes for 15 years. When I read the note about changing the angle ( virus vagus I can't remember off hand ) I took the inserts out. I don't want inserts that were built for my old anatomy to hurt my new anatomy.

Anyway, i asked OS if correction would make me feel knock kneed. He said that it might for a little while till I relearn my gait. He was right I feel less and less knock kneed every day.

Another nice thing about having a copy of the op note... OS said I was YOUNG at least 3 times in his note! I thanked him for that note @ my office visit this week.

ChrisO

 

[RestAssured]

Yep, I used to have orthotics, but not any more! Knees are perfectly straight now! I remembered after a nap. It was called a lateral release on the inside of the knee because it was pulling everything out of place. He said I would have to rebuild the muscle tone

 

[BJ Mac]

Howdy there Tex!!! When are you coming??? I would have to know so that I could stock up on steaks...

Sorry for not responding any sooner pardner, but I must confess that I am at another horse show. Prince says, "Hi!"
Glad that you worked on your conflict resolution and that therapy went sooooo well.

 

[BJ Mac]

Oh, and isn't your hubby gonna miss you if you stay with me all winter? And are you going to learn to snowboard?

 

[RestAssured]

Well I know how to ski, so will that work.

Hubby? Oh, I had forgotten about him , but he will have some projects to work on since he is being promoted so I can get away!

Just remember, first class for fangs and I!

Oh and by the way, I guess I found my post! LOL, yes I am back on drugs tonight too, the exercises to "wake up" my muscle beside my knee worked! Leave it to Katie to come up with a start to the solution in one day when she knows the "whole story!"

 

[RestAssured]

Good luck! I exhausted all my PT benefits and cannot afford to pay out of pocket. So I feel like I have no real "plan" now, and I am always swelling and uncomfortable. But I think I will go to the gym now and do gentle stretches they showed me in PT, and then take it easy.
Report back later on how your session went!

Actually you don't have to go to a gym to do gentle stretches, and if you are dealing with swelling you should not worry about toning but about getting that leg up and icing and elevating it! You will feel so much better! Ice and getting your toes above your nose will make a world of difference and it is something you can do while you watch tv, read a book, or type on a laptop. Keep us informed! We care about you!

 

[RestAssured]

Howdy there Tex!!! When are you coming??? I would have to know so that I could stock up on steaks...

Sorry for not responding any sooner pardner, but I must confess that I am at another horse show. Prince says, "Hi!"
Glad that you worked on your conflict resolution and that therapy went sooooo well.

Is that Prince? He is beautiful! I remember when I was a kid I rode a lot of horses. One day my friend Rosa, brought this horse over to the school without a bridle or a saddle. Well, you know how shy I am, so I proceeded to get on top of that big horse. Well one thing she forgot to mention was he didn't like to be ridden very much and he took off like he was shot out of a cannon! I was flying for a while with him, until he found the low hanging tree branches.....

 

[ChrisO]

Have you seen any of the you tube videos of the riders that train thier horses to perform to music without bridle or saddle. Beautiful...C

 

[RestAssured]

Have you seen any of the you tube videos of the riders that train thier horses to perform to music without bridle or saddle. Beautiful...C

I will have to look at those! If they had YouTube back when I was a kid that horse riding stunt would have lived on forever!

 

[RestAssured]

Oh, and isn't your hubby gonna miss you if you stay with me all winter? And are you going to learn to snowboard?

You know me! I would love to learn to snowboard! I hope my Ortho never sees any of my posts! I would give him a heart attack!

 

[PooShay]

Hi Sonja. Glad to see the "Katie Incident" has resolved and once again, you are on the right path for recuperation. I too wondered about the Hippo Therapy and I'm glad that ChrisO 'splained it. I had visions of you chasing one at the Dallas Zoo.

Will talk to you soon. I'm home again; we put my mom on the plane for home yesterday.

 

[RestAssured]

Hi Sonja. Glad to see the "Katie Incident" has resolved and once again, you are on the right path for recuperation. I too wondered about the Hippo Therapy and I'm glad that ChrisO 'splained it. I had visions of you chasing one at the Dallas Zoo.

Will talk to you soon. I'm home again; we put my mom on the plane for home yesterday.

Well you know me, I would try anything once, and then when I went back to explain to Dr. Maale that I was chasing "hippos" cause Chris O. said it was therapeutic..... He would look at me like well I am dealing with Sonja again. One who pulls out her own pic lines, takes Celebrex and Motrin and blows up like a balloon, and now add chasing hippos to her list. Yep just another day after seeing her!

 

[kneeper]

Gee, I missed your thread for a couple of days and missed the saga. Glad it all worked out.

 

[RestAssured]

Wouldn't it be great if the actual op note and hospital discharge summary went to our rehab people ?

I asked for a copy of my op note... One thing i noted that OS forgot to tell me in the hospital was that he changed "corrected" the angle of my knees by 6 degrees on both sides. I have had a set of custom orthotics in my shoes for 15 years. When I read the note about changing the angle ( virus vagus I can't remember off hand ) I took the inserts out. I don't want inserts that were built for my old anatomy to hurt my new anatomy.

Anyway, i asked OS if correction would make me feel knock kneed. He said that it might for a little while till I relearn my gait. He was right I feel less and less knock kneed every day.

Another nice thing about having a copy of the op note... OS said I was YOUNG at least 3 times in his note! I thanked him for that note @ my office visit this week.

ChrisO

Well Chris, you ARE young! You are just one year older than my sister!

So now that I have paid you that nice compliment, when I do something "accidental" and mess up you can give me sisterly advice. :

 

[RestAssured]

Gee, I missed your thread for a couple of days and missed the saga. Glad it all worked out.

Thanks Kneeper! I really didn't want to lose Katie, because she has been there since the beginning of my saga, and has been a great source of encouragement, when she has all the facts!

 

[BJ Mac]

Is that Prince? He is beautiful! I remember when I was a kid I rode a lot of horses. One day my friend Rosa, brought this horse over to the school without a bridle or a saddle. Well, you know how shy I am, so I proceeded to get on top of that big horse. Well one thing she forgot to mention was he didn't like to be ridden very much and he took off like he was shot out of a cannon! I was flying for a while with him, until he found the low hanging tree branches.....

Yes, that is Prince. Thanks!

Yikes, so that is what happened to you (the low hanging branches) That must have been an exciting ride!

Skiing is good! I am thinking about switching back and forth from boarding to skiing depending on the conditions this winter. I am going to enjoy the company. Soooo, hubby is going to be too busy to miss you this winter?! Well, that's OK, we are going to have some fun!!! Just think of all the trouble we can get into... OOPS! I mean all the fun we can have. Two foxes in a hen house and all...

 

[RestAssured]

yes it's a funny thing but when a horse is running full speed ahead and he finds low tree branches, someone is going to lose! Well, let's see, I have never been to PA, so I will have to plan accordingly. We can't let Judy, Josephine, or Jamie know that we are getting together because this forum will never be the same! (So BJ, let's keep this our little secret! After all everyone will know by the time the foxes have entered the hen house!)