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TKR Trailspud Recovery thread

I just finished reading your Thread from the beginning. Wow you had quite an adventure! I thought everyone had the ankle pain because of clamping it down during surgery and all the pulling and manipulating the doctor does during the actual surgery. I wonder if all that kicked off the gout in your case? So much trauma.
Considering your results, whatever your OS had to do...he did a great job because you are doing great. Why was the special iTotal indicated for you in the first place. I don't know anything about it.
You live in a beautiful part of the country! Take good care and continue the good work!
 
Trailspud, at 7 mos. + 1 wk. I am just about exactly where you are right now at 5 mos. (Of course, I'm sedentary, obese and 7 yrs. older). I'm in awe of your being able to use a standing elliptical, much less for 1.5 hrs. at a time. I can barely do 20 min. each on the treadmill (which I own) and the upright bike (taking delivery of one Tues.). I too have right ankle swelling after an hour on my feet--I agree with Brownie that it must come with the territory of altered (i.e., corrected) gait, immobilization during surgery and immediate post-op recovery, and lymphatic drainage.

I'm also at the mercy of my and my surgeon's calendars--he wasn't available till April, but I'm unavailable from April-Aug. So it looks like we'll be having our LTKRs about the same time and can commiserate with each other. Like you, my left knee is what's holding me back now. I now have better flexion in the right knee than in the left. It's the medial condyle that is the problem. It hurts more than the right lateral did before the RTKR; but rather than "catching" and "ripping" as the right one did, it twinges very sharply (sometimes even at rest) and is quite unstable--nearly gives way a few times a week. Boat's sailed on Synvisc for me, Brownie, acc. to my OS--no cartilage, so hyaluronic acid wouldn't cushion the knee sufficiently.
 
Brownie51 said:
I just finished reading your Thread from the beginning. Wow you had quite an adventure! I thought everyone had the ankle pain because of clamping it down during surgery and all the pulling and manipulating the doctor does during the actual surgery. I wonder if all that kicked off the gout in your case? So much trauma.
Considering your results, whatever your OS had to do...he did a great job because you are doing great. Why was the special iTotal indicated for you in the first place. I don't know anything about it.
You live in a beautiful part of the country! Take good care and continue the good work!
Click to expand...

Brownie,

I just scanned your thread. I recall having read some of it before, but I thought I should return your effort. I had a couple of bouts of gout previously and I now control it by limiting my deep love for finely crafted beer. I think the post-surgery gout was triggered by the surgery combined with a lack of limiting my pleasure just prior to surgery...I'll do things differently next time.

The iTotal is made by Conformis (now iTotalG2). It is the only total knee implant that is custom sized and shaped. I wanted this implant based on my own research and advice from an expert friend in the field. The bone resection volume is radically less, contact surface area considerably more, and supposedly the individualized fit makes for a more natural feel. The standard advice on this board is to get a top notch, high volume specialist surgeon and leave the choice of implants to him/her. That well may be good advice for most, but I don't understand why any educated person would not research everything about whatever medical issue they have...TKR included. I wounded up with a traditional implant, but a good result so far nonetheless. It will be interesting to compare knees after my LTKR.

It appears, you, too are doing pretty well. I wish you the best and will continue following your threads.
 
Dulcimer Diva said:
Trailspud, at 7 mos. + 1 wk. I am just about exactly where you are right now at 5 mos. (Of course, I'm sedentary, obese and 7 yrs. older). I'm in awe of your being able to use a standing elliptical, much less for 1.5 hrs. at a time. I can barely do 20 min. each on the treadmill (which I own) and the upright bike (taking delivery of one Tues.). I too have right ankle swelling after an hour on my feet--I agree with Brownie that it must come with the territory of altered (i.e., corrected) gait, immobilization during surgery and immediate post-op recovery, and lymphatic drainage​
Click to expand...

Diva,

My weight ballooned up to 215 prior to surgery. Every year I gained a few pounds after losing my ability to run. I do love food and fine beer. However, through the years I kept my cardio going strong in the gym. I was fat, but could still do cardio at a high level. My weight limited my mountain biking as it's tough going uphill carrying 40 extra lbs. I dropped to the 190s after my RTKR and that has helped, but I really need to get down to the 170s. There are people running and doing impact sports w/TKRs and while I don't have a goal of returning to distance running, I do want to hike and backpack long distances again. It's been a long time.

The treadmill and bike are good, but don't ignore the upper body. I have never been much of a weight lifter, but resistance training really helps with weight loss and overall fitness. I have done more in the past year to offset the times I have been limited by my knees. I'm actually thinking about a new sport, flatwater and sea kayaking (adventuring) so I should probably do even more while the ice and snow are on the waters.

Best Wishes and I'll continue to check your progress on this board.
 
Hi Spud
Well I read your pre op thread this am and thanks for your response. I was up alot hitting nursery, grocery pharmacy and other stuff so now I'm aching. But thats the knee that hasn't been done. I interviewed several doctors and then almost had surgery with one in Orange Cy, then ended up with the LA guy. It all got complicated by the benign tumor. I didn't realize my OS wasn't doing the quad sparing until I was too far into this. And maybe I couldn't have had that anyway what with the tumor. But now need the other knee done. Not happy with my guy for many reasons but the end result was really good. But when my quads on the knee he did are smarting and knowing the rest of you are not hurting there, I am rethinking this all. Have gone back and forth. I picked the OS, not the implant. I just didn't "go there" and it seemed like every OS I talked with had their favorite pick that they used! The iTotal sounds really good, especially since you are pretty young. It's sure too bad they couldn't do it. But should you put the same thing in each leg rather than having two different types? Wouldn't you have a discrepancy if you put the iTotal in your lefty? It would be longer since he'd take out less bone? Do you have the same tendon problem there?
I am planning to do my lefty in June so I have the summer to recover then go back to work in late August. It worked well for me having 11 weeks to recover although sure do have alot more swelling now that I'm back to work. I should be posting all this stuff in my own thread but was kind of chatting here I guess. Sure do envy you the beautiful setting. So beautiful. I love reading the Historian's posts too. He takes pics of his rides in Pennsylvania. Just amazing as I imagine it is for you too.
Take good care and keep writing.
 
Outside in the Sun Today (finally)
I have been walking my dog a few times a week, but usually after dark. We have had a true winter this year so it was a treat to be outside in the sun today. I walked 3 miles in 42 minutes around noon and a couple hours later got on my bike for the first real ride outdoors post-TKR. The valleys of SW Idaho hit the mid-50s today and I did a 90 mt. spin on the flats. It was so nice to be moving through space in the fresh air. Forecast is for a return to winter, but it will spring before too long and more days like today are near.
 
Thanks, Josephine. Well, it's sunny today, but much cooler so I'll do my exercise inside. I always loved winter, but this year less so. Getting older, I guess.
 
Good to hear from you, trailspud!
 
Thanks Ref, I enjoy your positive advice to the many. I looked for you recovery thread to post in, but its dinner time and time's up.
 
6 months (+ 2 days)
I planned to post on Feb. 28th, but the past few weeks I have been slammed at work/home. I'm still very pleased with the overall result-to-date of my RTKR. I feel I have been somewhat conservative in getting back to activities, but since I have a LTKR scheduled 6 weeks from now that has probably been a good plan. I had not walked outside for two weeks due the weather, work, and a bit of a virus, but I did 3 miles this morning in 39 mts. just walking briskly w/o trying to mash it. Most of the walk was on a soft, dirt ditch bank that I started running on back in 1971. Until the late '90s farm fields lined both sides along the RR tracks, but it's more city now. Still, it was nice to be outside. I may shoot for 5 miles in 60 mts. before the LTKR. I haven't gone to the hills to do any trails yet, but I may hit them this week.

I still get a bit of swelling, usually after work day of standing and sitting, but it's controlled by icing and exercising. I wonder how my knee will react when starting going longer and in the hills? I'll post the results when I do.
 
6.5+ months out and walked 7 miles yesterday in just over 12m/m (86+ mts.). A week ago I did 5m in 60+ mts. w/the 2nd half at sub 12m/m (5+mph). The ditch bank I walk on is a bit rutted and uneven, but I like the softer surface. I walk a bit on a cinder track which is also softer than asphalt or concrete. I have been keeping it to around two walks outside per week in addition to gym work including some incline treadmill walking. My replaced right knee seems fine. I still get a bit of swelling, but no more than I do at work (which is mostly sedentary). I'm a lot slower than than in my running years, but I'm pleased where I am at now. In less than 3 weeks I will have my LTKR...very much looking forward to next fall after recovery and rehab when I think I'll be going longer and faster than now. I was talking with an old running friend today about a 15-20 mile day hike in Hells Canyon...maybe in October.
 
Trailspud,
Sounds like you are doing great with your RTKR, all the best on your upcoming LTKR. Looking forward to hearing about your Hells Canyon hike.
 
7 months today
I went to the Boise foothills this evening for a nice brisk walk. I did 100 mts. and my replaced right knee held up fine on the trails. I'm not sure how far, but it was at least close to 7 miles with about 1400' vertical climb (over 400m). My soon to be replaced left knee was a bit shaky on the steeper downhill sections, but my replaced right knee felt fine...no pain, but I tried to take it easy nonetheless on any steeper down slope.

It was a nice, mild evening and the first time in years I had done a brisk walk or run in the Boise foothills. Things have changed with a ton of traffic...mountain bikers, runners, and hikers...lots of them. I was in an area that was a working ranch in the 1980s/early 90s ...I used to run through this area with rarely seeing another human except an occasional ranch hand or sheep herder. Well, good for all those folks enjoying the great outdoors near the heart of a wonderful city.
 
right attitude trailspud.do enough dont overdo. luck to you from ky.
 
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Reactions: pdx
Isn't it strange to have your new knee be your good knee? My left is so much more stable than my right, which sounds like it has really disgusting crunchies in it and wobbles. We're hoping to get out for a real bike ride Friday or Saturday -- clear skies and warm. It will be so great to be on a real bike rather than on a stationary or on the wind trainer. And yes, I do upper body work -- not just lifting a beer, either! Good luck with No. 2.
 
pdx,

...hope you get some nice weather for that bike ride outside. It is so nice to move though distance over time through fresh air. I'm looking forward to being outside more than inside when I recover from the next one (part of me really wants to delay). Well, as for lifting last night it was just some reps with a few glasses of Lagunitas.
 
Love Lagunitas. And recovery in fresh air sounds good.
 
Trying a local brewer tonight (Ten Barrel). The IPA is similar to Stone's IPA. Once I have the LTKR, it will be a long dry spell.
 
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