TKR Trailspud Recovery thread

[turtle68]

Trailspud,, mine continue to improve although I had a setback last week which lasted a few days. It was like something (scar tissue?) broke loose, had huge purple hemotoma below by kneecap, and I could hardly walk. Went bak on walker and have been resting as much as possible and that seems to help, Going on my first flight tomorrow so I'm a little nervous about that. I'm glad to hear your doc feels the Levaquin damage is not permanent. Take care.

 

[Pumpkin]

Trailspud,
Yes tendon repair is a slow process, good news the levaquin effects are not permanent.

 

[trailspud]

Trailspud,
Yes tendon repair is a slow process, good news the levaquin effects are not permanent.

Honestly, I don't know if the damage is permanent or not, but since it's in a contained area, I hope what my doc mentioned via e-mail is correct.

 

[trailspud]

A long drive home today after seeing my doc...with a side trip to the historical site of the Golden Spike where the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. That must have been some bad country 144 years ago.

I spent the first five minutes with my OS talking about the upcoming college football season. I think I now have tickets to the Brigham Young-Boise State game this fall. Then he examined my left knee and discussed the unknown (scientifically) workings of Levaquin on connective tissue. I had some X-Rays done and then we resumed discussion of what my situation is.

My X-rays looked great. He (OS) manually checked my knee and it is structurally sound. I just have this area on the lateral side that is painful, a bit swollen, and stubbornly not healing. Doc thinks I will get better, but need more time. Getting my extension back is a key so that is my focus for the next 4 weeks. I will let him know of my progress then and go from there.

I feel a little better mentally, but my summer is still not going to be what I hoped for...really wish I had waited until late summer for the LTKR.

 

[turtle68]

I really know how you feel Trailspud. I'm now 5 mos post- op and still have that little area that I'm very careful with. A lot going on in my life so when we get more settled, I'm hoping to be at the point where I will gain more strength and stamina. Walking a quarter of mile is a lot for me. I just like to keep thing that the Levaquin damage is temporary. My swelling has finally gone down although I'm still taking one or two norco a day. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[trailspud]

turtle68

Thanks for your ongoing concern. I just checked your recovery thread. I think you are visiting grandchildren and I hope it's a wonderful time.

 

[trailspud]

On the trail again. Hiked 5+ miles with my wife and middle daughter today...about 750' climb/descent in about 100 mts. Some rocky downhills were difficult, but I survived. Hope my knee does not blow up tomorrow.

Day after update: The left knee is a little puffier today, but okay. I'm on the mend, I think and hope. On a road trip to North Idaho...5 hours in the car today made me stiffer, but walked the beach and street fair in Couer d'Alene, lazily swam in the lake, and did 20+ mts. on an elliptical machine.

 

[trailspud]

Back to work in a couple of days after a frustrating summer and my LTKR is now at 4 months plus 9 days. I am doing better, but still do not have the bend I had at 5+ weeks before my knee blew up. I seem to now be making a little progress every couple of days as measured by seat height on a spinner bike. I haven't been hiking for a couple of weeks, but I am walking in the neighborhood every other day for short distances (about 1.5m or a bit longer). My extension is still stuck around 5 although I have not measured formally since my last PT appointment on 07/24. I may look into a brace/board for extension. I can walk down stairs pretty close to normal, but need more progress there.

I have been able to do the elliptical machine w/o problems although it is best if I do it every other day or every third day. I'm up to my old work level base rate, but I am restricting myself to 45 mts. I will probably start to walk a little farther and brisker soon, but keeping the swelling down, working on ROM, and doing a few weight machines (quad extensions in a short arc, leg presses, hamstring curls, and hip/glutes adduction/abduction) to get stronger is my focus. I'm hoping to be able to hike longer and quicker by October and then begin snowshoeing when the snow falls (right now, I wish the central mountains would get one of those occasional summer snows as a lot of Idaho is or has been on fire).

Best wishes to all for a great latter summer. I especially wish referee54 a good final year of teaching.

 

[muddy paws]

Hey Trailspud,
It seems as if you are on the mend! I am going in for my new conformis knee tomorrow and like you, I hope I can get out there and enjoy hiking and snowshoeing with my dogs. You seem to be pretty far along for only being four months out. I think the hardest part is the inability to do everything we want to do right NOW!! I have followed your thread and I think you sound like a pretty amazing guy for all the stuff you are doing so soon. Hope you have a great fall and can get outside into nature!

 

[trailspud]

@muddy paws

Best wishes for for your surgery. It's not easy, but I hope your early recovery goes as well as mine did before I hit that bad situation. I will try to follow your progress.

 

[trailspud]

A few days before my 6 month anniversary of my 2nd TKR/RTKR (and 29th wedding anniversary):

This evening I set a new p.r. (personal record) for 60 mts. at the gym on a specific elliptical machine. I always input the same weight, even though I'm still above it, and measure work totals by calories. I only broke my record by 1 calorie, but my pulse was in the low 180s in the final mt. (about as high as I care to go at age 55 going on 56). That's the good news. I'm in decent shape although before my knees hit critical mass around 2006, I probably did a much higher work rate on cardio machines. No knee pain at all...felt good.

The bad news is I'm still struggling with stiffness and some swelling from my my early "blow up" at about 8 weeks into recovery form surgery. I am walking better and my extension is better, too. I bought one of those knee straightening boards in early September and it has helped (although still painful when I strap in tight). I suspect I have some adhesions as even when little swelling exists, I have less flexion at 6 months than at 6 weeks (maybe around 110 now, but no more). I guess I'll just see how the fall and winter goes. I do think I will be able to snowshoe in the back country...don't need much flexion for that. It's already snowed in the Idaho high country and I'm hoping that's a good sign for a good snow year.

Cheers to all. I really need to get back on this board and see how folks are doing.

 

[RestAssured]

Hello trailspud,

I have missed you! It is so good to see you posting, but why are you strapping your leg down "tight" to a leg board at six months. Doing an hour on the ellipitical plus other things in the gym you aren't mentioning COULD have something to do w your stiffness and swelling. Are you icing and elevating? Remember when we said that recovery can take a year or more? I know, I know, you are driven, but your knee is still telling you it's the Boss right now.

Something interesting I found out...... Gosh I don't know where a hard headed TX gal like me would get this idea but here it goes. We go to the cabin on the weekends and relax! No hardcore exercising anymore on the weekends, and you know what? Well, first of all don't tell Jo, or Jamie, because they will say it sounds like the BoneSmart Mantra, I just call it, Sonja coming to her senses!

Since I have started doing that, and working w a new PT my kneecap is starting to stay in place!

I am in the Biggest Loser contest again, so I am pumped!

 

[trailspud]

RestAssured,

Rest assured; I'm resting plenty. Back to work in late August and the busy beginning of the school year, combined with some laziness, kept me out of the gym a few more days than in during September. I had a little pain/swelling relapse two weeks ago...maybe too much leg press or tried to jog a few steps, not sure...so I took 4-5 days off. It worked. That's progress for me.

Although my flexion is lagging, too, both my OS and PT (350 miles apart) pegged lack of extension as the main issue. For awhile I did normal stretching plus used a 4-5" roller under my ankle with soft weights on my knee to push a little extension. That worked, but the knee board has been even better. I haven't measured, but I'm better than last summer's measure of 5 degrees...probably around 2 and slowly improving. It's not that painful (although when I strap it real tight it's not pleasant, but I don't do that for long). The better extension has helped my walking. I'm staying under an hour and going no faster than 4mph, and have no pain or strain at that level. I'm making sure I get better headed into the deep snow season and avoiding pushing anything too much. I have a goal to do this route I used to do now a number of years back. It's east of Idaho City and climbs from a main snow parking area at 5,300' up a ridgeline to the top of a mountain called Pilot Peak (8,100'+). It's a safe route as far as avalanche exposure goes and it used to get me tired in my mid-40s so if I can do it this winter, I'll be very satisfied.

Good luck with the Biggest Loser contest! I will try to follow.

 

[trailspud]

7 months out from 2nd TKR (RTKR):

Still have not regained the flexion I had at 5 weeks and thinking I may never get it back w/o some intervention (tissue release, MUA, ???), but I'm stronger and back to walking briskly. A few days ago, I set a personal record (PR) at the gym on the elliptical for 60 & 75 mts. The next day I walked 6 miles outside in 75 mts and followed the next day w/another PR in the elliptical for 30 mts. I'm able to do squats with light weights and have really worked my quad extensions. I'm just waiting for some good snow to fall and to strap on my snowshoes.

I should have just done nothing the first 3 months...I really wish I could go back in time and do the 2nd one over, but I'm happy I can walk briskly again. It's not running, but it's close and it feels good to be outside moving through space and time again. Snow, snow, snow, please.

 

[RestAssured]

trailspud,

Sounds like you are doing great to me! I have made fantastic progress in the past 4 weeks with my new personal trainer Abby! She is amazing!

 

[trailspud]

RestAssured

Have you posted on your recovery thread recently? I am happy for the progress I've made, wishing for more, and hoping for snow in the mountains.

 

[RestAssured]

trailspud,

Yes, I have been posting quite a bit this past week! I am really pleased with my new trainer Abby! I miss Felice, but she and I went out and ate lettuce wraps tonight!

 

[muddy paws]

Hey Trailspud,
Sounds like you are doing quite well. I certainly couldn't do what you are doing in the gym. I have followed your thread and am very Impressed by all that you have done. It's so hard to be patient, chill and let everything heal. I am only 3 months out from my Conformis RTKR but it has been the hardest three months of my life. i want to get back out there to ride my horses, walk my dogs and snowshoe this winter - NOW! I am trying to be patient but unfortunately I not that kind of person. So let it snow, let it snow, let it snow and maybe we both can get back to doing what we love even if we are not going to climb mountains or set any records

 

[trailspud]

1st snowshoe since TKRs:

3 hours of fun slogging on and near the Whoop-Um-Up Trails above Idaho City. It was a good workout as we kept a brisk pace w/minimal breaks to adjust bindings and layers of clothing. Except for the first 20-30 mts., I went the duration in short sleeves as temps were in the upper 20s-lower30s w/little or no wind. The snow pack is low for this time of year, but the trails and a few off-spurs we hit were surprisingly fine for snowshoeing. The area is just east of a mountain 3,000' higher and we had more snow to trudge over than just a few miles west (although still more packed paths than I would prefer). I went with an old buddy visiting home from Denver who took the pic about 45 minutes into the trek and bought the dinner and brews afterwards. Very nice day in Idaho.

Note: Set a P.R. last night at the gym on the elliptical for 60 mts. Getting fit, but the left knee flexion is stuck at 105-110 max (and, I'm probably optimistic w/numbers).

 

[Bustario]

Trailspud:
I have just read your entire thread and am happy to see a fellow hiker here on the boards. I had a PKR in october so I am about 11 weeks out. I am so bored that I am considering a small hike tomorrow. I've done about 1.5 miles on city blocks which was about my limit but i did not have any bad effects from doing it that a little ice and elevation did not remedy. I was thinking about doing a 2.5 mile walk around an old estate tomorrow. Just mulling it over in my mind. While I am concerned about doing too much I am more worried about taking a stumble even though this is really more of a walk in the country than a real hike with el. gain. Were you worried the first time back out there on the trails?

I am so ready to be doing something. I spent the last weekend before my surgery camping and hiking on Hunter Mountain here in NY State and feel like a walk in the woods would do much for my mindset. I would love to hear about your first time back on the trails.