TKR Walking, skiing, bicycling

[DIYSteve]

I feel tired just reading this!!

Actually, I feel pretty tired today. Yesterday's tour kicked my butt. It's always challenging to stay up with my wife, who is in great shape, on a long mountain day. I'm heading out soon for a mellow bicycle ride.

 

[DIYSteve]

1 year, 2 days post-op. Last Friday I finished an 8-day backpacking/non-technical mountaineering/high lake fishing trip, half on-trail, half off-trail, some snow (including ascending a high pass in a hail storm), some scrambly (loose class 3 max). New knee felt quite good. I-T band irritation (new knee geometry?), a problem a couple months ago, is better and was not an issue on the trip.

In June, I hit my first 100-day ski season ever! 35 lift-served + 25 XC + 40 ski touring (light AT gear).

All in all, my new knee function is better one year post-op than I had ever anticipated. Knee is solid, strong and stable, although I'd like another 10-20 degrees of flexion. Lack of flexion forces me to do some high steps and higher step kicks on steeper terrain with my natural (i.e., non-TKR) knee. Bicycling the first couple miles can be stiff and a bit painful, but it seems to be gradually improving. Getting out of the tent in the morning is sometimes a hassle. But I'm not complaining. It's great getting back in the mountains! The new knee has allowed me to resume daily aerobic workouts and get more fit than I have been in 6+ years.

I look forward to at least two more week-long mountain trips this summer: Early August for my wife's birthday and early September for my birthday. And I'll likely do some overnights and 3- and 4-day weekends.

Good luck to our fellow post-op comrades!

 

[Benay]

Love your post, gives me something to look forward to. I want to book a Hike the Hollywood Hills with your own rescue dog friend, too soon (pity the dog that gets stuck with me) but I'll get there! Congrats to you!

 

[Jockette]

That is a great report!

My ROM improved not only in my second year, but has continued to improve into my third year. (In spite of my other issues) so yours may do that as well.

 

[DIYSteve]

My ROM improved not only in my second year, but has continued to improve into my third year. (In spite of my other issues) so yours may do that as well.

Thanks for the encouragement. I wish you continued progress!

 

[rustic]

I'm impressed with the report of the backpacking trip and skiing 100 days! Wow.
I am looking forward to your next trip report.

 

[DIYSteve]

I am looking forward to your next trip report.

Well, you asked! Returned home yesterday from a 6-day backpacking trip with my wife in the White Cloud Wilderness Area in Idaho. 2-1/2 days of the 6 days were off-trail, some quite scrambly (up to class 3). Great trip! Knee continues to be strong and solid, although lack of flexion makes some of the scrambly terrain a bit tricky. My body continues to adapt to the knee. I-T band irritation is getting better. Most days were relatively short, i.e., 4 hours of hiking, but strenuous. (My wife is in great condition. We take few breaks during the day, and when we do they are brief.) Camps averaged 9,250' elevation. We caught fish for dinner each night. Looking forward to one more week-long trip in the mountains in early September.

 

[sistersinhim]

Absolutely amazing! I, too, love the mountains but couldn't begin to do what you are doing. Enjoy that new knee!

 

[kneeper]

Thanks for posting your great update. It can really help those who don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[DIYSteve]

Hello again after a few months away from the forum.

I have a question: Sometimes after skiing or hiking I notice bruising at my ankle and side of foot. I surmise that it's blood that is working its way down from my knee as I continue to break up scar tissue. Should I be concerned? I am 20 months post-TKR, knee is solid, stable and strong. Flexion continues to very slowly progress.

I had a great ski season going until the Covid-19 stay-at-home order, which came early here in WA. I am able to access hiking trails in my zip code, which is nice. Snowpack in the mountains is 110% normal, and the inability to ski is rough!

 

[Jamie]

Are you on blood thinning medication or a heart medication such as Plavix?

Bruising like you're describing is not normal this long after surgery. If you happen to have scar tissue in your knee (which isn't too likely), the blood is not coming from "breaking it up." Neither normal scar tissue nor adhesions have any vascular tissue (blood vessels). Since this seems to come on with significant activity and it may be that you have one or more small blood vessels that are leaking. At any rate, you need to get it checked out.

 

[sistersinhim]

I think it's great with what you are able to do with your new knee.

 

[markbet]

@DIYSteve I’m impressed with your level of activity. My ROM is somewhat close to yours, 110. With that little of bend, I could in no way do a fraction of what you accomplished. My hamstrings are as tight as piano wires, and feel those are 95% of my problems. If I bend more than my ROM allows, my hamstrings send me in orbit. How did you fix your hamstring problem? I ride a recumbent bike daily, along with simple stretches. Either you have a high threshold of pain, or I’m a wimp. I’m probably a wimp.

 

[DIYSteve]

Are you on blood thinning medication or a heart medication such as Plavix?

No, not even baby aspirin.

Since this seems to come on with significant activity and it may be that you have one or more small blood vessels that are leaking. At any rate, you need to get it checked out.

I will do that. Bruising seems minor and sporadic, i.e., it's not always there and seems to correlate with activities that push my flexion past the tight point. My MD/GP buds didn't seem concerned about it on our mountains trips last summer. Indeed, they were impressed by what I was able to do with a 1 y.o. titanium knee.

I think it's great with what you are able to do with your new knee.

So do I. I am very fortunate. It likely helped that I went into surgery with lots of miles and an otherwise strong and fit body.

How did you fix your hamstring problem?

I didn't have much of a hammy problem. My I-T band tightness gradually subsided and eventually extinguished. I cannot provide any advice, but I wish you well.

 

[Poctdb]

@DIYSteve
Just go on with your bad self.....how awesome!

 

[rustic]

@DIYSteve
Hey Steve, I'm still checking in once in a while. I don't have any ideas on your ankle bruising. Personally, I think that I'm still getting what might be little tears of scar tissue once in a while. I don't show bruising, but I get swelling that lasts a few days after each incident. That is often followed by a feeling of increased mobility after that swelling goes away. It has happened a few times.
I hope that yours isn't any more serious than mine.