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TKR Well, hello

Hi Dave,
Just got caught up on your thread. Nice to meet you. I'm starting to have the same issue--my old knee is bothering me while I do my pt on my new knee. I started asking my therapist if there is an alternative to the therapy that is causing the pain and he usually can come up with something. It sounds like you are doing the same. One thing he pointed out that seems to make a difference is that I was/am favoring my new knee which puts more stress on the old one. I am trying to put equal weight on both knees as a result.
Jan
 
I also found that once I stopped "protecting" The Knee, some of the pain subsided. Unfortunately, the natural knee is bone on bone so I don't expect all the pain to go away. I have had the natural knee injected with 2 cortisone shots in the 8 months since the surgery. Those shots coupled with the returned balance has allowed me to be mostly pain free with minimal need for any pain meds.
 
@PegGar16 Thanks!Yes,I'd all but decided that solution,this confirms it.
Just hoping someone thought of/knew something I didn't regarding this.

Dave
 
@jarabas Nice to meet you!
Yes,I caught myself favoring the operated knee doing seated leg curls,which caused me to look at how I was doing some other exercises as well.Probably to no one's surprise,I was favoring the operated leg in those as well.
Like yourself I'm trying to make sure of equal weight distribution,hopefully it will become habitual soon enough.
 
@hawk2go Yes "bone on bone" could be my nickname as far the knees go.:)
Hmm,I had cortisone injections very early in my therapy,before the RA was diagnosed.I may float that balloon to my OS and/or therapists.
 
It is funny that it took such a concentrated effort for me to try not to compensate with the other knee. Just starting with the bike at PT and not having the right knee do most of the work. I used to get a lot of teasing because of the faces I would make---concentration is a lot of work:)
 
Hi @OldHippie I'm not sure how I missed your thread earlier but it's good to see you're doing well and getting lots of give and take here.
I notice you mentioned you have RA. There are varying numbers of people here on Bonesmart with #rheumatoidarthritis or jRA. Our issues can be slightly different from osteoarthritis alone and there's a thread in the Social Room you might be interested in checking out:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/bonesmarties-with-ra.12620/
 
@kneeper
I'd like to get your thoughts on a therapy I just started(I've had two sessions).
It's a an electrical stimulation to help build muscle strength.
Specifically it's on a Chattanooga Intelect unit using "Russian" pulse setting.
Electrodes are attached to inner operated knee and about midway up the top of the thigh,with the leg slightly bent.
When I feel the stimulation,I straighten the leg a couple of times or so during stimulation,or about 10 secs.
The stim stays off about 30 secs,then repeat.
Total session about 10 minutes.
Any comments at all are welcome,as I've never had any of this type of therapy at all.
Just plain curiosity on my part.
 
Another intermittent update:)
Therapy is going quite well,measured flex yesterday @ 121 degrees,continuing e-stim of left leg,did well on both short and regular stair risers,increasing weight(where applicable)slowly but steadily,same with # of reps and sets on all exercises.
My therapists let me walk several paces with out crutches or canes,but admonished me not to try it without them!
I'm happy but admittedly tired.

Dave
 
OldHippie said:
Hmm,I had cortisone injections very early in my therapy,before the RA was diagnosed.I may float that balloon to my OS and/or therapists.
Click to expand...
I had the SynVisc injections in both knees that worked all of three days!! Even though they did not work, I still had to, for some reason, go through the entire protocol and get the other two injections in the ensuing weeks.

Cortisone actually gave me about eight months of relief---three carefully spaced-out injections in each knee prior to my BTKR.
 
I had unsuccessful (and painful) synvisc injections in El Jefe before they would agree to operate. I suspect it was a requirement of insurance to exhaust all non-surgical options. By the 3rd injection my knee was very sore.

The cortisone injections really work well but started to wear off in less than a month.
 
Sorry for the delay in responding @OldHippie as I just saw your post. If it feels like it's helping, the estim probably doesn't do any harm, but I don't know much about it. It sounds like you're doing really well.
 
@kneeper No problem at all.I'm just curious about all this stuff pertaining to surgery,recovery,PT.
So far my therapists have treated me well,so if they like it,I like it.
Thanks,the knee is awesome it seems.
Onward through the fog.


Dave
 
referee54 said:
That was what was explained to me---they try the least invasive first before the go "nuclear."
Click to expand...
Yep. I had to go through the process too. Once both cotizone and Synvisc were deemed to have failed in my left knee, my OS and insurance company played me for TKR. Luckily, Synvisc gives me relief in my right knee.

I have a sister that lives in Santa Fe. I love New Mexico and lots of old hippies there

Sounds like your recovery is progressing well.
 
@Wanttobebiking Thanks,my recovery is going as well as I dared hope.
Santa Fe is a wonderful place.
I love New Mexico as well.
If you go north on Hwy 285 out of Santa Fe to Alamosa,Colorado,you'll see all the old hippies you'll want to for awhile.:)
 
Another intermittent update:
Visited the OS on a 30 day followup of suture removal.He was very pleased.Happy with the appearance of the scar and the joint itself.Happy with my PT reports.He had me put down my cuff crutches and walk around the exam room a bit and he was happy with that.
So now I move forward some more.
We are ending PT after the order expires,I think another 6 sessions,maybe 8 I've lost track.
We want to wean off the crutches,so I'm breaking out my old cane.
I'll be doing my home exercises and starting to walk.
Boy,I'd really like to hear from one and all about the walking.
It's coming on spring and summer here,and in New Mexico that means heat and plenty of it.
I'm not about to overdo this you can bet.
I've got a fair sized yard with some paved walks and driveway,so I think I can start with circuits of the house,then the block working my way up.
But that pesky non-operated knee is going to rear it's head.
Can I get away with a knee brace on it?Should I?
Should I just find out what the limit on the bad knee is and leave it at that?
Ha,it seems we are constantly walking that line between too much and not enough doesn't it?:snork:
Thanks for your continued support.


Dave
 
Hi Dave,
Great report-congratulations!
I am about 2 weeks ahead of you. I started a regular walking routine just about 2 weeks ago. My objective is to be able to hike around Dinosaur National Monument at the end of May--and to hike locally as well.
The first few days I did a very easy walk on pavement with a very slight grade, and kept the walk to about 20 minutes total. That doubled the next few days. I'm now doing about an hour long walk. I've graduated to dirt roads, mostly flat, but a little rolling. I don't feel stable on the uneven surfaces and steeper parts, so I am extra careful, but I am not using a brace or a walking stick.
How bad is your bad knee?
Jan
 
Hi Dave - I too have swapped my good and bad knees. El Jefe is now my "good" knee and the non-surgical knee is swiftly becoming the "bad". I think El Jefe will experience a coup real soon.

Anywho - I do "easy walking" and I pay for pushing pace or distance with one or both knees complaining. Trying to think back to where I was at 10 weeks - I know I had returned to work at 6.5 weeks, think I was just winding down PT and remember vividly that stamina was the major complaint especially after a full day at work and a PT session. I didn't do a walking "program", I just walked. Alot. As often as I felt up to it. I know back in September, inclines required effort but declines required more effort and a lot more care. I think your plan to start with walks around the house, then around the property, then around the block is sound and will allow you to gauge your very unique tolerances and limits. Take your cane whether you use it or not. You know the adage - better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Good luck.
 
Jan,
Very nice and thanks.I believe you answered my question and I feel silly not thinking of it.
After I get used to the walking and walking again with the cane,I'll measure the time it takes for the non-operated knee to start singing to me while still right by the house.
Then my first walks can be set at half that time or slightly less,and hopefully build up.
As for the knee in question,my OS said they graded the knees from 1(pristine) to 4(ruined)and both mine were 4+.
We chose the left to operate on first simply because it caused the most pain and swelling.
Of course that's no longer the case LOL.

Dave
 
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