Word of Warning

[dw6928]

Please bear in mind that our baby knees are just that. After 9 weeks I was at work and picked up a box containing a chandelier. It was awkward and way too heavy at this stage of recovery. Bottom line: I pulled 2 hamstring tendons and the lower part of the hamstring on my surgically repaired leg. The muscles and tendons in that area were insulted by surgery and are nowhere near as strong as needed for any kind of heavy lifting. This is very different than what goes on in PT> Please don't be as foolish as I. The pain is terrible and I am back to a cane (which I haven't touched since I left rehab 7 weeks ago) and am limping around like I just came out of surgery.

 

[JenniferG]

I get so focused on the knees, i forget other things need to heal, mind body & spirit. feel better soon

 

[Jamie]

So sorry to hear of your setback, but I appreciate the warning. It is easy to think everything is just fine and that you can do more than you should. I never gave much thought to lifting, but I definitely will now. Here's hoping you are past this crisis quickly!

 

[Doug]

dw, very good advise. Ice, Ice.

 

[dw6928]

I do but for me, heat feels so much better and yet ice is better for the hamstring. Wish the heat didn't bring all the excess blood to the pulled area, essentially making the trauma worse. Ice, as we all know and love, does the opposite. Heat is like comfort food.

 

[beachcomber]

love that analogy! Heating pads, hot tub, and macaroni and cheese..... These are a few of my favorite things..... (she breaks into song ala Julie Andrews)

I just got back from a "drop in " visit to PT and 15 minutes on the Nu-Step and my hamstrings are achy, achy. Here I sit---- ice pack and heating pad in place.....

 

[Doug]

I 100% agree about the heat. I do confess, several weeks ago I was cold but it was time to ice the knee. I wrapped the heating pad on it. Felt Sooooo good. After about 10 minutes I felt like I was sinning or something so I took it off and iced it.

 

[Pattipoo]

I agree DW...Today my OS looked at my chart and saw I'm almost 3 months....he looked at me and said "You're SO early in this game...you gotta give it a year".
Hope your booboo feels much better very soon.

 

[dw6928]

I can't find a decent place to lay down, any wrong angle and it is like an electric shock back in the hamstring. Hurts about the same as the knee at about 2 weeks. Where did I put my Percocet?

 

[beachcomber]

My PT has said I (thus you too since I am a few weeks ahead of you) can now choose between heat and ice-- whichever seems like it would feel the best at the time. Heat is a no-no for recent injuries and surgeries but after about 6 weeks it is ok. My favorite time in PT is at the end of my session when I lie on my stomach on the therapy table (with my face peeking through the little hole) and they zap my knee and back with their double channel e-stim machine, wrap my knee in ice and lay this big, warm weighted heating pad over my back. I leave so relaxed and all is right with the world for a good 20 minutes or so....

 

[dw6928]

been there, love it!

 

[beachcomber]

oops.... reply was to Doug's heating pad "confession"

My PT has said I (thus you too since I am a few weeks ahead of you) can now choose between heat and ice-- whichever seems like it would feel the best at the time. Heat is a no-no for recent injuries and surgeries but after about 6 weeks it is ok. My favorite time in PT is at the end of my session when I lie on my stomach on the therapy table (with my face peeking through the little hole) and they zap my knee and back with their double channel e-stim machine, wrap my knee in ice and lay this big, warm weighted heating pad over my back. I leave so relaxed and all is right with the world for a good 20 minutes or so....

 

[Doug]

That does it then. Plug in the heating pad.

 

[Skeet]

YES! I love to be warm... why am I in Oregon?? I am in the retreat right now with a fuzzy blanket, a heated throw, and the heating pad. Three dogs at my feet and John Wayne (Sands of Iwo Jima) on the TV... I'd go in the hot tub but we have strong, cold winds and I hate being cold!!

Sorry to hear about your setback DW. Seems like we all have to over do something to "get it". My husband suggested I keep a journal of what I do and how much I work my knee each day and how much pain I am in so I can balance activity and pain better. As usual, he's right ;)

 

[Doug]

Skeet, I'm sitting here watching the Duke (Sgt. Stryker) getting his orders for the Patrol and meeting at the "NIP tank"
My male boxer up between my legs on the ottoman.
Don't get no better!!!

 

[Josephine]

Bearing in mind the Health and Safety advice on Manual Handling says you should never pick up anything more than 5kgs without bending your knees and squatting, I am not surprised you strained stuff! Now you know better!

 

[Newwoman]

Doug
Did you say you have a boxer? Is it's ears clipped? We had a male boxer Henry for 10 years before he died and he was the best ever. He was such a part of our family that the weekend he died all the girls came home to spend time with him and see him one more time. We've never had another dog after Henry, just didn't think we could find another.
Cathy

 

[referee54]

Skeet, I'm sitting here watching the Duke (Sgt. Stryker) getting his orders for the Patrol and meeting at the "NIP tank"
My male boxer up between my legs on the ottoman.
Don't get no better!!!

When we get back from spring break, my cinema students will be watching Saving Private Ryan and the Sands of Iwo Jima...they will have to write a paper on the moral of ...Private Ryan and as well as a paper contrasting the reality of ...Ryan to the propaganda of ...Iwo Jima...

doug, I expect your paper to be a minimum of seven paragraphs in length, double-spaced, with #12 Times New Roman font! You may email or fax it to me!

Tim C.

 

[Doug]

I have an 8 yr old female and a 2 1/2 year old male boxer. Neither one has clipped ears. These two are our 5th and 6th boxers. I just love their expressive faces and they play constantly. I think I posted a picture of them on the old thread "TKR patients rule".

Yep it's there I believe on page 12.

 

[Doug]

Ref, You have no idea how intimidating that is to me..Last time I did a paper it was on an electric typwriter and I had to use the old correction tape for a typo...No spell check. How did we survive??