My knee-replacement thread; comments and suggestions welcome.

I haven't had anything new to report. I have been taking only two Tramadol a day, and less of everything else. I am trying no Tramadol at all today, and will see how I feel tomorrow. I have another P.T. session Thursday afternoon, and my three-week follow-up is Friday morning.

I am walking around normally; gait, stride, balance, etc. Going up and down stairs causes a twinge of pain at the moment the knee is most angled, but not enough to affect my momentum. Standing up from sitting is easier, and only the first step takes a moment to bear weight.

Overall, this has been much easier and quicker than either hip replacement, and I recovered similarly quickly after both of those. I think weakness and balance were more apparent than pain with the hips, and likewise with the knee. Weight bearing has not been difficult for me.

Maybe it's due to my positive attitude and enthusiasm, genetics, the pre-surgery therapy, talented surgeons, or sheer luck. Whatever it is, I'll take it.
 
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Well, I went out and did it. I sat on the 1300. I uncovered the back two thirds, just exposing the grips, held onto them and carefully swung my right leg back and up and over the seat (top box is not on the bike), and down to the pavement on the other side.

Not only was it not difficult, it was at least as easy as it has been in the past. I stood it up and felt the weight to both sides. I'm definitely not ready to ride just yet, but soon. I want to be sure about my weight bearing while my leg is in motion, not just when stationary.

New Year's Day is supposed to be decent. Hmmm. :unsure:
 
Uncle Phil said:
The issue will not be sitting on the bike - the issue will be 'can you hold it up when stopped?'.
Make sure of that before you get too far from the house. ;)
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Absolutely agreed! That's why I said, "I'm definitely not ready to ride just yet, but soon. I want to be sure about my weight bearing while my leg is in motion, not just when stationary."

I know very well what it takes to reliably hold a bike up, and what it feels like when you can't. If you think back to past WV- and OH-STOCs, you've seen me struggle when stopping.
 
Larry Fine said:
Absolutely agreed! That's why I said, "I'm definitely not ready to ride just yet, but soon. I want to be sure about my weight bearing while my leg is in motion, not just when stationary."

I know very well what it takes to reliably hold a bike up, and what it feels like when you can't. If you think back to past WV- and OH-STOCs, you've seen me struggle when stopping.
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Yes, and remember, your leg is probably not as strong right now as it was then.
Joint replacements seem to really 'whack' muscle strength - at least for me.
Depending on the 'flex' in your ankle, using the foot 'stuff' maybe a little bit of a challenge as some 'foot motions' use the thigh muscle a bit.
 
Okay, Christmas day update. I have taken no Tramadol or Tylenol yesterday or today, one Naproxin and one daily aspirin last night, and nothing else. I am still pain-free walking, and I can go up and down stairs using only my elbows against the walls for stability.

As soon as I finish my bowl of multi-grain Cheerios with banana, I'm going to go outside and sit on the bike again. I want to see how well I can lean it and try my foot up on the foot-peg. I need to make sure the necessary knee bend is within my range of motion.
 
Update update: yes, I can lean the bike to the right and hold it with my leg straight; yes, I can put my right foot on the peg and keep it there comfortably; yes, we all know riding is very different.

I would say that I am just about even with my pre-surgery condition. I am now looking at the weather forecast. Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday look decent, with Monday being the warmest.

Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything careless or foolish until after my next P.T. on Thursday and my follow-up with the surgeon on Friday. Only then will I do something careless and foolish.
 
I’m sittin’ here with my heel propped up on a stool and ~5lbs of weight hanging on my knee. Not fun but trying hard to achieve 0° extension. It’s looking like this is going to be where I need to do the most work. Flexion is at 112° my last PT session and is coming along faster this time than it did for my left knee a couple years ago.
 
I manged to just exceed 120 degrees today. I'm also still working on straightening.

I'm not at full zero extension yet, but I am straighter than I was before the surgery.

My exercise is to lay on my stomach with my leg from the knee down hanging off.
 
Let's see what's new. I had P.T. Thursday afternoon, did cycling, stepping up and down, high-stepping with resistance, stepping over a row of cups, and the treadmill backwards; that was weird. They worked me so hard (not complaining) that my left leg was a little sore after, but not the operated leg.

I exceeded 120 degrees of flexion, and extension, while not quite zero degrees yet, is much better than before the surgery. I can also kneel on the new knee on a padded surface like my bed or a therapy table. The swelling is just about gone, the scar looks months old, and I slept in my bed last night.

I'm going to post some progress pics.
 
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That looks too be pretty invasive, Larry. Fortunately for those of us in the Western World, by far there are more successful replacements than there are horror stories these days, although we see those too.

Glad it's working out for you, at 67 I don't have any clues or hints or foreboding that this ordeal is in my future. Not like I'm some prescient soothsayer, and Lord knows things change.

The growing number of peers and people I know who have this done, most often tell everyone it's an improvement, and worth all they have to go through.

Praying it is that way for you as well.
 
My scar is looking pretty good now too, almost the same as my left knee that’s over 2.5 years old.
 

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Sadlsor said:
Praying it is that way for you as well.
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Thanx! :giggle:

I forgot to mention, I went to my 3-week (+3 days) follow-up yesterday (Friday) morning. I saw an assistant, not the surgeon, who said everything looks good, but also warned me about overdoing it.

I asked what the symptoms would be, and she described them, none of which I've had. Since I've been driving since day three, I didn't think to ask about being cleared for it. Don't ask/don't tell, I guess.
 
Larry Fine said:
I decided to start my own thread instead of (or in addition to :giggle: ) continuing to comment in other members' threads.

I'll try to keep you updated until that morning, and try to check in on my phone when I'm awake enough to remember.

I am to arrive at the hospital 8:30 am Tuesday. I won't know until after surgery whether I will come home the same day.

I set up a sofa to sleep on on the kitchen and bath level, and I'll bring my laptop down Monday night and sleep there.

I already have both a walker and cane from my previous hip replacements, and I bought a cold-water therapy system.

I plan on taking nothing stronger than Tramadol as I did with both hips. The surgeon said he will prescribe four a day.

I am doing daily showers with the antiseptic scrub, and they said five times instead of twice. I guess I'm extra germy.

So, the main thing I have to look forward to is getting those first steps out of the way while I'm still on pain-blockers.
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Best of luck on your recovery Larry.

My wife is 2 weeks out on hers. Ugh. She's very pain averse and falling behind on her PT despite my urging. Hard to watch. Taking care of her the first week was a full time job but now that she's able to get up and around with the walker on her own it's better.
 
SilverSTreak said:
Good luck! Looking forward to the ride report
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Well, here it is: I went for a ride. It was totally uneventful, just like any other ride.

There was a twinge of pain when I first put my foot on the peg, but it soon passed.

I rode out to the boat ramp at Maidens, VA, stopped at Food Lion, and came home.

It was about 20 miles, 25 minutes each way. No pain or stiffness when I got home.

I'd have to say it was a success. :thumbsup:
 
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