Hi my fellow ACI'ers
I hope everyone had an awesome and pain free holiday!! I thought I should give you all a quick update. So I DID have the TKR on 12/2 and so far have survived a little over 3 weeks post op. I won't lie friends, it has been extremely painful and leading up to the surgery I was getting super anxious and really did not know if I had 1 more in me, but.......I did it.......honestly, it has been surprisingly painful. The difference is there is absolutely NO pain in my joint......I will say that again because it seems utterly impossible.....there is absolutely NO pain in my joint!! Can I get a WOOHOOO!!! However.....there is serious pain.....just about everywhere else! :)
I'll also say, that my last post I talked about being in prime condition heading into the TKR.....and I absolutely followed everything I planned out. I ate super healthy, exercised and went to spin 5 days a week, and also went to acupuncture every week for the 4 weeks leading up to the surgery......there is nothing else I could have done to be better prepared. However.....I don't remember reading anywhere OR hearing anyone discuss how quickly your calf, hamstring, and quad basically clamp down and really don't want to move.....is it possible I missed this key information and was caught off guard? Oh well......moving on.... It has been pretty tough.....I'll update quickly on the exercise I'm doing and what I've done since the surgery.
The doctor recommends home PT for 2 weeks following surgery.....as you all know...I've been in therapy for so long I'll only let my favorite therapist touch my knee.......so I nixed the home therapy part and starting at PT the 5th day after surgery. In saying that......it was probably the best and the worst thing I've ever done. When I say I felt like shit, that is an understatement....however, it did give me an opportunity to leave the house. My first visit I was able to get around on the bike after a few minutes, range of motion on the ball, and flexion was 110 degrees.....which is INSANE!!!! My therapist was blown away......it was pretty cool. I haven't had much trouble with flexion, although my quad has been slow to fully turn back on.....but I digress. The following 4 appts were basically the same. I should also add, starting on day 6, I started riding my bike in the basement and the first couple tries was riding at about 4 miles an hour. Over the last couple weeks I've been riding 2x 30 minutes and am up to 7.5 miles every 1/2 hour......or riding close to 15 miles an hour and 15 miles a day. Riding's been fantastic...makes me feel better and allows my new knee to get stretched out.
This week.....therapy includes: wall sits (today I did 2 for 1 min and 1 for 30), ball range of motion, bike for 10, total gym squats 4x10, tke 4x10 with orange band, quad sets 4x10, and stretching 4x30 seconds. I'll add that today.....FOR THE FIRST TIME......I was able to get my foot off the table doing quad sets with the foam roller......basically like a short arc....seems like small potatoes but really was pretty exciting! At home I basically alternate ice and heat for pretty much the entire day and work frequently on stretching my calf and hamstring.
That's all I've got for now.......heading into the new year.......I am looking forward to continued recovery and a LONG stretch of NO surgeries!! :)
Now that I'm feeling better and am back to PT fulltime, I'll keep my progress updated!
Ralean
