I'm comfortably resting in the hospital bed with my new knee. The surgeon told my wife two interesting things:
1) the ACL in the affected knee was gone! I wonder when that happened.
2) he was able to fully extend my knee, something I haven't been able to do since 1988.
I got a spinal block for the surgery - very little hang over. Right now a very effective mix of meds is swirling around inside me and I'm a happy camper. The PT went well and they may discharge me tomorrow.
Total Knee Replacement
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dieselrower1k
- JV
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 12:13 pm
- Location: St.Cloud, Florida
Re: Total Knee Replacement
Glad to hear everything went well! Now it's up to you with the rehab. 
Re: Total Knee Replacement
Excellent! Please do take it easy for a little while, don't be faked into overdoing it too early...good luck!
Re: Total Knee Replacement
I was discharged the day after surgery, and I've been pretty comfortable at home. Better living through chemistry! I am doing some of the exercises, but I'm going easy on it. My first PT session is tomorrow.
Re: Total Knee Replacement
Update:
I am 2 weeks and 5 days from the surgery, and the recovery is going really, really well, infinitely better than I thought it would. I went home the day after surgery, and Nurse Margie took over. She is no-nonsense, so I have had to be a model patient.
I've been able to taper the pain meds down considerably, and the PA says that what I'm taking is fine. Most people take something for 8 weeks or so post-op, particularly at night. The oxy does cause constipation, another incentive to get off it, and I think it suppresses appetite, which is probably good, considering all of the couch time I'm doing.
The staples came out Tuesday. It's nice not to have look at them. Next week I can frolic to my heart's content in pools, bath tubs, lakes or oceans. I am doing a small amount of walking without crutches, otherwise with one crutch. I'm also using "the" leg for climbing a few steps. Marissa, the physical therapist, is very happy with my progress: my flexion is 108 degrees and extension is 1 degree short of full.
The worst part is that I have to wear these white, full-length compression stockings for 8 hours per day (not while in bed) to help prevent blood clots. I'm all in favor of that, but they make a pretty bizarre fashion statement with shorts, especially Madras. Maybe I'm wrong. Margie saw a fellow in the neighborhood wearing some while walking his dog. Perhaps he was worried about sun exposure.
It's good that I was still in fairly good shape when I had the surgery. I had been playing soccer until March, and had been going to yoga and rowing and paddling/surfing until just before the surgery. Had I postponed it for as long as possible, as I was tempted to do, I would have just slid downhill from a fitness standpoint. Glad I didn't do that.
I'm not sure when I'll be able to start rowing again, either on the water or the machine - sliding forward to the catch could be painful.
Anybody have any experience on this or suggestions as to when would be the right time?
I am 2 weeks and 5 days from the surgery, and the recovery is going really, really well, infinitely better than I thought it would. I went home the day after surgery, and Nurse Margie took over. She is no-nonsense, so I have had to be a model patient.
I've been able to taper the pain meds down considerably, and the PA says that what I'm taking is fine. Most people take something for 8 weeks or so post-op, particularly at night. The oxy does cause constipation, another incentive to get off it, and I think it suppresses appetite, which is probably good, considering all of the couch time I'm doing.
The staples came out Tuesday. It's nice not to have look at them. Next week I can frolic to my heart's content in pools, bath tubs, lakes or oceans. I am doing a small amount of walking without crutches, otherwise with one crutch. I'm also using "the" leg for climbing a few steps. Marissa, the physical therapist, is very happy with my progress: my flexion is 108 degrees and extension is 1 degree short of full.
The worst part is that I have to wear these white, full-length compression stockings for 8 hours per day (not while in bed) to help prevent blood clots. I'm all in favor of that, but they make a pretty bizarre fashion statement with shorts, especially Madras. Maybe I'm wrong. Margie saw a fellow in the neighborhood wearing some while walking his dog. Perhaps he was worried about sun exposure.
It's good that I was still in fairly good shape when I had the surgery. I had been playing soccer until March, and had been going to yoga and rowing and paddling/surfing until just before the surgery. Had I postponed it for as long as possible, as I was tempted to do, I would have just slid downhill from a fitness standpoint. Glad I didn't do that.
I'm not sure when I'll be able to start rowing again, either on the water or the machine - sliding forward to the catch could be painful.
Anybody have any experience on this or suggestions as to when would be the right time?Re: Total Knee Replacement
Good work. Why aren't you using Colace (stool softener) while you are still taking pain meds? It makes life infinitely easier. Go get some.
In terms of rowing, I think the single biggest issue will be getting into and out of the boat. Things we took for granted now require just a little bit of planning. But, my doc absolutely encouraged rowing because it didn't put weight on while compressing...you will only basically go as far forward as your knee will allow. When you start back, your range of motion will be limited. However, you should be in a position to start in the October time frame.
Yes, those support hose do make fashion statements!Good for you for wrestling them on...the alternative could be bad!
Keep up the good work.
In terms of rowing, I think the single biggest issue will be getting into and out of the boat. Things we took for granted now require just a little bit of planning. But, my doc absolutely encouraged rowing because it didn't put weight on while compressing...you will only basically go as far forward as your knee will allow. When you start back, your range of motion will be limited. However, you should be in a position to start in the October time frame.
Yes, those support hose do make fashion statements!Good for you for wrestling them on...the alternative could be bad!
Keep up the good work.
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bendtheoar
- Grand Puba
- Posts: 738
- Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:02 am
!!!
Just want to say great job and good luck with the recuperation!!! Everyone who I know who has had either knee or hip replacements has done very well, and particularly well if they were determined to get back to enjoyable activities. You will be on the water before you know it and we will all be cheering you on!! Take care.
Larry
Larry
Re: Total Knee Replacement
Sarge, I have been taking stool softeners and laxatives faithfully. That end of things has been going well - I was commenting more about the reduced appetite.
I bought a Water Rower last winter, which I enjoyed. I hope to get back to it soon - maybe next week. October is a good goal for getting on the water - around here, it starts to cool off then
Thanks all for the advice, encouragement and good wishes.
I bought a Water Rower last winter, which I enjoyed. I hope to get back to it soon - maybe next week. October is a good goal for getting on the water - around here, it starts to cool off then
Thanks all for the advice, encouragement and good wishes.
Re: Total Knee Replacement
I'm almost 3 months from the surgery. My extension is full, with a little coaxing, and flexion is 126º. The PT said I'm close to being turned loose.
Last Saturday, with the surgeon's OK, I played "old man" soccer for about an hour with a mid-point break. Although I'm out of shape, it was great to be back.
On rowing, I want to work on the WaterRower a few times before trying it on the water - I'm not sure what I can do with 126º flexion.
Last Saturday, with the surgeon's OK, I played "old man" soccer for about an hour with a mid-point break. Although I'm out of shape, it was great to be back.
On rowing, I want to work on the WaterRower a few times before trying it on the water - I'm not sure what I can do with 126º flexion.
Re: Total Knee Replacement
Old Man Soccer! Wow. That's something!
I would have thought rowing well before running on the soccer field.
With respect to the rowing...develop your plan for getting in and out of the boat. That's the one tricky part. Keep up the good work.
I would have thought rowing well before running on the soccer field.
With respect to the rowing...develop your plan for getting in and out of the boat. That's the one tricky part. Keep up the good work.
Re: Total Knee Replacement
I would have thought the same thing, but the flexion seems to be more important for rowing than "old man soccer." I say this because I got on the WaterRower for little while yesterday, and 126º flexion is not quite enough for me. I feel like I will get to 130º which ought to do it. Getting in the boat is pretty easy. I have to car-top around here, and I usually go to a spot where I wade in. Our lakes are not too cold yet.
I am soooo f**king glad I had this done. I almost chickened out a few times. What a mistake that would have been. In the end, I decided to stop thinking about it and just show up at the appointed time and place. Today has been three months since the surgery, and I cannot believe how much better everything is: my knee, my attitude, my overall sense of well-being, my legs are the same length again, and on and on.
I am soooo f**king glad I had this done. I almost chickened out a few times. What a mistake that would have been. In the end, I decided to stop thinking about it and just show up at the appointed time and place. Today has been three months since the surgery, and I cannot believe how much better everything is: my knee, my attitude, my overall sense of well-being, my legs are the same length again, and on and on.
Re: Total Knee Replacement
That is great. I have yet to meet someone who regretted the surgery, often they regret not getting it sooner
Re: Total Knee Replacement
I was "released" from PT a few weeks ago. I went for my first row this morning, and it was so nice out on the water: glassy flat, about 65º F, and a light fog. I did about 35 minutes with a few minutes break about 1/2 way through. It felt really good.
Flexion in the new knee is about 127º. The therapist told me they rarely see anything above 130º, but I'm continuing to work on it, as well as extension. I'm wondering if there are any rigging adjustments that would make sense with less compression. I may post something on the Rigging thread, but please chime in if anything occurs to you.
Cheers!
Flexion in the new knee is about 127º. The therapist told me they rarely see anything above 130º, but I'm continuing to work on it, as well as extension. I'm wondering if there are any rigging adjustments that would make sense with less compression. I may post something on the Rigging thread, but please chime in if anything occurs to you.
Cheers!
Re: Total Knee Replacement
So, here are a couple of things to try...
Try lowering your feet and perhaps making the angle on the foot board a little shallower (maybe 5 degrees). In addition, add a seat pad to get a little height over your feet. You may have to swap a spacer or two on your oarlocks (from above to below) if you are overly sensitive to height adjustments.
That is excellent news. Keep up the good work. Don't rely on or be limited by other data, just do what you can do...
Try lowering your feet and perhaps making the angle on the foot board a little shallower (maybe 5 degrees). In addition, add a seat pad to get a little height over your feet. You may have to swap a spacer or two on your oarlocks (from above to below) if you are overly sensitive to height adjustments.
That is excellent news. Keep up the good work. Don't rely on or be limited by other data, just do what you can do...
Re: Total Knee Replacement
Great job with your recovery and glad to hear you're doing so well. A huge part is motivation of the patient so you've obviously helped your cause a lot. The components are not really designed to go much more than 130 degrees so if you did push it to an extreme it could be at the expense of stability at mid-flexion or extension, which you wouldn't want! You would have to really, really push yourself (hurt yourself even) to push it too far so as long as you fell like what you're doing is "sensible" it's probably ok. You know, something like deep leg presses with 500 pounds to crush your knee back into 160 degrees of flexion is probably bad, and it sounds bad.Bull City wrote:I was "released" from PT a few weeks ago. I went for my first row this morning, and it was so nice out on the water: glassy flat, about 65º F, and a light fog. I did about 35 minutes with a few minutes break about 1/2 way through. It felt really good.
Flexion in the new knee is about 127º. The therapist told me they rarely see anything above 130º, but I'm continuing to work on it, as well as extension. I'm wondering if there are any rigging adjustments that would make sense with less compression. I may post something on the Rigging thread, but please chime in if anything occurs to you.
Cheers!
Definitely lower the seat on erg and boat to help the rest of your body adjust to your new knee flexion limits. Have fun, you shouldn't hurt your knee replacement rowing. The morning stiffness and stiffness after you've been still for an hour or so takes a year or more to go away, and you'll have a new weather vane in your knee too. Did you tell us what kind of knee replacement you had?