Surgical Rehabilitation

[Alaska]

Thanks Q for your input on the "junior" who needs that sort of advice.

I have another issue, I have recently undergone knee replacement surgery, due to previous sporting misadventures.
I now need to rehabilitate to a new level, I have an aspiration to scale mountains I have not previously been able to, that I have never been able to . I have some very ambitious aims to change my ways from recent history to previous history

I unfortunately have let myself go in the last few years as I discovered a 20 minute walk was impossible.
I have blasted out of the gates with rehab in the first two weeks as far as km travelled and time spent on "REHAB"
I have lost 8kg .......many more needed
When I am back in my normal state of 12 hours in front of a PC................ I need a plan?
I have always been a believer of exercise and a good diet (duromine?) getting me to where I need to be.
I would like some ideas on knee rehab to help me through the next few weeks?

Some may know you have good days and bad days.

[kickinit]

personaly if you have just had a knee replacement i'd be speaking to the surgeon and a physio. the last thing you want to do is stuff it up and have to have another. if you don't mind me asking how old are you?

[Q.]

Hesitant to offer you advice on this one. You should really just follow the directive of a doc or physio as far as rehab exercises go.

All I can say at this point is to stay committed, as it's consistency that brings results.

[Alaska]

personaly if you have just had a knee replacement i'd be speaking to the surgeon and a physio. the last thing you want to do is stuff it up and have to have another. if you don't mind me asking how old are you?

Unfortunately due to the cartilages being taken out at 19 my right side was 2 and a half inches shorter so it was done 5 years earlier than the surgeon would have liked (early 50s).

[dedja]

Q's exactly right about the rehab program from the doc and physio, but swimming and cycling would have to be right up there.

My knees are carp so I can't do any amount of running before they sell up like watermelons, but cycling is great ... very little impact on joint.

[kickinit]

personaly if you have just had a knee replacement i'd be speaking to the surgeon and a physio. the last thing you want to do is stuff it up and have to have another. if you don't mind me asking how old are you?

Unfortunately due to the cartilages being taken out at 19 my right side was 2 and a half inches shorter so it was done 5 years earlier than the surgeon would have liked (early 50s).

Was just asking as we had a guy at work that need a replacement but the surgeon told him he wouldn't do it as would need another as it wouldn't last.

[heater31]

personaly if you have just had a knee replacement i'd be speaking to the surgeon and a physio. the last thing you want to do is stuff it up and have to have another. if you don't mind me asking how old are you?

Unfortunately due to the cartilages being taken out at 19 my right side was 2 and a half inches shorter so it was done 5 years earlier than the surgeon would have liked (early 50s).

Was just asking as we had a guy at work that need a replacement but the surgeon told him he wouldn't do it as would need another as it wouldn't last.

My old man has the same advice. Went to the same surgeon 20 years apart. Told him no you can last a few more years yet as the arthritis pain you describe is not bad enough. He will be 60 this year and is in the small percentage group that feels little to no pain from knee arthritis.

[Mickyj]

As someone who has had 3 knee clean outs starting in my mid 30's . I have been reading this topic with interest .
My first cleanout they found an ulcer and when I recovered the pain while recovering was awful.
Second cleanout and I'd lost 25 or so kilo's .I felt like I could have run a marathon no pain fantastic .
Third cleanout and I had stacked the weight back on .This time they were going to replace the knee .A week before they decided against it and cleaned it out . Like number 1 time the pain was awful and I decided not to go back !!
Ive had bone scrapped off an ulcer removed and cartalidge trimmed !!
Been told way back to get a desk job and then go to a gym and work out .While I attempted to get a desk job my employer said no way .
I have had periods where the pain has been that bad I've begged GP's for panadine forte .And I even had a year roughly easter 2011 to easter 2012 with no pain !!
I started walking again after work was ok for a couple of days went to the local GP who told me not to walk after work . He was going to wrap me in cotton wool until I turn 60 so my knee will last till the replacement !!
So any useful info I will glady use

[Squids]

You are still getting out for a fish fairly often though micky, thats all that matters

[Mickyj]

You are still getting out for a fish fairly often though micky, thats all that matters

Yep the best thing I'm 2 weeks in to my 4 weeks leave(saving my money for my divorce a few weeks away) .Been out just about every day no work means knee pain goes away .
Yes it can go on me while wheeling a shopping trolley but the ache goes

[Alaska]

Well 5 weeks down and I am happy but the surgeon is not!
It would appear, as has been suggested here that the surgeons and physio's advice was most important but unfortunately, did not quite provide me with enough information to succeed?
I was given exercises and told to walk as much as I could, I dutifully did this 4 to 5 times a day (not much else to do with daytime TV), In fact 2 to 3 km a day by week 4.
I think because I was a star in Hospital and received a "get out of hospital early card" I was considered a motzer for early rehab!
I saw the surgeon last week and he said I was worse on his KPI's than when I left hospital (pity his KPI's and mine were different).
I have now spent the most painful day of the whole process trying to meet his KPI's (Degree of bend and degree of straight). Under the threat of him putting me under and forcing the issue?
I had been spending too much time on distance and not enough on flexibility!

So please learn from my experience!

[gadj1976]

There are always 'bad stories' Alaska and mine is about a friend of mine who's mum had a replacement. She had terrible trouble starting off rehab because of underlying pain and the knee pretty much had to be fused because the flexibility just wasn't returning.

So the moral of the story, BEND till it hurts.

[Alaska]

There are always 'bad stories' Alaska and mine is about a friend of mine who's mum had a replacement. She had terrible trouble starting off rehab because of underlying pain and the knee pretty much had to be fused because the flexibility just wasn't returning.

So the moral of the story, BEND till it hurts.

Oh I am.............. I am................. I unfortunately have read a lot of the bad stories on the net before I went in!

[Mickyj]

There are always 'bad stories' Alaska and mine is about a friend of mine who's mum had a replacement. She had terrible trouble starting off rehab because of underlying pain and the knee pretty much had to be fused because the flexibility just wasn't returning.

So the moral of the story, BEND till it hurts.

Oh I am.............. I am................. I unfortunately have read a lot of the bad stories on the net before I went in!

And my dad is going strong said once they took it out the pain stopped

[scoob]

I've had my right knee reconstructed 3 times... so differnt op/procedure but the surgeons first priority is to get the flex back in the knee... but also the ability to straighten the knee...

Spent many a night with a shopping bag for of weights tied around my knee forcing it to straighten.

Just do what the surgeon/physio say - to the letter... take notes or ask for sheets showing the excercises required..... and ask questions!!!! More questions the better - there are no stupid questions.

[Alaska]

2 months down and things are on the up.
PROS
Walking 10 km per week.
Riding 12 km per week should be doing more.
Surgeon happy doesn't want to see me till 3 month X Rays (the bend is good).
Pain now is only the muscles being pushed by the exercise still need to use ice though.
I have been able to do a song and dance routine at the Melbourne Town Hall as a part of the Comedy Festival.
CONS
Everyone now thinks I am normal until I get to stairs , I have to still take them one at a time (some folk were very frustrated at the Festival.
Physio and I still not happy The STRAIGHT is improving but still requires a lot more work.