Knee replacement

[sodamo]

Re bikes:

Just got home from picking mine up at Sears. They loaded it right onto the truck.
Haven't unloaded it yet, need to make room. Shouldn't be a big deal as should be able to back up within a foot or two from the slider into me office. Slide it down the tailgate and tip it into the room. Once together, an easy roll thru the doorway into the exercise area. Sure glad we built this house to be as much ADA.

As for bike itself, I had rather slim picking. Anything from online would have added shipping. Sports Authority is a 2 hour trip to other side of the island and return. Basically, Sears only 22 miles away. Budgetwise, the Proform 400R (same as Bird) and NordicTrack GX4.0. Most likely either would suffice, both are Icon products, but I chose the NordicTrack. Like Vernon, I liked the no stepover entry. The GX4.0 is over a foot shorter in length than the ProForm my friends lent me, although I did not find dimensions of the 400R. The GX4.0 also had 1 year warranty vs 90 days. I suspect I'll test it enough in a year. We had a NordicTrack treadmill for years - actually two as they replaced the first one.
Like Bird, I expect I'll be using the manual mode most although once I'm confident of my new knee I'll explore the weight loss programs that are built in. My understanding of IFit is it requires buying something else - NOT.
I feel a tad guilty for getting this as my wife can't use it. Only has about 15 degree flex in her left knee. Of course when and if she opts for getting it replaced, the bike will be here.

Looking forward to new non-tractor toy LOL

 

[Bird]

I did not find dimensions of the 400R.

About 57" long and 28" wide.

 

[sodamo]

About 57" long and 28" wide.

Thanks Bird

GX4.0 Assembled Dimensions: 52 L x 25.5 W x 51.5 H
Weight:124 lbs.

 

[Bird]

I didn't think about the height. Mine's only 45 inches high at the highest point. And you made me curious about the weight and I can't find that listed anywhere. I know it's pretty heavy, but can only guess it's over 100 pounds. The weight might have been on the shipping carton, but that's long gone.

 

[texbaylea]

Vernon

Good to hear from you. Can we assume you've beaten the infection?

David

I finished the course of antibiotic on Monday and so far there is no sign of a return of the infection. I see my surgeon tomorrow for the first visit since the surgery. I will let you know what he has to say.

Right after that appointment I will go to my third PT session. I have 3 more weeks of 3 sessions a week. I feel like that I lost ground after the infection took hold and will be working hard to make up condition.

How are you doing?

Vernon

 

[Dargo]

Interesting. I just had my 5th knee surgery on my right knee last week. This one is considerably more painful than past surgeries. I suppose this is due to the fact that besides a partially torn patellar tendon, torn meniscus and torn MCL, I required some grinding and 'smoothing' of my tibia. In no uncertain terms, I was told "this is it" after the surgery and that I'm looking at replacement if this doesn't work.

I'd like to consider myself relatively young, around 50, and I'm not excited at all about possibly having knee replacement already. There again, I'm exactly one week out from surgery and I am still in what I'd consider a pretty good amount of pain. I've had several injuries to this knee starting way back in HS football and racing motocross. I put off this last surgery until after my oldest daughter could get through her brain surgery. Now I still can't hardly walk, especially in the morning and evening and, unfortunately, my daughter was just told that she may have to have another brain surgery.

How long do most people go with either a bad limp or taking pain meds for a bad knee before replacement is a better option? Any thoughts from those who have been in this situation?

 

[Bird]

How long do most people go with either a bad limp or taking pain meds for a bad knee before replacement is a better option? Any thoughts from those who have been in this situation?

The problem is not knowing what's causing the problem, so sometimes don't know what to do about it. Three years ago, I was having quite a problem with my left knee. Walking hurt some and stairs were really tough. But I didn't go to the doctor and after a few months, it corrected itself. So when the right knee started giving me bad problems, I waited nearly a year before I gave up and went to a doctor. X-rays at that time, showed the left knee to be pretty good, but the right one in bad shape, so we tried injections and then the replacement.

And for you to be having the problem at your age is tough. When I was 53 and 54, I was doing gas leakage surveys and could walk all day with no problem. In fact, gas company employees couldn't keep up with me for 10 to 15 miles. But now . . . I don't know if I could walk 2 miles.

So I hope your knee improves, and I certainly hope all goes well for your daughter.

 

[sodamo]

I didn't think about the height. Mine's only 45 inches high at the highest point. And you made me curious about the weight and I can't find that listed anywhere. I know it's pretty heavy, but can only guess it's over 100 pounds. The weight might have been on the shipping carton, but that's long gone.

LOL now ya got me thinking... The bike my friends lent me is 65l x 48h x 23w .
Never really thought about the height, just the floorprint. When we designed the house we id'd one room (10x12) in the mastersuite as exercise room/caregiver's station for our dotage. Reality has added the function of canine support area - about half of the 10ft wall has become their feeding area. This room adjoins my office which adjoins the bedroom and has a pretty nice view (pic attached).

 

[sodamo]

David

I finished the course of antibiotic on Monday and so far there is no sign of a return of the infection. I see my surgeon tomorrow for the first visit since the surgery. I will let you know what he has to say.

Right after that appointment I will go to my third PT session. I have 3 more weeks of 3 sessions a week. I feel like that I lost ground after the infection took hold and will be working hard to make up condition.

How are you doing?

Vernon

Vernon

Glad to hear you beat the infection - that was an item that when my surgeon spoke his whole demeanor took on a level of seriousness. Got my attention. When I was doing wound care, I just didn't dab with an alcohol pad, I soaked her down with an alohol filled spray bottle - my wife's answer to windex LOL

What are you doing for PT between sessions? Any self directed exercise or riding your bike? My doc said two things were most important in my case: flex, which was accomplished via the bike and extension, via purposeful walking - the treadmill. Of course, I only had the partial so no idea how that might compare to a total.

I just made my appointment to see him Feb 9th, which is next time he is in the local office.

Yesterday was my first big day out and I might have over done it as when I did my treadmill later, I had a new sense of pain, but seems to be gone this morning. Guess I was feeling too good and got a bit ahead of myself. Hard to believe it's only been 2 weeks.

Keep it up and make progress, we'er all pulling fot ya.

 

[texbaylea]

LOL now ya got me thinking... The bike my friends lent me is 65l x 48h x 23w .
Never really thought about the height, just the floorprint. When we designed the house we id'd one room (10x12) in the mastersuite as exercise room/caregiver's station for our dotage. Reality has added the function of canine support area - about half of the 10ft wall has become their feeding area. This room adjoins my office which adjoins the bedroom and has a pretty nice view (pic attached).

David
At least you did some preplanning. Our house is small and we have some additions in mind. Starting about 3 years ago we built a carport and added a 6' storage area across the end. When I fell and broke my femur we were kicking ourselves for not making that area about 15' wide to make some exercise space. The next addition was to take out 2 sliding patio doors and the fireplace in between. Who needs a fireplace in Texas? Then we added a 24' by 12' kitchen against that wall. Now the next planned addition is a 40' by 40' master suite and "living room" which will be used as an exercise room for a while.

The new master suite will accommodate wheelchairs with a low curb shower. The present area won't allow wheelchairs and barely my walker if I side step.

This land was in my mother's family that I just had to buy back when my idiot cousins just had to sell their part.

Vernon

 

[sodamo]

Interesting. I just had my 5th knee surgery on my right knee last week. This one is considerably more painful than past surgeries. I suppose this is due to the fact that besides a partially torn patellar tendon, torn meniscus and torn MCL, I required some grinding and 'smoothing' of my tibia. In no uncertain terms, I was told "this is it" after the surgery and that I'm looking at replacement if this doesn't work.

I'd like to consider myself relatively young, around 50, and I'm not excited at all about possibly having knee replacement already. There again, I'm exactly one week out from surgery and I am still in what I'd consider a pretty good amount of pain. I've had several injuries to this knee starting way back in HS football and racing motocross. I put off this last surgery until after my oldest daughter could get through her brain surgery. Now I still can't hardly walk, especially in the morning and evening and, unfortunately, my daughter was just told that she may have to have another brain surgery.

How long do most people go with either a bad limp or taking pain meds for a bad knee before replacement is a better option? Any thoughts from those who have been in this situation?

Dargo

Wow!!! Our thought and prayers for your daughter. I suspect that might be more weighing than your knee.

As for your question. Basically I put mine off 10 plus years. Most of that time I was fully functional and the knee only gave out on knee a few random times. Took aspirin, then ibprofen, vicodin. This past year was a notable decline, probably first noticeable that if I sat still any time, like at dinner table, getting up and getting going started to take effort. Friends also started asking and commenting. These last 6 months, I've been hobbling about and having pain in back and other knee. At one point a friend commented to my wife how I looked to be in pain. Of course, I still didn't think I'd digressed that far - fool that I am LOL Anyway that was enough to get the ball rolling. Now I wish I hadn't waited so long. I'm going to ask my surgeon to elevuste my left knee and if the indication is future replacement, I'm not waiting to long. One thing I found surprising in my case, I was in far less pain one week after replacement than the day before surgery.

Best of luck, both you and your daughter.

 

[Bird]

David, that is a nice view alright. And Vernon, we, too, have a very small house. It even has a nice fireplace that has not been used in the 5+ years we've lived here. But it has a nice breezeway (first old picture; nicer table and chairs now), so it's 12' from the back door across the breezeway into the 21' x 25' "shop". The pictures are from Christmas dinner in 2007. And now that the table under that window (last picture) isn't being used for food, my recumbent bike is right alongside it.

In other words, it's a workshop/game room now.:laughing:

 

[sodamo]

Waa hoping to try mowing with the tractor this weekend, but wife said to heal more.

 

[sodamo]

Vernon

How did your Dr appoint go? All good news we trust.

Sure do understand about remodeling!!!!
We were living in one of those 1950's, GI bill houses when my wife had her accident. I think the original was about 1200sf, but a previous owner had added 10' wide extension to rear. Single bath downstairs that was 5x8 with a 24" door. Luckily we had redone that the year before else she would have never got in until she could walk again. We had already expanded the upper floor to a mastersuite, but only roughed in plumbing for a future bathroom. It was 2 years before wife could do stairs and we moved back up there. During that time I added entry ramps, carport, remodeled kitchen and just about anything I could to make it more handicap livable, but it was frustrating. She could just negotiate the doorways with her motorized chair with the door removed. The house was built with stell door frames so while the paint to a beating, it was fixable. She came home in a really nice wheelchair with a reclining back, but no way would it fit through the interior doors with her in it.
There was benefit to be realized, insight on our future living. We knew we'd move as we never intended to stay forever in Atlanta area, so we spent many many hours designing houses based on what we learned and our expectations of the future. Guess this is about our 6th design, depending on how one counts LOL. One constant was single level, no stairs. Now that I've experienced the house from a semi invalid viewpoint, I'm even happier with the way it came out.

Bird - that looks like quite the shop!! Nice to have an open place for gatherings.

 

[texbaylea]

David

My surgeon seem pleased with my progress but now he will be pushing me to get back on canes. next appointment is in 6 weeks. I have 3 more weeks of 3x per week PT lined out. then expect to go to 2x per week if I have progressed enough. I will have our son start walking with me for short periods on the canes, if I can. I don't remember anyone else mention a gait belt, a heavy web belt worn around your chest. Gives your helper a good hand hold if you have a problem and I have one to wear when my son and I are walking together.

The therapy group has only one therapist my size, 6' 5",230 lbs, although some of the young women are quite strong. The height difference causes a potential problem area. I had no problem making complete rotations on their recumbent bike so I have something to work on here at home if I can get a delivery commitment. I found a very good price but the seller now gives me concerns.

Fortunately our house is single story with a half step at the entrance so I have no particular problem getting in the house.

 

[sodamo]

David

My surgeon seem pleased with my progress but now he will be pushing me to get back on canes. next appointment is in 6 weeks. I have 3 more weeks of 3x per week PT lined out. then expect to go to 2x per week if I have progressed enough. I will have our son start walking with me for short periods on the canes, if I can. I don't remember anyone else mention a gait belt, a heavy web belt worn around your chest. Gives your helper a good hand hold if you have a problem and I have one to wear when my son and I are walking together.

The therapy group has only one therapist my size, 6' 5",230 lbs, although some of the young women are quite strong. The height difference causes a potential problem area. I had no problem making complete rotations on their recumbent bike so I have something to work on here at home if I can get a delivery commitment. I found a very good price but the seller now gives me concerns.

Fortunately our house is single story with a half step at the entrance so I have no particular problem getting in the house.

Vernon

Congrats on your progress.
Definitely know about a gait belt, still have my wife's. Definitely a challenge for a smaller person to safety a larger person. Does your son go to therapy with you? Except for when my wife was in the hospital, i went every session. This waa especially important when in group as the PT would teach me as well as her. A couple of them didn't care much for it in the beginning but most did. Was especially beneficial when doing her aquatic therapy because she got her full time, basically the PT could evaluate and add new exercise but know she wasgetting full measure even when they were with someone else. Thankfully, our knee therapy isn't as complicated

Any thought of a treadmill for walking? The handles provide a degree of safey and balance. Might be easier for your son too. At one point my wife was on a really special one that measured her gait, both in time and distance - hate to think what that setup costs LOL. I'm still only doing 2x15 mins/day on the treadmill. Seems the couple of real walking sessions I've done, my leg feels more tired- i'm guessing from the slight twisting and uneven gait.
I'm getting better on the bike. Used to taken that first minute plus to get comfortable getting thru the max flex position, now it's 5 or 6 revolutions and I'm good to go.
Keep up the good progress.

 

[sodamo]

Update from Dr visit today. Saw my ortho surgeon, 5 weeks 1 day since the replacement. He appears to be as pleased as I am. Told me I didn't need the cane any more, which I was mostly using when out anyway. Had me walk and made suggestions to improve my gait - push off more from my toes, don't land so hard on my heels. Said I should walk more like a young fella instead of a guy with osteoarthritis. Actually said I did well. To be honest, the way I was hobbling before surgery, I wondered if I'd walk near normally again, so I'm very pleased.
Wants me to continue to lose weight, lost about 10lbs and improve my fitness with the walking and bike. Not supposed to stand for more than 20 minutes at a time. For the next 6 months be mindful of over stressing knee either with weight or twisting while the bone grows.
I started driving last weekend, which I think pleases my wife.
Cut my meds way down, 1/2 a vicodin and 81mg aspirin when I get up and other half at bedtime, plus a 2nd aspirin in evening. At this level I can still do my 4 PT sessions during the day and sleep comfortably. Next week, I'm going to quit the vicodin before bed and see how I sleep.
Go back to Dr in about 6 weeks. Will have xrays of my other knee before then to discuss its future.
All in all, I am super pleased. Weather permitting, I'll be on the tractor, mowing this weekend. yeaaaaaa
Hope the rest of the TBN patients are also doing well.

 

[Bird]

Glad to hear the update and hear it's going well.

 

[Mike Costello]

This post is for all who are contemplating knee replacements. Having had total knee replacements for both knees, I can honestly say it was a good decision. My surgeon told me "It's time when your quality of life is being affected, when you aren't doing things because of pain, and you're just plain unhappy". For me, all three reasons played a major role. Plus, I was getting concerned about all the pill popping to control the pain as I went through the day.

I did each knee a year apart. Rehab basically went well, but I had to remind myself that the whole process would take time and resist the urge to get discouraged. Exercise, exercise, exercise--keep the knee moving. My surgeon told me not to be afraid anything would break--new knees are pretty hard to break. The knees were fairly tight and stiff and I thought I was never going to regain proper flexibility, but slowly they loosend up with exercicse. It took about a year to achieve the flexibility I was looking for, so this is where the art of patience comes in.

It's been about four years now since the total knee surgeries were done. I walk better than ever with no pain whatsoever. I can do just about any activity with ease: working with the tractor, all vehicle maintenence, climbing on ladders, working in the shop etc. In fact, most people are surprised to know I've had two total knee replacements.

So, the purpose of this post is to relate to anyone contemplating knee replacement that the benefits far outweigh the fears. I don't, for a minute, regret doing the surgeries at all. I should have done it sooner! Mike.

Sodamo, glad you're doing well too. Remember, always forward!

 

[sodamo]

Thanks Mike

I can relate, all three factors were running (ruining) my life. Didn't take me long to rule out the better living through chemistry model as I wasn't getting significant relief and I was not willing to increase dosage.

Yesterday was something of a reality day for me. We did a Costco run. Costco is 160 mile round trip and we've come to scheduling that adventure around needing dog food. With 6 boxers that love to eat, that's a factor in our lives LOL. Don't know how it is for rest of TBN, but any trip to Costco for less than $500 is near cause for celebration.
In order to get 4, 40lb bags of kibble, I have to use a flat bed. Used to be able to do 3 bags with normal grocery style cart, but for some reason it would take the bagger 2 carts to reload the one I wheeled up to the register LOL
Anyway, I found an hour plus of pushing that cart was a tad more than my knee was ready for. Luckily my wife drove home. By the time we unloaded, I was whooped. Sat down, leg elevated, wife commented how swollen knee was. Tempted to pop a pain med but figured it would only mask the problem, not fix it, so I just wussed out rest of the day.
Feeling back to normal this morning and back to PT schedule. Guess this healing process has it's own schedule. Will limit my standing/walking today. I hear my tractor calling me for tomorrow.