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Mako Robotic Arm TKR Six Months
Long break here without much going on, but I thought I should check in at the six month mark, which was yesterday. Before I left therapy a few months ago, I got to 145 degrees, which is only 4 degrees less than my non-surgery knee. I don't think things have changed much, maybe a little. I still do my knee exercises three times a week; not very hard anymore. Mostly riding on the bike at home, sometimes outside, and doing light weights and bands. If you were to watch me walk, you would not see any knee issues, I'm pretty sure of that. I don't try to run! And kneeling is still not comfortable, although I can use my non-surgery knee to get up and down. Other than that, if I lie on my back with my leg straight up at a 90 deg angle, and then slowly bend it, I can feel a slight catch as it gets toward the bottom. This has been improving so I have hope it will go away. I still massage my knee and the scar; I still have a small amount of numbness, but that too has improved a lot. I have long had left-body pain (after a rib cartilage inflammation almost 40 years ago, which caused a tight knot in the back that only goes away with dry needling, but reappears after three days); the knee surgery has exacerbated that tightness and pain. It took me a while to associate it all, but it has been true that any "injury" to the left side causes systemic pain on that side. I supposed knee surgery is an injury. So now I stretch two or three times a day, and take muscle relaxants at night. That has worked pretty well.
Overall I am happy with my knee, and think it will continue to improve. I read some of the questions and comments here and realize I have been very fortunate. I hope everyone finds relief from pain from their surgeries.
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@contentandwell @ellerbracke @johnbishop Thank you for the comments and encouragement. I also don't think the flex is shown in the lunge, because if you look at the young man in the first picture, his knee is not even at 90 degrees, or a right angle. I can get my knee to the ground easily but have to hold something or I will topple - I think that is a strength problem (some years ago one physical therapist told me I wasn't strong enough to walk. When I said but I do walk, she said I was "compensating." So I don't think I am very strong). However, I was very flexible before surgery so it probably makes a difference in things that take overall body flexibility (I could always bend from the waist straight knees and put my hands flat on the ground--so can my sister so it must be genetic! No credit to us, but it did surprise the "lifestyle therapist" that I could put my shoes on easily the day after knee surgery). The "catch" that I referred to is actually a moment of discomfort, I can't feel any real catch or hear anything. It has improved. I continue to exercise with my recumbent bike at home, doing 45 minutes and working up a big sweat 5 times a week. I also do weights and bands but that is now and then - when our YMCA reopens I'll eventually go back to machines for weights, which I vastly prefer. I also have road bikes, all some sort of recumbent, and ride now and then. They are great when going fast on flat ground, but now I feel I should go slower. Last thing I want is to fall on the ground and hit my knee. When I do the exercise @ellerbracke describes--lie on the back and bring the legs down as far as they go, then sit up and look at the distance between where the feet fall--I also have 2-3" difference. I can pull the surgery leg back so they are identical, but it won't stay there on its own. I hope your bone spur or whatever it is gets taken care of; you're right, lets not have two bad knees!
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1 ReactionPS, @johnbishop your flexion looks great!
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1 Reaction@johnbishop Good for you! Now I'm wondering if the problem really is balance. I am going to have to try that holding on to something. There is no way in the world that I will ever be able to do this pictured stretch though -- that definitely requires good flex.
@ellerbracke There are exercises where my knees seem to bend well but for me, I know it must be an illusion because I definitely cannot get that flex up there.
I find getting up and down to be very awkward, it's basically why I had decided to not do yoga classes.
JK
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1 ReactionI took a couple pics of the legs bending like that woman does - you can see there is still some distance to go for the surgery knee on the left. Once I see this in the shot, I think I had better keep at it. Also there is quite a strain getting the leg up there so I would not say it is natural and easy as is the non-surgery leg.
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3 ReactionsSorry those files are so huge - I shrunk them but obviously not enough!
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1 Reaction@saeternes WOW, I am impressed. That's great flex. I cannot get anywhere near that amount of flex.
JK
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1 ReactionThat's amazing, I'm only getting 115 degrees when I'm using my stretch strap.
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2 Reactions@marbowl I can only imagine how worn out you must be at the end of your day but if it is at all possible use that strap and do whatever else you can to improve your flex. I wish I had followed through more and you are obviously younger than I am so have many more years to have to deal with this.
Another good exercise is the one where you sit on a chair and pull your leg back as far as you can and hold it there for a bit of time -- I forget exactly how much. I'm sure you must have your own set of exercises from your PT that you can at home, or in your hotel room.
Keep working on it, even if it's only 10-15 minutes in the evening. The rewards will be worth it.
JK
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1 ReactionGoniometer was only $5.00 on ebay with free shipping. I bought the $5 size there was also one for only $3.
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1 ReactionSorry for the late reply. Those look pretty much what I have, and tried to use months ago, shelved, and haven’t tried again yet. Either my knee is too sensitive, or I simply ask too much of it at a given time, it simply does not kneel. Without aches, and severe limitations. So any surgeon who wants to touch and replace my remaining natural left knee, he’d better post bond before even talking about surgery.