First Real Work Since I Got My Knee Replaced

[rarefish383]

Took down 5 good sized Oaks Saturday, 4 were 20" at chest height. Had my cousins climber climb for me. Every thing stayed on the ground, but had to be trimmed and bucked so customer could move it. Put in a good 8 hour day. I cramped up all night long. My hands cramped from holding and starting the saw, neck from looking up, and legs from stepping over brush. Left knee doesn't bend well yet, but that leg didn't cramp much. I really wanted some of the wood but their yard is a swamp, and would have to move it over 100 yards. They are letting it rot and burning in an outside fire pit, Joe.

 

[Greenthorn]

New knees rock, had one done 2 years ago, and wished I'd had them both done, word of advice, don't do much jumping off things!

 

[rarefish383]

I'm 6 months out and the swelling is just going down. I'm at where I should have been at 6 weeks. Everyone was afraid my knee would be frozen after this long, but in the last two weeks I finally got my extension in single digits at 9* and my flexion to 88 *. I've been working at PT and the gym 3 hours a day, 6 days a week, since January. Feels good to feel like I'm walking normally again. Jumping is not an issue yet, Joe.

 

[Greenthorn]

Man, that is a bummer, I was back to work in 10 weeks. Knee replacements are rough. I had a weird surgery, when mine was done, freaking Doctor sutured my drain tube to a tendon and the nurse broke the drain tube off inside my knee the next morning trying to pull it out, I had to go back to surgery and be opened back up to get the drain tube out. When going through this you always keep wondering....Man was it really worth it.....but it is...some just take longer, good luck with the recovery Joe, sounds like you're getting there.

 

[muddstopper]

I have been putting of knee replacement for 9 years now. At that time, the doc told me I needed to put it off as long as i could because of my age. I was planning on having the doc look at it last year and even had the MRI done, then tore my rotator cuff and put it off again. Went to the doc last friday and he said its time to get er done. Havent set the date yet, but sometime next month. Going to cut 9mm off bottom bone, and 9mm off the top bone and give me a new cap. said I would be out of work minimum of 3 months. I aint looking forward to the down time and rehab, but I am picking up a new hobby. I ordered a New Banjo last week and plan on learning to play it since I should have plenty of time to beat on it. Wifey might end up using it as a club to put knotts on my head before its all over with.

 

[Hinerman]

I really wanted some of the wood but their yard is a swamp, and would have to move it over 100 yards. They are letting it rot and burning in an outside fire pit, Joe.

You need to get a tractor or an ATV to get that wood. It would be a shame to let it rot.

 

[rarefish383]

I went for a second opinion on Manual Manipulation, my Doc won't do it, says it just does more damage. When they manipulate it they knock you out then manually bend your thigh up to your chest and your heel down to your butt, then straighten your knee out completely straight. This breaks up all of the scar tissue, then you start your rehab over. The second Doc agreed with my Surgeon, no manipulation. The window for that procedure is 6-8 weeks. At 6 months he said the scar tissue can be harder than the bone and there is about a 30% chance of snapping the leg bone. Anyway, he asked how much motion I had before surgery? I walked on it bad for 10 years after I was told it needed replaced, trying to get to retirement. The last 3-4 years I was walking on it like a wooden peg leg. He said that often, if you let it get that bad, you don't gain that much motion over pre-op, the gain is no pain. I have no pain, and I'm still getting improvement, but slow. I've made a lot of improvement in the past 3-4 weeks using MAT therapy. It's Muscle Activation Therapy. Your muscles work together naturally. When you bend your knee one way, the muscles in the front tighten and "Tell" the muscles in the back to relax, and vice versa. I've been doing exercises to "Wake" these muscles up. I went from 26* extension(straightening) and 80* flexion (bending), to 9* extension and 88* flexion. I feel like I'm walking normal now, and it's getting better, unless I'm on uneven ground. Then I realize I can't step over anything more than a couple inches high. My advice is DO NOT WAIT, the muscles, tendons, and every thing else that is supposed to move stiffen up and that is that much more to work on, Joe.

 

[Greenthorn]

I subscribe to your drs theory too, the manual manipulation is bad or worse for the recovering knee, from what I've read.
I can tell you at 48 years old, knee replacement wasn't on my agenda haha. I've had very bad knees all my life, from 28 to 48 I had 6 operations on my right knee and 3 operations on my left. I also believe once it is time to get it done you should, the damage I've done to other parts of my body (left knee and right hip) was exasperated from favoring and limping around on my right knee. It finally got to the point where the most sleep I would get was 2 hours at most, then the pain would wake me.
I also have an opinion about these reputable and famous orthopedic centers for knee replacement surgery, if and when I do my other knee, it will not be done at one of them. I believe most local hospitals with good orthopedic surgeons can do just as good or better job, than these big centers. Just my opinion, well actually experience too.
Anybody that is contemplating having this surgery done, do yourself a favor and DO NOT WATCH youtube videos of this surgery!

 

[rarefish383]

Yeah, I know what they do, and I don't want to see it, Joe.

 

[jr27236]

That wood is beautiful they can be taken out of there on a board if the ground is that soft. But could only imagine the knee issue. Here's to a speedier recovery. Nothing like jumping head first into your first job. This is more like what you should of started with.

 

[rarefish383]

I might be able to handle that one. Probably save the money of the climber.

 

[damato333]

My dad had one done in the winter. The first month he said it hurt so much that he would not ever do it again. Now he says hes going to get the other one done. I told him when he was getting the first one, he should've done both at the same time.

 

[alleyyooper]

Had mine done May 12 2016. Have 7 more PT sessions to do yet. Some of the things required are painful to the point I have asked to do them first so I can work on stuff that is easier last.
I am about ready to ditch the cane even when outside.
PT started 24 hours after surgery, with a couple moves in the hospital bed, then using a walker up and down the hospital hall way. At 48 hours, bed moves and walking the hospital halls twice a day and even working on stairs so I could go home. Day after I got home I had a home PT lady come 3 days a week for an hour for two weeks. then a move to a town facility with machines. LOL plus slave drivers.
I do not recommend doing both knees at the same time, My doctor didn't either. Having one intact knee helps reduce the pain when moving as you can put more on the other leg for a while.

May 15th at home with all weather bandage.



Lots of bruising and swelling the first 3 weeks, May 15th.



May 19th half the staples remover after the all weather bandage removed. Butterfly tape replaced all weather bandage.





May 26th remaining staples removed. Heavy Multa hour PT started.



I am 69 years old

Al

 

[damato333]

Had mine done May 12 2016. Have 7 more PT sessions to do yet. Some of the things required are painful to the point I have asked to do them first so I can work on stuff that is easier last.
I am about ready to ditch the cane even when outside.
PT started 24 hours after surgery, with a couple moves in the hospital bed, then using a walker up and down the hospital hall way. At 48 hours, bed moves and walking the hospital halls twice a day and even working on stairs so I could go home. Day after I got home I had a home PT lady come 3 days a week for an hour for two weeks. then a move to a town facility with machines. LOL plus slave drivers.
I do not recommend doing both knees at the same time, My doctor didn't either. Having one intact knee helps reduce the pain when moving as you can put more on the other leg for a while.

May 15th at home with all weather bandage.



Lots of bruising and swelling the first 3 weeks, May 15th.



May 19th half the staples remover after the all weather bandage removed. Butterfly tape replaced all weather bandage.





May 26th remaining staples removed. Heavy Multa hour PT started.



I am 69 years old

Al

You're doctor is probably right about not doing both at the same time. My dad was done with the cane in about a couple weeks. You guys are the same age.

 

[rarefish383]

Wow, I didn't have any bruising, but my leg swelled to twice it's normal size. I took lasix four times. At 6 months my leg is still swollen a little. No pain at all, but my range of motion is where it should have been at 2 months. I went for a second opinion. The second surgeon agreed with my surgeons course of action. He asked what my range of motion was like before surgery. I walked on it bad for ten years and the last 3 years it was like a wooden peg leg. He said when it's that bad, sometimes you don't get back much more than you had. All the muscles, tendons, and stuff have shrunken and hardened up and won't stretch back out. I'm still making progress, but slow, Joe.

 

[CaseyForrest]

I had 2/3 of my medial meniscus in my right knee trimmed off back on Feb. 26th. Been living with it for over 20 years.

Good thing is, and surprisingly, I have no arthritis. Bad thing is its still swollen and sore. Probably doesn't help that I wont stay off it. I usually ice it every nite and the swelling is almost gone. But I still can not bend it completely without pain. I look forward to the day when Im old enough to get a new one. Having bad knees really is debilitating. Just this past weekend is the first time I felt good enough to get back to splitting.