Nine Months Without Knees

My nine month anniversary for getting rid of my old arthritic knees and replacing them with new metal and plastic ones just past on 9/28/11.  The first 3 months were not easy, but I knew it was going to be well worth the effort even early on.  Today, I have no knee pain because I have no knees and I am nearly 100% in terms of flexibility and discomfort when bending.  Strength and stamina still need some work, but that will come with time.

For the first 3 months I had to recover from the surgery, work on getting Range of Motion (ROM) and get all of the ligaments, tendons and muscles used to the new straightened legs that I now have.  I didn't realize how bow-legged I had become as the old knees wore away on the outside faster than on the outside.   To accomplish this I used water therapy at the Saratoga YMCA, active release chiropractic massage from Keith Donato and home exercise on the indoor cycle trainer and total gym.  I went back to work full time at 2 months and it was too early as I was still swelling up and very tired easily.  A constant challenge was overdoing exercises which caused swelling and reduced flexibility or ROM.  At this point I was up to 125 degrees of flex in ROM as long as I was not swollen.  But I was still getting the swelling with very little activity so had to take it slower than I wanted.  Three steps forward, two steps back at best.

A milestone came on 4/7/11 when I took my first road ride around Cassyunna Lake.  It was the first time outdoors on the road bike.  Even though I had gone on the mountain bike with Donna running 3 to 5 miles several times, this was different.  I was alone, it was on the road bike that requires more balance and control, it was 20 miles and I had to complete it without overdoing it and taking too many steps backwards.  The ride was a huge mental boost for me.  The freedom of being able to use my new legs to take myself on this ride was a true thrill and feeling of accomplishment.  It was the start of making this ordeal truly worth while.    I was further pleased in that the ride and the few that I did in the next few weeks did not cause any great swelling as I was limiting my enthusiasm and forcing myself to go slow and stay to 20 miles.  However, I was causing some pains up in my shoulder and down through my legs.  I decided I needed to get a new fit on the bike because my legs are significantly different now.  At the 5 month anniversary (5/28/11) I went to FitWerks in Vermont and got new shoes, seat post and handlebars and an adjustment to the bike.  Subsequent rides felt much better as my new straight legs now were being worked properly.  At this point my only issue was endurance, strength and stamina that were lacking from lack of riding.  But, I was returning to the riding I wanted to do with the new knees!

Returning to the level of cycling was one goal that was now being accomplished with enough time to build back strength.  The other and main goal was to be able to walk, hike and even climb mountains without pain.  Dog walks with Donna around the block (about 2 miles) were now very much a pleasure and not a pain.  We did some longer walks - up to 5 miles that again were not painful, but did make me very tired and I needed time to recoup the strength.  At the end of April I went to AZ for a Dairy Conference and took the opportunity to do a desert hike and mountain climb with Terry, Russ and others that I work with.  The hike was easily accomplished, but the last part of the climb, a scramble up  Vulture Peak, was a challenge do to the high degree of flex needed to get up and over rocks and gaps.  I was not sure it was wise and may have been taking too many steps backwards, but I had to to do it and was glad I did make it to the top.  The next day I did a hike into Sedonna with Barry and still felt great.  However, on the return back I was getting a little stiff and did take a fall that resulted in a shoulder injury.  That injury was to be compounded a few weeks later by getting rear ended several times in a go cart which took a toll on my neck.  So, the legs continued to improve, allowing me to do some hiking and climbing, but my neck and shoulders now needed attention.

With time and therapy from Donato and rest these other challenges became overcome and today I find myself enjoying hiking and climbing in the Adirondacks with Donna and the dogs when we can get the free time.  We have done Buck, Hopkins and Rooster Comb, and all without significant leg, shoulder or neck pain during or after.  We also did a week of mountain biking in the Northeast Kingdom with Alex, which was the highlight of the summer.  Cycling has taken a bit of a back seat as I  am enjoying the hiking and climbing, and that has held back my endurance and strength on the bike, but that is ok.  I am now looking forward to completing all of the physical goals I had set out with for my new legs - snowboarding.  I have started doing the exercises needed to build quads and increase ROM even more.  I am over 150 degrees now and can nearly rest my butt on my heals in a deep knee bend.  More to come on that as winter sets it!