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Showing posts from November, 2022

Update on knee replacement recovery

 My knee replacement recovery has been a journey. To be honest....I want to be done with it! However...I am far from this! I am 7 weeks postop. I still have pain, tightness and swelling. The swelling is worse when sitting for longer periods of time. I am nervous about this as I am returning to work on Monday. My plan is to bring an ice pack and to take walk breaks. I will also elevate my leg when possible.  The tightness is real. It is there when I wake up. It does decrease when I start moving; however I continue to feel it through the day. The pain is not terrible. I know that it will go away; just not fast enough for me! I am working on flexion and extension. I am trying to get some flexion exercises in before my knee begins to swell. I get on my indoor bike for 5-10 minutes and then go to work on the bend. I hope to get this routine in each morning before I go to work.  I have decided that 125 bend is the goal. This is due to the measurement of my left leg at 120. My l...

Knee VS Hip Replacement

 Don't get me wrong - surgery is surgery. Nothing to minimize. There will always be risks; but most often the benefits outweigh these risks. There are a few important things to remember prior to surgery: Pick the surgeon that you TRUST. The one that you have a decent rapport with. Now; not all surgeon's have a "great" bedside manner - this is different that the trust and rapport. You should feel confident in asking questions and understanding the answers.  Tell the surgeon you fears - be honest.  Tell you surgeon your goals. A great surgeon will tell you the realities. I remember my first knee replacement in 2015. A friend was getting the same surgery from a different surgeon/practice. This person stated that that he/she could be back on an indoor cycle within 3 weeks; perhaps teaching. The surgeon I was talking to stated that his recommended recovery for "teaching" would be 8 - 12 weeks. He then stated, "I could tell you what you want to hear, but who ...