Wellness

[haddon9]

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@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:

Evidently I also have a torn ACL and a partially torn meniscus.  My knee obviously hurts but it's knock kneed and not straight.  Makes walking difficult.  The meniscus thing causes it to "catch" when I straighten my leg.

Truthfully, I expect more pain from the surgery. Now my hip last year was a different story.  I was in such pain from that they could have done the surgery in the parking deck and I wouldn't have cared.

Oh well, it has to be done. 

If no other joints fail me DD and I want to go to the Columbus zoo in the spring. I keep telling myself I will have 2 decent legs to walk on.  At least that's the plan.

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@CrazyKittyLvr2   I'm knock kneed too and when I was younger always saw it as a cosmetic problem.  Little did I realize that once I got older it would be more of a health issue.  I believe that the issues I have with my knees are a result of being knock kneed.  I wish it was something that could have been taken care of when I was a child.

Funny thing is, I took my DH for an MRI this morning at a local hospital.  While waiting to be called, there was a woman standing beside her husband wearing leggings and noticed her knock knees....I'm very aware of it and rarely see others with it.  I'm sure most other people wouldn't have noticed this woman's legs but of course I did.

Good luck with your surgery.  It's a good thing your DD lives with you!

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

@haddon9   My knee has ony been like that for the last year.  My right leg/knee was always my good one.  Never a twinge until right before my hip surgery.  I got out of a chair one day and my knee hurt.  Had x-ray and MRI, oops you need a knee replacement. Hip was the worst so I had that done first.

@Harvarti     They took 4 tubes of blood, EKG and chest x-ray.  Also urine sample.  Same things I had done for hip surgery.

[deepwaterdotter]

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@Nightowlz wrote:

Hope everything goes well for you. I have not had a TKR nor do I want one. Sounds like a lot of pain.

I have just one question for all those that have had a TKR.

Why do so many people need a TKR??? What happens where you need one. I'm wondering if I will ever have to have on. I'm not looking forward to anything like that. I'm just curious since I have seen so many posts about it? I don't know anyone that has had one.

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In my case, the surgeon said it was due to my obesity and standing/walking on concrete floors for many hours at a time for about 25 years.  The cartilage that cushions the bones around the patellar region had, as he phrased it,  "turned to jelly".  My bones were sitting on top of each other when I stood, which was extremely painful.  Since my knee replacements I have lost over 100 pounds.  Wish I had lost that weight years before I did all the damage to my knees.

[Havarti]

@Nightowlz 

Many people are prone to osteoarthritis as they age - not everyone, but many people.  Others may have experienced an injury - now or log ago - that weakened the joint.  This causes the certain joints to wear down to the point that they are bone-on-bone rubbing against each other with every movement.  As for knees, the can tend to feel like they are slightly out of socket every time you stand up, or sometimes just taking steps.  You have the need to wiggle it back into place so you feel steady enough to keep walking.  Arthritis also tends to worsen in cold and/or wet weather, making it more painful and difficult to move.  When the painful joint is permanently replaced mobility is generally back to nearly normal.  It has often been such a long time since "normal" has been felt in that joint that it takes some time to get use to the feeling.  PT/exercise is essential to strengthening the muscles that have weakened or been stained over time.  It is a slow process, but most people say it was so worth it.

[ciao_bella]

@CrazyKittyLvr2   I've had both knees replaced five and six years ago.  I always kept a positive attitude, and think it helps immensely before, during and after the surgery. 

Good luck with your surgery.  After it's over and you've recuperated and have no pain, you'll wonder why you didn't have it done sooner... 

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

@ciao_bella   Everyone says I'll regret not doing it sooner.  I know the first couple  days after my hip surgery I wondered what the h*ll was I thinking doing this.  14 months later, yes, hip is fine.

Someone at the hospital reminded me again today that knees are worse than hips.  Gee, thanks.  I've had 10 other people tell me that.

We shall see how things go.

[RedTop]

@CrazyKittyLvr2,

Yes, knees are worse, because you have to bend them, and that first painful bend after surgery will remind you every time that you do not want to bend that knee!   

Using the rope method to lift your leg helps tremendously with getting inside the vehicle when you go home.   I found it easier with the left leg, because it can go in, and come out of the vehicle straight.   The right leg is a **tch, because you get your body inside the vehicle, and bring that bent leg in last, so it hurts getting in and out, but learning to maneuver with the rope helps a lot.   

You will need assistance from someone to lift your leg for you when you get in or out of bed, please stress to them that they must hold onto your leg securely until it is in place on the bed.   You will have NO strength in that knee in the very beginning, and you absolutely DO NOT want that leg to get dropped.   I lived and slept in the recliner for 2 weeks, but got on the bed to use the CPM to help regain full bend movement in the joint.    

You will get to use your saying after this procedure too; probably a few times by week 3, but after that you will be encouraged by your progress, and eager to keep moving forward.   Best wishes to you!

[Nightowlz]

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@Havarti wrote:

@Nightowlz 

Many people are prone to osteoarthritis as they age - not everyone, but many people.  Others may have experienced an injury - now or log ago - that weakened the joint.  This causes the certain joints to wear down to the point that they are bone-on-bone rubbing against each other with every movement.  As for knees, the can tend to feel like they are slightly out of socket every time you stand up, or sometimes just taking steps.  You have the need to wiggle it back into place so you feel steady enough to keep walking.  Arthritis also tends to worsen in cold and/or wet weather, making it more painful and difficult to move.  When the painful joint is permanently replaced mobility is generally back to nearly normal.  It has often been such a long time since "normal" has been felt in that joint that it takes some time to get use to the feeling.  PT/exercise is essential to strengthening the muscles that have weakened or been stained over time.  It is a slow process, but most people say it was so worth it.

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@Havarti 

Thanks for the explanation. I could not figure out why so many people are having knee replacements.

Sounds like the same reason why eventually my sister may have to have a TKR. She has had problems with hers plus she has osteoarthritis.

I could not imagine my knees feeling like they are slightly out of socket or bone on bone.

[Havarti]

@Nightowlz 

When it feels like it has popped out of the socket it is not as extreme a "pop" as you would feel and it does not stick out at visibly odd angles.  With osteoarthritis the bone rubbing on bone causes the full roundness of the socket to erode over time and become a much bigger, flatter opening/socket as the bone breaks down and crumbles away.  It can "pop out" and slide back in more easily than it would for you.  It is a very odd ans uncomfortable feeling.  I know when my sister when through this years ago and she was describing it to me I felt the same way you must and I nearly fainted at thought of her "dislocating" her knee joint on a frequent basis and popping it back in herself.  Over time, as I aged, it started happening to me and now I totally understand the process.  

[Nightowlz]

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@Havarti wrote:

@Nightowlz 

When it feels like it has popped out of the socket it is not as extreme a "pop" as you would feel and it does not stick out at visibly odd angles.  With osteoarthritis the bone rubbing on bone causes the full roundness of the socket to erode over time and become a much bigger, flatter opening/socket as the bone breaks down and crumbles away.  It can "pop out" and slide back in more easily than it would for you.  It is a very odd ans uncomfortable feeling.  I know when my sister when through this years ago and she was describing it to me I felt the same way you must and I nearly fainted at thought of her "dislocating" her knee joint on a frequent basis and popping it back in herself.  Over time, as I aged, it started happening to me and now I totally understand the process.  

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@Havarti 

It does sound very scary. I'm getting older so wondering when I'm going to start falling apart?

I know when I use my electric razor to shave my legs I do it standing. When I'm bending over & down to shave my legs my lower back makes lots of noise. Like my bones are crumbling or something??? Guess I should do it seated. I don't feel comfortable standing on one foot in the shower shaving any longer.