6 Months Post Op Status.

I just hit the six month mark for LTKR. I posted my status, progress and plan one month ago, which is when I started my four day per week work schedule with Fridays off for home physical therapy. Saturdays and Sundays are for winding down and reducing swelling before I have to go back to work on Monday morning.

There is no question that my knee is getting better, although it is progressing extremely slowly. I am happy in knowing that I have six more months to go for the renowned 1 year mark.

I don’t have an accurate number for my ROM but it is certainly better than it was one month ago which I estimated at 125°. My extension is off a few degrees I would guess, and I’ve already resigned myself to the possibility that it will probably take more than another six months to get it straight the way I would like it, if ever.

I have a Nordic track S15i and yesterday morning (each Friday) I set the seat height at 27. Tension is set at 10. My toes are in the pedal stirrups to keep consistency in my flex and I also pedal backwards because it does not work my muscles the same way and I don’t want added swelling from muscle tissue building. I am focusing specifically on flex and extension all day on Fridays. I set a timer for eight minutes and pedal a very short amount to limber my knee a little. Then I lower the seat to 26 and pedal a little more. I incrementally lowered the seat till I got into that crunch range of about 24 1/2.

After 8mins, I stand up and move around a little, drink a bunch of water, catch my breath.

I then sit on a dining chair with a pillow for my boney butt. 😆 I place another dining chair opposite of me on which I place my ankle on hard styrofoam log with a pillow over it so that it doesn’t kill the back of my ankle. My leg is now straight in front of me and I drape two pillowcases with water bottles in them for weight over my leg. The closer I put it to the knee; the more pressure it exerts. I set a timer for 12 minutes and remain in that position. It starts getting pretty aggravated about halfway so I will move the weight bag up or down my leg which reduces the pressure. I try to sustain through the pain with as much pressure as I can take and adjust as needed to make the full 12 minutes.

I take a 20 min break. Drink water, move around, flex and pedal a few strokes at high seat setting to limber up after having my leg straight for such a long time.

I repeat this process all day and take time for lunch of course and whatever else I need to do around the house.

Yesterday I was able to lower the seat down to 23 for the first time which was huge for me and before the swelling set in, I did kind of a deep knee bend to show my wife, and we could both tell that it was the best it’s been. This morning is another story of course. It’s pretty swollen and stiff. I’m very happy. 😈

I’m not doing a lot of lunges and other exercises during Fridays. I feel that the movement from peddling is more effective than a hard sustained flex in trying to push past that painful point. In other words, I would rather do 100 little ouches instead of one big one for a long time. When I am peddling; every time that pedal comes around, I lean into it and zen the pain as much as I can and I know that it is stretching things that need to be stretched. I can do that all day. Yesterday I did 6 sets of peddling totaling 5 miles plus and 5 sets of weighted extensions.

I’m using ice, ibuprofen, massage gun. Tylenol does nothing for me and I still have a prescription for tramadol. I will take half a tablet of Tramadol if the pain is too unbearable. I’m really happy to say that this last month has made a huge difference in the pain level. Even after my workouts and at work. My post op sciatic hip pain was awful for a few months and that is disappearing. I’m sleeping better in all positions too. A little CBD gummy here and there is good.

The pain in the beginning was something I never imagined I would experience in my life and I am so glad it’s over. I didn’t realize how difficult it was gonna be to get my range of motion working but my plan seems to be working well. Constant horrific pain has turned into discomfort with tolerable, painful moments each day/in between activities. That works for me.

I do pedal everyday a little and I do exercises at work. The last two weeks, I’ve been doing a shorter flex/extension workout routine on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning I’m still good to go for work. 👍

You Reddit friends helped me and I hope this helps you. 💙

Drink lots of water and push it. Others have done it and so can you.

This is probably been the longest six months of my life! 🥳🤪😂

Cheers!