I had the new knee installed a bit over 1.5 weeks ago on a Wednesday, the 3rd of January, 2024.
This narrative is for anyone who might be considering getting a new knee. It is just a hodge podge of my own slightly odd observations.
Where to go for a new knee:
The operation was done by EBJ, Everett Bone and Joint's Dr Bill Huang (Wong) and his staff. There have been so many positive testimonies from former patients and his count on knee installation is over 5000 apparently. High marks from me!
Narrative begins:
An example of the bruising caused by the surgery. My entire leg was bruised but no pain was noted. The baby aspirin regimen thinned my blood enough to lose the bruising in 4 weeks. |
Physical
Therapy for knee surgery:
Surgery January 3, 2024
Preoperative
Exercises:
Ankle Pumps: Gently pull toes up towards your knee then
point towards the floor. Both ankles
together or alternating. 30xs every
hour.
Quad Sets: Press the back of your knees down into the
surface as if you were trying to lock your knees. Hold for 3 seconds, relax. 2 x 10, 2xs a day. Advanced: use pillow under heel
Glut sets: Squeeze buttocks together as tightly as
possible. Hold for 3 seconds. 2 x 10,
2xs a day
Side Leg Slide
(Hip abduction) Lie on your back, Slied
your operated leg out to the side keeping your kneecap and toes up. Keep your leg straight by tightening your
thigh muscles; do not lift your leg.
Gently return to the middle.
Heel Slides: Slide operative leg heel towards buttocks,
keeping heel on the surface. Slowly
return to starting position. Once you
have gone as far as your leg will go, slowly straighten leg. 2 x10, 2xs a day.
Straight Leg Raises: Keep your non operative leg bent for
support. Slowly lift operative leg off
the bed, keeping the knee straight throughout the entire motion. Lift no higher than the height of the
bent knee. Slowly lower.
Long Arc Quads: (Knee Extension) Sit your back against a chair. Slowly straighten your leg and hold for 5
seconds. Use non surgical leg
assist your surgical leg into
extension. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then
relax
Post surgery
: Pretty much the same as presurgery.
Quad Sets: Press the back of your knees down into the
surface as if you were trying to lock your knees. Hold for 3 seconds, relax. 2 x 10, 2xs a day.
Glut sets: Squeeze buttocks together as tightly as
possible. Hold for 3 seconds. 2 x 10,
2xs a day
Side Leg Slide
(Hip abduction) Lie on your back, Slied
your operated leg out to the side keeping your kneecap and toes up. Keep your leg straight by tightening your
thigh muscles; do not lift your leg.
Gently return to the middle.
Heel Slides: Slide operative leg heel towards buttocks,
keeping heel on the surface. Slowly
return to starting position. Once you
have gone as far as your leg will go, slowly straighten leg. 2 x10, 2xs a day.
Straight Leg Raises: Keep your non operative leg bent for
support. Slowly lift operative leg off
the bed, keeping the knee straight throughout the entire motion. Lift no higher than the height of the
bent knee. Slowly lower.
Long Arc Quads: (Knee Extension) Sit your back against a chair. Slowly straighten your leg and hold for 5
seconds. Use non surgical leg
assist your surgical leg into
extension. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then
relax
Advanced PT
from home visits: (Sean)
Double leg Heel rises
with support, calf raises:
While standing next to a chair or countertop for support,
raise up on your toes as you lift your heels off the ground. Return heels to ground and repeat. 10 xs, 2 sets, 2xs a day, hold for 5 seconds.
Walker Marching: While standing with a walker, lift up one
knee allowing it to bend as your raise your foot off the floor. Set the foot back down and perform same on
the other leg. 10 times, 2 sets, 2xs a
day.
Walker squats: Stand in a walker with feet shoulder width
apart. Begin by bending knees and
lowering your body into a squat, as if you would be sitting into a chair. Don’t sit, your body weight should be directed mostly touching the chair
with your buttocks, straighten your
knees and rise back up to a fully standing position. Knees should bend in line with the 2 toe and
not pass in front of the foot.
10 times, 2 sets, 2 xs a day.
Walker Hip Abduction: While standing up using a walker, raise your
leg out to the side. Keep your knee
straight an maintain your toes pointed forward to the entire time. 10 times, 2 sets, hold 2 seconds, 2 xs a day.
Walker Hip Extension: While standing up using a walker, extend
your leg behind you. Do not allow your
back or chest to move. Also, keep your
knee straight the entire time Lower your
leg back down and repeat. 10 times, hold
2 seconds, 2 sets, 2 xs a day.
Quad Sets: Press the back of your knees down into the
surface as if you were trying to lock your knees. Hold for 3 seconds, relax. 2 x 10, 2xs a day. Advanced:
use 5 “ pillow under heel.
Heel Slides: Slide operative leg heel towards buttocks,
keeping heel on the surface. Slowly
return to starting position. Once you
have gone as far as your leg will go, slowly straighten leg. 2 x10, 2xs a day.
Heel slides advanced : Attach a strap to operative foot and pull the
heel as far as you can. Count to 5 then
release. 10 times, hold for 5 seconds, 2
sets, 2 xs a day.
Out Patient Physical
Therapy: Joel Anderson (Anderson
Physical Therapy , Arlington WA)
Double leg Heel rises
with support, calf raises:
While standing next to a chair or countertop for support,
raise up on your toes as you lift your heels off the ground. Return heels to ground and repeat. 15 xs, 2 sets, 2xs a day, hold for 5 seconds.
Walker Marching: While standing with a walker, lift up one
knee allowing it to bend as your raise your foot off the floor. Set the foot back down and perform same on
the other leg. 15 times, 2 sets, 2xs a
day.
Walker squats: Stand in a walker with feet shoulder width
apart. Begin by bending knees and
lowering your body into a squat, as if you would be sitting into a chair. Don’t sit, your body weight should be directed mostly touching the chair
with your buttocks, straighten your
knees and rise back up to a fully standing position. Knees should bend in line with the 2 toe and
not pass in front of the foot.
15 times, 2 sets, 2 xs a day. Lower to bed with out siting.
Single leg balance: While standing up using a walker, raise your
non-operative leg out to the side. Keep your knee straight and maintain your
toes pointed forward to the entire time. Raise leg forward, then raise leg
back. 15 times, 3 sets each leg, hold 2 seconds, 2
xs a day.
Standing Balance: Stand on operative leg, balance for 30
seconds. 5 times, 2 sets, 2xs a day.
Step downs: 4”
step, Step down with your non operative
leg until the heel touches, then come back up.
10 times, 3 sets, 2 xs a day.
Standing Knee Extension: Straighten operative leg while standing, step
your weight on to the non operative lege keeping it straight. 20 times, 2 xs a day.
Quad Sets: Press the back of your knees down into the
surface as if you were trying to lock your knees. Hold for 3 seconds, relax. 2 x 10, 2xs a day. Advanced:
use 5 “ pillow under heel.
Heel Slides: Slide operative leg heel towards buttocks,
keeping heel on the surface. Slowly
return to starting position. Once you
have gone as far as your leg will go, slowly straighten leg. 2 x10, 2xs a day.
Heel slides advanced : Attach a strap to operative foot and pull the
heel as far as you can. Count to 5 then
release. 10 times, hold for 5 seconds, 2
sets, 2 xs a day.
Out Patient
Physical Therapy Version 3 (assigned March 9, 2024): Joel Anderson (Anderson Physical Therapy ,
Arlington WA)
Heel Slides: Slide operative leg heel towards
buttocks, keeping heel on the surface. Slowly
return to starting position. Once you
have gone as far as your leg will go, slowly straighten leg. 2 x10, 2xs a day.
Heel slides advanced : Attach a strap to operative foot and pull the
heel as far as you can. Count to 5 then
release. 10 times, hold for 5 seconds, 2
sets, 2 xs a day
Standing Balance: Stand on operative leg, balance for 30
seconds. 5 times, 2 sets, 2xs a
day. JUMP TO THE LEG AND CATCH BALANCE
Walker Marching: While standing with a walker, lift up one
knee allowing it to bend as your raise your foot off the floor. Set the foot back down and perform same on
the other leg. 15 times, 2 sets, 2xs a
day. FLEX KNEE FULLY
Walker squats: Stand in a walker with feet shoulder width
apart. Begin by bending knees and
lowering your body into a squat, as if you would be sitting into a chair. Don’t sit, your body weight should be directed mostly touching the chair
with your buttocks, straighten your
knees and rise back up to a fully standing position. Knees should bend in line with the 2 toe and
not pass in front of the foot.
15 times, 2 sets, 2 xs a day. Lower to bed without sitting.
Jump Balance: Jump from foot to foot and balance on each
side as much as possilble.
Kettle Ball Squats: Right leg forward, left leg
straightish. Reach down and bend the
front leg to pick up kettle ball. 10xs, 2 sets
Partial Lunge to 14”: right leg forward and back leg bending,
working the front leg most. 10xs, 2 sets
Out Patient Physical Therapy V. 4.0 and at the three month mark: Joel Anderson (Anderson Physical Therapy , Arlington WA)
My flex was 130 degrees without effort. My extension is staying at zero.
Probably as good as it going to get. Need to build strength and balance!
Double leg Heel rises with support, calf raises:
While standing next to a chair or countertop for support, raise up on your toes as you lift your heels off the ground. Return heels to ground and repeat. 15 xs, 2 sets, 2xs a day, hold for 5 seconds.
Marching: While standing balanced lift up one knee allowing it to bend as your raise your foot off the floor. Set the foot back down and perform same on the other leg. 15 times, 2 sets, 2xs a day. FLEX KNEE FULLY
Lunge lifts: Use the new knee forward (right in my case) and kneel on the left knee. Then lift to standing on the right leg. Left hand can go to a steady support and even help lift until it is not needed. 2-3 sets of 10-15, 2xs a day. This is new and very tough to do but it is seemingly effective. I like it.
Squats: Stand next to bed or chair with feet shoulder width apart. Begin by bending knees and lowering your body into a squat, as if you would be sitting into a chair. Don’t sit, your body weight should be directed mostly touching the chair with your buttocks, straighten your knees and rise back up to a fully standing position. Knees should bend in line with the 2 toe and not pass in front of the foot. 15 times, 2 sets, twice a day. These are getting easier but are still making me breath hard.
Snap Heel Slides: Slide operative leg heel towards buttocks in a snapping motion, keeping heel on the surface. Slowly return to starting position. Once you have gone as far as your leg will go, slowly straighten leg. 2 x10, 2xs a day. This exercise is very effective in stretching the bits.
Strapped Heel slides, advanced : Attach a strap to operated foot and pull the heel as far as you can. Count to 5 then release. 10 times, hold for 5 seconds, 2 sets, 2 xs a day This exercise is losing it's effectiveness seemingly but it took a while to stretch (one of my favorite exercises) as much as it did. I suspect I would be much less stretched if I hadn't used the straps to pull as hard as I could.
Standing on one leg for 30 seconds: I use my electric toothbrush to time this and get two balances on each leg per brushing session. Do as many balances as one can.... I do 2 twice a day.
The three month mark: Balance and daily living observations.
Getting dressed: Inserting my left leg into a pant leg or brief first occasionally requires a steady hand on the part of the closet. Putting the right leg in nearly always needs support.
Stairs: Going down with hands full is slow but getting a bit better each day. Going up with hands full is slower and a bit wearing, energy wise.
I have concerns that 10,000+ steps a day is a bit wearing on the unoperated knee. I have been averaging over that for weeks now and am cutting back a bit to conserve it's use. The right leg is stronger each day.
Balance is a big deal and I need to try and get it back.
My disc throw is not any longer. Starting my chainsaw is getting harder but with a bit more workout maybe I can get past that for this season.
Had the CT scan of my left knee yesterday (4/5/24) the data is sent to the firm that makes the new part so the process is started. May 1 has the interview with the team at Providence Hospital. Then the date for my surgery can be scheduled.