Knee Replacement - Get busy if you are planning one!

Today I am 17 days post knee replacement surgery. And it has been miraculous, tedious, a full time job, and painful. At this time, this blog will be dedicated to telling you everything that will help you have a successful knee surgery. Today I can say that for the first time in nearly a decade, I don't mind walking across the room. Oh, it still hurts and I'm still on pain meds, but the pain that clung to me sitting or standing over the past many years is gone. Right now, the more I walk, the better I feel. Mind-blown!!! There is so much I want to tell you, so much I want to prepare you for, so much I want you to prepare yourself for. Yes. Let's start there. You know how much that knee hurts? Oil it. Motion is lotion as my physical therapist tells me. Before your surgery and after. You do not have to run a marathon to prepare, or run ever. You don't have to sweat, although if you've been stationary most of the time, you will sweat doing the easiest of these smooth exercises. Disclaimer: Talk to a professional before you begin any exercise program. A doctor or a real physical therapist, not just the dude or dudette that runs all the time. It is important to do these exercises properly even though they seem like a no brainer. Please BE INFORMED. The quadriceps are a group of four muscles found in the front of the thigh and over the knee. Their primary role is to straighten the leg. Well, this baby needs to be strong. If you are planning a knee replacement "sometime" in the future. Begin now and do not quit strengthening these muscles. If you have scheduled surgery and it is a month away, you have intensive work to do every, single day until the surgery. Or postpone it for two or three months out. For intense pain, you can get a cortisone shot if you doctor says you haven't had too many, or for some other reason you cannot. It will last for three months to give you some time. You cannot have knee replacement for three months after a cortisone shot. Use that three months well to strengthen the muscles around your knee. You will be happy if you do this. You will be miserable if you don't do it. One exercise is so easy you can do it in bed. Do not underestimate this exercise. I know you want to climb Mount Everest, but it is not necessary. Lie down on your bed - unless it is a useless pile of mushy stuff that you sink into and wonder how you will ever get out of. Then find a couch that is firm or the floor if you are a smarty pants and can get up and down off the floor. Breathe! A LOT, and don't breathe too fast, breathe those cleansing breaths slowly, in through the nose and out through the mouth. It will help you now and begin a perfect habit for after surgery. Now tighten the muscles in your knee and above your knee. There, that wasn't too hard was it? Do this in groups of ten and do thirty. Do this morning noon and night. You may also do it more, but don't cheat and not do them. What Do the Hamstrings Do? 1) Flex (bend) and rotate the knee 2) Help stabilise the knee by protecting the collateral and cruciate ligaments, especially when the knee twists 3) Lift the leg off the ground when walking 4) Provides the strength for propulsion e.g. running and jumping. What you need are strong hamstrings, mostly for being able to lift your leg off the bed to the floor and off the floor to the bed. I promise, if they are strong you have overcome a great difficulty after surgery and A LOT OF PAIN after surgery. Now go. And do it! Walk. I know it hurts. Remember, motion is lotion. Get some ibuprofen in you or whatever works for you and walk. Everyday. Short walks are fine. But do enough of them to constitute some great increase of strength. Strengthing. Are you sick of that word yet? Get used to it. http://www.knee-pain-explained.com/knee-strengthening-exercises.html Use this site or any other that will show you ways to strengthen your leg muscles above the knee and they will do it better than I can, my friend. Read, study, and do these knee strengthening exercises to improve your rehabilitation. Go there now and get busy. I haven't said anything about your core. Maybe next time. Well, my job here has just begun. But this is enough for now. Approach this with peace, and love for yourself, and determination. I'd love to hear how you are doing. This is a big step towards a successful knee replacement.