Knee Update--not quilt related

WARNING!!!!!

STOP here if you are expecting to read a quilt related topic. This post is all about my left knee.

My left knee joint replacement surgery was October 1, 2024. (I had my right knee joint replaced April 4, 2024.) The 17 months of rehabilitation of the left knee has been painful and difficult. Seven physical therapists, three acupuncturists, one massage therapist and one physiatrist later, I'm still working through the healing process. 

The amount of swelling and pain I have experienced led to decreased range of motion which led to a less active lifestyle. I missed neighborhood walks. I missed swimming laps in the pool and teaching swim lessons. I missed going places that were more than a 30 minute drive from my front door. I even missed in person shopping! Had there not been a Zoom option available for me to connect with my guilds and small groups, I would have felt even more isolated.

Some days the pain was so great that I thought having two canes to assist me hobbling about would be more helpful. Some days, the swelling was immense. It didn't seem to matter if I walked and/or stood a lot or not. Two days before Christmas, I had a swollen area that was about six inches in length and about three inches high on the left side of my knee. I didn't notice it until I was getting out of the pool and saw the swelling. No wonder I felt more pain that day!

Over Christmas, I needed to use a cane even when I was in the house. Cooking dinner, even though we simplified the menu, was a trial. Two days after Christmas, I was back to walking without the cane. After New Years, I was walking backward (a PT exercise) when I felt severe pain again in my knee. I stopped the movement mid stride. The pain was so sharp and immense that tears ran down my cheeks! I don't cry easily. It was even a few minutes before I could speak! 

Again, after a couple of days, most of the pain was gone. The physical therapist said I twisted my knee as my muscles around the knee are imbalanced. Mid January, I had an appointment with a physiatrist. A physiatrist is a medical doctor who focuses on restoring or improving function for people who have had long term illness or pain. I went for an ultrasound appointment. The doctor found a small nodule on a tendon in my knee that could have been causing me pain. He injected a steroid into that area; but, it didn't change my pain level.

Next, the doctor selected an area where there was swelling around a bundle of nerves. He made two injections in this area. The first day, I didn't notice much of a change in my pain level. The second day, I would say there was an improvement in pain. I was able to get through the day without the assistance of ibuprofen. Swelling was less in my knee, leg, ankle and foot. I was not pain free.

The third day after the injection, I had a PT appointment. The therapist had me walk so I could work on my endurance. I managed a mile using hiking trekking poles. She was pleased. My range of motion was 0 for extension and 112 degrees for flexion. I said I would be pleased after waiting four hours to see if I had swelling and pain. I didn't. The fourth day was a work day. After work, I walked a mile. I was tired; but, I had the same result as the previous day. I did order a set of trekking poles. I liked these because they collapsed and folded up for packing into a suitcase.

The fifth day I went to the pool and actually did water aerobics for about 15 minutes. I had more soreness; but, swelling was less than it had been. The sixth day, I walked a mile again. I was hopeful that I truly was on the mend.

Three weeks after the injection, I was able to kneel in the pool on the steps with my body in alignment. It wasn't a totally pain free move; but, it was doable. Four hours after the kneeling, my knee was painful and it swelled. The following day, I felt it was less painful overall. Although, I haven't been able to move my knee back into that position since.

It's been seven weeks since the injection. I feel the pain level is the same although, I am able to manage the pain most days without ibuprofen. The swelling is less. I am taking a two to three month break from physical therapy to see if I can make progress on my own. I do plan to revisit the physiatrist to try again to attack the painful part of my knee.

Using the trekking poles, I walked a little over a mile a day most days for the month of February although, I did walk almost seven miles in one day towards the end of February. I was stiff and sore the following day; but, I didn't have huge amounts of swelling or pain like I had back in August when I tried walking longer distances.

It is still painful to stand--it feels like I'm ripping the inside of my knee to pieces. I'm working on increasing the extension as well as the flexion; but, the flexion part is immensely painful. Perhaps, the physiatrist will be able to alleviate this issue. It feels like the tendons/ligaments are too short in that part of my knee. Standing continues to be painful and there is no way that I can kneel. Maybe the nerves are over stimulated in this area and they are the reason why I have limited range of motion and pain.

I am using a NMES (neuromuscular electrical stimulation) unit once a day to encourage a quadriceps muscle to engage. Several times a day, I'm doing hamstring and calf stretches. I even use a rolling pin to roll over areas that are truly tight! Seventeen months post surgery, I would have thought I would be in a better place by now. My right knee while much better, also needs some TLC. It would be easy to throw in the towel; but, I'm not ready to accept that all I'll be able to do is to hobble about.

Let's see where I am in another two to three months. Posting this update was goal number four on my March list.