For all my readers. Memorial Day is not just about the long weekend, parties, or bbqs. Remember the true meaning of this special holiday.
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Hi my favorite readers! Recently, some of you have posted comments and concerns about using a leg extension fitness machine after a total knee replacement. Instead of replying to each comment individually, I thought it would be appropriate to comment here. Here is my story. It may be similar to yours… I have seen these machines in fitness gyms and other public health venues. I wouldn’t touch them with a ten foot pole. The configurations look different than that found in the PT machine I used during my recuperation process. During PT, the machine made it possible for me to use my tkr leg. My leg was not positioned in an unnatural manner. In fact, the machine was configured so my leg was actually only slightly bent at the knee. This allowed me to simply slide my tkr-side foot underneath the cushioned pad. It was not uncomfortable at all. I started with zero weight and only increased it to – if I recall correctly – 10 pounds. While using the PT machine, I mainly felt my quads and hamstring muscles working. I felt no discomfort in my patella, or knee cap, area. Fast forward to the fitness gym leg extension machines. In order to use these torture devices, my tkr knee needs to be bent to more than 90 degrees. That is the starting position. This just is not possible. My tkr knee does not bend more than 93-95 degrees. (And…no…I am not considering, nor never have, a manipulation. There are other posts on this flexibility subject.) There is no way in blazes I am going to put myself into that position and risk injury. So…I avoid the machine. While doing research into leg extension machines, I found an interesting article on the Huffington Post site. I have included a link below. Do your own research and you may be quite interested in what you find on this topic. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/-dr-joseph-horrigan/leg-extensions-knee-pain_b_3269330.html Keep Improving! AUTHOR NOTE: Booktoots’ Healing helps total knee replacement patients find support throughout recuperation and beyond. Its mission is for patients to understand they are not alone in their ordeal with either a tkr or other physicality concerns. The site is owned and operated by Marie Buckner, a published author and tkr patient who has been living with various physicalities for over 30+ years. She enjoys sharing her experiences to help others going through the same thing. Find interesting? Kindly share…
Some readers have asked me lately whether I used weights during my tkr recuperation. I have written articles about this before, but thought it was time to discuss it further. The answer is “yes, I have”. Weights were used in a variety of ways. Below is how I used weights to straighten my tkr. One exercise involving weights was done by sitting in a firm chair. I’d have another firm chair directly in front of me, about three feet away. I’d extend my tkr leg onto the other chair. My tkr knee would be in the center portion of the separated chairs. Or, I’d sit on my sofa and extend my tkr leg onto my coffee table with the same space underneath my tkr knee. Then, when my knee was as straight as it would be, I’d put a towel over it. I’d then put a two-pound ankle weight on top of the towel, directly on top of my tkr knee. OUCH! Sometimes that was a DOUBLE OUCH!! It needed to be done, however. I started with a two-pound weight, but gradually increased it to five pounds. And, I do mean gradually. I never did more than five pounds since I received great results with only five pounds. Once the weight was on my tkr knee, I’d keep it on for about one to two minutes to start with. This would be increased to ten minutes (but only after about three months post-tkr surgery). This is one way in which I used weights to help straighten my tkr leg during rehabilitation. Hope this helps others going through the same thing. Find interesting? Kindly share….
Happy Mother’s Day to all my readers who are mothers of all creatures – human, animal, fish – you name it. Take the day to pamper yourself and enjoy! Hi my favorite readers! I wanted to take a moment and..once again…thank you for taking the time to visit my site. For those of you leaving comments, you have made an important role in having this turn into a very beneficial and user-friendly site. It couldn’t be done without you. Thank you.. If you feel this site can help others going through the same thing, kindly share it.
Hi my favorite readers. Here is an interesting guest post written by Richard Haynes, a physical therapy professional. It contains a wealth of information that can benefit your tkr recuperation. Enjoy! Once you have gone through your total knee replacement your work really has just begun. In fact, your surgeon will tell you that the surgery was the easy part, the hard part is the physical rehabilitation. What will determine your overall success after surgery will depend on the concentrated efforts both you and your physical therapist put into your treatments. Your physical therapist will be in charge of providing the exercise knowledge and expertise along with pain management skills in helping you get to a speedy recovery. You will be in charge in putting forth both the physical and mental effort needed to get the results you need to be both pain free in the long term and fully functional. In many cases most of you that have gone through this elective procedure have the self-motivation that is required to succeed and understood that before going into surgery. In other cases that I have come across, some do not fully understand what they have just gone through and, do not understand the mental discipline and toughness that needs to be acquired to have a successful rehabilitation experience. An idea that will help everyone tremendously is to ask your surgeon to get you registered for a pre-operative class that explains what will be involved not only during your hospital stay but, what will be expected during your rehabilitation as well. These classes not only instruct you with pain management techniques after your hospital stay but, are also attended as well by a physical therapist that will guide you as to what you can expect after surgery and, what to expect once you get home. Once you get home after a brief hospital stay, you will be seen by a therapist who will evaluate you and get you started on your home rehabilitation program. Your therapist should provide you with a detailed home exercise program with picture handouts that are easily followed and understood. In many cases, your hospital rehabilitation department may have issued you a home exercise program as well. I recommended to patients that they complete the home exercise program provided two times a day. In some cases therapists will stress three times a day however, in my years of following TKR patients I do not see any advantage in doing the exercise three times a day. If you do the exercise’s correctly two times you will achieve your rehabilitation goals. What you want to remember is more is not better here. In too many cases I find patients that feel the more exercises they do the faster they will rehabilitate themselves. What you are doing in fact is setting yourself up for a painful experience for the next few weeks that really you did not need to experience in the first place. Knee replacement surgery is painful enough by itself without self-sabotage by over doing the exercise program. Keep the communication lines open between your physical therapist, nursing staff and of course your surgeons’ office to help answer any questions that are bound to come up during rehabilitation. Richard Haynes PTA, CPT. Richard can also be reached via his website at: Find interesting? Kindly share…
Back in the 1920′s, Thomas Edison was warning people about how he envisioned science becoming out of control and beginning to harm people. I think we’ve reached that point. Modern technology has advanced so rapidly and provides a wealth of amenities to make life easier. It also is making us a dumber society full of brainless drivers. In particular, I am speaking about the modern gadgetry found on new automobiles. Modern technology is turning drivers into robots that are not smart enough to properly operate their own car. Visions of the Jetsons come to mind..only, the drivers I have seen are not even that smart. Some young female driver cut me off the other day, without turning her neck so much to see me. She was looking straight ahead when she pulled into traffic. So, I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting her. That’s good defensive driving and a testament to my good braking system. However, after I honked my horn, she turned and saw me, stuck out her tongue and flipped me the bird. That’s just one story about disrespectful and stupid drivers. It happens all the time, as I’m sure you have your own stories to tell. I’m not even getting into the amount of drivers who text or use their cell phones while driving or who sit in their cars texting after they are done pumping gas (while others wait in line). Case in point…a parallel parking device that parks the car for you. If you cannot perform this function, DON’T DRIVE!! Give me a break..Drivers are not supposed to learn how to judge the distance between cars, from the curb or maneuver their car into a position? How is this device supposed to make life easier for fellow drivers? Here’s another one. There’s a computer chip that checks whether anyone, or anything, is behind you. The purpose of this technology is to make pulling out of a parking space or driveway easier. It’s supposed to lower your chances of hitting someone due to having blind spots or poor visibility. Here’s a hint…if you cannot turn your neck enough to look behind you…DON’T DRIVE!! How about checking your car’s surrounding area and making certain it is clear before jumping in and backing up? Is that too difficult? I think not. How about doing what pilots do and yell “CLEAR!” prior to moving the car? I have seen more than one individual drive while wearing a soft neck collar. One friend said she felt comfortable doing this and couldn’t understand what the deal was. I know of someone else who has a fused neck (with screws and plates) and is unable to turn his neck at all. He still drives (and flies a plane) and ridicules me because I refuse to drive or fly with him. Or, if you are too lazy to use proper driving techniques to operate your vehicle…DON’T DRIVE!!! What happens when these high-technology devices fail and people have to use their driving skills to get by? It’s a sad state of affairs, indeed. Off note: Another point…drivers who operate a vehicle without the capability of being able to turn their neck. Whether it be a fused neck, neck injury requiring a collar or brace, or any other physical reason..driving without being able to turn the neck is dangerous and stupid. It endangers the lives of the driver, passengers, and other motorists on the road. And…don’t tell me that it’s no big deal to drive while wearing a neck collar or having your neck fused. I don’t buy it. Tell that to the person laying in a hospital bed due to you not seeing them while driving. Motor vehicles are not toys. They are deadly weapons that deserve respect and proper handling. People need to learn that. Having modern technology take the place of common sense good driving is utter stupidity, in my opinion. End of commentary. Find interesting? Kindly share…
Hi my favorite readers! Having lived with scoliosis (curvature of the spine) for over 35 years, I have found there are a number of ways to naturally ease the discomfort level without taking prescription pain killers. Hopefully, you will find some of these useful for your situation. They range from physical activity, stretching, to meditation. Physical activity. Stretching * Tai Chai provides me with a variety of stretching positions to ease my scoliosis discomfort. One particular movement involves clasping both hands and moving them overhead. Then, turn the upper torso to the right, bend to the right, and hold for a few seconds. Move back to center, and then turn to the left. The lower back stretch is wonderful from this movement. Meditating DISCLAIMER: NOTE: Marie Buckner, author and owner of Booktoots’ Healing, is a published author of over 2000+ articles, white papers, manuals, business communications, cookbook series, ezines, and ebooks. She holds an advanced university degree in business administration.
Hi my favorite readers! I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for visiting and participating on this site. After recently reviewing a number of sites that are classified as tkr knee forums, I can confidently say that you are different from the rest. Most sites have comments posted with no one responding. Other sites simply contain outdated information. You have made this site work. Thank you. Good luck and keep on working! Find interesting? Kindly share…
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"I don't think there's an obligation to win like a Red Wing, I think there's an obligation to prepare for the opportunity you're given, to compete for what you've been given, and to maximize your potential. I think that's what life's about, maximizing what you've been given." - Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings coach
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