I'm surprised you're able to sleep on your side and stomach over your back. I would've thought it would be easier to do the opposite.
Altogether you stayed at the hospital for 3 days then? Also what types of exercises are they getting you to do at physio now?
Yeah I get it but I really never been able to sleep much on my back. You're right it would definitely be easier that way.
I haven't started the PT officially (will start next Tuesday) but I'm doing stretches for quads and hamstrings (laying in bed and pretty much puling the knee to my chest, pulling my ankle towards my butt, straightening the leg all the way down and last leg raises). I do them let's say every hour or so. 5 to 10 minuts or until i feel somewhat loose.
After sleeping especially on my tummy my legs become like 2 stiff logs and it takes a fair amount of effort to do the first raise and knee bend. This thing ain't a walk in the park for sure.
How are you finding manoeuvring around with the walker?
Hi Thankscience,
Moving around with the walker is ok. It is obviously slow but I don't think I would be able to safely move around (around my room... around the hotel, outside the hotel) with crutches.
So I'm happy with that for the time being.
Day 6 post op - Clicking and PT
Guys, I've done my first 8 clicks per leg today.
I'm super happy and relieved because that's been at the front of my mind for the last few days. I was almost as anxious as before the surgery.
Now, how was it?
It's been super difficult inmust admit (I only managed to click with the help of the nurse who came here this morning who will come again tonight and the next few days until I can do it alone).
Specifically, a bit of context. I've been walking and moving around plus cycling quite a lot these last few days. More than I was advised by the Doctor.
I think I probably overdid it and last night and this morning I had quite a bit of pain and soreness in my legs. Specifically in my knees and in my inner thigh (abductors I think). Sharp stabbing pain everything I try to move. Also to be complete, I hadn't taken the strong painkiller provided me (Tramal I believe it's called). So:
Left leg super painful
Right leg manageable.
We started with the right leg which is notoriously the hardest. We tried 2 positions and I felt better with the one where we square the leg at 90 degrees and twist the lower leg outside for the big click. (The video from Betz institute basically where the guy lays flat on the bed, raise is right leg perpendicular to the table, then extend the lower leg at about 100 degrees and twist it outwards).
First few trys I couldn't click and i sort of panicked in my mind. I was twisting the leg and kept pushing it albeit slowly until I started feeling a deep stretching pain from the quad belly that forced me to stop. Tried a few times a slow as I could but as I kept "pushing through" the pain spiked up to unbearable levels.
But then we changed approach and tried to relax the muscle in position similar to when you do deep stretching and want to push yourself... basically twisting to the point of mild to medium pain and hold the leg there until the pain subside. Then push a little more...and then bit more until all of sudden... Clonk. Done. Then the resetting click comes almost automatically.
Once the first click was done, the others were really easy and painless. We did the other 7 in like 4 minutes. And absolutely no pain whatsoever when the device clicks.
Then we moved to the left leg. This was super difficult even though in theory (and as I also practiced myself in hospital) it should be very easy. My mindset was totally different than when we started the first one. I knew we were gonna manage how to make it click. It would just be a matter of patience.
Said that though, my left leg was already in pain (knee and thigh) just by laying on the bed, so, using the same technique, slowly...really slowly twisting more, holding and repeating this, after a good 20, 25 minutes (yeah it took that long and really lots of focus to push and hold through the pain) we got the dreaded click. the reset one was again almost automatic. After that, the other clicks were easy (not as the right leg but...easy)
Total time of this first session was a bit more than an hour. (0.5mm taller... feel like a giant already).
Notable things that I've understood from this session are:
- you gotta be regimented with this process. Cycle for 10 minutes, stretch,relax, take your time and stay calm.
-Don't overstress your leg with excercise. Dont be the hero. Follow what the doctor and nurse tell you to do. If they tell you to rest the whole day... just rest the whole day.
- I believe (not sure obviously but that's what I feel now) that the key for me to be able to click was to "hold" the leg for some seconds (10-15) at the point of discomfort during the twisting to let the muscle, the tendons, the thigh and everything else stretch and relax in that position and only then push a little further and repeat until the click. Not just keep pushing through the pain all at once. I will try this tonight again and see how it goes.
- I couldn't have done this by myself (i would like to know if anyone has ever done the first few clicks unaided...I'dbe very impressed). The help from the nurse provided by Dr G. (they will come until I feel independent with the clicking) was fantastic. She was really super patient and experienced in doing this and I found that to be the key to manage this.
-The clicking itself is absolutely painless. I mean, the moment the rod clicks, you don't really feel a thing. It's not your leg snapping. All the discomfort I had was ... leading to the point of click. Twisting towards that point pulling the already sore muscles and inner thigh. Again... for me, going super super slow and holding the leg in position as soon as I start feeling the pain ramping up was the key to get to the clicking point. Not sure if others have had the same experience or can relate. Let me know in case.
- I wanna be confident that tonight's clicks would be easier and although the nurse will come again to assist, I do want to try and do one or two entirely by myself (I can easily manage the reset click on both legs but that happens almost automatically).
Then we'll deal with the inflammation period when we get to it.
PT
I loved it. The guys and gals at this place are very good, easy to talk to and again patient.
We did a session of stretches for hammies, quads, abductors, and hip flexors. Basically they pull you in position until your limit. I loved it. I never really felt a huge amount of pain or something bad in general. Just good stretching pain. The guy performing the stretching on me was really delicate. Strong, but he knows when to stop. Everytime we finished one excercise he was careful to bring my leg very slowly back to the table. He knows the sharp pains we feel at this stage of the process.
Last we used the compression machine and ice machine as a final treat. What a feeling.better then getting a massage. I didn't wanna leave.
I also met other patients there so I really had a good time. I'm looking forward to that again.
That's it for the moment. Fingers crossed the clicks will get easier 🙏 from here on. I really hope so.
Second set of clicks done for the day.
15 in total.
The evening clicks were definitely easier and it took us overall 25 minutes to finish. Could have done faster but we were chatting a lot.
Fingers crossed it gets better from here!
Fingers crossed it gets better.
Can you ask the doctor question for me? In his opinion, is 3 months ago between femurs and tibia surgery?
Congratz on your journey 
. How do you feel so far? How is pain? Walking? Clicking?
Quote from: leonazul99 on August 30, 2022, 07:14:17 PMCan you ask the doctor question for me? In his opinion, is 3 months ago between femurs and tibia surgery?
I didn't get what you mean.
Quote from: Charizard on August 30, 2022, 07:45:22 PMCongratz on your journey . How do you feel so far? How is pain? Walking? Clicking?
Well I guess if you read the posts above you can get an idea of how I feel 
Overall things are progressing well.
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