Post-op Day 350 – Fifty Weeks After Patella Re-alignment Operation
At Post-op Day 350 it is fifty long weeks since my patella re-alignment operation (patella stabilization / VMO advancement / lateral release revision surgery)! The alleged recovery time of six months came and went ages ago, but I’m still plodding along…
Post-op week 50
As you know I have been using the kinesiology tape quite a lot, and I really do like it, but my knee still gets very swollen after exercise. My rehab routine takes an hour in the gym and I do get frustrated with my knee when it remains swollen even with the help of the tape. I was somewhat dismayed to read back over my notes and find that my knee has actually been swollen now for over two weeks!! I didn’t realize it had been that long! Also, the ‘bruise colour’ over my patella appeared about four weeks ago and hasn’t gone yet!
I had my physio session this morning and then did my exercises in the gym afterwards. By the time it got to the afternoon my quadriceps tendon had become so tight that I had to really force my knee to bend. I was having to ‘fight’ against it all the time. After a while I decided to phone the physio and tell him about it, as it didn’t seem at all normal, and I didn’t know whether I was doing the right thing by forcing it. I was told to rest it for four days…. This really isn’t the quickest of recoveries is it…?!!
At least the scar isn’t so red now…
I wonder if I need to have a cortizone injection in the quadriceps tendon? I will ask the consultant at my next review.
So, in the mean time, I’ve been writing, watching tv and chatting to friends. I keep massaging my knee with aloe vera lotion – not because it needs any lotion on it, but because I find it helps to ease the pain. I have not put any more tape on my knee specifically because I want to massage it.
Post-op Day 348 – Why Should Knee Tape Be Boring!
It’s Post-op Day 348 after knee surgery to re-align my patella and I’m glad to say that I have been sleeping better lately. I’m really pleased, as it’s hard going if you don’t get a good sleep for several nights (or more), as everyone who’s struggled with sleep, for whatever reason, will testify. I think the difference is that I have been very tired by the time I get into bed, physically tired, so that is probably why I’m sleeping better. I’ve been spending a little longer in the garden, and going to physio and doing all my knee exercises etc. Then I’ve found that at bedtime I’ve been going to bed with a book, reading a page – if that, falling asleep, waking up and reading a few more lines, falling asleep again… and so on, until in the end I give up trying to read any more, turn the light off and have a really good sleep! Bliss!
However, my knee still gets very sore and hot and swells up at any and every opportunity. I find that having the kinesiology tape on definitely helps, so I decided to re-apply it. I’ve bought my own supply of tape, and as there was a choice of colours, I bought blue and pink. Well, why not? Who says taping up your knee has to be boring?
My bright and cheery tape!
My jazzy blue and pink tape!
I was very pleased with my efforts actually, as I’m still just getting the hang of doing it myself.
What’s more, I realized it even matched my socks! Now how fabulous is that?!!!
Post-op Day 344 – Carrying On With Rehabilitation After Knee Surgery
Ok then, where were we………………
Post-op Day 344 after my patella re-alignment operation (patella stabilization / vmo advancement / lateral release revision surgery) and I was back at physio again. I told my physio about the pain I’d had inside my knee when I was exercising in the gym on my last visit. He said what I expected him to say and what I’d thought myself,
“All we can really do is carry on”.
Exactly. What else is there to do? We can’t just give up! Somehow I need to find a way to keep moving forward – those are my words not his. What were his words though were these: “I’m not going to let them fuse it!” Pardon? Excuse me? What?!!!! No-one has ever mentioned fusing my leg before, not to me anyway! Who said that? Hmmm, maybe that’s just his own personal fear, that my knee is beyond hope and the surgeon will just fuse it into permanent extension…. Now that is a scary thought! Although, I have to say, there have been times when the pain in my knee has been so “off the scale” that I would have swapped it for a straight leg. But of course the pain passes eventually – and I guess if it didn’t and it was unrelentingly unbearable then fusion would be desirable. But I’m not in that place, thank goodness!
So, my physio worked on massaging the medial side of my knee where it was still painful and he agreed that I should leave the kinesiology tape off for a while to let the skin rest. Then I went back into the gym and did the same routine as I had done on my last visit. My physio said that after taking a break from the gym work it can take three sessions for my knee to get back into it, so I persevered.
In the afternoon, after a trip to the hairdressers, I spent some time in the garden. It was lovely spending some time outside and the cat came too. Pusskin is becoming a very sociable cat and sometimes follows me about like a little dog!
Sorry For The Delay … More Knee Surgery Got In The Way!
Here I am!!
You must have wondered where I’d got to, so a Big Apology to my regular blog followers, as I haven’t posted on my blog for quite a while. SORRY!
My blog charting my recovery after patella re-alignment surgery was put on hold for a while as life sort of ‘got in the way’ as it sometimes does! In fact I’ve had MORE KNEE SURGERY!
Yes indeed it’s true… while you may (or may not!) have been missing me, I ‘sneaked away’ for another operation – so I’ve now had…
Knee Surgery No 10!
Ten…, TEN…, knee operations is just madness, but it had to be, so there we are!
Getting back to my blog though… I want to keep my patella re-alignment recovery adventure in chronological order, so that it reads through from start to eventual conclusion. Rather than posting just now all about my latest orthopaedic escapade, I shall just continue from where I left off…. Luckily I have all my blog posts written in a notebook, as that’s what I do – I write about my recovery day by day in a notebook, as and when the mood takes me – and then I post it on here. So although I haven’t posted here for a long time I know what I want to write.
And so, dear readers, normal service shall be resumed – but I just need to make a cup of tea first, and attend to a few things, but I’ll be back!
Post-op Day 343 – Forty Nine Weeks After Patella Re-alignment Operation
It’s now 49 weeks after my patella re-alignment operation (patella stabilization / vmo advancement / lateral release revision surgery) and time is marching on. It would be nice to be able to say that I’m marching with it, but not quite!
Post-op week 49
I decided to go back to the gym and do as much of my rehabilitation routine as possible, in an hour. I didn’t want to do too much, when I’ve not been able to do it for the last two months after all the cortizone injections.
I managed it – I did vibro-plate lunge; vibro-plate and bosu lunges (just one set); trolley on peg 3; leg press; treadmill; cross-trainer and bike. It went okay apart from the trolley. It was very, very painful and my knee crunched a lot. Not only was it very painful but it was very disappointing too. It was so disappointing because before the tendonitis became a problem I was working on peg 5, which was a much steeper incline and also, my knee felt no better than it did pre-op! Damn! Also, when doing the vibro-plate lunges and leaning into the lunge, putting pressure on the joint, it felt very painful and again, no better than pre-op…. Damn again!
The rest of the routine was okay and I just made a change with the cycling as I kept the seat slightly higher than before, so that I didn’t stress my knee too much.
Overall, despite my knee seeming no better, I did manage an hour of exercises, so that’s good. I had the tape on my knee, which I think helped.
I eventually took the tape off having had it on for five days, and washed the stickiness off my skin with warm soapy water. I don’t know if there’s something you can buy to get it off – there probably is, but it came off okay with a bit of effort.
My leg still looks incredibly skinny! I’m feeling upbeat but disappointed too…
Post-op Day 341 – Knee Biomechanics Still Not Right
Post-op Day 341 following my patella re-alignment (patella stabilization / vmo advancement / lateral release revision surgery) and my knee biomechanics still haven’t improved. As my physiotherapist explained in this week’s session, my knee is still swollen because I have such poor biomechanics. As my quad muscles are still so pathetic (my word not his!) the joint is still behaving in an unnatural manner and the extra stresses and strains are causing the swelling.
I showed him the blisters that had appeared where I’d had the kinesiology tape (see previous post) and he explained that they occurred because I’d had tension on the end of the tape. The tape is stretchy but, when you apply it to the skin, you don’t put any stretch on either end of each piece. Instead, you place it on the skin and stick it down, then stretch it and apply it where you want it, and then place the end on the skin. It’s not easy and it’s far better to have a professional to do it for you, but practise makes perfect. After my physio had worked on massaging my knee he showed me again how to apply the tape myself. I definitely want to learn how to put it on properly as it does help my knee and I’ll not always have the physio to apply it.
My physio put this tape on, to show me how to do it.
The kinesiology tape really works for me and allows me to do more as it supports the muscles. Of course I do wonder if it’s psychological as well! Is it psychological? I don’t know. I can feel the physical support it gives my knee, but even if there is a psychological element to it, it works for me! As long as I can do more I don’t really care how it works!
After my physio session I went in the gym and did some of my rehab exercises. At home, I’ve also been doing some gardening. I’m trying not to overdo it though, so I’m experimenting with setting myself limits such as doing 30-45 minutes then having a break. Otherwise it’s easy to get totally absorbed in something and do too much – and then suffer for hours afterwards. So I’m trying to establish a way to do things, and gradually increase what I do, without having horrendous pain as a consequence.
I’m also wondering how much longer I’ll keep on going to physio, as I head towards my post-op year point…..
Post-op Day 336 – Forty Eight Weeks – ELEVEN MONTHS After Patella Re-alignment Operation
Another month is notched up in my “Patella Re-alignment Adventure”, heading on towards the post-op year point following my knee surgery. And, is it better yet…..? No, alas, it isn’t….
I have been doing some work in the garden and my knee is protesting loudly!
My physio had said to leave the kinesiology tape on for five days, so I decided on the fifth day to do some gardening before I took the tape off in the evening. I did a fair amount of work and then, later, when I took the tape off it came off really easily. Unfortunately I noticed that my knee was swollen, very definitely swollen… and it felt very tight, and I could feel the swelling inside the joint too. So perhaps, whilst the tape is good, it isn’t as good as a brace or support?
I left the tape off overnight, as my physio had instructed, and the next day I decided not to put more on until the evening, to give my skin a chance to breathe.
Having a rest – and fresh air for my knee between tape applications
I did a little more in the garden, trying to ignore the fact that my knee was really sore and swollen.
So, in the evening, I had my first attempt at applying my own kinesiology tape. Well… yes, well…, it isn’t easy! The tape is obviously very sticky and very stretchy and it’s very easy to get yourself into a real pickle! Practise makes perfect, I know, but this was my first attempt! When I finally managed to apply it as the physio had shown me, the swelling seemed even more prominent and I wondered if I should wear the tape if my knee was swollen… I didn’t know what the answer was, but as I would be seeing my physio again soon I decided to leave it on.
The next morning, just after I’d had a shower, I noticed that some of the tape was starting to fall off. It is supposed to stay on in the shower but presumably I’d not put it on very well! After trying to stick it back on without much success I gave up and removed it. It was just as well that I did because I noticed that my leg was getting red where the tape had been and I had six small blisters on my thigh! At that point I decided not to put any more tape on until I saw the physio.
Taping blisters – 5 days old (photo a little blurry unfortunately)
I finished doing what I was working on in the garden and was pleased with what I’d achieved, but by bedtime my knee was very sore – far more so than one would imagine at eleven months post-op…
Post-op Day 333 – The Wonders Of Taping My Knee
It’s Post-op Day 333, all the threes today! Who would have thought that recovering from patella re-alignment surgery (patella stabilization / vmo advancement / lateral release revision surgery) would involve so many threes!
In my latest physio session, my physio worked on my scar tissue again, with deep friction – aarrgh, surely one of the most painful treatments ever! I know it’s very good for breaking down the scar tissue, but…… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it!
I am getting on very well with the kinesiology tape and find it works really well for me.
Kinesiology tape
My physio put more tape on for me and showed me how to do it, so that I’ll be able to do it myself. I’m to keep this tape on for five days, then take it off and let my skin breathe overnight, then put more tape on myself. Then when I have my next physio session he’ll be able to see if I’ve done it correctly. A good idea.
I did a few light things in the gym – vibroplate lunges; the trolley; bosu marching attached to the bungee elastic, and the crosstrainer. It was fine, I managed okay and although my quads felt very tired that was good. I was pleased with the session.
What I really like about this strapping is that it feels so supportive, yet it doesn’t hinder movement and it allows my muscles to work. I’ve been doing a bit of work in the garden, and the strapping helps with that too. I like it so much that I’m going to buy my own supply. Obviously I’ll not use it all the time (and it’s expensive at £10 a roll) but if I’m going to be doing more exercise or a big trip to town, or anything that I think my knee will struggle with, I can use the tape for extra support.
This red tape is a different make to the previous one the physio used and I don’t think it’s as good as it seems to fray along the edges. However, it still gives me good support.
Kinesiology tape – medial view
Post-op Day 329 – Forty Seven Weeks After Patella Re-alignment Operation
In the last week I have had to ask more of my knee, the most in fact since having the patella re-alignment surgery, as I have been away visiting family.
The driving was the hardest part. Since the surgery the longest time I’d spent driving was an hour, but it was a five hour drive to get there. I was okay for the first hour and a half, then my knee started to get really sore. I stopped after I’d driven for two hours. I had a break for about 45 minutes, and had a coffee and a good stretch. In the second half of my journey it was just the same – my knee felt okay for an hour and a half then started to get really sore again. But I drove on for another hour and a half… five hours driving in total.
When I finally got there (and also when I’d stopped en route for a coffee) and got out of the car I had to use both my crutches as my knee was so painful and stiff I could hardly walk! It was wonderful to sit down with my leg out straight – bliss! (I have my leg extended as straight as possible in the car, but it can’t be completely straight.) I still had the strapping on (the kinesiology tape) that the physio had put on, and I felt that it was helping.
I spent the first day of my visit in the house, resting my knee and chatting to my parents, and after that I had a busy time, visiting relations, going to the shops etc, and sometimes I used both crutches and sometimes just one of them. The strapping was very good and felt supportive.
My knee reacted in exactly the same way on the long drive home – ie it felt fine for the first hour and a half, then was really sore. After unpacking the car and getting sorted out, and having lots of hugs with Pusskin of course, I was glad to get to bed and rest my knee.
I have taken the tape off my knee now, and it feels more sore without it on, so it definitely does some good and I think it helped a lot whilst I was away.
I’ve done my household chores and then had a lazy time… As you know I massage my knee with aloe vera lotion when it’s sore, as I find it helps, and today I’ve had to do it three times!
Post-op Day 322 – Forty Six Weeks After Patella Re-alignment Operation
It’s now Post-op Day 322, forty six weeks after my patella re-alignment operation, and it’s been a very busy day.
I’m going to visit my family tomorrow so I’ve been getting organised – and my knee has been complaining about it all day! I have done some ironing; a little gardening; been to my piano lesson and, among other things, cleaned the goldfish bowl! Consequently I have been walking about quite a lot or standing still quite a lot, depending on the task. I’ve potted up some herbs which entailed walking about quite a lot, back and forth, between the greenhouse and the herb pots which I keep by the kitchen door. Then when I did the ironing I was standing for a while, but my knee really swells up if I stand still for any length of time. (Maybe some people do their ironing sitting down, if that’s possible, but I don’t think I could do that – for me, ironing has to be a standing up affair!)
My knee has been feeling very, very tight and sore – so much so that I was looking forward to going to my physio session. Yes, really, I was actually looking forward to a physio session!
The physio said that all the tissue is tethered on the lateral side of my knee and there is a colour change directly over the lateral side of my patella, which looks like a bruise but isn’t a bruise. I had noticed that, then wondered if I was imagining it… so I was glad that the physio could see it too.
As I’m going away tomorrow, and will be demanding more of my knee, my physio decided to try kinesiology tape on it. I’ve never had it before, so it will be interesting to see if it helps.
Left knee kinesiology taping – the top edges are starting to come loose
The tape is stretchy and sticks directly on to the skin. It gives a lot of support but, because it is stretchy, it doesn’t restrict movement like regular strapping would do. So it allows me to do my exercises but supports the muscles and should help decrease the pain. I am to keep it on for five days and it’s okay to get it wet in the shower or bath. With time it will start to fall off anyway, but if I can, I’ll keep it on for the five days. It doesn’t wrap around the leg but goes up the leg and contours around the knee joint.
This particular photo isn’t very good because the room was too dark – but I wanted to take it anyway to show my first kinesiology taping.
I served as an officer in the Royal Air Force for several years before joining the Police Force. After I was assaulted on duty I had to be medically retired due to my knee injury. My ambition is to regain my fitness, or as much of it as possible. I used to have my own horse and loved running and mountaineering. I'm blogging to follow my progress after major knee surgery, asking "Is it better yet?"
Is It Better Yet? 