Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1997 | 8:02 a.m.
IT IS NOW five weeks since I had knee surgery, and my normal life is starting to return. I'm able to drive and have regained most of my independence. There are still some limitations. I can't walk down stairs. Up is easy; down requires more than my knee is yet willing to give. It will get better and easier with practice, but as I've said before, patience is not one of my virtues.
There is a pattern to my progress that is set by the intense physical therapy I have been undergoing at the Columbia Sunrise Health Strategies facility since leaving the hospital. It is this physical therapy that is the key to making a complete recovery.
The harder you work, both at home and in the therapy center, the quicker the results.
Of course, the surgery has to be done well in order to succeed. Since writing about my experience, I've had a number of letters from readers who shared their own. Most were like mine -- a good surgeon, good therapy, a good recovery. Some were dark tales of continuous pain and uneven results that could need more surgery.
But assuming that if the knee surgery is a success, then the rest will be easy, could lead to failure. Surgery is just the first step on the road back.
It didn't take long for me to realize that what physical therapist Jeff Deets told me at each session made sense. He could show me the way, but how well I followed it would determine the final outcome. I am not by nature an exercise enthusiast. The only activity that saved me from being a total sloth was bicycle riding. When I injured my knee, I stopped riding. I miss the morning rides with a friend, but not the activity.
I'd much rather read a book. I've even managed to read a few during the first part of each session -- 20 minutes of moist heat to relax the soft tissue. After that comes a series of exercises designed to strengthen the knee and the thigh muscles.
At first, I could barely get the knee to respond. Within a few days, it was so easy to do the series of leg lifts and front and back knee lifts. A weight was added to my ankle. We began with one-half pounds, slowly making it up to five pounds, the point I'm at now.
As my strength increased, the number of repetitions increased. Each time I thought I had reached the peak, the mountain grew taller, and I had to climb to reach the new goal. It is the only way, says Deets. After the exercises, we practice walking to see if my balance has improved. It has. My "propioception" -- how to walk backwards without falling -- has improved, too. I never had much occasion or need to walk backwards, but it's reassuring to know I can do it now should the need ever arise.
The day I was put on the recumbent bike was another milestone. Jeff set the timer for three minutes, then stood by watching as I struggled to get the knee under control and will it to make the complete turn. I'm now doing 10 minutes, but the number will increase the next time. There is no letting up, ever.
It's the only way to improve and keep improving. Each time I master the new sets of exercises, there are more. Some days, I can barely get through the rigorous routine. At other times, I breeze right through. When the program is exceptionally tough, I'm required to relax the next day. It is my favorite prescription.
The discussions I have with Jeff during each session have enabled me to understand why each portion of the program is vital to recovery. There are no shortcuts, but there are happy endings. It is Jeff's belief (and mine) that most patients would benefit from longer periods of physical therapy. It takes time and endurance to master the techniques that get the best results. If done incorrectly, there are no benefits. The exercises I do at home are now like brushing my teeth, part of my daily routine.
This week, I will attempt to climb the stairs to my office. If the knee won't cooperate when coming down, I'll fall back on the one-step-at-a-time toddler method, learning as I go. I'm not anticipating any problems.
I like the recumbent bike so much, I'm going to get my own. The chair part is comfortable and it's easy to read while riding. Unlike riding in the street, there are no pitfalls or potholes.
The surgery I resisted for so long did more than restore my knee. It introduced me to one of a group of dedicated professionals who inspired and encouraged me to get to this point of return in record time. The worst is over -- the best is soon to come.
archive
