Advice & Suggestions outside of listen to the doc

[GIANTboy]

So I will be having a second knee surgery in a few months on my right knee. It is going to be pretty major surgery, they are cutting the bones about 4 inches below my knee and re-aligning them as well as reassembling my knee and how it rides when i walk and bike and other every day activities. After its all said and done i am going to have several screws and plates in my leg and the recovery time is going to be about 6-9 months. I know that a few of you have had some major surgeries in the past and i am looking for some advice on how to make the recovery faster. Training techniques for getting back on my bike, trainers and equipment advice is what i am looking for as well.

[dobovedo]

I have been lucky enough to only experience minor to moderate knee pain and have never had more involved treatment than physical therapy and massage.

But in general, my advice when it comes to the getting back to form is not only to listen to the doc, but listen to multiple docs. Get second and third opinions about your therapy if at all possible. You don't want to be too aggressive but you don't want to be too cautious either.

Best of luck to you!

[Josh Whitmore]

I had 3 knee surgeries to fix the damage from a single accident, nothing as major as you are having by the sounds of it, but pretty invasive anyway.

There are a couple good things in what I hear from you, bones are way easier to heal then ligaments, and better alignment in the end sounds good.

My advice is that it will take a LONG time to recover. 6-9 months sounds optimistic. It might be over a year till you feel more normal again, but probably 6 months till you are functional. So - #1: be patient

#2: Baby steps. take what ever energy you had for riding and put into your recovery. Do all the little exercises, stretches, etc diligently. They will be boring, but do what you can do and take great pride in small improvement

#3: A good physical therapist is worth their weight in gold! Make sure to end up with one that understands cycling and what you want to do

#4: I spent a lot of time on the trainer with the wheel not even touching the resistance roller. Just turn pedals, no pressure - easier than walking.

#5: Take Hammer Nutrition's Tissue Rejuvinator, take a lot of it! It is a power anti-inflammatory and can be substituted for NSAIDS. You get a %15 discount if it is your first order and you use my product code: 70950 Otherwise keep good nutrition and up your intake of iron for bone healing.

#6: Don't over-do it. Too much too soon will set you back. listen to your body, do only what you can handle.

#7: Ice Ice Ice,

Good luck.

[GIANTboy]

Thanks for the advice! I am really not looking forward to the surgery but i am looking forward to the end result. You dont really know how much you use your knees until they hurt every day. I am really hoping that after its all said and done i can get back on my bike that i poured way to much money into. And for the record i miss those mountains so much, these roads in florida SUCK big time. I will keep yall up to date on how everything is going and maybe even post some cool scar pictures...an 8 inch incision should leave a nice one.

[mvi]

Great advice from Josh. Just some points to add.
It indeed sounds that your knee joint will be spared (by your description) which will make a difference in rehab (time).
You will have to listen to your doc (above all). And pay attention to your aches and pains.
Apart from a PT evaluation that can determine hip/knee /ankle/pelvis function, it will pay off to have a skilled observer -fitter evaluate you on a bike -trainer.
Be careful with click pedals or fixed cleats. Power straps might be a good idea initially.
You can do a lot of your rehab yourself , once you know what, and how to do it.
Again , good fit and form are very important on the bike (not that I have that).
For motivation, Brent Bookwalter came back from severe Tibia fractures to pro tour form, and Cadel Evans is currently riding (and world champion) with a torn ACL.
Keep us posted on your progress and let us know if you need help.

[GIANTboy]

I hadnt even thought about my pedals. That is a really good point i am riding with zero float looks right now. I know its going to be weird but thanks for the pointers. What do you think, should i be refited before or after the surgery? i feel pretty guilty about keeping the bike i have right now. i have debated selling it and buying something less but i feel like i will regret it later. I will keep you posted. I am not looking forward to it at all for sure.

[mvi]

It looks like there will be a change in knee alignment post op, so you will not be doing the same movements as before.
The movements a bike allows your legs to go through are restricted by the locked in -flat- pedals and semi locked in pelvis on the seat. Not something that you would find in nature. It matters a lot how intensive you ride , and what your goals are.
No experience myself, but I'm sure that a fit by Andy Applegate will be money well spend. It's easy to cause an overuse injury. I found speedplays to be easy on the knees, even though they now have too much float for my liking.
Got a pair you can borrow if needed. Read the cyclingnews fitness forum for a load of -not always easy to understand- information.

[GIANTboy]

Well I thought I would write and let everyone know I made it through the surgery. It was a lot rougher than they thought it would be. But I am doing ok. The pain is incredible...but now 3 days later i can kinda do stuff on my own. Anyone have suggestions on how to drive with a static "locked-out" right leg?