Hello Folks
12 weeks in I saw my consultant today. Xrays were very good and he was pleased with my progress. However I am concerned about my walking. Both my physio and consultant have said that i still walk with a pegleg. I straighten my leg back when i walk. This stems from the fact that for many years pre op my knee could not support any weight when bent. I think that I dont trust my new knee. The trouble is i dont know how to retrain my brain. Or is this due to my muscles not quite ready. My knee has given way a couple of times so i cant tell. Any suggestions?
My physio said that I should walk slower and concentrate on putting the bad leg down. I was doing the not trusting my bad leg thing so I was limping, walking with a straight leg and trying to walk at the pace I used to walk at. She also told me to exercise by trying to balance on one leg, which I have never been able to do. It strengthens the muscles and helps you to trust your new knee?
Thanks thats a good idea!
Hi Sally, I have one other idea to add to Joy's advice. My physio has me walk around the house lifting each leg as high as possible in front of you while bending the knee. It's taken a while but is certainly helping, as long as you don't mind looking like John Cleese.
6 weeks and saw surgeon today. He said my walk was better but to concentrate on getting the knee straight.... I have maybe 5 degrees to go.... flex is fine but I have to work on getting knee straight. These tips will help me too so thank you all!
I was told to do the same thing and I honestly think it helped. Also, I was told to consciously watch that I place my feet down straight in front of me and heel/toe.
Take slightly longer steps and lift leg slowly place heel down and focus on rolling ankle through full range. As you lift your foot off the ground imagine the person behind you sees the sole, bring the good leg through the same way. Imagine you are walking on water or soft surface. Try it with crutches first. Also if you swing arms as if marching that really helps. Hold your body tall as if you have a book on your head too. Good luck a few good steps a day and build up. Mine buckles when tired too but I am very straight though slow at moment thank goodness
I had the same problem . . walking for a long time with the leg straight, the brain didn't want to accept the fact that I could bend the knee. Still have to remind myself to do it and my physio recommended practising walking with a slightly exaggerated bend for the first few steps, lifting the leg more than necessary . . and I think it did help. But walking properly is still for me a matter of concentration rather than natural (8 weeks) and if I forget, I still tend to drop back into the stiff leg routine! If you feel the knee has given out a couple of times, that must be due to muscle weakness I would think???
Thanks, you describe it exactly. My muscles were very weak going into this op so i expect it will take quite a bit of time to strengthen them.
It's amazing how quickly we lose muscle, and how much effort has to go in to getting them back!!!