Burnsy's Intensive Therapy

SteveBurns
SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
edited 9. Oct 2012, 16:43 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi all, I've got a lot of catching up to do, nott been here for two weeks but as I was asked for a diary of my therapy here it comes.

Two weeks is a long time and diary is even longer :) I'll keep the days short and simple and just a little at a time.


Day one

Can’t chill won’t chill led by Psychologist. A talk in the meeting room.
Talk on stress / distress, one hour and fifteen mins.
Group discussion with input from all in attendance.
Excellent revealing information about the day to day stressors that affect us.
Some people have too much to do, others not enough.
Retirement can be a problem if the routines are stopped.
Bottom line – keep as busy as you need to be.

Fitness room induction – intro to the equipment.

Expectations – in the meeting room led by head of physio and head of nursing
All about what to expect from the two weeks with small case studies of previous clients.
TKR seems to be quite popular.

Pool – exercises in the pool using floats and “Woggle float” The one that looks like a long thin sausage.
So many different exercises with one float and a woggle.
Leg exercise,
Upper body
Walking – forward, backward, sideways, bunny hops etc. ..................................

Intro to relaxation – sitting or lying down with relaxation music playing and the leader occasionally talking through the parts of the body to think about getting relaxed.

Day 2

Lifestyle awareness led by Psychologist talk in meeting room
How we live our lives and can we change anything to improve our lifestyle.

Gym – given our personal exercise programme, mine includes warm up 15 mins. Fitball against wall and my back and squats/leg curls.
The Physio asked me about using my stick (comfort or need) I thought about this and decided to have a go without.

Outdoor activity – walking approx 3 miles along pavement. I did one third and turned back with a few others.
I did most of the walk carrying, not using the stick but felt really tired and sore toward the end and had to stop, then used the stick until back at the centre.

Change - led by Psychologist a talk in meeting room
Talk about how change can affect us and that nothing can ever be the same as it was before the change”.

Pool – exercises in the pool a circuit this time 90 seconds on each activity.

Fitness Room
Half hour doing our personal programme.
I warmed up then tried the exercise bike – got all around for the first time since the op. (11 weeks). Still painful but an achievement.

Relaxation – sitting or lying down with relaxation music playing as yesterday. Chance for a lie down and snooze...................................

That's the first two days, more tomorrow :D

Comments

  • JuliaHod12
    JuliaHod12 Member Posts: 456
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Steve

    Sounds very full on........! Can't wait for the next instalment

    Julia ;-)
  • marrianne
    marrianne Member Posts: 1,161
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Very intensive......any leisure and whats the food like ? :lol: .....Marrianne :)
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hmmmm....interesting. Like to hear what it's doing/done for you. Glad I'm not there as I'd have walked out by Day 2; I don't need to be told how to live my life, become unstressed, or relax. I like doing things my way. But that's me, not you. Hope you found it all useful, and I look forward to the next instalment....
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Steve

    Many thanks for keeping your promise :lol: and sharing with us the first two days. Sounds most interesting and intensive.

    Great that you were able to use the exercise bike. Good news. It does not matter so much how long it took you to do this but that it has been achieved, so no going back with that now. :wink::D

    I am looking forward to reading more.

    Again, many thanks,

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Gosh Sreve...I am tired reading that..you must be and should be so proud of yourself..you have come along way..still some to go but you are getting there.
    And thanks for sharing this .
    Love
    Barbara
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    marrianne wrote:
    Very intensive......any leisure and whats the food like ? :lol: .....Marrianne :)

    Lots of leisure time, even rest time on the programme, they appreciate how important it is to rest for recovery.

    I went out to the pub a few times to watch football, TV in the room and lounge area but not Sky :(

    Some of the lads and lasses went out to see the sights - lakes, shopping etc.

    Food - lots of carbs due to the exercise regime but did not see one chip in two weeks :)
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Day 3

    Warm up either in Gym or in hydro pool. Mine was hydro pool due to my knee.
    Various warm up and stretch exercises from head to toes.

    Fitness room one hour using the exercise machines and into the gym if needed to carry out the personal exercise programme.

    Outdoor activity – another walk, about 4 miles. My knee was too sore so I didn’t go on this one.

    Gym, back into the gym to carry on our personal exercise programme. I did a warm up then some exercise bike, still managing to cycle, with a bit more resistance and less pain in the tendon but some pain on the inside of the knee.

    There was a coffee morning for the ladies, with cake, for one hour between coffee break and lunch.

    Pool – again, more water exercises a three person team circuit – “work, rest and play”. One working doing set exercises, one resting (not really) doing personal choice exercises, third team member doing lengths of the pool – walking, jogging, swimming, any way as long as 4 lengths done. When the 4 lengths have been done the three team members change round.

    I swam 28 lengths in sets of four.

    This was followed by free choice between hydro pool with floats, sauna or Jacuzzi.

    Sleep. An excellent Presentation about sleep and very informative about patterns and how to ensure a good quality night’s sleep.

    After the evening meal there was a Well Woman’s talk – obviously men excluded.

    Day 4

    Warm up, then Gym. Our own programme of exercises.

    Pool our choice of exercises from our own programme.

    Gym, circuit of exercises involving balance on various equipment, (“proprioception”- look it up) i.e. trampet, wobble board, two feet, one foot, one foot with eyes closed, ball thrown at us to catch and throw back.

    Talk re the Fire Fighters Charity and what it can do.

    Walk, approx 3 miles – I did not do this one, painful knee – sat with ice instead.

    Pool, hydro with floats for relaxation.

    Well man talk, advice re prostrate problems etc.

    I the evening there was a charity quiz night, with lots of raffles, etc. we raised over £700 for the FFC.

    I now know what "intensive" means :D
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Gosh steve that is Intense, I am just reading what you have to do :lol: The only bit I could do is.....Coffee and Cake :lol:

    You are doing well
    Keep it up

    Juliepf x :D
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That does sound pretty intense. How is your knee coping? If I try to do that much exercise in a day - and you know me, I try anything - my legs start swelling up and the next day the muscles hurt too much to do anything. Sounds great if you can do it.
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Helen everyone has their own limits and encouraged to do what we can. The pool exercises can be as hard or gentle as you like and in the gym we were allowed to work as hard as we felt we could do. Nobody cracking a whip just gently assisting us through our paces.

    Just because we all attended most of the sessions, I only missed the walks, doesn't mean we all worked our socks off. I worked hard 'cos I knew I could and it would do me good, some didn't work as hard but still got some benefit.

    I have always been competitive and when I could see how hard the others were working I felt I had to keep up.

    Day 5 Friday – half day

    Warm up - Hydro pool again for me.

    Gym or fitness room - following our personal programme.

    Pool for a "do what we wanted" session.

    Walk – only one mile each way stopping for an ice cream at the half way point. I did this walk but got a lift back from the ice cream cafe.

    Lunch then home for the weekend.

    It was good to get home but on the Saturday I went to the gym and swam 32 lengths - half a mile. Previously I couldn't go that far but I really felt good in the pool. Further, my knees used to hurt when swimming breaststroke, they hurt a lot less now.


    Week two Day one

    Pool – our own personal exercises – all floats available, a full hour finishing with the Jacuzzi.

    Gym/fitness room – our personal programme of exercises.

    Outdoor activity – walk three miles. (In the lovely Lake District rain).

    Gym – personal programme.

    (I was excused the walk and the gym session as my knee was really painful following the gym session. I had to ice it during the lunch break. Did a pool session instead with a new group, just gentle exercises with floats.)

    Relaxation session – optional.

    Ice was required after evening meal, my leg very sore.
  • diamond
    diamond Member Posts: 396
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Well done Steve nice to hear of your training regime glad that it is helping you.
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'll put the rest of the diary on now but before I do - i went to the gym today and did 25 minutes on the exercise bike, without much pain and with lots of really good feeling about the fact I can do it now.

    If that's all I got out of the intensive therapy it was really well worth it.


    Week two Day two

    Pool – our personal exercises, one hour.

    After the break pool again, this time a structured routing with the new arrivals. Nice steady session.

    Gym next – my knee was looked at by the Physio. Lost some of the bend due to swelling. Working too hard I think but also the TKR can take a year possibly two to be right.

    I had some pushing down on the straight leg and some bending the knee, it hurt but the bend was slightly improved.

    I had half hour in the gym doing the aerobic machines.

    After lunch there was a talk on food and diet.

    Walk three miles - but I dodged it again). More ice on my knee, actually I felt so much better after the rest with ice that my next session in the gym was really good.

    Gym half hour. I had a good exercise bike session, got 5 minutes – longest yet.

    I now find I can do more than before. Leg press - more repetitions with heavier weights, longer cycle, more exercises in the gym.

    Shower then more ice.

    Relaxation session – optional.

    There are some fire-fighters here working toward getting back to work following injury. They really do work hard in the gym, I find myself wondering if I was like them when I was younger? I suppose I must have been.

    They have my full respect.

    Week two Day three

    This is now 3 months post op for me.

    Hydro pool warm up, half hour. Those able to use the gym warmed up there. They do a line dancing/disco dancing type routine. It is fun and quite hard work.

    Pool session, one hour – circuit of 15 different exercises, 15 people in the water - 90 seconds on each exercise then change.

    We all did every exercise then did our own thing i.e. relax in the Jacuzzi.

    Longer walk for those than can, 4 miles, I went in the fitness room and did 2 circuits of my own exercises ending up on the exercise bike, 5 minutes then ten minutes cycles on my second time around the circuit.

    Pool next and allowed to do our own thing.

    After lunch I suffered some further manipulation, very painful but I understand it has to be done otherwise I end up with a very stiff bent leg.

    Fitness room and gym. More of my own programme of exercise but out of nowhere came the offer of a little bike ride outside. Of course I accepted and was out riding a bike for the first time since April 2011. Wonderful.

    Lots of Well Done s received. The Physios are really pleased. Not as pleased as me!

    It is now very noticeable that those of us here for the second week are showing great improvements. All of us are so much fitter than we were at the start of last week and much more mobile as well.

    One of the fire-fighters was doing hose running drills, he will be back to work next week after surgery to prevent his knee dislocating, that involving breaking the Fibula and moving the tendon.

    After dinner there is a Quiz night with raffles and spirit bottles to be won playing silly party games.

    All in aid of the Fire Fighters Charity.

    Week two Day four

    Hydro pool warm up, half hour.


    Pool session, one hour – another circuit this time the Work rest and play routines as in Day 3.

    Walk 3 miles but I went into the fitness room and did my own circuit. 20 minutes on the exercise bike this time.

    Another pool session, another circuit of exercises.

    After lunch I was assessed by my therapist and he did some more vary painful manipulation. After that my knee was measured and showed almost 100 degree bend.

    The bend is limited because of all the exercise and the work I am doing with the knee. There is swelling there all the time and that will reduce the degree of bend.

    I will be invited back in 8 weeks for one week of further intensive therapy.

    Recommended to see my GP to ask for Physic on a one to one basis. I will be taking home a report written by my therapist and that report will recommend the Physio.

    I have been recommended to gradually increase my walking distance. That means the dogs will soon be well exercised when I get home.

    It was noticed by one of the nurses that my walking has really improved, at the time I was hardly limping at all. That was immediately after the pool session with no time to stiffen up.

    After every fitness session my knee stiffens up. Once I start to exercise it loosens and I can then ride the bike or just keep on exercising.

    Another gym session where I worked hard in the fitness room, did another 20 minutes on the exercise bike, really please with that.

    After tea break I was on the bike riding through the grounds, 20 minutes and it felt marvellous. Still awkward on the right pedal and the knee tries to stiffen up as soon as I stop pedalling.

    When I finished cycling the knee was sore so sat with ice while writing this. Ice works.

    The day was really enjoyable and I feel I have got a lot out of coming here.

    Week two final day.

    Warm up in the hydro pool

    Walk – same as last week - only one mile each way stopping for an ice cream at the half way point. I did not do the walk this week as I went on the bike instead.

    Same destination, cafe, but we went the long way around on the bike. Three of us, including the Physio. Reverse route back to the centre, very satisfied that I could ride the bike. I don’t yet have a perfect style as the seat is very high and right heel on the pedal but still managing it.

    Gym after tea break – I had my final very painful one to one push down on the straight leg and bend of the leg while I was on my tummy.

    Pool – free to do what we want involving me in the Jacuzzi for a long time. My leg was hurting!

    Lunch, sort out the bill for the bar and stuff I had purchased, then home.


    We had a talk during the first week given by the centre manager who told us that the centre had been opened up to corporate clients, i.e. prison service. They were charged over £1000 per person per week for what I have received.

    I have been invited back in 8 weeks and have my date. Sunday 18th November. I will return but have to keep up the progress myself, I have been to see my GP and asked for hands on Physio, he will refer urgently.

    I see my Consultant on 10th december and have to have sorted the knee out by then or it will be too late and I will end up with a stiff leg.

    Onward and upward I gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sounds really good Steve; I'm quite envious. Don't think I could have managed all that, but as you say, everyone is different.

    I went for a fairly long walk today - about a mile including a very uneven and muddy footpath. The sun was shining, and I realised it was the first time I've actually enjoyed a walk for years! I felt like I could have done much more, but we were home (it was a circular walk) and anyway, I probably couldn't without my knees swelling up a lot and I have hydrotherapy tomorrow. But it makes me really glad I had the op - enjoying walking, wow!
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi all :)

    Thought I'd let you all know that I've been playing table tennis at the gym. I was there on Friday and the TT table was free, bats and ball available so had a knock about with my stepson. It felt brill :)

    Again today with my son, we had a knock about and again it felt good, except when I started getting cocky and twisting /turning a bit - that's when it started to hurt so eased of then.

    I have to say that while hitting the TT ball I started thinking about squash :D

    A little soon for that yet but you never know :)
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Steve, the last thing I want to do is knock your enthusiasm (you know what I'm like!), but my blurb from the hospital says to be careful with things like tennis which can involve twisting of the knee. I would have thought squash was similiar. It doesn't ban them, just says be careful. Maybe ask first?
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Helen :) even our book suggests playing tennis, (doubles at first) then mentions squash after a few years.

    I hear what you say and thank you for your concern.

    It is really good to able to play games though :)
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You're right, Steve, our book does say that. I think it also thinks skiiing is OK, and my hospital blurb doesn't like it. I guess longterm we play it by ear....

    Like you, I look forward to being able to do active things I haven't done for years, though I'm not really into competitive games. A young friend of mine went snowboarding yesterday, and I asked for a report in case I could have a go - although having heard what she said, I think maybe not, at least not right now....
  • SteveBurns
    SteveBurns Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Is it snowing already in Derbyshire :lol:

    I have realised I am in a weird position right now. I have the new knee but also have the old left knee with OA.

    I still have the old arthritic pains and aches in the left but also have the new so called healing pains in the right.

    Both knees/legs hurt but instead of both the same they are now different :)

    I wonder how long my brain will cope :lol:
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Been so cold at night recently that snow in Derbyshire may not be a joke soon. :shock: But, as you probably guessed really, she went to a dry ski slope, in Swadlincote.

    Your post makies me doubly glad I had both knees replaced. I still have two hurting knees too, but at least it's the same kind of pain. Mind you, they're both different, so even that's not true - left knee stronger but still swollen, right knee not swollen and almost pain free but still weak. Can't win, can we....at least not yet....