Derotational Osteotomy + TTT - 10/20/2009

[NickiAnn]

I'm so happy to hear that you're feeling a reduction in the aches and pains that had been bothering you the last few months.  Not that you're not hurting from the hardware removal, but it sure is encouraging that the old pain is gone!  Wishing you speedy healing--sounds like the worst is over.

Nicole

[crankerchick]

Nicole: Thanks for the well wishes. It's definitely encouraging to feel like the things that were bothering me before the removal seem to be better. I will know more as I do more, but I'm definitely optimistic and my doc is very confident.

Turtlebug:
I use the recumbent to change it up. In fact, I did it today. I do feel I have to work harder to get my heart rate to the same point, but my knee feels different when I get off the upright compared to the stationary. The bend is definitely different on the upright compared to the stationary. I feel more bend in the knee on the upright.

1 week post-op hardware removal
So it's been one week. I'm very sore and have some parts that definitely hurt when I move and are tender to touch. My quad feels like it has been assaulted. The pain and soreness is marginally better since last week, but I guess as I learned from the last surgery, I can't expect things to change miraculously from day to day.

I'm able to fully weight bear and walk around and stuff without the crutches and have been able to since the day of the surgery but my quad and the femur incision just hurt pretty bad to do it. My gait is better as the soreness gets better. Still using the crutches, as I've been instructed to do.

I added in weights for all of the isometric exercises the PT in TX gave me except for the hamstring curl (that one sucks) and I've added in some other isometric ones to the plan. But I'm starting to get bored and feeling like I'm not doing enough. I figured this is inevitable. Time to talk to the doctor or PT about what I can safely add in. I know I'm supposed to be being mindful of my swiss-cheese-bones as my good friend so eloquently called them, but at the same time my mind hollers to me to do more more MORE! I just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can do and the most I can do.

[Lyndsey]

Sounds like you're doing great! An optimistic outlook, I think, is really important. Glad to hear the pain and soreness is going away. I'm sure it'll be a while before it's gone, but it sounds like you're on your way.

How long does your doc want you on crutches? Mine didn't really give me a number of days, but I did find that for things like grocery shopping, they were helpful for about 2 weeks. Weights already! I'd say you're doing more than enough! I wish I had your drive!

Hope things continue to go well for you!

Lyndsey

[crankerchick]

Thanks Lyndsey. I'm definitely optimistic about my outcome, metal free definitely seems to be better. Not having my best of days, but just trying to focus on the end when I will be able to do whatever I want whenever I want with no pain and no limitations.

I'm WBAT on the crutches for the whole 6 weeks post-op as precaution to be safe. It was a lot of metal to remove and I guess me not being a little lady doesn't help.

11 days post-op
I got to lose the TED stockings. My incisions stopped bleeding/seeping a few days ago too.

My knee, specifically the patella, has been bothering me a lot more the last 2 days when I do things like quad sets and SLRs. I've been working on ROM and trying to get my heel to my bum and I can pretty much do it, but I guess because of the swelling it makes my knee hurt to do it. I can feel my thigh muscles tightening up everyday and it's like I can't do anything about it. No amount of stretching really helps. The knee loves the bike, but the bike doesn't really help with the quad thigh tightness like say the elliptical does. Quad is still sore, but improving. Can't quite sit on my knees all the way yet, but its not due to ROM, more because of the tibia incision and the area lateral to it is tender to touch, let alone rest my weight on.

I hit the resistance machines today in the gym, but just kept it simple to start and went for low weight maximum reps. Not much pain doing the exercises, but after the leg extension my quad felt uber more awful to put weight on when standing. Think I better be more careful.

Kind of forgot what the deep shooting bone pain felt like. I'm being thoroughly reminded the last few days. Would be nice if it wouldn't decide to remind me at 1 am.

[rsuddeth]

I have been avoiding these boards lately as I can't bare to think about knee pain all the time... and what you've been through just dwarfs anything I've experienced. I have say your attitude is inspiring.

I will say, though, that if you can bring your heal close to your bum, your quads aren't that tight, even if tighter than you're used to. Hopefully they will loosen up again when you can move more

[crankerchick]

Thanks, glad I can be helpful. These knee problems and surgery journeys can be so tough, I totally get checking out from here. I do it sometimes myself! LOL

I think what is specifically tight is maybe the vastus lateralis or maybe just the soft tissue around it? It's where the femur incision is. I don't know, I'm not a doctor but you are right things aren't that tight or that bad if I can get my heel to my bum.

So here's an update since I'm on here.

My quad and hamstring were a bit sore today (in a good way) after doing weights yesterday. Stretching, bike, and the slew of PT exercises helped. Last night I finally got my husband not to be so scared to force my heel to my bum when I lay on my stomach. We got it there no problem. My ROM seems better now then it was before surgery LOL. And the medial pain in the knee and the pressure on my shin when bending my knee is gone.

I used the really soft mats in my gym today to sit on my knees. No problem as far as ROM goes. It just hurts around the incision and knee itself to have my weight on the knees and shin.

Externally rotating my hip is definitely better with the metal out. I can sit indian style for as much as my knee and shin will allow and I don't feel the pain in my hip. When I was bionic, I had to go to my happy place when working on external rotation.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but I feel good about this. I went back and forth over whether to have the hardware out or wait it out and now I'm like heck yeah I'm so glad I got that stuff out. Dr. Sanders told me I would be better off with it out, and he was right as usual. It served it's purpose, but now, good riddance.

There is still swelling and ouchies from this surgery and using crutches is crap. I definitely tweaked something yesterday too, it still hurts. But still, so far so good.

[crankerchick]

2 weeks post op hardware removal

Not much to update here, still prodding on. I can sit on my knees all the way now as long as I sit on a cushioned mat. I'm working on sitting like that for longer periods of time. As the soreness in the knee improves, I'll make my way to harder surfaces.

The pain in the outer thigh has died down to just a soreness over the last few days. My knee is pretty sore all around. I don't remember my knee or patella being so sore after the derotation. Maybe it's from the arthroscopy? I dunno. The area below my knee is of course sore and swollen. This is the area that remained swollen for the longest time after the derotation. It extends all the way behind the knee and is pretty annoying because just resting the leg on anything irritates it. But at least there's no plate and screws there anymore!

So I'm coming along, just keep pressing on. My gait is pretty good now that my thigh doesn't hurt to move. Totally gonna be ready to walk like a normal person when I get to ditch the sticks.

Even though my Cowboys played awful, I still gotta say it. How 'bout them Cowboys! See the star, be the star!

[rsuddeth]

I can sit on my knees all the way now as long as I sit on a cushioned mat.

That sounds wonderful to me. Hope you're still doing well.

[crankerchick]

That sounds wonderful to me. Hope you're still doing well.

I was doing much better 3 hours ago before my 'boys played awful and lost again! Ugh, on to the next one. Texans next week, hope we can get our shyt together.

Oh, but you meant my leg! LOL

I'm a work in progress but coming along. The soreness in my thighcontinues to improve, but I'm a little worried about a spot below my knee. And I can't seem to shake the soreness along the side of the knee and patella either, but it's only been a bit over 2 weeks so still early, nothing to worry about. Just do what I'm supoosed to and otherwise give it time. A lot has improved with the removal, a ton in fact, so no complaints here.

[rsuddeth]

I was doing much better 3 hours ago before my 'boys played awful and lost again!

I'd like to say I'm sorry for the 'boys loss, but... he-he, I'm NOT!

You're right, it's too early to worry yet. And fabulous that you're already feeling less pain overall. But do keep your professionals informed. I never liked to complain in physical therapy (unless something was really unbearable) but there are things they could have helped me with earlier if I'd just told them...

[crankerchick]

rusddeth:
Not a fan of America's Team?!?!?! That's ok, we can't all cheer for the best (or apparently the worst, as we are 0-2!)

3 weeks post-op hardware removal and arthroscopy
Yesterday I upped the weight and dropped the reps for my resistance training. That was fun. And by fun I mean ouch not so much. I added in some more exercises too to help target the hip more. I think I over did it, but such is life, you live and learn.

I do the strength training every other day and work upper body and core on the off-day. I ride the bike and do the PT exercises and stretching everyday. My strength isn't bad but isn't what it was before the hardware removal surgery (which isn't what it was prior to derotation). *Sigh* patience and persistence...

As for how my leg feels, still battling tenderness and soreness on the outer thigh, knee and patella, and lower leg. The thigh and lower leg are especially pesky, but just gotta work through it and give it time I guess.

So that's the update. A little better everyday and soon will be back to jumping and eventually running.

[rsuddeth]

rusddeth:
Not a fan of America's Team?!?!?!

Ah, I've got nothing against the Cowboys. But if a Chicago sports team actually manages a win... it's occasion for nothing but joy in my book

It's always good news/bad news in the recovery department, isn't it? I hope you'll be careful not to overdo. I fully understand being impatient to get back to normal -- believe me -- but you can hurt yourself, you know. It's good to put your body through its paces, but it's still under a lot of stress (as the pain won't let you forget.) You know, slow and steady, um.... still gets you there & without a speeding ticket? 

[lizzy123]

Hi Crankerchick,

I just found your blog. I had a femoral ostecomy done in july on my right leg, and they were gonna do an external taylor frame on my tibia on the same leg at the same time. but my doctor changed his mind at the last minute and decided not to go with the external frame and just a tibial ostecomy right above the tibia tubercle. But do the surgeries seperate so my femur would heal and than do the tibia. The femur hurt but was not too bad I was off my crutches and walking post op about 8 weeks. I just got the tibia done last week, he had to rotate it 25 degrees, plated and screwed it in. And I am in excruiating pain , the pain meds dont work like they did last time, and I have to be off my right leg for six weeks.
Its good to see that I am not the only one having to go through these surgeries though.

[crankerchick]

Hi lizzy123! You are definitely not the only one going through these surgeries. There are a few people on this site that have had the derotations. Its sort of like a club of twisted sisters. Not the best club to be a member of, but hey what can ya do?! LOL

Wow that sucks that you are in such pain, I hope it calms down for you soon. Have you told your doctor that the meds don't work? Perhaps there needs to be an adjustment?

Whoa, I bet you are glad to have internal fixation, I can't imagine having external fixation. That was not an option for me, as in I wanted no part of one of those.

I found that the tibia hurt a lot more after surgery than the femur. My thigh was really tight and uncomfortable but the shin just downright hurt all around my lower leg, but especially along the outside. These surgeries aren't trivial, and the recovery is kind of slow, but so far it has been worth it. The improvement in my knee in terms of pain and stability has been remarkable, and now that all my hardware is out, the irritation and discomfort that was still lingering so far seems to be gone.

So hang in there, it is for a good cause. It will be worth it in the end.

[lizzy123]

It seems that most people on these forums knew they had twisted bones , I did not find out til last year I'm 25.

Yes the pain does suck, its getting better since I've been out of the hospital. My last stay there was not up to level of satisfaction as my first surgery. The second night I was in so much pain, I got sick and the nurses just seemed to think I was pain in there butts. I wanted to tell them off and say FYI, this is your job!

Im just trying to stay on the 4 hour regiment with percoset and 12 hour with oxy and im on lovenox too.

I am glad that I did not have to get the external fixation, I would of had to have it on for three months and it just was not appetizing to me lol.

Yes the tibia does hurt alot more than femur.And for the fact that I cant move my knee like I was able to move it with the femur surgery, and everytime I am walking around I have to have brace on that keeps my leg straight.

I def. did not want to have this second surgery, the first one drained me physically and emotionally, and I just started to feel normal again and I have go through this all over. Thankfully I will not have to have another surgery to get the hardware out it will be staying with be as long as I am living.

Its nice to hear back from someone who is going through it too. I have these emotional breakdowns and people just dont understand why I am feeling the way I am.