Do I REALLY need to listen to the doctor?

spyrosmom

spyrosmom

Cathlete
Ok, so I know the man has been practicing for like 18 years and did a kajillion years of medical school and is the best orthopediests in town, but I don't want to listen!!!!

I went back for my 1st post op visit today. He did a meniscus tear repair and a lateral release on my quad tendon to allow my kneecap to sit where its supposed to be. Said should be prob 2 months til no more pain in my quad, I can deal with that. However I have very little and in some spots no cartilage behind my kneecap.

So, that means no kickboxing, no more step, no more CATHE!!! I can walk, swim (um, I don't have a pool and I can't swim anyway), bike (boring) and eliptical (boring, but not quite as bad as bike) So after the PT and I'm healed, do I listen to the man?? I'll go insane walking around the block for the rest of my life. Not to mention my cardio endurance will down the tubes.

I'm obviously upset and frustrated, bc I feel like everything I worked so hard to be able to do is being yanked away. So do I listen to him and stop, or do I still do what I want. Or do I compromise and just cut back (he said no to that, too) and find another Doctor if it starts to bug me again??

Nan
 
Nan,

From what you said, I would go to see another doc before you ignore this guy. Sorry! JMHO.

Hope you feel better...
 
I haven't listened to my hip replacement surgeon!}( Well, I did during the rehab, but I am not suppposed to run or do impact moves like jumping jacks or use weight for lower body but I do and am getting that hip stronger and stronger.
I do not do tuck jumps, and jumps over the step, neither do I run, but do all the other stuff.

Just be careful, I have a new hip, your knee is different. You need to see what works for you in the long run.:)
 
I didn't have a menicus tear, but I did have lateral releases and scopeings done on both knees at the same time. My Doctor told me "no more squats or lunges, no running on trails, especially down hill, etc." I was devestated! But, it's been about 5-6 years now and I can do all of these, except the running downhills. I squat, but never below level, no a$$ to grass stuff. Plies hurt for along while, but I do them now with no pain. I also do lunges and do some light running once in awhile on the treadmill. I'll have to tell you that bike riding is the best thing you can do for recovery. Get a "real" bike and you will enjoy that alot more than a stationary bike. I've been mtn. biking for a few years now and just love it. Your knee will tell you what you can and can't do in time. But, always, always, be conscious of it and don't ignore it's signals.
I think the Doctors tell us these things because these are things that cause knee injuries in the first place. If we are careful, very careful, we can resume most of our activites. Don't just jump in and start doing squats out of spike. Take it a day at a time and start with shallow squats, low step, soft kicks (no snapping), and see how if feels. Hopefully, you'll be like me and have worried for nothing.:) My knees are tons better than they were prior to surgery, but it took quite awhile to get there. So, listen to your Doctor, but also, listen to your own body. It will tell you. Good luck!

[font face="script" color=magenta size=+2]*~Dallys~*[/font]

www.picturetrail.com/keeponthesunnyside
 
I'd go to a doctor that specializes in sports medicine. They'd be used to dealing with athletes, and all the associated injuries, issues. Good luck!
 
Trish, a few years ago my FIL had to have a total hip replacement. It was light night and day afterwards, we were all amazed at the difference in him...he was like a new man! And totally against his doctor's wishes, he started skiing again and has had absolutely no problems.
 
I like the suggestion of going to see a sports doc, who will take your interest in Cathe-like stuff into account.

That said, if you think biking is boring, you just haven't done anything terribly interesting. Get a spin bike (a real one) or an actual road bike and a trainer, and start doing Spinervals. Cathe cardio is a warm-up compared to these workouts. Not only are they tough, they are a blast.

So there is hope - you can actually dramatically improve your cardio!

Michelle
 
I'd be wanting a second opinion...and a third and a fourth until I got the okay to do my Cathes again!
 
I think you just have to find out for yourself when you are completely healed and also get another opinion. Do your PT and ease back into things and take it day by day. My ortho doc told me that there would be nothing that I couldn't do again and I had the same surgery you did. That said, I personally still don't feel comfortable doing step or kickboxing. It has been 9 months since my knee surgery and I still haven't done a Cathe aerobic workout. I just don't feel comfortable twisting and turning my knee. I have found other aerobic exercise that I enjoy and just stick to that. I have managed to get my Cathe fix through her weight lifting and circuit workouts.

Good luck.
 
Agree also with a sports med doc.

And just a little tale to pass on:

My brother was a kid about 7 or 8 and hyperextended his knee. Was tough, Mom was too so didn't even go to the doctor.

In high school had knee pains from playing racketball. Torn meniscus and when they did the xrays (back in the late 80's), saw he was missing an anterior cruciate ligament. (behind the knee to help keep from hyperextending).

Plans were to go in and cut quite extensively (since technology was not as advanced) and he would have another ligament put in place of the one missing, be casted from ankle to hip and be out for quite a while.

Low and behold, he woke up with no cast and just a small bandage around his knee.

What had happened was that once they went in they noticed that his muscles in and around his knee had strengthened in order to take over for the missing ligament and all they ended up doing was removing the torn meniscus.

What I see as the moral of the story is that if you can strengthen your muscles in and around a "problem" area then you may be able to do more than the doctors first believe you can.

So as tneah mentioned, maybe working hard during rehab and taking the time to heal and strengthen will actually allow you to do more than your original doc thought you might be able to do.

Best wishes for a full recovery and for the ability to continue with workouts that you will enjoy and benefit from.
 
Trish K,

It was the best thing I ever did for myself and wish I had not waited that long to have the surgery! I walked with a limp and was in pain for years! I am in my heels again and do not limp, its like I never even had arthritis in my hip.
My doctor said more and more people at a young age have it done due to years of running (that was me along with bodybuilding and other athletiv type things) my hip was worn out. Tell your DH to get a good doc and be ready to rehab for 3 months, but he will be walking pain free after two weeks of the surgery.:)
 
Before I even thought about trying to intense aerobic exercise again, I would talk to a sports medicine doc/specialist in this area. And, I think it would be important to know what the consequences are if you choose to disregard your docs advice and do higher impact exercises.

I too would feel bereft--however, there is a lot of stuff that you can still do, it may not be what you're used to doing, but, it's better than nothing and you can still be in phenomenal shape.

A quick note though: in regards to "building the muscles up stronger to compensate for your problem"--the body can only compensate for so long. I would at least want to be aware of the risks associated with going against medical advice.

JMO :)
 
No. But you do need to take into account what he says, get a second opinion and be careful! I'll save the detail but I've recovered from two difficult injuries where they said "you can never do ____ again," With all but one exception (deadlifts of all things), I have been ableto slowly work myself back into most of those things they swore were "nevers". Some require a modification, yes, but that's okay. YOu need to treat lightly and see what works for you, that's all.
 
Nan, I'm so sorry to hear this. :-(

If it helps any, I've been walking on the treadmill as my only cardio now for at least 25 years, without a SINGLE injury, and have managed to stay in great shape, if I do say so myself. I'm also continuing to have fun with it, but maybe that's just me. If you're allowed to do inclines, I'd be happy to tell you about it.

Of course, if step is what you love, I would definitely get a second opinion.

When you say "no more Cathe", does that mean you're not supposed to do strength training either?
 
Thanks everybody. He is actually a sports orthopedest (I can't spell that word) I didn't even get into the weight lifting issue w/ him. I'd figured I'd take that up after my 1st post PT visit and see how things are going. Even riding a real bike doesn't do it for me, it hurts my knee (always has) but maybe now that its fixed it won't. I think a big part of his limiting or trying to change my activities is because he doesn't want any injuries to progress any further, and neither do I. I had a plica removal surgery on the same knee about a year and half ago and there was a little cartilage issue, but now I basically have none. Said he's really never seen it dengenerate quite so quickly. He asked how I even managed to get thru workouts now (um, duh, it hurts!!) Warm ups can sometime be a bit uncomfy, but by the time I get going the endorphins are flowing enough I can ignore most of it (which is what got me into this problem) He said if I keep it up I'll be looking at a knee replacement in 2-5 years, probably closer to 2 (I'm only 29) and probably will be ok until my early to mid 40s if I ease up.

For now my focus is on getting better and doing well in PT and just getting pain free (said prob 8 wks for my quad to stop hurting completely) and strength and range of motion back. One battle at a time. Then I'll go from there. Just very frustrated and its nice to "talk" to people who get it. DH understands, but he doesn't get it. He's on the Dr's side. It is nice to hear from people who have gone against the Dr's advice and been ok. Slow and steady wins the race, right??

Nan
 
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