"Get on yer bike", said the surgeon ...

[Andy in Sig]

Yesterday I had an operation for the first time in my life: proper KO with anaesthetic, operating theatre, hair shaved off around knee etc. The purpose of it was to take out a bit of torn cartilage which, with hindsight, I'd probably been carrying around since 1983 but things got bad in Mar 2010, so I finally got round to going to my doc who referred me to the surgeon.

The good news is that so far all seems to be well (I only need to use the crutches when going steeply downhill). The even better news is that the surgeon said that once I can bend the knee fully I should not hesitate to get on my bike and get it working properly again. So as I'm signed off work for two weeks and if progress continues at this rate and if the weather holds, I could be looking at a week's cycling next week cos the doctor ordered me to do it.

Actually, this is not surprising as while running even a mile or walking more than about 8 miles left me with a swollen and painful knee, cycling any distance - the further the better - always had a very therapeutic effect.

However, the major lesson drawn from this is that the shaving of my leg from the lower thigh to about halfway up the shin has convinced me because of how daft it looks of what I always suspected: roadies are great big girls for shaving their legs so yah boo sucks to you!

 

[Unkraut]

The purpose of it was to take out a bit of torn cartilage which, with hindsight, I'd probably been carrying around since 1983 but things got bad in Mar 2010, so I finally got round to going to my doc who referred me to the surgeon.

I know about torn cartilage from my better half who has had several ops to try to sort it - with only limited success. Anyway, gute Besserung, but I hope you don't meet any roadies who might now be inclined to walk over to you, hit your knee hard with a bicycle pump and ask whether it hurts!

 

[postman]

From someone who has had three knee ops.All the best for a speedy recovery.Three months from now you won't even remember the problems you had.All the best.

 

[Andy in Sig]

Thanks, Postman, that's kind and encouraging.

 

[ThePainInSpain]

Was talking about this only today with my cycling buddy. She has 2 small cross type scars where she had keyhole surgery, because she had this done only about 8 years ago.
Me, on the other hand, had mine done over 30 years ago. I have a 3" scar to the side of my knee, had 2 weeks in hospital, the first of which was in bed. Got DVT whilst I was immobilized in hospital. Another 6 weeks off work following hospital.

How things have changed..................................that's progress for you

 

[numbnuts]

All the best for a quick recovery

 

[buggi]

i saw a cyclist with hairy legs today. it don't look right.

 

[Andy in Sig]

It's a male thing: you wouldn't understand. If you had the privilege of being able to run your hand over the hairy front of my left leg and the monstrously shaved equivalent area on the right, I'm sure that you would come to regard taking a razor to men's legs as a crime against humanity, beauty and aesthetics.

Numbnuts: thank you.

Uncle Mort: No, no painkillers. I've got Ibuprofen for the swelling (obviously the knee is still a bit bigger than usual) and I have a course of 10 injections (which I have to administer myself like a diabetic) in order to prevent blood clots forming. I'm supposed to get on the bike when the swelling has gone down. Which reminds me: I'd better freeze a bag of ice.

Otherwise, I'm hobbling around my flat quite merrily.

 

[sheva]

From someone who has had three knee ops.All the best for a speedy recovery.Three months from now you won't even remember the problems you had.All the best.

As a postie, I'm curious as to whether your knee problems were job related.

 

[Kleban]

Best wishes with your recovery, Andy in Sig.

Many years ago I used to be a road runner and I sustained an injury resulting in me having to undergo an Arthroscopy. After three weeks of recuperation the swelling around the knee subsided, and all was back to normal.


Keep on exercising the knee, and all will be OK ...