Relax!

Which is more valuable in TKR recovery--exercise or taking it easy? Obviously there's a place for both, and I hope that I have emphasized the value of physical therapy, despite its pain, as being the "sine qua non" of recovery. BUT, there is a place and time for doing absolutely nothing. I did work hard at PT this past week, both at the PT center and at home, but today I didn't work at all. In fact, for most of the day, I reclined on my chaise longue and read--for hours! When I wasn't reading and reclining, I went upstairs and lay propped up with a couple of pillows in bed and watched TV. My leg, in other words, was stretched out straight and was totally relaxed all day. And you know what? For the first time in quite a while, there is no swelling, no stiffness, no "warm-to-the-touch" area around my knee. In fact, I feel fabulous tonight. I can walk normally, I feel energetic and capable. If I didn't know I'd had TKR surgery, I wouldn't know there was anything different about my left knee. It felt completely and utterly normal.

That's it for this Saturday night. What an upbeat way to end a day--feeling great! Sometimes, you just need to get off your feet and relax!