One Year After Total Knee Replacement – A Checkup
Written by Allen Reyen
Videography: Todd Zegras
Video Editor: Rob Gilbert
My name is Allen. I’m a residential general contractor. This requires a lot of onsite time walking amongst construction vehicles, and equipment, and in and out of buildings, and excavations. I’m a 68 year old male that underwent total knee replacement of my right knee in late December 2016. At six weeks post surgery my flexion was very poor. It was about 75 degrees. My extension was between 4 degrees and 2 degrees. My wife became concerned that I wasn’t making satisfactory progress by our standards. Went online, learned about the X10, and it almost sounded too good to be true, but I did rent the machine from X10. They came and set it up at my house, they went through the training of my use of the machine, went through a quick 20 minute exercise, and they left me with the X10. My story one year after total knee replacement surgery is one of a bit of a struggle and then, ultimately, success with this program.
For me it was a game changer. I was at a point six weeks post surgery where I truly felt that at 67 years old this might be how I was going to finish my life was just sort of hobbling around, and hope I didn’t hurt the other knee by doing that; but it gave me such a new lease on life. It’s one year after total knee replacement. I’m 68 years old, soon to be 69, and I can see myself working for the next 10 years as long as I continue to enjoy it as I do, and I am literally pain free.
I maxed out at 130 degrees, which is what the machine could measure, after just eight days, so we all congratulated ourselves, and I returned the machine. I went to my surgeon who was just absolutely amazed at my progress in such a short time. I’d say four and a half months post surgery I returned to work. Here we are 13 months after I finished with the machine. I have no pain. My flexion is probably 137 degrees now. My extension is zero which is ideal.
I can say without a doubt that after 13 months I’m as pleased and amazed at my experience with the X10 system as I was after first finishing with it, and I would recommend this system, and I have actually to a number of people, including the surgeon that performed my surgery (Dr. Alex McLawhorn). The difference between my total knee replacement and most others is probably insignificant, good, better, best type of surgeons and outcomes, but the recovery period with the X10 is so dramatic that I’m still amazed at it.
Nick had an incident during his police work where his knee gave out on him. At that moment he realized that he could no longer do the job with his knee in its compromised condition. That started him on the road to total knee replacement.
Preventing Fibrosis with X10? I think is absolutely what it does. But beyond that, I think if you have a patient that has fibrosis in their knee, or has some kind of a flexion contracture, you can also bring X10 in in that situation.
The X10 Meta-Blog
We call it a “Meta-Blog” because we step back and give you a broad perspective on all aspects of knee health, surgery and recovery.
In this one-of-a-kind blog we gather together great thinkers, doers, writers related to Knee Surgery, Recovery, Preparation, Care, Success and Failure. Meet physical therapists, coaches, surgeons, patients, and as many smart people as we can gather to create useful articles for you. Whether you have a surgery upcoming, in the rear-view mirror, or just want to take care of your knees to avoid surgery, you should find some value here. Executive Editor: PJ Ewing (info@x10therapy.com)
