After all This Time!

I didn't do a clinical knee report yesterday. It has been 5 months and 3 weeks since the surgery. I should have. Changes are noted and it's a change that is not related to the TKA. The pain I was having is not related to the TKA. What a revelation!

I'm so amazed. I have no pain this morning. Yesterday the back of my heel was tender and sensitive to pressure but no excruciating pain when I stood up after sitting for a while.

This morning I got out of bed and gingerly sat my right foot on the floor and stood up. No pain! It doesn't even feel tender or sensitive. My thick soled sandals were beside the bed and I immediately put them on before I took a step.

The pain is gone simply because I am not going bare foot. Just two days of wearing shoes all the time and the improvement is immense. I'm so excited. The worst pain I've had since surgery was in the heel. The quads and hamstrings do get a little painful from exercising but it is not a debilitating pain. The heel pain was debilitating.
I tried to wear a "boot" to bed last night to keep my foot in dorsal flexion but after an hour it was too uncomfortable. I may be able to bypass wearing it if I do the exercises and never go barefoot. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to stand up and not have to anticipate the pain from those first steps and for this I'm grateful.

I'm up early and I swallowed a oxycondone about 20 minutes ago. I'm going to sit on the floor and add weights to my knee. I haven't exercised it for extension for a week now and I notice
I don't have full extension and I'm limping again. I know that I will have some muscle soreness from doing this. Hopefully the heel pain won't return.

Not wearing shoes has been a lifelong habit of mine. Normally I walk inside and immediately deposit my shoes by the door. Changing this habit didn't take long. I actually have fear that jolts me when I realize I'm up and walking without shoes. I find those sandals and have them on my feet before I take more then 5 steps. It's amazing how pain can change old habits. I'm still amazed that just changing this one thing has caused pain free walking After All This Time.
I'm off to do stretches and cause more pain. This will be a good pain; an understandable pain.