DnvrFox

Wife Ventures Out On Her Bicycle After Knee Replacement

After her knee replacement in the middle of January, on Thursday, April 26, she took her first "real" bike ride. We went around the neighborhood for about 1.5 miles. (She has been riding inside on her trainer).

Yesterday, we did 3 miles on the trail.

Today, we plan about 6 miles, with a stop for a snack at a lovely place besides the creek.

She is riding her favorite bike - her original Spec HR mtn bike.

I'm so proud of her - at 69, getting right on that bike and pedaling away. She had one physical therapist tell her, that given her life expectancy, she shouldn't ride a bike as it might wear out her knee before she died!!

That threw her back a bit. However, the doc said "ride away" - it is great exercise, and we found a new therapist who also agrees - ride away. So, she is riding away. She LOVES bicycling.

PaulH

I'll bet she is just delighted! It is such a great feling to be able to move around again. There is nothing that gives such a feeling of freedom and mobility as being able to ride a bike again.


Sounds like you both have a great excursion planned for today.

Paul

CrossChain

Back to your bike-borne picnics together! Congratulations on both of you being so tenacious and determined. In personal terms, right up there with completing the TdF. Cycling and the human spirit just go well with one another-- just like you two.

Louis

Glad to hear it.

She'll be back in top form before you know it. If she gets too frisky, you'll have to start tightening her brake blocks when she isn't looking.

Terrierman

I'm not an artificial knee expert by any means. But I understand they have a nominal life span of something on the order of a million cycles before they wear out. However, to this lay person, it seems to make sense that a cycle with your full weight (as in walking) would wear the teflon inserts away at a different (higher) rate than a cycle without your full weight. I would expect that reasonable biking won't have that much effect on the life of the knee. Very glad to hear she is out and about again. Enjoy your picnic Sir.

Digital Gee

Woohoo!

Red Rider

That's great news! Congrats & have a fun ride & picnic!

Here's to more riding for you both!

DnvrFox

Well, we had a great 6 miles. I went on and finished the 20 miles while she came back home. Soon she will be doing the 20 with me.

stapfam

I know how your wife feels after such a lay off on the bike. Its great to be able to achieve again after such a serious operation. As to wearing out the knee- With people that lead active lives- it is impossible to sit and do nothing. If not cycling- your wife would be out walking- or even worse- jogging, and it is a known fact that joggers are not happy people- Look at the grimace on their faces as you pass them- wheras cyclists have grins all over their face.

Well done on getting back.

SaiKaiTai

Oh, that is just GREAT news... as Jimmy Valvano said: Never give up. Your wife is a trooper... good on her!

doctor j

Mrs. DF, congratulations on your triumphant return to cycling! Also, good taste in bikes!

jppe

Just amazing. I marvel at what some medical procedures are able to do to help with quality of life today. Just imagine what advances there will be 30 years from now.....

Beverly

Fantastic news! Be sure and tell her congratulations.