ROM. What does it mean?

Range of Motion. It is a constant refrain from the Surgeon and the Physical Therapists. When you get a new knee you have to be able to bend it similarly to someone who has a healthy knee. This is a bit of a problem after the surgery. The knee is manipulated roughly, the bones are sawed and drilled into, the skin is forced and stretched back, and all the soft tissue around the knee is bruised and bumped. (see a video here). As a result there is a lot of swelling and aggravation, a lot!
To achieve a suitable ROM you have to continually do exercises that stretch the new knee and it's ability to bend. This hurts, again, a lot!

But, the point of this post is not to say how hard this process is but how much easier it is ,I believe, due to Crossfit.  I left the hospital able to achieve 90 degrees and now I can bend it up to 128 degrees. I have been able to go back to work at 5 weeks when it is usually recommended that a patient wait at least 8-12 weeks before they return to work. From a Knee Replacement Forum: "But I need to warn you that a mere 6 weeks may not be long enough. This is tough surgery and if someone has told you that you'll be back at work and recovered that soon, they have done you a great dis-service. We usually tell folks to plan on 12 weeks before going back to their job. And, even at that, you need to plan for a phased in return to work....part days and/or every other day for several weeks." I totally and completely believe that my speedier recovery is due to the shape I was in prior to surgery thanks to 2 years of Crossfit.  I think I was stronger both physically and mentally. Crossfit does that to you. Anybody who has done Murph, Fran, etc.. can attest to that.

While I have to admit I am still in the "what the hell have I done to myself" phase. I truly believe that being in "Crossfit" shape has increased my ability to be up and about working and lightly working out immeasurably.
So, stay in shape and recover quicker. But even better, take care of your joints so you never have to wonder how fast you would recover. I think I'd rather do Murph than do this again.

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OUCH!!!

From Crossfit Scars(go to):
"Injuries:   

     First- They are a bitch. Pretty simply, they suck. Injuries, even the smallest kinds, can take you out of your game, ruin your training session, and demotivate you. Sometimes they make me even want to kick baby squirrels."
     I want to kick baby squirrels. I am pissed. I hurt, sometimes so much I have considered getting a cane. To add insult to injury, when I go to the Doctor, they treat me as if I was a typical suburban Mom who rides the lifecycle 3 times a week and occasionally uses the nautilus machines. It seems inconceivable to them that I could really be working out vigorously, even though I TELL THEM. I need my knee and I need my knee to work correctly!
I accept that I am older, I accept that I have arthritis, I DO NOT accept that the only way I can make this feel better is by taking heavy duty prescription NSAIDs and this seems to be the only options that they are offering me.
So, I won't kick baby squirrels, I will do the best I can, and I will continue to seek out alternative remedies. I will persevere. That's what we do, we are Crossfitters.

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