Zen Artistry in the Modern World
Total Knee Replacement, Part 3.
The Creative Next Step
J. Casey Gershon
For most people who have undergone a knee replacement, the hardest part of the recovery is the first few weeks following surgery. With time, and applying the right combination of effort and PT, there’s a very good probability
of success. Recovery timeframes, however, can vary significantly based on individual factors like age, overall health,
and the extent of the surgery. The reality is that not everyone heals the same way or regains the full range of motion they had before.
Herein, lies what I call the creative next step. As I see it, there’s good and there’s better than good. A lot will depend
on your personal goals and how physically active you are. Four months after my surgery, I was able to walk two miles a day. I was also able to do regular house activities such as making dinner, doing laundry and walking the dog.
I sort of assumed, at that point, that I could automatically do all the other things that I have done in the past such
as riding my bicycle and playing pickleball. Was I ever in for a surprise. The first time I tried getting on a bicycle –
I immediately felt dizzy and thought I would tip over at any moment. While I have had some minor balance issues
in the past, this was something far worse. After several unsuccessful tries at pedaling, I lowered the seat to the bike’s lowest possible setting and told myself, This is all in your head – just buck up. I even briefly closed my eyes to see
if my balance would improve; not the best thing to do while trying to ride a bike. The world continued to spin and
I could not find my balance. Nor could I find the right rhythm in terms of pedaling. Why isn’t this working? I thought
to myself. I’ve done this a thousand times. I finally put my legs down and moved the bike like I was a toddler on
a scooter. This didn’t work either. After that, I somehow managed to go around the block a few times. Rick saw the tears and frustration on my face and with a kind smile said, "that’s enough."
A few days later, we tried pickleball. This too proved to be more of a challenge than I expected. In the best of times,
I am a recreational pickleball player. Nevertheless, I love the sport and the camaraderie of the game. Rick volunteered to take me to one of the local pickleball courts so that we could do some brief volleying. I had no problem hitting the ball, but I could not return any shots hit to me. Balls coming from either side sailed right past me. I was slow and could not pivot side to side. It was as if my legs were rooted to the ground. “Let’s try something different,” Rick said.
He then tossed me a softball with the idea that we would simply catch and throw. The throw part was easy. The only balls that I caught were the ones thrown directly at me. I couldn’t move laterally fast enough to reach anything thrown to either side. This time, however, we stopped before things got frustrating as had happened with bicycling.
My growing fear was whether this apparent lack of coordination and balance would ever go away.
As we got in the car, Rick turned to me and said. “We’re not going to solve this by ourselves. You need to contact Bronson rehab. and work with your folks in PT. I think they’re better equipped to handle this next phase in your rehab. Make the call.” And so I did.
I finally went to my go-to Physical Therapist at Bronson who tested my reaction times, strength and balance.
She commented, “I cannot believe you tried to ride a bicycle. What were you thinking?” She listened to my goals
and set up an individual treatment plan that was designed to address my balance issues. It took several months but
I started to regain my ability to move side-to-side. Zen artistry teaches us to accept where we are and to ask for help
if it is needed. I find that for me this is the most difficult part. I have a clear sense of where I want to be.
I don’t always accept where I am.
The creative next step is to fully accept the present and to visualize your goals going forward. Make it part of who you
are and want to be. Instead of saying I’m recovering from knee or shoulder surgery, reframe your mindset to say I am setting new goals for the future. The day-to-day exercises, meditation and practice sessions become part of your daily regimen. This is Zen Artistry in its most essential sense.