The Knee Sagas

Well, I appears that there is a strong possibility that I now need a knee replacement. I will be getting another MRI soon and then a follow up visit with the Doctor and we go from there.

I donā€™t mind saying the whole knee replacement thing is creeping me out a bit. They remove your knee and replace it with metal and plastic.

Ever since 5th grade knees have creeped me out, not because they are any creepier than any other joint on the body, but because I went into school one day, not feeling so good, and we happened to be studying the human body and talking specifically about the knee. And it was at that point whatever sickness I had got the better of me and I passed out. Fell out of my desk and right on the floor. And till this day any talk about knees in detail or any procedure on the knee can make me a little queasy. Shoulder no, hip no, spine no, elbow no, ankle (and I broke this 3 times) no, kneeā€¦. queasy.

It is also highly possible that the right knee replacement will be proceeded by the left knee being replaced too. And currently the left knee hurts more than the right, but that could be because it currently has to do a lot more work to cover for the right. Spent last Wednesday wearing knee braces all day and I will admit the left felt better. Not wearing knee braces since Wednesday, the left is not all to happy at the moment.

I thought I was on top of this and recovering well, I was doing the Yang long form 2 to 3 times a day as well as a Sun style short form I know. But then, as it has happened many times before since the meniscus surgery last May, things went downhill. Right not I can still do the Sun Short form, but had a slight issue today due to a right leg dependent stance. And I can still do the long form, sometimes I can get through it once, sometimes I can only get the first 3rd, as my shifu called it.

Talking with the few people I know that have had total knee replacements, all agree it is quite painful for several days, per the MD, at least 3 weeks after the surgery Iā€™m home, and to make it a bit worse, it is my driving leg, so it could be longer.

But earlier this week I had a thought, I wanted a different perspective. I generally get that by consulting the ā€œI Chingā€. Now I donā€™t do this to predict the future, I donā€™t think it is trying to tell me something or guide in some specific direction. I use it to hopefully make me look at something differentlyā€¦.and it did.

I wonā€™t go into great detail on what it was or the section it led me to, I will say it made me think of the possibilities I may have after surgery. Thinks I might be able to do that I canā€™t do right now because of my knee. Things I want to do that I canā€™t do right now because of my knee. And it may come as some surprise I was thinking mostly martial arts related thingsā€¦well after the thought of being able to actually go for a long walk again.

I began to think I cold return to push hands, but then, after talking to the group I use to meet with, that might not happen. Then I locate a group that is doing push hands training of Yang Jwing Ming that is not too far from me, that I might be able to work with. I am not a fan of Dr Yangā€™s Yang style, but I am a fan of his push hands and work he does with applications of taiji. So, with working knees, maybe I can get to that school.

I could work more on application if taijiquan too, but before that I would need to work on falling and break-falls. And I actually know an aikido person, who runs a school, that is willing to help me do that. It is here I should say that most do not realize the amount of Shuaijiao that is in Taijiquan, there is a lot of it. There is also a lot of qinna too. But it is the Shuaijiao that make knowing how to fall important, and I have not really worked on falling in a long LONG time.

I also had the thought that maybe I could return to Chen style, not going the whole Loajia, Xinjia route, but the shorter forms 18, 19, 38.

Also I might be able to return to the Yang and Tung fast forms, and continue pursuing Sun style, and its applications as well. Besides Sun style appears to satisfy my xingyiquan addiction

I then came across an article about martial arts after knee surgery and it listed, no surprise here, taijiquan. But it also listed Baguazhang which I found surprising.

I also am interested in non-Chinese martial arts, but avoided them mostly because of my knees. Located a Kali school I did not know was there, so maybe give that a tryā€¦ā€¦ always had an interest in FMA.

Also maybe work on using the cane as a weapon, from the perspective of someone who actually needs it to walk. Most Cane applications I have seen are based on someone who is in great shape and only using a cane to have a ā€œlegalā€ weapon on them.

Basically, it is possible that there are a lot of possibilities. The whole ā€œI Chingā€ thing got me thinking, although It could be the end of martial arts for me, it may not be the end of my martial arts journey at all, it might be a new beginning.

I will find out more the first part of April and I will do what I need to doā€¦. then all I have to do is get over the queasinessā€¦

Enough from meā€¦.

iu

Comments

I've had both total replacements, been 4 years now. Life is good and my knees are pain free. Still training.
 

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