I did it!
I pedaled forwards on a bike on Friday.
Like all the way around.
And it’s all thanks to the internet. I’ve got my bike at home on the trainer and there even with the seat raised I can only pedal backwards. I know it will come in time but I like pedaling forward.
I learned that backwards was easier thanks to the internet and also thanks to the internet I read that recumbent bikes are easier than upright bikes.
Various searches for “getting back on the bike after knee replacement surgery” yielded lots of accounts of people using recumbent spin bikes to rehab. I was happy to see that was true when I stepped on the recumbent bike at the gym.
That’s got me thinking a lot about how much different the experience of knee replacement surgery would be in the days before the internet.
I’ve had a lot of support from people in my direct friends group who have had knee replacement surgery, again mostly through Facebook. Hey Patricia, Deb, Elizabeth, and Jan! They’ve shared their recovery tips and even lent me some of the gear you need after surgery.
Jan visited my backyard and demoed how deeply she could squat with the new knee.
Other friends have connected me with friends of theirs who’ve had knee replacement surgery. Hey Marina and Martha!
I know there’s a lot of talk these days about how polarizing social media can be. But this story is a happy story. I’m home alone a lot but I also feel part of a community. It’s been good to have people to commiserate with and from whose experiences I can learn.
Thanks friends and thanks strangers on the internet who’ve shared their experiences. I appreciate it.
