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My Experience with OneStep
Written by Joanne W.
I watched the doctor’s eyes as he retrieved my MRI images and saw a fleeting sadness before he turned the screen around to explain that my knee was beyond repair. Significant cartilage loss around and on the kneecap, multiple tears in the medial meniscus, and extensive bone marrow bruising where the upper and lower leg were bone on bone. It was past time for a knee replacement.
I knew that the recovery from this surgery could be long and difficult and that I would have to play a very active role in getting my strength and range of motion back. I armed myself with information from medical journals and websites, and read knee replacement patient forums on social media and on a dedicated site called Bonesmart. It was on Bonesmart that I heard about an opportunity to be a beta tester for an innovative new app called OneStep. I had just completed a six-week course of in person physical therapy and wanted to continue this prehab up until my surgery date.
OneStep provided me with video chat access to a licensed physical therapist who created a customized exercise program for me. I provided her with feedback on the clarity of the exercise instructions. I positioned my phone so she could watch me do the exercises, and she prompted me to correct my form. She watched me walk and provided feedback on my gait, and checked in on me via the app’s chat interface if she didn’t see me active in the app for more than a day.
During prehab, I was able to upload daily walks and tag them with certain parameters like whether or not I was barefoot or using a cane. The app provided feedback on all of the elements that identify how healthy my gait was. Some were obvious, like speed and stride length, but others defined how much I was compensating for the pain by limping.
I maintained strength and flexibility in my legs right up until the date of my surgery, which went flawlessly. I was able to lift my leg with my quads within hours, and I was able to walk well enough to be discharged after an overnight stay in the hospital.
I started at home PT two days later, and the OneStep PT worked seamlessly with me during that time. As I progressed from using a walker to using a cane to walking unassisted, I could see my gait improving by looking at the gait parameters in my OneStep app. This was tremendously reassuring during the stressful early post-op period. I was able to see my gait continue to progress while I was in outpatient physical therapy as well.
The road to full recovery from a total knee replacement is long and fraught with anxiety. “Will I ever walk normally?” is a lingering worry. Being able to see tangible progress was a tremendous boost to my mental health during this time. The 24/7 availability of a physical therapist was especially reassuring. For patients who can’t afford, find the time for, or arrange transportation to outpatient physical therapy, OneStep is a cost-effective way to obtain the Physical Therapy guidance that will help restore full functionality after surgery.
To learn more about recovering with the OneStep app, click here.
