TKR feeling better

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grumpyj

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Hope I have put right title in - this is really a question for any one who has an answer or advice I would be very grateful. Had PKR in May. It has been ok and doing very good I think. Return to work on 4 Sep as stated in previous post but one little problem keeps popping up.

I have always had a sore and painful point on inside of knee about 25 degrees of centre just above lower joint. Always been told by physio it's the knee cap getting stiff so T did movement on it as shown. At 12 weeks saw surgeon, he xrayed knee and says all ok, no issues and signed me off from hosp with instructions to have ultra sound that has never materialized.

That's no great problem to me really but I still get this sore and really painful point. It's as if the knee cap rubs on the replacement joint and when it happens the pain is very sharp then sore, hurts a few hours then goes off. Some times I need to take meds. This seems to happen at randomly over the last few weeks. I have been making a record of what I've done previously. The only thing that crops up is small stairs or getting up from sitting on the floor when I put full weight on leg and knee flexes out to the right putting pressure on new joint. I do forget and do stairs leg over leg sometimes, just a few steps. It also hurts at night when I move about in sleep and wakes me up. The pain's not as bad as before op but still uncomfortable. Many thanks
 
I have to tell you that we all experience mysterious areas of pain during our recovery that worry us and cause us discomfort. It's to the point where we spend days wondering if something is wrong before buckling in and calling our orthos.

There are bursa and tendons in the area that tend to get inflamed easily simply because of the surgery you had.
Do you have pain meds? Some people stop taking them and then are worried when they have pain. You'll have knee replacement pain plus random unexplainable aches and pains throughout your first year. Take the pain pill for it if it's keeping you awake.

Also, if you're doing any exercises to try to make this better, stop those, because what this pain is telling you is "stop!" Rest, ice and elevate the area. Exercise does not facilitate healing!!
 
Thanks for the advice. Yes I do have pain meds and will take them. I am just one of them crazy people that need to understand the problem to accept it, then I can cope with it, even if it's bad. I find that if I understand it, it's easier to manage ins then not a problem, just an inconvenience to me
 
I'm the same way. I'll tag Josephine who can post a chart with instructions on specifying your pain. She's the one to explain this to you.
 
I have always had a sore and painful point on inside of knee
I'm going to have to ask you to pinpoint the exact spot of your pain using this chart, grumpy.

Each square needs one number for the row (horizontal) and another for the column (vertical) to identify it.
Also say if it's front or back.

When you've done that, I'll come back and talk with you some more.

aflagsforworship.co.uk_jo_pic_images_aagridfyf.jpg
 
hi on the chart pain is mainly on r3 d on front and radiates up to r3 c and round to r3 4 slightly have been resting and ice last two days seems better but have got a really sore point at r3 d painfull to the touch think it might be some form of tendonitis don't want to go to doc yet as 4 weeks ago had x ray and examination from surgeon his opinion was it will go and signed of from hospital . ps on my wifes days of we do go for walks not fast just gentle but sometimes uneven ground and hilly ( prob don't help )
 
I had a very similar pain and it turned out to be Pes Anseris bursitis. You said you feel as if something is rubbing. Bursa are pads that allow other tissues to glide across it. You can look up this condition to see if it fits. I found that biking made mine worse. I had to rest, ice and use NSAIDs.
 
At 12 weeks saw surgeon, he xrayed knee and says all ok, no issues and signed me off from hosp with instructions to have ultra sound that has never materialized.
Hi
Grumpyj I have no expertise to answer your questions Joshephine I'm sure will continue with that, but a thought did occur to me. If your surgeon wanted you to have an ultra sound, and it never materialised, how about chasing it up with your gp or your consultants secretary.? Your OS must have thought there was a possibilty that a scan might give him some useful information, or ruled other possibilities out. Good Luck! I am scheduled to follow you down the PKR route next week!:)
 
Quite right, Dinah! I forgot about that. Grumpy, you need to phone the hospital and ask to speak with your surgeon's secretary. Explain the surgeon said he was going to request an ultrasound but that you've heard nothing yet and can she chase it up for you.

As for you pain, is this what you are describing? Where I've put the blue line ...

grumpy.jpg
grumpy b.jpg


I think that could be some tendinitis in the muscle fibres as I've indicated in the right hand image. This would be from walking too much, doing too much flexion exercising, that sort of thing. You don't need to stop them altogether but you do need to cut back on them for a couple or three weeks and apply the mantra rest, elevate, ice and take pain meds as necessary.
 
I will check with hosp as I was great now not so good big down at moment as back to work in 7 days only 5 hours at first but not sure if ready now ..Josephine area you have marked almost spot on bottom grid line more round too inside of knee feels sore most of the time pain not too bad today hurts as I stand up from sitting but I can put full weight on it ? walking not to painful only up or down hill I hoped it was all down hill from hear but not so. big knock back defiantly was not expecting this but soldier on I suppose ( I do remember at night stretching leg out straight and sometimes bending it in my sleep really hurt a few times woke me up massive pain last week ) advice taken big thanks
 
good luck ditzy my advice to you is follow this site and ask questions wish I had done more so done some my way now suffering own fault prob bury my head in sand :headbang:
 
maryo 52 I looked up the condition you mentioned the bit that intrested me was about a blow to the knee that happened about 4 weeks ago when two children ran into me with a shopping trolley catching the inside of right knee and just after that I started to get leg spasm in right leg at night ,leg would jerk straight or bend and for no reason think I will book doc in morning
 
my advice to you is follow this site and ask questions
Thanks for your encouraging words grumpyj..I am doing just that! My husband thinks I am a bit obsessed...and he is probably right, but we all have different ways of coping with anticipating things we are fearful of, and my way is to learn as much as I can about this scary surgery and recovery...a way of trying to maintain some form of control over what is about to happen I think. Other people would rather not know I guess! I am so glad that I found this site! I have learned such a lot of useful stuff Not the least being the discrepancy that seems to exist between some surgeons and physios idea of what needs to happen during the recovery period,and how patients actually experience that. :groan: The no pain, no gain myth. Because of what I have learned, I think I will be able to have a less anxious recovery, because I am determined not to push it from the start, and make my main priorities resting, elevating and icing, as I have learned here. I think I will be able to manage to do this on my own at home, and for this reason I am so glad, that here in the UK we do not have as active physio therapy post op, and many of our friends do over the pond.!! :doh:

I will check with hosp
Hope you got on ok checking with the hospital

as back to work in 7 days only 5 hours at first but not sure if ready now .
If you are not ready to go back to work, and you certainly don't sound at all ready with all these problems, perhaps your surgeon or your gp could sign you off for longer? No point in going back before you are ready...if you push things too soon, you could end up with even more pain! or at least no improvement! It seems Jos advice is to cut right back on your activities, and go back to square one, to prevent this problem from becoming chronic...Good Luck! :ok:
 
Hi Ditzy

The idea you got is best. I had that 'no pain no gain' idea and on getting home from hosp, I was walking to town next day - 1 mile then back. Way too much. After 1 week on 1 stick then 2 weeks none had the idea I know best. 3 weeks later still in pain and trying to cut down on meds (not my best idea). I was getting depressed and felt like crying sometimes, if I'm honest. Looking on web for reasons on pain as I was under the crazy idea that once done should be walking normal in no time. WRONG! Found this site, asked questions, got advice, took it and it got a lot better.

Sore point on side, always had that from 4 week of op? But I'm no help to myself really as like to be busy so had to learn to rest more. As for hosp they say as I have been discharged from hosp I will have to go through GP again. GP says tendinitis so need to rest again.

With work I will go back on 4th Sep. I only work 2 days a week from Sep to Apr and will be doing 5 hours a day then on 8th 9th on for those days 5hrs then till 8th Oct on holiday to Turkey for 3 weeks, so not so bad.

One last point, after I found this site my physio done not as much as I should have done as I got lazy but I was doing a lot of walking with no stick. Out most days as my son took me out for walks but only slow. Still can't walk fast yet and frightened to try to run and stairs still bad. Leg first every time unless I forget, then pain. No limping or waddle as wife says (stay happy positive) this site helped me loads. Even looking at other post helped.
 
I was getting depressed and felt like crying sometimes, if I'm honest.
What's wrong with crying? It's very healing and releases a lot of tension. Never be ashamed of having a 'boo' now and again!
As for hosp they say as I have been discharged from hosp I will have to go through GP again.
That's the standard. When you are discharged from hospital, you are discharged into the care of your GP so any worries or concerns should be addressed to him (or her!).
Josephine area you have marked almost spot on
That's good to know!
more round too inside of knee feels sore most of the time
Quite probably - it's all part of the same thing.
hurts as I stand up from sitting but I can put full weight on it?
That's normal with tendinitis. Usually it should prevent you from fully weight bearing, just movement.
walking not too painful only up or down hill
Yep, all confirming the diagnosis.
GP says tendinitis so need to rest again.
Well, he agrees with me then! But remember to rest AND ice AND take pain pills as well.
my physio not done as much as I should have as I got lazy but I was doing a lot of walking
No, you did too much, remember? Walking is physio too and you did plenty of that. The only additional thing you needed to do was heel slides - gentle heel slides!

As for work, you are 16 weeks now and your work commitments sound just fine to me.
However, I do suggest you remember these extra things that we often forget when we first go back to work ...

~ having to get up earlier in the morning
~ getting washed/showered
~ getting dressed
~ getting a fast breakfast and eating it in about 5 mins instead of casually
~ getting the car
out
~ driving to work
~ walking from car to office
~ actually being up and about and unable to take intermittent proper rests during the day
~ walking from office back to car
~ driving home
~ putting car away
~ making an evening meal
~ probably feeding pets and/or others
~ washing up and then finding it's almost time for bed!

All of that is pretty much equivalent to a day's work on it's own but then you've got to do the day's work as well! Consequently, I recommend that, at least for the first couple of weeks, when you've been to work you do absolutely nothing the rest of the day but rest, elevate, ice and take some pain killers. That way you should cope and adjust just fine!
 
all advice will defiantly be taken 100% as for work its not to bad as the 3 people I work with on the production line are all good people and will look after me and make sure I take it easy not do too much so no probs there also wife will cook and I have been getting up at 6 am most mornings taken my wife too work and stayed up
 
on getting home from hosp, I was walking to town next day - 1 mile then back. Way too much.
Wow! Grumpy, just don't know how you were able to do that! :what:

I was under the crazy idea that once done should be walking normal in no time.
No wonder you were feeling down! :sigh:

like to be busy so had to learn to rest more.
Yes that's going to be the challenge! I've got lots of films recorded, grandchildrens sweaters to knit for the winter, lot's of letters to write (emails) So hopefully I can feel busy from my chair! :ok:

I got lazy but I was doing a lot of walking with no stick.
That doesn't sound lazy to me!! :tada:

With work I will go back on 4th Sep
Good luck with that! and I hope your new regime, of resting more, taking pain killers and icing, will take care of this tendonitis for you...Good Luck! :yes!:
 
hi ditzy
just got back from day out at local zoo. Had great day, all that walking was too much at the start, lots of pain. But I had the idea it was normal BoneSmart advice ... slow down. So did! Best advice ever! Pain almost gone now as I have been resting. Big test Monday as of to Chessington with son and family. Hope it goes ok. Tendinitis lots better, taking pain meds in morning, then rest afternoon. Looking forward to work - strange ?
 
Are you only taking them in the morning? That's not the best way to treat tendinitis.
You should take then 3 or preferably 4 times a day.
 
Had great day,
That's good to hear!:SUNsmile:

Pain almost gone now as I have been resting
That's good!!:ok:

Big test Monday as of to Chessington
Another zoo, but a much bigger one than your local one methinks! Lots of coffee and ice cream stops for you! no Pints with all those meds......Too Bad! :sigh: ......Be careful of those inclines...don't know why but zoo paths always seem to go up and down!

Looking forward to work - strange ?
Not strange, just really great that you like your job!!:thumb:

Have a great day on Monday! Wish I was coming too! Instead of looking at the animals I will be having my PKRs x2 instead!!:scare:
 
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