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New knee on the way

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midwest girl said:
Has anyone ever used a leg lifter? Is it something I would need? I'm just wondering how difficult it will be to get my leg lifted up onto pillows for elevation. Also. I've been reading mentions of tourniquet pain. Exactly what is that and does everyone go through that? I know a tourniquet is used but what is the pain associated with that?
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My PT just had me use a towel around my ankle to lift my leg to the bed until my quads kicked in. Not sure what a leg lifter is but the towel did the trick. If someone is around to lift your leg it is also a nice break and welcome relief but it can be done on your own.
Pippi


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I had one and it was ok but could of done without it. A towel does work ok and so does someone lifting the leg. Come to think about it I didn't have it with the first one. Remember go slow. Rest, elevate, pain pills around the clock. Take care. Tashia
 
I had one and used it but only for a couple weeks. You can use anything though - a belt or a dog leash are just as good.


RTKR - 9th December, 2013
 
I am looking for pre-op exercises to do. Anyone have suggestions? Where to look? What to do? TKR scheduled May 19th.
 
honestly---I would work on strengthening your quads and hamstrings---but what really needs to be strengthened is your upper body, as you will be hoisting yourself up and around for a while.

I was amazed (as are many others) to see how fast the muscles atrophy---and the quads may take some time to "Wake up"---but I used a great deal of upper-body strength in getting up and out of my recliner,the toilet, and the bed.
 
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Received my temporary handicap parking placard in the mail today. Kind of adds to the reality that my surgery is only a few weeks away. Kind of surprised that it is only good for 2 1/2 months.
 
Those who've had RTKR, how long was it before you were released to drive?
 
I had a BTKR---it may take some time---you have to be off of narcotic pain meds; you need to be strong enough to perform an emergency brake; you need to be able to have some ROM to use the accelerator and the brake pedal..

It all depends. I was driving at about 5 weeks---and my first rip out about town to do a few errands really wiped me out.

So---since everybody recovers at a different pace---it all depends...
 
My OS said I could go back to work after 8 weeks. And I have a 20 mile commute to work. The first week back I plan on only working half days. I guess I will have to wait and see how I am recouping to see if this will be too soon.
 
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If your boss will let you you might be able to do a phased return.
 
We will have to see how it goes. He had no problem with me working 1/2 days my first week back and I don't think he will say anything if I have to take longer than 8 weeks off. I just know that when I discussed with him that my OS said he would do my left knee 2 months after my right knee that my boss wasn't too keen on me being gone 4 months. Originally my OS said I could back to work after 6 weeks and then he asked what I did at my job and then he changed it to 8 weeks. My boss is pretty understanding, so I will just evaluate at 8 weeks and see how I am.
 
Has anyone encountered this: if you tell friends or family about what you are reading and learning and if you mention that your anxious or nervous or fearful they all reprimand you to quit reading. I just hear that over and over. To me knowledge is power. I'd rather have an idea of all the situations that people have encountered with their surgery and recovery. I just think I would do better if I had an understanding of what to expect - good and bad. I think people are clueless of what this surgery entails.
 
midwest girl said:
My OS said I could go back to work after 8 weeks. And I have a 20 mile commute to work. The first week back I plan on only working half days. I guess I will have to wait and see how I am recouping to see if this will be too soon.
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I went back to the classroom at eight weeks---I was excited. I only have a ten-minute commute (if that), and I thought that eight weeks was the magic date...

I was stiff and sore at the end of the school day. I realize that some people can recover faster---and I hope that that is you.

That being said, if you do go back at eight weeks, are you able to ice and elevate during the day? Going back 1/2 days is very smart---but that commute---the logistical stuff---is something that we forget about or do not think about---it is the getting up , getting ready, driving, or riding the bus---and then repeating it at the end of the day that literally and figuratively hurts.
 
I'm a research lab tech which involves standing and a lot of walking from one end of the building to the other - thus the reason my OS changed my release date to 8 weeks from 6 weeks. And I will have the opportunity to ice and elevate (tho not toes above nose) during lunch and at other times throughout the day if needed. Part of my concern is that my recovery will be compared to a co-worker who had bilateral TKA last October and returned after 8 weeks and was doing fine. I'll just have to keep reminding them that everyone recovers differently. I can only do the best that I can do. As far as the commute, I car pool with others in a 15 passenger van, which I walk 1 1/2 blocks to meet every morning. So I have that concern of the walk every morning and evening and also the ability to get in and out of the van. And of course the lack of leg room. Needless to say I will be driving myself to work for awhile. If I have to take more than one week of a half day work schedule that's what I'll have to do.
 
midwest girl said:
Part of my concern is that my recovery will be compared to a co-worker who had bilateral TKA last October and returned after 8 weeks and was doing fine. I'll just have to keep reminding them that everyone recovers differently.
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This is an excellent point! We are all different---hence, our recoveries are different, too. They need to remember that!

midwest girl said:
I can only do the best that I can do.
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Do not worry about it--your knee is in charge---and you just let the knee take over---do what you have to do, and do not sweat the other stuff.

midwest girl said:
Needless to say I will be driving myself to work for awhile.
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That is very wise---do the best you can for your surgical knee---the 15-passenger van will be torture for you in the early days---later on, it won't be a problem.

The walk getting there will not be nice, either---so you are doing the right thing by driving yourself!
 
Midwest-girl - where in the Midwest are you from? I grew up in southern Illinois.


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