Hi
@Roux! I had my left TKR on November 13, so we're at about the same stage in our recoveries. What you're describing sounds exactly like how I feel lately. First, though, I agree with
@Jaycey (based on my own experience) that the "no pain, no gain" is wrong when it comes to TKR recovery; overdoing the PT only interferes with your progress by increasing your swelling and stiffness.
This stage of the recovery process, I'm finding, can be very frustrating because we feel "better," but then when we try to do something we think we should be able to do by now, we get all stiff and swollen again. I like this paragraph from the "Activity Progression for TKRs" post that Jaycey included in her post to you (which applies to both you and me at this 10-11 week stage):
"Week 10 add to all the previous
Bed making and changing sheets, cleaning bedrooms etc., can wait now by which time, all things being well,
you should pretty much start getting back to normal but don't rush it. If you start getting pain and stiffness in your knee, that's a sign your knee doesn't like what you're doing, that you're rushing ahead too fast. Slow down, right down, and start again. This stage might last until week 14 or even 16 but if it takes a even longer, don't worry about it."
So this tells me that what we're experiencing is normal at this stage. It's troubling at times because I tend to blame myself if something isn't working out the way I think it should; it must be my fault that my knee continues to be stiff and swollen when I'm more active than I think I should be able to be. I must be doing something wrong.
Then I start worrying about what other people may think (which is stupid, I know!): it's been 2-plus months, don't be a baby, don't be lazy, so what if you're tired, get moving, so-and-so was back at work and doing fine after 4 weeks! (People tell you stories.) It's all I can do to ignore this negative self-talk and thinking and stop comparing myself and what I'm feeling to anyone else. I think we have to have faith that we will get there by respecting our own individual bodies and recoveries! (I'm saying this for myself too.) It's so difficult to be patient about this, but I don't think we have a choice.