TKR VSing's Recovery Thread

[VSing]

I had my TKR May 19 on my left knee. This forum is so helpful. Lets me know to not expect complete recovery after 5 days. I had in my mind that I was tough enough to be almost well by now. Have learned that I was very wrong. Trying to back off and slow it down now by elevating and icing it. I need to get this swelling down so I can do my therapy. It feels like I have a giant rubber band around my knee right now. Encouraging to know that it will improve over the next 10 days and that I am not alone.

 

[Pumpkin]

@VSing,
You'll notice that I have moved your newest post and started your recovery thread, added, you have been added to the May Marvels, and your surgery date is in your signature.
For several reasons, we prefer that you have your own recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• With your own recovery thread, you will see the posts and advice others have left for you.
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Pumpkin]

Trying to back off and slow it down now by elevating and icing it.

Slowing down and letting your knee heal is sometimes the hardest part of recovery, it take a lot of patience, kinda like watching water boil.

Here is your copy of the Knee Recovery Guidelines, the articles are short and will not take long to read.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

​

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

​

the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

​

Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds


We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[VSing]

Thank you for the add. Today has been frustrating. 6 days postop. The 4/5th days were much better. So much more swelling now. I was walking with very little support for 2-3 days and now it feels unstable- like it is going to collapse. Scared to take a step without my walker. Trying to be patient

 

[Pumpkin]

You are right in the middle of the very very angry knee stage, it has had major trauma and is not too happy. Keep on using the walker and spend your time resting, icing, elevating, and medicating on schedule as prescribed.
Give it time and you and your knee will start to feel better.

 

[Rockgirl4]

Keep in mind some of us used the walker for 4 WEEKS, because too much walking with no help isn't good in those first few weeks. There's no need to try going without it and you won't win any awards for ditching the walking aids early.

The knee needs time to heal and swelling to go down. Many people start doing more after a few days even when they shouldn't. This will definitely increase your swelling and make it seem like a setback. We truly see this here ALL of the time. Just be kind to that knee and know there is no time-frame to recovery. Everyone and every knee is its own journey, and time IS your best friend.

 

[VSing]

7 days postop today-Had a much better day today. Still some swelling but has decreased a lot after a day of keeping it elevated/iced. I was able to do my PT therapy. He suggested using my porch swing to get my knee flexion exercises. Works great. I sit on the swing, keep my foot planted in one place and swing forward as far as is comfortable bending my knee with no weight on it.

 

[Starsfan22]

@VSing, not to be Debbie downer but you have a long way to go....patience is one of the biggest challenges in this marathon

 

[VSing]

Thank you. Sadly patience is not one of my strengths. I know it will take time. Today is a ‘blue’ day. I know that is common but it’s the first one for me. Going to find a comedy to watch. Tomorrow will be better.

 

[sistersinhim]

I sit on the swing, keep my foot planted in one place and swing forward as far as is comfortable bending my knee with no weight on it.

I did that in my glider on my deck. Most definitely a good way to do it!

 

[Wolvesfan]

Oh yes, I had those blue days, too. At almost 11 weeks post op, I still have one every now and then. But it does get better!

 

[JennyLynne]

You have a great attitude... recognizing the blue days is so important! Recovery takes a lot out of us, physically and emotionally. I admire that you are wallowing. I’ve been known to wallow, haha! (I may or may not have cried this morning because my husband wasn’t replying to my texts... for 5 minutes).

 

[VSing]

I am 12 days postop TKR. Joint still has a lot of swelling but I am walking fine without aids. Just stiff legged. Has anyone had their kneecap displace after surgery? Mine have for years but today was the first time since surgery. Went right back in place. Not painful just scary. Started to google it but first line in article said serious complication so I quit reading it.

 

[sistersinhim]

You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery stories in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just post what you would like it to be and we'll change it for you

Your tendons and muscles will tighten up as you heal. Until you are more stable you should be using walking aids. If your kneecap is slipping, you most definitely need help with walking. Without them, you are putting more stress on your knee plus have an increased chance of falling.

 

[JennyLynne]

My left kneecap did before my surgeries but never since. In fact, it was the reason I had my first surgery - to stop it from happening.

 

[VSing]

@sistersinhim Thank you. I did not mean to start a new thread. And thank you for the encouraging words. I will take it slower and use more support.

 

[VSing]

Had 2 week checkup with the orthopedic NP. All is good. Was told to slow down some and be patient. I go back in 5 weeks but forgot to ask his opinion about my beach vacation in one month. It will be a relaxing vacation and the house is right on the beach. I’m hoping it will not be any more difficult to get out of a beach chair than it was last year with 2 bad knees. Any ideas or experiences? I can walk with little difficulty now unaided. Hoping that will be worlds better in 4 1/2 weeks.

 

[Sara61]

@VSing You should be ok to go on a beach holiday as long as you take it easy, regarding getting on and off beach chairs as long as you have someone to help you or if you have good quad strenght you should be able to manage. I live fairly close to a beach although I'm 8 months post surgery I haven't as yet attempted to lie on the sand, as I detest kneeling having tried it once and it hurt so much I haven't attempted to try since.

 

[sistersinhim]

Walking in the sand will be stressful on your new knee so be careful doing that.

 

[pamsknees]

@VSing - sounds like you’re doing great! I’d check with you’re surgeon about the beach......when I went for my 6 week post op visit, his one caution was not to walk on the beach ( I live about an hour from the Oregon coast). He said sideways motion is really hard on them & id need to wait until I was 12 weeks from surgery before attempting any beach walks. Next week will be my 1st trip to the coast