TKR Unsure about my progress.

Good evening all. I just want to vent a minute. I did it again. I clearly have done to much. Today I have pain and a little pocket of swelling right next to the outside of my knee cap. I did mostly stretching and cycling yesterday in Therapy. There were some straight leg raises and quad strengthening exercises trying to gain complete extension. I'm miserable. For some reason I just can't seem to listen to you guys. I have got to start following your advice. I have therapy again next Tuesday and Thursday. If I didn't have to see my surgeon I wouldn't go at all. I am going to ask him Thursday if I can quit. I have 4 more approved visits but I'm starting to agree that it is doing more harm than good. Rest and ice and elevation in my weekend plans. Nothing more than daily needs and dog walking for me.
I promise I'm going to get it. Even if I am really hard headed.:oyvey:
Hi @KMLknee
I also did cycling (8 min warm up) during my PT appointment on Wednesday this week. It was the first time I’ve done it. Usually he has me warm up on the recumbent stepper machine, which I love. I really like PT and always have left with my knees feeling better than they did before the appointment. But the cycling was hard and did me in afterwards. I was back to 2 crutches to walk the next day, and my right leg is still sore today. In retrospect, I don’t think I was ready for the cycling even though it was within my current range of motion. Maybe you weren’t either?
 
@Wolvesfan oh wow! That is a huge difference. Mine looks significantly different than it did Monday, but not in a good way!:hissy: It is truly angry. I was talking to my husband earlier and told him that I'm not only going to ask my doctor if I can quit after Thursday, but I'm only going to do PT for 4 weeks with the next one. I would rather progress slowly than to improve and then be back in pain to the point I wish I still had some hydrocodone. This is insane.
 
. I was talking to my husband earlier and told him that I'm not only going to ask my doctor if I can quit after Thursday
While it’s nice to have your surgeon’s/PT’s agreement, it’s really your decision whether or not you go to PT. You can choose not to go at all, or stop any time you think is best.

In my recovery I was afraid to stop going to PT, at 4 weeks post op, even though I knew it was counterproductive for me to spend the next 2-3 days recovering from the previous session. I didn’t want to make my surgeon angry, and he was a big fan of PT. So, I cancelled most the rest of my appointments and only went twice between weeks 4-8 and was discharged with my PT’s approval.

That was then, this is now, and if I do this surgery again, I won’t go to PT, and I won’t ask anyone’s permission. I will do my own rehab at home and be much better off than I was this time.

Take charge of your recovery and do what is best for your particular knee.
 
Hi @Mrs. Ciz I'm so sorry to hear that you are back on crutches. Hopefully you will feel better tomorrow. I've been cycling since the first session so that's not it. But..... She had me put the strap around my foot, lift my leg straight up in the air, push against the strap as hard as I can to keep the leg straight and the quad engaged and then slowly lower it. Repeat X10. I hope that makes sense. Then she sat on the table and placed my leg on her shoulder, and pulled it straight while pushing lightly down on my knee. She did this several times rotating my foot out, in and center. This did not hurt at the time but it sure as heck does today.
 
@Jockette You are right of course. I have never been one to be bullied or forced to do what I don't want to do. I think it's fear of going against my surgeon and therapist and then not progressing any further. At that point I will be really upset with myself. Of course I'm not really progressing too well now am I?:loll:I'm going to tell the doctor next week that I'm done. This is nuts.
 
I was so afraid if I didn’t do what they said, and then had a problem come up later, that my surgeon wouldn’t treat me. I was so “innocent” back then. But I’ve learned so much in the 3+ years since my surgery.

I’ve had back problems for years, and some of the exercises did bother my back, and I had no trouble telling the PT that I wouldn’t do anything that was going to affect my back, and he said ok, but that’s as far as I “rebelled.”

There really isn’t any reason you can’t do your own rehab, at your own pace. Especially at this point. By now you have a good idea of what feels good to your knee and what doesn’t. Use common sense and you’ll come along just fine. Try to be patient, this is a long, slow recovery, but you’ll get there!
 
Hi @Mrs. Ciz I'm so sorry to hear that you are back on crutches. Hopefully you will feel better tomorrow. I've been cycling since the first session so that's not it. But..... She had me put the strap around my foot, lift my leg straight up in the air, push against the strap as hard as I can to keep the leg straight and the quad engaged and then slowly lower it. Repeat X10. I hope that makes sense. Then she sat on the table and placed my leg on her shoulder, and pulled it straight while pushing lightly down on my knee. She did this several times rotating my foot out, in and center. This did not hurt at the time but it sure as h### does today.
Yes, I know this exercise. I’ve done it a couple of times in PT so far. I’m so sorry it made your knee mad!!!! If only we had crystal balls and could predict which exercises we’ll pay for the next day!!! I don’t want to give up PT though because most of the stuff I do really makes my knees feel good.
 
I don’t want to give up PT though because most of the stuff I do really makes my knees feel good.
This means you are getting good PT. It’s all about listening to what our knee tells us. I’m glad you are having a good experience!
 
@Mrs. Ciz I don't think everyone should give up PT especially if it is helping you. I hope that you do well and I'm happy it's helping. I did really well the first 6-7 weeks. And I don't think the people in this forum are discouraging PT. I think they are saying that we know our bodies better than anyone and that it is up to us to decide if therapy is helping or not. If what they are asking you to do is painful, you have the right to say no or stop. Of course if you are getting results and are happy with therapy then you shouldn't stop. I personally think I have gone as far as I can with them. They are working hard and working me hard to get my extension to 0° and it's not budging. At this point all this work is just painful and ineffective. I'm ready to just let time and nature do their part.
 
At this point all this work is just painful and ineffective. I'm ready to just let time and nature do their part.
Sounds like a plan. All that forcing is totally counter productive. It only creates more swelling and pain.

You can do your own PT. Gentle stretches and bends. Ice and elevation. You will get there when your knee is ready!
 
I'm not only going to ask my doctor if I can quit after Thursday
You don't have to ask or tell your doctor anything. I never took PT even though my OS gave me a prescription for it. I knew what to do and what not to do to rehab my knee. I figured that was no need to stress my knee by extra traveling and stress my bank account by paying the copay when I could do the same things at home at my own pace.
Then she sat on the table and placed my leg on her shoulder, and pulled it straight while pushing lightly down on my knee. She did this several times rotating my foot out, in and center.
You should never let anyone push or pull on your knee or leg. Your knee will get there when you just forget about it and let it heal on its own.
 
Hello my new knee friends!!!! So.....yesterday was 10 weeks post op RT tkr. After last Thursday's PT disaster, I cancelled Tuesday's session. I have spent the last 6 days resting and icing and doing no more than regular activities. I have to tell you all that I litterally could barely walk last Friday and by Monday the swelling was down and pain gone. Oh, and my limp is almost gone. I can't measure my flexion or extension but I feel like my flexion is improved and my extension doesn't look as bad and overall my knee feels looser. I see my Surgeon today. I am telling him that I feel like I have gone as far as I can with PT and if he doesn't agree, well I'm not sure where that will leave us but I'm not going to do it anymore. I don't think he will be angry or refuse to do my other knee but if he does then so be it. He is not the only surgeon in town. I'll let you know how the visit goes. Happy day to all!
 
I see my Surgeon today. I am telling him that I feel like I have gone as far as I can with PT and if he doesn't agree, well I'm not sure where that will leave us
I’m glad you are feeling so much better!

While it’s great to have our surgeon’s “blessing” we really don’t need it. You decide what’s best for you. If it was me, I wouldn’t even mention it unless he outright asked if I was still going to PT.
 
I never took one day of PT and never told my OS about it. He was always happy with what I could do and never measured me. I agree with Jockette, don't tell him. Just don't go anymore.
 
Hi again. So my appointment went really well. I went to my therapy appointment and I told her it was my last day. I told her how awful it was last week so she wasn't going to do all of that today. We went over my home exercises and she took my measurements. 1° active extension and 123° active flexion. Then my appointment was immediately after with the surgeon. He is very happy with my progress. He had no issues with me not having extension to 0°. In fact he says you can function just fine at 5°. He had me walk and isn't concerned with my slight remaining limp. He told me to start removing layers of the adjustable heel lift and wean away from it. He's not a huge fan of those he says. He said that is is an alignment issue with the left knee more than a discrepancy in length. Told me to keep walking and stretching and I would be fine. Agreed to proceed with the left knee replacement September 9th.
I feel much better. You all have been telling me all of this for weeks. I guess since it was the first time I was really scared not to do everything they told me to. Trust me I wish I had listened. The next one will be handled much differently.
 
Wonderful report. Nice job standing up for yourself with PT and the surgeon :yay:. Now you have time to relax a bit and let your knee get even better without PT pain before your September surgery. Have a peaceful night and especially without any post PT pain.
 
@leejaa, @Wolvesfan
Thank you for the words of encouragement. Somehow I feel like I've been set free and a weight has been lifted. It's crazy. My surgeon is really funny though. I told him about the clunking feeling and he looked at me really strange and said in an almost whisper " it's not a real knee (pause) you'll get used to it". We both laughed.
 
What a super report!
 

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