Knee Infection* Question about dizziness

Hi there. I absolutely related to your story. I put off my tkr after a bout with breast cancer. Handled the delay because I had bigger fish to fry, then while since waited to get in the list again, held it off with exercise, stretching and tramadol as needed. Three years ago my daughter decided to become a single mum by choice and gave birth at the start of the pandemic. They moved in and bubbled with us for six months before she bought a condo 10 minutes away. We have been doing as you did: having them stay over two nights a week to spend time with our grandson and give her a break. It is even more important now that she is back at her demanding job in community mental health and I am feeling all sorts of guilt because I can’t help them out as much as I have been doing. Everyone keeps reminding me that it’s only temporary and when I can manage stairs again, they can have their room back. But it’s another thing to worry about!
 
You are such a kind, caring person, @Catalien45 . Always so supportive to others. I enjoy reading your posts. :friends:
 
Catalien just been reading all of your journey.
Prayers for you. You have been through the ringer. HANG IN THERE your gonna be better than before.

Booger
 
I still get a bit confused navigating this forum, but my husband helps me with it.
Is there something we can help you with? There is a whole "How To" forum here.
Thank you for this! I will get my husband to help me with that info. All this comes so naturally to him, he worked with computers for many years before we started our small woodworking business, even used computers a lot then. I seem to have a mental block in that area. Put me in a kitchen with a few essentials, & I’ll happily cook/ bake/ can up a storm... but dealing with computers.... I sorta “ freeze”. So thank you for this info.
 
You are such a kind, caring person, @Catalien45 . Always so supportive to others. I enjoy reading your posts. :friends:
Thanks, SusieQ, I enjoy yours also - you & Hawkie always amaze me & inspire me where I hope to be a little further on in this journey; I’ve pretty much followed you both since so be of your earlier days in recovery from a week or so out of my TKR , when my husband found this forum.
 
Thanks, Booger - it’s been a rough challenge, for sure. I am seeing just a little improvement each day now, which is encouraging. Still tire really easily, but I’m getting stronger. Thanks so much for your encouragement, reminding me that I am very stubborn & tougher than I think sometimes ( my husband jokingly threatens to sit on me sometimes, to protect me from myself..☺️). Looking to hear your report from your Dr visit, they should be able to get on top of anything trying to muscle in on your body.
new day, new week! We’re both gonna lick this, & be romping with those grandsons of ours before you know it
 
Hi , Hawkie... it’s interesting that you posted this today. As I type this, I am trying one of my “ new” exercises given me today by my home therapist. He is not happy with my extension ( straightleg). On Monday, 2 weeks from my cleanout surgery, my surgeon seemed very pleased with it. It’s not totally flat. My therapist has referred a few times of the “ window”,& that if I take too long, I might never see full extension. This exercise has me in a chair, leg extended on a stool, same height, with a backpack loaded with some books, straps above & below my incision, 20 minutes, 2x day. It can get pretty painful.

But wondering if you , or anyone else, might be familiar with this. He’s good, but seems to be a bit more aggressive the last couple of sessions. Maybe this is good? Tomorrow will be my last in-home therapy, then starting next week, 6 weeks, 2xweek at my local place, with my regular therapist. They’re good, never super aggressive. But wondering if I should continue this exercise? I think I am slowly “ catching up” from the last surgery as to mobility & movements. My biggest challenges are fatigue & still lack of appetite. And, my leg isn’t totally straight. Guess I’m just concerned I could cause harm doing this. So any input or advice , I’d definitely appreciate.

You once again, inspire me. You have this thought out, & were wise to change. Here’s hoping this new place works out well & helps you achieve your goals!
 
This exercise has me in a chair, leg extended on a stool, same height, with a backpack loaded with some books, straps above & below my incision, 20 minutes, 2x day. It can get pretty painful.
There is no need to do any painful exercise, ever, but especially after all you have been through. This is not a good exercise for you. It’s trying to force your leg straight, before it’s ready to be straight.

As you know, there is no window of opportunity, your ROM (both bend and straight) will come along just fine, as you heal and swelling goes down.
But wondering if I should continue this exercise?
There is no need to continue to do this exercise.

Guess I’m just concerned I could cause harm doing this.
It’s possible you could cause a setback, forcing your leg to do something it’s not ready for. You certainly don’t need that. :console2:

By the way, I moved your post to your recovery thread so you could have thus discussion in your history. :flwrysmile:
 
But wondering if you , or anyone else, might be familiar with this.
OMG!!!! I've heard about this one using various items that can add weight (shopping bag full of soup cans, water bottles, etc.) but never a knapsack. Anyway, I am familiar with it but have never done it myself (and would not if asked). I have used 2 exercises for extension that rely on my own tolerance and gravity:
1) sit in a chair across from another chair where the seat is slightly higher, place the leg on the higher seat with the calf to ankle in the chair and sit like that for 10-30 seconds several times a day​
2) laying face down let the leg hang over the bed for 10-30 seconds several times a day​
I can bend and tie my shoe with my leg straight while sitting or standing. Actually I can bend to pick things up without pain now, so I think my extension is ok. I'll let you know how they think I'm doing after my PT visit tomorrow.
 
Oh Catalina please don't do that exercise, it will anger your knee and set back progress. When I was having issues straighten my first replacement someone wise here told me to concentrate on lengthening my stride while walking. It worked for me! Next time they mention "the window " tell them to jump out that window. You'll get to your goals, just not on someone else's timeline.
 
Early in my recovery when I still had an extension deficit, I found that doing ‘quad sets’ - contracting the quad muscle and straightening the leg while laying on the floor - was very effective at eliminating the extension deficit, plus it actually reduced the pain that I felt in my knee after my other exercises. I found it very therapeutic.

On top of that, it strengthens the quadriceps, which is important.
 
 
That exercise sounds painful and extreme!!! :flabber: The exercises I did to improve extension was putting a rolled up towel under my ankle while extending my legs on the couch, and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Then flexing my quad to get more extension, 2 sets of 10. I was also told to concentrate on extending my leg when I walked to get that stretch. I'm now at 0 but it took awhile.
 
@Catalien45 This sound just awful! Please don't let him bully you into anything that is so painful!

FWIW: My therapist told me -- on day one -- that if anything he proposed caused pain, I should stop doing it and let him know so he could modify the exercise or switch to something else. We've done this several times over the course of my PT.
 
Thank you all for these responses!! I was just so uneasy doing this one, & felt I could get some good advice here. He had made a mention earlier, that “ I’ll be a little more aggressive the next session on your PT.“ that did concern me. Fortunately, today will be my last session in home, next week at our place nearby, & my therapist there is not aggressive, but she is great. I plan to just fib today, tell him I have already done it twice & will do it tonite ( I won’t). He’s young, very personable, & for the most part, has been good. But I wonder if this tends to be a philosophy of the younger set, “ push through the pain”? My knee is complaining today, so trying to get in a lot of walking & rest. I’m still really fighting the fatigue & lack of appetite, but it has been a hard week, so I’m looking forward to only 1 dr appointment ( here in town, so no 30-45 minute drive) & 2 PT Sessions next week.
OK! PT Done! ( well, for this week ). He mostly assessed me, did my measurements (6 on extension, 112 on the bend) . I thought that was pretty good, since I’m only 2 1/2 weeks out of my cleanout surgery. He still was concerned about my extension, no matter. ( my surgeon was pleased with it).

There seems some confusion as to whether once I am no longer doing home PT, I am no longer considered eligible for a nurse to come in weekly to change the dressing on my PICC line & draw blood. So we have another call in to clarify that. I am very anxious about going in somewhere to get it done ( not even sure where that would be), as my surgeon advised me to wait a month to get my flu vaccine. I often have bad reactions to it, & he felt I should wait til I am stronger. So, we may have to fight that one out. We tried to get the shot earlier at our GP, but they didn’t have it in, then Covid booster & TKR took priority.
So! For the time being, I’m gonna make myself notes on what my friends here have done that worked......exercises, reps, amount of time, etc..... none of which I have found painful or particularly objectionable.... and none of which I feel would unnecessarily push beyond where I was ready. All of the ones you all referred to, I’m familiar with. I’m so very fortunate to have this forum, especially when I have a question like this. A real lifesaver! Thank you, one & all.
 
@Catalien45 I'm sitting on the reclining cough and thinking of you because my old lady (16-1/2 yrs) kitty, Maggie, is sitting in between my feet and purring up a storm, sleeping! :kitty: Hope all is well with you and your continued recovery.
 

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