TKR Update one year post TKR second opinion..

[Annalv]

Needless to say this is distressing and forward can be so painful...luckily I have caught onto a table to stop me falling. This makes me of course not want to go without my cane ever...I am using a cpm and am at 90...also doing my pt exercises? Is this something that can be expected?

 

[Celle]

Hello @Annalv - and

I've moved your post from the Pre-Op area to the Knee Replacement Recovery area, since you've had your operation.

Please will you tell us the date of your knee replacement and which knee it was, so we can make a signature for you? Thank you.

It's not unusual for your new knee to buckle at first. I happens because your muscles are still weak. As they strengthen gradually, the buckling should stop.

Until then, you need to keep using your cane, so you don't have a fall. Don't let anyone tell you that you should give it up so soon. It's much better to use it than to have a fall.

Here is some post-op reading for you:
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. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


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

Please don't be overwhelmed by the list. The articles are not long and they and contain information that will answer many questions and help you make your recovery much easier on your knee and on you.

We are here to help in any way we can: answering questions and concerns; supporting and encouraging you from start to finish.

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.

 

[Josephine]

Is this something that can be expected?

Yes, do tell us your surgery date.

I'd also like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[SuperSnapper]

Mine used to buckle in the first weeks but as everything healed and got stronger it stopped. I believe it’s pretty normal. I used my cane until I felt totally confident. It’s also great for going out as people give you more room if you have a cane. You sound ike you’re doing pretty well.

 

[Annalv]

Sorry I tried to add info to my signature but could not figure it out...yes please ask me questions...my knee buckles backwards and forwards out of the blue...and am in need of a TKR on other right knee....

TKR left knee April 26, 2018

 

[Celle]

Thank you for telling us your surgery date. I've made a signature for you.

 

[Annalv]

Thankyou Celle

 

[KarriB]

Jo will be by with questions, but I can tell you my TKR was a bit wobbly at first also. It would buckle unexpectedly so I tried not to do too much walking at first and always used a cane or walker just in case.

 

[Annalv]

Thankyou KarriB

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Mine did it too, both of them. One or other would just suddenly go 'wibbly-wobbly' on me (note the exact technical terminology there). The answer, apparently, is that the removal of bone spurs during surgery frees up your knees to work properly, except they're not used to it and can't handle it.

The good news is that it just goes away as healing, recovery and rebuilding carry on.

What I did was simply to take care when walking, and indeed to use a stick.

 

[Josephine]

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?

4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[Annalv]

1. My pain level is between 3 and 4 on my meds.

2.Oxycodone HCL 5mg. Every 4 hours

3. The swelling is at moderate.

4. 90/0

5. Icing once a day 30 mins.

6. On and off throughout the day elevating the leg ever couple hours for a couple hours.

7. A little vacuuming, light housework 1 hour a day.

8. Marching steps..3 laps of bedroom.
Side steps...crossover steps...lunges...squats...tip toe...many others hard to describe but in all 30 mins a day 3 times a day...started stair steps today..all given to me by a visiting physical therapist. No pt facility yet.

 

[kneeper]

I held off on vacuuming for quite a few week as it was stressful on my knee, I also found squats hard on the knee and surrounding tissues and refused to do them with my second knee. I recovered well with much less pain.

 

[Celle]

It's too soon to be doing any housework at all. Check this article again, to see what your activity level should be:
Activity progression for TKRs

 

[Annalv]

Okay thankyou Celle

 

[Annalv]

Mine used to buckle in the first weeks but as everything healed and got stronger it stopped. I believe it’s pretty normal. I used my cane until I felt totally confident. It’s also great for going out as people give you more room if you have a cane. You sound ike you’re doing pretty well.

Thankyou @SuperSnapper

 

[Josephine]

Marching steps..3 laps of bedroom.
Side steps...crossover steps...lunges...squats...tip toe...many others hard to describe but in all 30 mins a day 3 times a day...started stair steps today..all given to me by a visiting physical therapist. No pt facility yet.

Annalv, I did ask, very specifically, for the exercises to be: a list and not an essay!
Could you do this for me please? It's almost midnight and I still have heaps of posts to reply to! Thank you

 

[Steve4kids]

You should slow down. You do too much stuff, anyone's knee I think would buckle.
Get in touch with what that knee can do and you shouldn't do anymore things until you ready. You don't want to fall down.

 

[ChrissiG]

Hi Annalv - I’m your twin! Also April 26th left tkr - how are you doing now?

 

[Hermione18]

I like Roy's term of "wibbly-wobbly." It describes my experience well. I've occasionally felt that, and a tiny bit of buckling at random times, but I always catch myself. It's been a little weird, but I've never had the sensation that I'm about to go down on the floor. I'm a little over 3 weeks. For me, the wobble/buckle isn't painful, just weird.