TKR Sore leg after vaccuum cleaner fell on it!

[DIYSteve]

@Welshlass, my flexion was around 95 at 24 weeks, now 100 or so at a week shy of 7 months. (I have full extension.) I also have the tight band feeling. I suffered anxiety about my lack of ROM until I read accounts of fellow forum members who reported increased flexion well after 6 months and sometime after a full year. FWIW, my relatively limited flexion has not stopped me from getting out there -- yesterday was ski day 31 for the season.

Hang in there!

 

[Welshlass]

@DIYSteve
Thank you for your reassurance Steve much appreciated. I'm very impressed with the fact that you are skiing again and live in hopes that I will be much improved by the summer so that I can go on vacation and enjoy walking and not dreading it which has been the case for the last few years.

Thanks Josephine your advice is much appreciated.

 

[hopalong61]

Hi @Welshlass

The going up and down stairs thing is something I challenged myself to do after i'd had my MUA. I started off by trying to do just 2 stairs normally, then increased them as my legs got stronger. Coming down was a different matter ! It took much much longer to be able to come downstairs normally and without holding on to the bannister. I can do both now comfortably thankfully. It was about 7 months after my MUA that I was able to do it and don't have to think about stairs now.

Last July, 4 months after my MUA we went on holiday to Turkey, I still had a fair amount of pain but I thought, i'd rather be in pain in the sun than at home so we went I just tried to do normal stuff, it takes your mind off the pain and stiffness ! I hope you manage to get away and enjoy your holiday this year.

 

[Welshlass]

@hopalong61
Hi

Nice to hear from you it's encouraging to hear other people's recovery stories. Sorry you had to have a MUA but glad you have recovered and have done well.
I am going to have to challenge myself with the stairs. Funny thing I went out this evening and it's the second time it's happened (same place) but I had to go up a flight of steps and I did it alternate steps !! the steps were a lot lower than stairs at home so I guess that's the problem. A lady at the meeting had her tkr just 3 weeks ago and was amazingly well - at 3 weeks I think I was still in my PJ's. I always thought I was strong I had 4 natural births with no problems - but this knee has really hit me for 6!!!!
I'm off to Turkey myself in July just wondered how you managed the aircraft steps?? Although I do hope to be more mobile by July fingers crossed!

 

[Dolly Girl]

It took me a year to vet good flexing, now it's great. Hang on there.

 

[Welshlass]

@Dolly Girl

That's good to hear. Thank you I will try to be patient but it does get me down lol.

 

[hopalong61]

@Welshlass
I did the aircraft steps one at a time coming down but managed normally going up. Just had one cabin bag between my daughter and myself so she carried that. I just had my handbag. I found the heat made my knee swell more than usual, tried to counter this by walking and swimming in the pool as much as I could. Took painkillers every day but they're freely available to buy there anyway if you need them. You can buy Diclofenac there over the counter too ! That's the only thing that takes away all my pain but I daren't take it ! Side effects way too risky which is a shame.

 

[Welshlass]

@hopalong61
You did well. As I said I'm not going until July so still have time to improve and I'll get my daughter to do all the heavy lifting! I used to love Dioclefenic I was so upset when Voltarol stopped selling the tablets as they really worked. Yes very true side effects are not good news. I stopped taking any medication at about 6 weeks but I was only taking co-codomol for a short time and then paracetemol and ibrubufen ( I can't spell) for a couple of weeks. Nothing stronger than this. They don't seem too keen in Wales to give anything stronger unless it was just my experience. Nor PT unless again perhaps that's just my experience.

 

[Josephine]

just wondered how you managed the aircraft steps??

I think you should be fine by then but just in case you're not - ask them to take you up on the luggage lift!

 

[Welshlass]

@Josephine
Ha! Ha! Thanks I'll have to remember that.

 

[hopalong61]

@Welshlass once I was more mobile I saw every staircase as a challenge ! Take it slowly, the plane won't go without you ! Take a walking stick with you if you think it will help, better to be safe then sorry. A week after my MUA I went to Manchester Arena with my daughter to see a band, we were on the top tier. I took 2 walking sticks and went very slowly (and took lots of painkillers !) I'm sure you'll be fine by July.

I'm jealous as we can't make Turkey this year, we love it there.

 

[Lindylee]

If you are still having issues when it comes to your holiday, book assistance at the airport. It's brilliant. We used it for my brother who was registered blind. We didn't have to do any walking or climbing stairs and were even taken to the front of the queue each time, so no standing around waiting.

 

[Welshlass]

Hi @Lindylee and @hopalong61
Thank you for your advice I will definitely ask for assistance if I don't feel I can manage the airport as I really could do with a holiday. I have been out and about with grandchildren this last few days and boy has this op aged me sorry to say. I know it's still early days and maybe I expected to be further along the line than I am but nobody prepares you for the stiffness and heaviness etc. in the legs which has slowed me up. Sorry to moan. I am getting around and without aids although a supermarket trolley is a great walking aid lol. Hope you are both well.

 

[Lindylee]

Feel free to moan. It helps to get it off your chest and people on the forum will understand exactly how you feel. Even when we are pre-warned how long recovery can take, the reality is still hard to bear at times. I hope things improve soon. I should have added that when using assistance my brother was either taken up in a lift to a door on the opposite side of the plane or taken to the usual passenger door by wheelchair and we were given seats at the front of the plane. The first time we hadn't booked in advance, but when a member of staff saw him struggling she advised us to ask for it, made such a difference.

 

[Jockette]

I am getting around and without aids although a supermarket trolley is a great walking aid lol.

I agree!

 

[hopalong61]

Hi @Welshlass I'm sure you'll be fine by July. You're still only 6 months on, I can still feel my knee improving now, after 12 months. I realised today that I haven't needed any painkillers this past week ! I've had a sickness bug and haven't been able to eat anything so the painkillers were forgotten about ! The weight loss from the bug has been a bonus too so maybe that's why i'm noticing improvements ? I've lost nearly 3 stones since just before my TKR, hoping for more before my second one ! I wouldn't wish the bug on anyone though, it wasn't pleasant

 

[Welshlass]

@hopalong61
Sorry to hear about the bug it's a drastic way to lose weight but every cloud has a silver lining! Well done you on the 3stones it's bound to help the knees. Hope you feel better soon.

I read that people were of their food after the op but sadly I wasn't one of them. I have gained 7lbs! I think it's because I'm not as active as I was but hopefully I'll lose it again! Too much time to think of food. I am starting an exercise class shortly (you have to be referred by your GP) so will be inclined to think healthy eating again.

You are having your other knee replaced are you? You will be an expert! When do expect to have the op?

 

[Welshlass]

@hopalong61
Just thought hope this is'nt hampering my progress??

 

[sistersinhim]

I bet your added pounds will come off as you become more active.

 

[maryo52]

I had flexion issues, MUA, etc. It was hard to keep my spirits up. So I turned to food. Oh well, eventually I took the weight off but I put on 15 pounds.