Trailers
new member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2019
- Messages
- 13
- Age
- 74
- Country
United Kingdom
- Gender
- Male
Ok so having found this site when looking for what to expect at 6 weeks after TKR I’m probably a bit tardy in starting a recovery log but hey ho nothing ventured…..
My knees had been abused in earlier years by too much squash, football and skiing and carrying too much weight while doing those things and they were flagged for replacement in my 40s during first arthroscopy. I had to wean myself off squash and the football and accepted that my future lay with doing more cycling and walking and toning down my unfulfilled downhill ski aspirations!
Had another arthroscopy two years ago which solved an issue but it was only a question of time as right knee was splaying out and gait, which had been unnatural for a good while, was markedly off. I wasn’t getting a lot of pain and was exercising regularly, walking, static bike and rower in regular use. Long distance walking trips however became impossible and knee pain would wake me up when I moved in bed.
Saw a surgeon privately who was recommend by my physiotherapist and his advice was that if I left it any longer because of the increasing deformity, that down the road it would be a much more difficult operation with less chance of success . No brainer then but I baulked at the cost to have it done privately and signed up for an NHS job.
Wait was only about 3 months, could have had it done a month earlier but specific protocol at this NHS Trust ruled out an op till 6 weeks after long haul flight and trip to Canaries in November was deemed long haul (4 hrs) so was booked in for 12th of January 2019.
Surgery according to reports went well with no surprises and affirmation that it was very much required.
From admission to discharge was 59 hours. 24 hours earlier than planned which suited me. Seemed to me that the discharge criteria was down to whether I could manage stairs with crutches. Disappointingly no physiotherapy post op was available from this NHS Trust.
Probably don’t need to record that the first two weeks were grim. Night time being the worst. Needed all the painkilling drugs that were programmed. Seemed to get as much relief from icing sessions as I did from the drugs on some occasions.
A nurse told me before I left the hospital “only 15 minutes icing three times a day”! Not sure what that advice was based on but it was ignored. Now at 6 weeks I am still icing regularly. Note to self - mustn’t consume those peas when this is all done!
Did my exercises at least once a day building to three times a day by end of second week.
I enjoy my morning shower and made a good purchase in full leg cover from Amazon. Allowed me to stay in the shower longer and exercise the leg swapping weight from side to side. Clips out 13 days after op. Thought this would give more movement than it did.
Toyed with my static bike in week 2 with seat very high, backward and forward peddling till discomfort but even sat well back in the saddle no rotation was possible . Eventually that week I got rotation and once it started moving it seemed OK. Paid for it that night though! Went back to the bike after a day off and have pretty much used it every day since moving the saddle position downwards as knee warms up and then back up again.
BTW I have read not to put any resistance setting on the exercise bike but I do think you need a very small resistance for a more comfortable motion.
Saw private physio 14 days after op. He was very enthusiastic but as he had recommended the surgeon I went to. Different practice the following week (week 3) to get a different perspective. He too was amazed at progress. Encouraged me to massage the knee cap and surrounding area and to oil the scar and we stopped all the extension exercises with the exception of a new one, lying supine and pushing down into the base with hold and the moving straight up to holding still tensed leg up 20cms off base with hold. Retained foot slide and added bending down to sit on a chair without actually sitting on it.
Moved out of the marital bed on the second night home and went back in week 5. I had enough problems without coping with her snoring!! (There would be a smiley face here if I knew how to insert it!)
Was driving at 14 days but just down for the daily shop and by then I didn’t need the crutches for walking but kept one around downstairs and one upstairs for leverage and that steadying/ confidence requirement on getting out of chair/bed.
Took full meds till middle of week 5 then started missing some. Not out of conscious plan just didn’t feel the need to be topped up. Codeine went first to go but took paracetamol and ibuprofen as and when during the day and always a paracetamol before sleep, which I’m still doing middle of week 6.
Haven’t worn the DVT stocking since the clips came out. (Not a badge as to my approach to risk, more a fashion statement!)
So on review can’t give accurate ROM as not really come across measuring it till I reached this site but reckon with a high saddle you need probably 93 to get rotation and visually I probably get to about 120 on the lowest seat position that I have as yet, managed comfortably.
On a physio padded bench I’d say the leg gets straight but sitting in a sauna on planks its not as flat as the good leg !
Stairs going up are now pretty normal . Coming down is nearly normal in the mornings, less so at the end of the day. Still like to hold a handrail. I’m now using the wife’s electric assist road bike to go downhill for the shopping as from last week. Hill coming back would be too much to manage on my touring bike yet
Knee is swollen still and feels tight and aches if I sit too long without elevation. Sensation in the skin on the right of knee cap is poor.
From discharge to beginning of week 6 there were inexplicable good days and worse days. This week, touch wood, everything seems less variable.
I have reduced amount of large intestine so constipation is pretty much unknown to my constitution. However despite the warnings about codeine I got caught out. If you’re taking codeine take a laxative!
On that note I’ll finish my six week saga and if anyone actually got to this point, they’re probably thinking a laxative must have got to work on the keyboard!
My knees had been abused in earlier years by too much squash, football and skiing and carrying too much weight while doing those things and they were flagged for replacement in my 40s during first arthroscopy. I had to wean myself off squash and the football and accepted that my future lay with doing more cycling and walking and toning down my unfulfilled downhill ski aspirations!
Had another arthroscopy two years ago which solved an issue but it was only a question of time as right knee was splaying out and gait, which had been unnatural for a good while, was markedly off. I wasn’t getting a lot of pain and was exercising regularly, walking, static bike and rower in regular use. Long distance walking trips however became impossible and knee pain would wake me up when I moved in bed.
Saw a surgeon privately who was recommend by my physiotherapist and his advice was that if I left it any longer because of the increasing deformity, that down the road it would be a much more difficult operation with less chance of success . No brainer then but I baulked at the cost to have it done privately and signed up for an NHS job.
Wait was only about 3 months, could have had it done a month earlier but specific protocol at this NHS Trust ruled out an op till 6 weeks after long haul flight and trip to Canaries in November was deemed long haul (4 hrs) so was booked in for 12th of January 2019.
Surgery according to reports went well with no surprises and affirmation that it was very much required.
From admission to discharge was 59 hours. 24 hours earlier than planned which suited me. Seemed to me that the discharge criteria was down to whether I could manage stairs with crutches. Disappointingly no physiotherapy post op was available from this NHS Trust.
Probably don’t need to record that the first two weeks were grim. Night time being the worst. Needed all the painkilling drugs that were programmed. Seemed to get as much relief from icing sessions as I did from the drugs on some occasions.
A nurse told me before I left the hospital “only 15 minutes icing three times a day”! Not sure what that advice was based on but it was ignored. Now at 6 weeks I am still icing regularly. Note to self - mustn’t consume those peas when this is all done!
Did my exercises at least once a day building to three times a day by end of second week.
I enjoy my morning shower and made a good purchase in full leg cover from Amazon. Allowed me to stay in the shower longer and exercise the leg swapping weight from side to side. Clips out 13 days after op. Thought this would give more movement than it did.
Toyed with my static bike in week 2 with seat very high, backward and forward peddling till discomfort but even sat well back in the saddle no rotation was possible . Eventually that week I got rotation and once it started moving it seemed OK. Paid for it that night though! Went back to the bike after a day off and have pretty much used it every day since moving the saddle position downwards as knee warms up and then back up again.
BTW I have read not to put any resistance setting on the exercise bike but I do think you need a very small resistance for a more comfortable motion.
Saw private physio 14 days after op. He was very enthusiastic but as he had recommended the surgeon I went to. Different practice the following week (week 3) to get a different perspective. He too was amazed at progress. Encouraged me to massage the knee cap and surrounding area and to oil the scar and we stopped all the extension exercises with the exception of a new one, lying supine and pushing down into the base with hold and the moving straight up to holding still tensed leg up 20cms off base with hold. Retained foot slide and added bending down to sit on a chair without actually sitting on it.
Moved out of the marital bed on the second night home and went back in week 5. I had enough problems without coping with her snoring!! (There would be a smiley face here if I knew how to insert it!)
Was driving at 14 days but just down for the daily shop and by then I didn’t need the crutches for walking but kept one around downstairs and one upstairs for leverage and that steadying/ confidence requirement on getting out of chair/bed.
Took full meds till middle of week 5 then started missing some. Not out of conscious plan just didn’t feel the need to be topped up. Codeine went first to go but took paracetamol and ibuprofen as and when during the day and always a paracetamol before sleep, which I’m still doing middle of week 6.
Haven’t worn the DVT stocking since the clips came out. (Not a badge as to my approach to risk, more a fashion statement!)
So on review can’t give accurate ROM as not really come across measuring it till I reached this site but reckon with a high saddle you need probably 93 to get rotation and visually I probably get to about 120 on the lowest seat position that I have as yet, managed comfortably.
On a physio padded bench I’d say the leg gets straight but sitting in a sauna on planks its not as flat as the good leg !
Stairs going up are now pretty normal . Coming down is nearly normal in the mornings, less so at the end of the day. Still like to hold a handrail. I’m now using the wife’s electric assist road bike to go downhill for the shopping as from last week. Hill coming back would be too much to manage on my touring bike yet
Knee is swollen still and feels tight and aches if I sit too long without elevation. Sensation in the skin on the right of knee cap is poor.
From discharge to beginning of week 6 there were inexplicable good days and worse days. This week, touch wood, everything seems less variable.
I have reduced amount of large intestine so constipation is pretty much unknown to my constitution. However despite the warnings about codeine I got caught out. If you’re taking codeine take a laxative!
On that note I’ll finish my six week saga and if anyone actually got to this point, they’re probably thinking a laxative must have got to work on the keyboard!
