TKR Knee not extending<

You can measure you extension yourself using this technique

You can assess you own extension though. It's quite easy:
1. put your leg on a bench, seat, bed, floor or anything similar but preferably something fairly firm.
2. with not too much pressure, press the back of your knee down - use your leg muscles, not your hand!
3. slide your hand, palm down, under the back of your knee
a) if you can get your entire hand under easily, it's probably about +10 degrees
b) if you can get just your fingers under, it's about +5
c) if you can get your fingers under but it's a push, it's +0
d) if you can't get your fingers under at all, it's -5 or more​

Here's a graphic to explain the degrees involved
knee-rom-small-jpg.50489


And I can measure your flexion if you want me to. Just get someone to take a photo of your leg in one of these poses - and note the shorts and bare feet!

goniometry-horz.jpg
 
Went to knee class physio today. Saw the physio for my 3 minutes " let me check your ROM ". As expected not straight enough or enough bend. He told me that he could assist my bend in a private physio appointment. I told him thank you but no, I'm happy with how I'm progressing and don't need him to manipulate it to help my bend. He was a little put out to say the least that I'd said no to him, but I held my ground and was happily discharged from physio lol.
 
He was a little put out to say the least that I'd said no to him, but I held my ground and was happily discharged from physio lol.
Good for you standing your ground. Your knee's feelings take precedence over the PT's!
 
he could assist my bend in a private physio appointment. I told him thank you but no, I'm happy with how I'm progressing and don't need him to manipulate it to help my bend.
Cheeky blinder! I think the management would have had something to say about that if you'd report it! Like
upload_2019-5-21_20-31-8.png


Also, you earn our rare gold star for assertiveness! (used to give a lot of these years ago!)

star.gif
 
Thank you Josephine , I am so happy that I can now let my knee recover without having to face the physio every week and not seeing surgeon until September so no pressure from anyone hooray
 
A question for @Josephine . I am 8 weeks post right TKR and over the last couple of days bruising has started appearing both sides of my knee. It doesn't hurt, I haven't hit it on anything. I'm not doing any physio and it outwardly doesn't look any more swollen. The only thing that I have done different is 3 days ago I had to drive my daughter somewhere and was in the car for three hours. Could this have caused the bruising ?
 
Sorry I'm not able to do that don't know how lol. It is both sides just below the knee joint
 
Hi everyone, I'm now 12 weeks post my right knee replacement, I'm in no pain but still using 2 crutches as I limp without them. I feel a pull on the outside of my knee in the push off the toes part of a stride so unless I think about it I still walk stiff legged.

I also still use my stair lift to go up and down stairs at home as I still don't trust my right knee not to give way (although it hasn't since week 2).

My left knee replacement is a year old in a couple of weeks and is still really good although has a little pocket of swelling where it has been looking after the right knee.

I'm happy where I am and going slowly along this recovery road. Bend and straightness is coming slowly and I'll never have great flexion but will have enough to live life pain free and do what I want to do .
 
I'll never have great flexion but will have enough to live life pain free and do what I want to do .
My flex improved, not just after my one year anniversary, but also after my second. Yours may, too.
 
I also still use my stair lift to go up and down stairs at home as I still don't trust my right knee not to give way
I think you'll improve extension a lot better if you try to use stairs more, particularly going downstairs.
 
@Josephine I know it will help to use the stairs but it is very hard when you don't trust your knee. With the left knee replacement a year ago I had no problems at all with stairs so I know this problem is in my head and not my knee
 
Maybe it would help if you allow yourself to go up and down the stairs foot over foot very, very slowly. That way you will know that your knee is not going to buckle before you put your full weight on it. Don't worry about how fast you travel, just concentrate on using your muscles to do the stairs properly. As you get more confident and stronger, you can go a little faster.
 
Don't you have bannisters you can hold on to?
 
Do you have anyone who could walk the stairs with you? It would help your confidence a lot if someone climbed the stars behind you, and descended the stairs ahead of you. That way, there will be someone to block your fall, if your knee should give out.
 
To both Josephine and Celle unfortunately I only have a banister one side as we have a stair lift for my husband who is disabled by a stroke so he can't walk up or down stairs to help me. I have gone up and down once so I know I can do it but I'm just so scared I'll fall and then it will be hard for my husband if I injure myself. I'm more concerned about the pull I have on the outside of my knee when I step through in walk which makes me walk stiff legged unless I walk slowly with both crutches.
 

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