TKR 3 weeks Post TKR

However I have PT session #3 tomorrow, I guess I won't reschedule but to let her know what I am experiencing so she can avoid drills that would make things worse.
Excellent idea letting the PT know that the last set of exercises required several days recovery. You can back off during an exercise if you find it causes pain or too much discomfort. There were several exercises in PT that made me do the Dikembe Motumbo finger wag. If I could not do it during the PT session, I often successfully completed the set a week or 2 later. There is such a conundrum with this recovery, pushing yourself does not expedite the recovery. Different from so many other recoveries. Time, patience, and really listening to your knee (how it responds to different activities) are the things that helped me most, both times. The knee gonna do what the knee gonna do.
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. PT yesterday was ok since after talking with her we avoided a few exercises that caused the pain, leg curls and wall squats. I tried 1 or 2 this morning and that pain with those exercise were still there, so won't try them again for a few days. I just messaged the surgeons Nurse Practioner to update her. I feel disccouraged that I'm losing the good progress that I had made, but realize this is not uncommon. Ugh, will just keep icing, elevating and do some walking so it doesn't get too stiff.
Edit- Nurse just messaged back to not do ANY exercises until i go to PT on next Tuesday, she said that area of pain on the outside of knee is common at this point (approx 4 weeks out) that it is probably the IT band (along outer thigh) that got tight or inflamed fro working it too hard.
I guess I'll be following her advice, lol.
 
Edit- Nurse just messaged back to not do ANY exercises until i go to PT on next Tuesday, she said that area of pain on the outside of knee is common at this point (approx 4 weeks out) that it is probably the IT band (along outer thigh) that got tight or inflamed fro working it too hard.
This is really good advice, you are still very early in recovery and exercising is going to cause more problems than it solves this early. Gentle stretching and movement is all that you need while tissues heal. Listen to your body, if something causes pain at the time or afterwards then your knee is not ready for that activity yet.
 
PT yesterday was ok since after talking with her we avoided a few exercises that caused the pain, leg curls and wall squats. I tried 1 or 2 this morning and that pain with those exercise were still there, so won't try them again for a few days.
Hey @Abro in NJ! I had to hold off on leg curls early, too and now do them with no problem (as long as I'm not on the ODIC bench). The squats are still in my future. Every single time I do them, I have to recover for a couple days. At this point I just stopped trying them as an exercise and occasionally ease them in when I really need to bend down. Strangely, I can do a set of stand/sit exercises without a problem and it's pretty similar to squats. patience is your friend, knee function will come.
 
Approx 6 week follow up w the surgeon a few days ago, Surgery was Feb 1. Surgeon was pleased enough with the flexicon (110), straightness, gait, scar, and step up and down abilities to say I was ahead of schedule and need not make another appointment unless a problem develops. He did give me an Rx for another 4 weeks of PT if I wanted to go, which I do, as feel there is a benefit in going.

He noticed only a bit of swelling on the knee, which I did not, said to keep icing after PT and soreness.
I said my leg and foot gets tired quickly after about 30 minutes standing or activity while standing, and he said it's a gradual process in getting back to full strength. He said similar when I said my sleep pattern still was not normal, waking up every 2-3 hours rather than sleeping thru the night.
He cleared me to golf , ride a bike, etc as long as pain didn't occur. Said the knee will tell you when doing too much.
All in all, I guess I am now feeling better, little pain, unless over doing things. Those first 2 weeks were awful, next 2 weeks thing got gradually better, with occassonal set backs when overdoing things in PT or exercises on my own.

I must say I really started feeling a big improvement around the middle of week 5, so when Drs say it takes about 6 weeks for the majority of TKR patients to start feeling better, I guess they know what they are talking about.

He said the knee/leg/ foot will continue to get better and better over the next year with occasional set backs.
He also asked how I felt about the mymobility app the practice gives to all joint replacement patients for exercises, patient ed, and ability to chat 24/7 with a Nurse practitioner. I thought it was very helpful. The nurse I chatted with on the first weekend about pain even came out to say hi.

PS- I am in the USA, I just remembered there are UK patients here as well.

Good luck to all, this site was helpful as well as giving great support to each other as friends with a mutual health issue.
 
Sounds like you are doing really well, @Abro in NJ ! And, it sounds like you have a great surgeon who communicates well about expectations from this major surgery!
All in all, I guess I am now feeling better, little pain, unless over doing things. Those first 2 weeks were awful, next 2 weeks thing got gradually better, with occassonal set backs when overdoing things in PT or exercises on my own.
You are still in the early days of what is usually a year-long recovery. Don't be surprised if you have a few small setbacks (I recently had one at 6 months post-op!). Remember that, the better you feel, the more likely you are to overdo --be sure to listen to your knee and give it a break when needed.

Keeps us posted on your progress!
 
"Remember that, the better you feel, the more likely you are to overdo"

That is so, so true Bene68, and I've made this mistake at least once a week or more, in my 6 weeks post op. It seems like it's such a fine line between the right amount of exercise/PT and too much which will set you back 2-3 days or more.
 
It seems like it's such a fine line between the right amount of exercise/PT and too much which will set you back 2-3 days or more.
I continue to struggle with that balance - overdoing it or not doing enough. It's different for each person based on healing speed, lifestyle and tolerance for pain. PT routinely put me in the red no matter how I tried to control it during the sessions, I always needed days to recover.
 
Our knees jolly well tell us when we over do it, my new right knee is a right diva, all she wants to do is stay still :heehee: and if I move or try to exercise or walk for more than 30 minutes all I get is grief.
My surgeon & physiotherapist use their mobile phones to measure the ROM & extension- there is an app available.
 
It is now almost 4 full month since my Left total knee replacement. I can truly say I now am happy I did it and how things are progressing. I am finally sleeping well (hallalejah !), walking without any pain, and only feel a slight twinge going up steps. I still get a bit of stiffness after exercise and getting up in the morning, but it goes away fairly quick. I still ice the knee after exercise, which for me is usually a 2 mile walk at the local football field, plus going up and down the bleacher steps. I rarely use even Ibuprofen anymore. I tried jogging, but realized that wasn't feeling good. I will next be biking and hopefully golfing.

One thing I have noticed is that I pulled a muscle or 2 in my core (stomach) probably from bending at the waist so much instead of bending at the knee the first month after surgery. and getting in and out of bed using the core instead of the legs.

This site was very helpful those first full difficult weeks after surgery. The fallacy of no pain/no gain, and managing expectations, especially from the Physical therapist, was a big help. Also learned that just a tiny bit of overdoing PT easily set me back 3 or 4 days, I think that's an issue many go through, trying to speed up recovery.

Good luck to all. I'll still check back in from time to time.
 
Thanks for the update it gives me hope! I am at three months and I was wondering if you initially had inflammation when walking steps?
 
What a great report, @Abro in NJ ! It sounds like you have a great attitude about your recovery. Hope you continue to do well.

Thanks for sharing and please do check back in to report of your progress.
 
Thanks for the update it gives me hope! I am at three months and I was wondering if you initially had inflammation when walking steps?
I definitely had added inflammation and swelling from doing steps, especially the exercises at PT, but i would cut it short as soon as it started getting worse, and then ice it as soon as i got home, and added Ibuprofen. I stopped with the Oxycodone pretty much at the 2 week mark. They worked great BUT caused constipation, and didn't want to become to reliant on them. Like you've read a bunch now....ICE, ELEVATION, and an over the counter anti inflammatory help a lot. AND DON'T OVERDO IT CAUSING SETBACKS, LOL
 
All great advice just needed that reminder! I have a 2 storey home and doing the two step going up too many times a day now that I can, lol.
 
What a great report! :yay: Thanks for sharing it with us!
 

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