10 Days Post Op.....so far, so good

[mbrown]

Day 10 update - Feel great today. Have graduated from walker to one crutch. Had a great therapy session. Achieved 101 degrees flexion and -1 extension.

I know there will be ups and downs but I could not be more pleased with where I am.

Therapy session included

Quad extensions - 30 reps
Heel slides - 30 reps

Leg lifts - 30 reps
Side leg lifts - 30 reps
One leg is on chair and lift bottom leg up laying on side - 30 reps

Mini squats - 20 reps
6 inch box step ups - 2 sets x 15 reps
Calf Stretch
Hamstring stretch

No pain in any of this. Slight discomfort in step ups. 4th session with my therapist and he is great. Doesn't want pain. Says his goal is to stay below pain and not find it but if we do find it then we back off. I was even telling him that he could push more on flexion because it felt tight but not painful but he didn't want to go any farther at this point.

 

[Jamie]

Sounds like you are really doing well! I'm so happy for you. It's always great to hear a success story.

 

[McKelly]

@mbrown
Sounds GREAT!
Your therapist sounds like a breath of fresh air.
Glad you're pleased

 

[mbrown]

@McKelly have you had bad luck with a therapist?

 

[mbrown]

@Jamie can someone change my header to 10 Days Post Op.....so far, so good

 

[Celle]

I have changed your thread title.

 

[Jamie]

Just a slight word of warning to you, though. It is possible that you're feeling so great with the exercises as a result of the steroids you are on. They are really magical sometimes. You may or may not experience a change in your pain level as you decrease the steroid dosage in the coming days. Be watchful for that. Recovery is usually not a straight line and you may need to keep adjusting your activity as you go along.

 

[McKelly]

@McKelly have you had bad luck with a therapist?

@mbrown
Before finding this forum, and just before I had my right knee done on Nov 7th, I had it in my head that rehab would be painful. I assumed that I would simply have to push through the pain, and that felt like just a hard truth to me. I was relatively young, relatively fit, and initially I did quite well. After the first few PT sessions, I sort of stalled in improving and was told I wasn't "really trying" or "not working hard enough" at home.
I allowed my therapist to push and stretch and even manually manipulate my recovering knee to the point of sobbing. (This was 2-3 weeks after surgery)
Most importantly I felt like a total failure.
I'm not quite two weeks past having my left knee done, and I'm doing nothing but icing, elevating, resting, and walking around my house. I discussed my change of heart with my PT, a young person who has been a PT for nine years, and he has said he believes that I'm absolutely in the wrong and will most likely not have good results! Time will tell.

 

[Jamie]

@McKelly .... shame on that therapist. I can tell you that you are NOT in the wrong and you're going to be just fine taking things at the speed your body dictates. Please don't waste one minute worrying about your outcome.

 

[McKelly]

@McKelly .... shame on that therapist. I can tell you that you are NOT in the wrong and you're going to be just fine taking things at the speed your body dictates. Please don't waste one minute worrying about your outcome.

@Jamie
THANK YOU!
It feels "right" to rest my body at the moment, so I'm going with it! [emoji3]

 

[Jamie]

I went over and reviewed your recovery thread. Please do continue to let us know how both knees are doing there.

 

[mbrown]

Trust me. I tell myself that constantly.

 

[mbrown]

McKelly, wow. How could a therapist think that a patient crying is a good thing. PT shouldn't be painful. I wish you could experience a good therapist. My therapy is going pretty well so far. I'm listening to my body. If something hurts I will back off. My therapist has the same beliefs and said his goal is to always stay below pain and if we accidentally push to far we back off. The "no pain no gain" mantra is complete garbage. My gains so far have been achieved by staying under the pain level

I wish you luck in your recovery.

 

[Celle]

The "no pain no gain" mantra is complete garbage. My gains so far have been achieved by staying under the pain level

You are so right! "No pain, no gain" is completely inappropriate for recovery from a knee replacement. BoneSmart's recommendation is "No pain, more gain."

 

[Aquafool]

I essentially had no PT for either of my knees and so far so good. I rested, iced, elevated, and took my meds on a schedule. I was reading the progress chart the other day and it turns out I'm probably doing too much. So I may have to scale it back. They have both been complaining a little and "itching on the inside."

Cookie
LTKR Aug 15
RTKR November 3

 

[mbrown]

@Aquafool glad it's going so well for you! I'm definitely doing PT (3x per week) and light therapy on my own (2x per day) but I've got a really good PT. 10 days out and got 101 degrees flexion this morning. I'm also down to about 3-4 pain pills per day and letting my pain level completely guide this.

Itching on the inside? That sounds awful. I'll be ok if that side effect decides to skip me[emoji51]

 

[mbrown]

Day 11 update- Wooohooo!!!! Had an opiate free morning so I got out and drove around in the snow for an hour. Was nice to be out. I was going stir crazy!!!!!!! Knee is barking a bit from having it bent and sitting for an hour but I've got it elevated and on the gameready machine

 

[Celle]

Day 11 is a lot earlier than most people start to drive again. I'm glad it went well, b ut I would have been very cautious about driving for the first time in snowy conditions.

Give your knee a good rest after that.

I'm sure the outing was good for your emotional well-being.

 

[mbrown]

@Celle yeah it was happening. There was no stopping it!! But I've got it elevated and icing now.

 

[mbrown]

Kinda feeling my little outing earlier today. Little bit of pain and feels a bit more inflamed. I've been elevating and icing all day though so hopefully it's better tomorrow. I walked around yesterday and this morning with no assistance so probably feeling that a little also.

Had pain meds last night but none all day until about 5:00 when I took 1.

Question.......haven't really even noticed much feeling from around my incision until last night. I can just baaaaaaaarellly touch my bandage next to where the incision is and I feel it. Almost feels like a rug burn was. Is this something that would have been there all alone but I haven't felt because of pain meds or is this something new with nerves starting to reconnect and fire again?