TKR 10 week check up

[naynay30 yrs.]

Yes taking Dilaudid every 4 hrs. By pushing it up on bike I ment starting at easier working it up to harder. Bruising was worse than most of those! I was blk from thigh to foot! Glad to hear wks is tough for every one! Maybe next time he butt me at 12 I'll feel different. Doc called to check on me today . Says band is scar tissue! Have to find a happy med between not doing any PT and doing to much. Thanx guys!

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

Iced knee a lot today but just noticed it's warm and reddish on some areas around the knee. Did I over ice ? Was I on it too much? I'm not even thinking infection!

 

[Jamie]

By pushing it up on bike I ment starting at easier working it up to harder.

Does this mean you're increasing resistance when using the bike? I hope not.....you should be using the cycle with no resistance at all at this early stage in recovery.

Iced knee a lot today but just noticed it's warm and reddish on some areas around the knee. Did I over ice ? Was I on it too much? I'm not even thinking infection!

It is normal for your knee to be warm. That's part of the healing process going on inside. You didn't ice too much. But you do need to make sure you have a kitchen towel between your skin and the ice source.

 

[Celle]

Doc called to check on me today . Says band is scar tissue! Have to find a happy med between not doing any PT and doing to much.

This is usually the reason for that tight rubber band feeling:
"Tight band" feeling across the front of my knee
Most of us have it. It's usually not harmful scar tissue. It will go away, but only slowly.

If you must keep on using the bike, do it with no resistance and keep the seat at the same level until your swelling has gone down.

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

6 was today and I don't know what is going in! Knee hurts worse than it has in2 Weeks! Been under a lot of family stress and probably doing more than I should but wasn't expecting this!

 

[Celle]

I'm sorry to hear about your family problems.

Your knee is reacting to the extra activity by being more painful. Please (I know it's difficult) do try to pamper it and give it plenty of rest. Investing time in looking after your knee and yourself may be difficult right now, but it will pay off big time in the future.

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

Thanx Cele!
I iced all nite Pain is ALOT better!
What about the stiffness!
I keep hoping every morning it will not be not b stiff and bend but nope!
That's why I keep thinking I should be doing more PT.
I'm so afraid scar tissue is forming and will have to have manipulation! It's tight!

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

I iced all nite because leg/knee super sore from being on it too much the last few days! Pain down 85% this Morn! Decided house stuff can wait till hubby or housekeeper does it! Knee still super stiff with tight band that makes it impossible to bend all the way and hard to walk. A friend who had a TNR told me again today I should have better ROM and only have a "window" or I won't get it back. Raised my anxiety but reading all of your posts does help relieve it! Just wish PT and docs were on same page! I've tried to find articles about ROM but nothing comes up. Anyone have some? I rode bike gently for 10min. Took 5 Just to get all the way around. Did some sliders and one set of leg lifts. Thigh so weak! Doc reminded me I took along Time to heal from scope a yr ago. Never really healed arthritis got worse ! But I wasVERY active with PT and got range of motion back. You'd think PT therapists would know what's best ! Going to stretch a few more times today and one more set of leg lifts. But as far as being on leg only for bathroom and kitchen! Want to keep pain down and hopefully see swelling continue to go down . Bend knee bend!!

 

[Kansas Teacher]

Yep, @naynay30 yrs. , I keep hearing that the tight band feeling is normal and is going to stick around awhile too. Since it hasn't gone away yet, I believe it but am anxiously awaiting the day it does improve. I'm so glad you took it easy and are feeling better now. This too shall pass for both of us.

Roxie

 

[tigz]

Bend knee bend!!

I'm singing that same tune on repeat! Monday will be five weeks for me. Very slow going!

Hang in there, you aren't alone!

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

Boy I hope so guys! Do U find it hard bending when walking? I'm marching to remind myself I can bend. Feels like old times! Use to march with daycare kids! Lol thus the Naynay.

 

[Clipless]

Haha- yes, I felt like I had forgotten how to walk and had to learn all over again.

 

[SeptemberZen]

Welcome! And...just wanted to jump in and mention a few things you might find helpful:

1. I'm at around 5 months post-op and I STILL have swelling and stiffness if I do too much. It's significantly better than it WAS, but it still happens from time to time;

2. Most of us here have learned that recovery is not "linear", meaning you DON'T NECESSARILY get a little better every day. Some do, but often you'll be going along just fine and then you'll be a little achier than usual one day or be very stiff for a day or so. It happens. We're not machines, sometimes the body just needs a minute to get itself together.

3. Whatever you do, please avoid comparing your recovery to other people's. There are Super Healers out there who will report that they leapt out of bed right after surgery, danced a week later, and went skiing a month later.... Yay for them....but we ALL follow our own path. Some of us need more time. At 5 months, I get frustrated sometimes too, but I am reminded that my OS says that full recovery can take anywhere from 6 months to a year. A friend at work who's had both a hip and a knee replacement told me recently that the knee recovery was tougher, AND it took about 8 -9 months before she stopped feeling like her bionic knee was different from her non-op one.

Best of luck!!

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

Hi Clipless!

.When did the tight feeling go away and when did U start being able to bend when walking ?

 

[Kansas Teacher]

@naynay30 yrs. , you can tag @Clipless or anyone else by starting with the @ and typing her name after it. A little drop down will pop up and you just click on the right name and it will tag that person. I had to figure that out too. Hopefully Clipless will answer your question because I'd like to know too!

Roxie

 

[naynay30 yrs.]

I just read the thread about ROM.
Even tho most of you said rest ice elevate meds now at 6 Wks, on that thread every one was discussing how there ROM did come bk after 3 mos.
So is the point to let it heal in the beginning, knowing that once it's had a chance to heal and calm down, than knee will be ready to be exercised and ROM obtained!!
Thanx for your help!
Feeling frustrated. Housebound and fat from no exercise!

 

[tigz]

The PT who showed me scar massage also performed a soft tissue massage on the sides of my knee as well as patella mobilization. I've been continuing that and have found that tight band around my knee is very loose for a bit when I'm done.

 

[KYata]

I had an uncomfortable 90* ROM at 6 weeks and an easy 115* ROM at 9 weeks. Maybe this will be the month for it to happen for you as well.

I cannot force stretches at all, it backfires on me as I push too hard. I prefer putting my leg in the air, holding the thigh and allowing the leg to drop down. I watch the foot and it will slowly move down in a gentle stretch. When it starts to get uncomfortable I stop. I try to remember to take 30-60 seconds every time I get up and I think it is helping ROM and it certainly makes it easier to take those first few steps.

I like the bike but make it easy rotations, for aerobic exercise and a bit of strength rather than ROM - this straight from my PT when I wanted to move the bike seat forward.

 

[PolarBear60]

I prefer putting my leg in the air, holding the thigh and allowing the leg to drop down. I watch the foot and it will slowly move down in a gentle stretch. When it starts to get uncomfortable I stop. I try to remember to take 30-60 seconds every time I get up and I think it is helping ROM and it certainly makes it easier to take those first few steps.

My therapist says the magic time for that stretch is two minutes.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005

 

[tigz]

I prefer putting my leg in the air, holding the thigh and allowing the leg to drop down. I watch the foot and it will slowly move down in a gentle stretch. When it starts to get uncomfortable I stop.

I like the bike but make it easy rotations, for aerobic exercise and a bit of strength rather than ROM - this straight from my PT when I wanted to move the bike seat forward.

The PT That came to the house recommended that gravity approach to ROM. I will take a break from icing and do that.

Still researching bikes, but haven't decided what I want. Guess I really need to physically go look at bikes. Problem is I've never been a shopper and being almost 5 weeks out from this surgery I really don't want to go shopping!