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TKR @ 10 weeks -- What to expect?

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Maybe keep the resistance low & up the RPMs? Or do the upper body sitting down & faster & more reps to work up a sweat? Again, frustrating, especially with the (bad word, bad word) swelling.
 
Josephine said:
...Most people, including me, took prescription pain meds for a full three months!
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Hmm, most? I stopped prescription meds (Tramadol) on day 14* because of constipation, daytime pain relief on day 16, went drug-free (stopped Paracetamol and Advil) at night as well as daytime during week 7. And no way was I trying to be a hero:) I just didn't really need them.



*apart from a relapse Jan 1 2013 caused by having to drink red wine and dance (alright, lurch) round the room Dec 31st 2012)
 
DrFermento said:
Swelling vs. Stretching & Exercise @ 12 Weeks?
I know every case is different, but should I be trying to focus more on icing-elevating-meds to reduce knee swelling and avoid trying to do daily stretching and walks which aggravate the swelling and stiffness? It seems that I can take a 1/2 hour walk without difficulty, but if I do it two days in a row (and I ice frequently) I start to stiffen up, and I feel like I'm regressing and getting nowhere. Is this a common dilemma at 3 months post-op? My confidence is wavering (again). I also have an exercycle which I use, but that also seems to add to flare-ups. I need aerobic exercise, but I feel like I'm slowing my recovery if I do just a little bit too much. Help!
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You have answered your own question correctly!

- If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it.

Healing is just relaxing and doing nothing, training is doing the exercise. They are not the same, of course. If you can do exercise not involving the knees, weight training say, why not do that?

But you are not regressing; as you overdo something, your knee tells you -- it's only if you keep doing it you'll go backwards.

Stretching shouldn't cause swelling and stiffness IMO, it's the exercise doing it.
 
If what you are doing causes you pain or stiffness, and if what you are doing is slowing down your recovery, then why keep doing it. Do not take part in the vicious circle of "working harder and expecting better results." This is not a case of "I will work harder and get in shape faster." Your knee has been battered surgically, and, if you work hard, it will slow down your recovery.

I am very similar to you---I enjoy intense workouts, but I had to realize that I had to shelve them for a while as my knees were not yet ready to accomplish what I wanted to do.

There will be plenty of time for aerobics and challenging workouts---hey, I jut got back from a very intense workout at the gym today---but right now, that is not on your knee's agenda of things to do. This is not a time to try what you want to do---it is a time to remember what your knee can and cannot do.
 
Doing stretching @ 3 months
My doc signed me off a month ago with no specific instructions other than to call him if I had a problem. Aside from the difficulties I've been having balancing walks with "healing days" I also have questions about stretching. I don't stretch lately to the extent I did during those first 2 months -- I was @ 0 degrees extension and about 115 degrees reflex a month ago, but I want to know how much stretching I should be doing now. When I've supposedly "overdone it" with walking, trying an extension stretch feels like I've strained the back of the knee. So I ice. Stretching advice, anyone?
 
I can identify with that back of the knee strain feeling. I hadn't been walking properly, i.e. my leg hadn't been fully extending, for many years prior to BTKR, so learning to walk properly was itself a stretching exercise.

Other than that, my take is that there's no limit to how much stretching you can do as long as it doesn't hurt or cause any swelling.
 
It sounds like you are stretching the hamstrings at the insertion. One activity that you might try is to use some moist heat on it and gently stretch it. Do you have access to a whirlpool or a hot tub? If not, use a waterproof heating pad, use most heat, and gently stretch it for about 30 seconds X 5 times.
 
Lost In Recovery @ 3+ Months
Every week I try to be optimistic about this LTKR recovery but I keep having to back off of my light walking (20-30 minutes, 2-3 times a week max.) because the knee tightens up. I have not had pain, so went off pain meds (Advil, Tylenol) for a couple of days and was fine until I walked again and the had the same flare-up. So I went back on the meds yesterday and am elevating/icing and just walking around the house. I feel like I've had no progress for at least a month or more, just the same pattern of walk/exercise... flare-up... ice/rest/meds. Do I need to take an entire week or two of rest just to get back to a place where I can start walking again without the flare-ups? (hardly practical considering my work needs). BTW, I've lost about 15 pounds since my surgery (which is good for my overall health) but is this typical? I've completely lost whatever's "normal" anymore.
 
My guess would be that the walks are too long. I'd say do 5-10 minutes then, if the knee does not swell by the next day, do 5-10 minutes again. Keep doing it every day. If the knee swells, do less or take a day off. When it doesn't, do a bit more.

Having 'the same pattern' means IMO that you are indeed putting back your recovery in that loop you describe.
 
Just need to rant...
@ 12 days past 4 months post-op. My Dr. saw me last Monday because I hadn't been able to relieve the tightness in my new knee with rest, ice & Advil/Tylenol... he ran new X-rays, had me get a blood sample pulled to check for any possible infection, and he put me on Prednisone steroid pills for a week to reduce inflammation. He also prescribed going back to physical therapy starting tomorrow. The pills seemed to work great, but as soon as I finished them, the damn knee started tightening up again. And I've been waking up in bed (not due to the knee) every morning around 4:00 a.m. and I can't get back to sleep. One week of hope, then I'm right back in the same ol' depression. Sorry for being a bummer.
 
Are you doing stretching exercises? Have you tried having massage? Both of these are good to relieve tightness.
 
Roy Gardiner said:
Are you doing stretching exercises? Have you tried having massage? Both of these are good to relieve tightness.
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I do stretch, but I'm tentative about stretching too much (straining). Maybe there are some good stretches I don't know (?)... and what are the "specifics" about massage? How should it be done?
 
Stretching: Anything that 'challenges' one's flexion or extension; there are examples of both in my exercises link, below. You can stretch many, many times a day.

Massage: Tell the practitioner that you need to 'loosen' your leg muscles and tendons/ligaments around the knee, and possibly work on the ITB. This is the band from hip down to the knee, which can get very tight indeed. Work on the ITB is one of the few times when it has to hurt, and my goodness does it hurt or what. Working on the quads and calves can be uncomfortable, but working close to the knee should be gentle 'kneading' :)
 
@ ALMOST 5 MONTHS – Think I've turned the corner!
Physical therapy got me working on hip strengthening/ knee alignment exercises and I literally felt my knee getting stronger over the last couple of weeks. By today, I did 15 minutes of good pace on the exercycle, walked 25 minutes and only had to recline/ice once. It's a whole new world!
 
Isn't it great how suddenly you feel like yourself again!
You may still have some 'two step back' days but just think how far you've come.....and still furth to go
:bicycle1:
 
DrFermento said:
@ ALMOST 5 MONTHS – Think I've turned the corner!
Physical therapy got me working on hip strengthening/ knee alignment exercises and I literally felt my knee getting stronger over the last couple of weeks. By today, I did 15 minutes of good pace on the exercycle, walked 25 minutes and only had to recline/ice once. It's a whole new world!
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NOT SO FAST...
I put myself right back in the hellhole again! After feeling so good about walking, I felt good enough to provide a little (couple hours) painting work on our house, for two days, and it flared up again. I feel so angry at myself for trying to help out our contractor friend and cut our expenses, and here I am stepping back in time maybe a month! It's frustration, self-loathing, depression and fear, all over again! I thought I had taken a huge step forward, now I've gone from optimism to depression in no time at all. I can't believe it!!!
 
Yep, yep, yep. We've all been there!

We all need to be reminded once in awhile that it's not a race, healing doesn't happen in a day, take things sloooooooowwwwwlyyyyy, well you get the picture! :)

Anxious to get on with living we overdo it and pay for it. The knee may be great but those supporting muscles need more time to heal. Let's hope it's only a few days with rest and ice rather than a month. That new knee is meant for living after all! :thumb:

Hoping you feel better soon!
 
Exercise Question: If my knee has tightened up from overuse (it has), is it advisable to cut out all P.T. exercises until the swelling subsides, or do some exercises benefit the tight knee?
 
I would suggest lots of ice and elevation with some gentle stretches/bending
 
I am about 4 wks behind you and have had many similar problems. My knee has had issues with flaring up. I think for some of us it is really difficult to find a good balance where the knee is happy. We start to feel stronger and then do something and set ourselves back. My knee has flared up and I backed off everything due to some new knee problems. So very frustrating! I iced and elevated all day yesterday and it is still stiff, ugh! So I can sympathize with you. Celebrex really helped but because of an ulcer acting up I had to stop. Have you tried something like that if you don't have stomach issues?
 
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