12 days after Knee Replacement, Worried...

[JRogers]

My wife just had total knee replacement 12 days ago. Prior to surgery, she was in a fair amount of pain with this knee several times a week but had only recently walked 10 blocks without too much consequence when her car had malfunctioned on her way to work. After surgery and continuing without visible improvement until this writing, she has lost the ability to raise her lower leg at all and says it's as if "everything is disconnected". She has two post operative exercises in particular where her present difficulties are most evident -- lying down on back with a support under the knee and trying to raise the lower leg by straightening the leg (in this exercise, she is totally unable to move her heel upward and I have been able to detect no movement/improvement in this motion at all) and also lying on her back and moving the surgery leg out to the side and then back again (She can move the leg outward to the side with tremendous effort but cannot move it back inward again). Day before yesterday, we met a gentleman at physical therapy who'd had the same surgery 3 days after my wife had hers, was older and carrying quite a bit more body weight than my wife, and he was doing remarkably better than my wife is. We're both commencing to get pretty worried. How out-of-the-ordinary is a two week post operative history such as my wife's for this surgery? Do many people wind up losing leg function following total knee replacement??

 

[Pattipoo]

I can only tell you my experiences....I won't dare advise.

when I first came home from the hospital, my Physical Therapist did most of, if not all, the lifting of my leg for the first little while....then, all of a sudden, I could do a little...the next day a little more...and so on. It progressed pretty quickly though. The first time the PT came to the house, I couldn't pick up my foot, my leg....I remember thinking it was going to be MONTHS until I could lift my leg from the knee....then, one day...around the 10th or 11th day, I amazed myself.

I'm hoping the same happens for your wife.

PLEASE remember that we all progress at a different rate....she should, of course, talk with her PT about her concerns....but, I bet she's headed in the right direction. It's a tough surgery to overcome....we call all attest to that. I'm at 3 months and it's still a struggle. We were cut, sawed, shaved, drilled, hammered, sutured.....and more. Tell her to work hard and have patience.

Sounds like she's got a good man by her side. That's always a plus!!

Wishing her all the best!!
Patti

 

[JenniferG]

Keep trying. As far as comparing to the guy at PT, you can't do it. Everyone recovers differently, and starts from a different state of disrepair. Muscles will get stronger as she goes and works them. You say she goes to Outpatient PT. They aren't concerned?
I've heard stories of people who had to have help holding up thier legs to do the PT, must have been week quads. Don't quit and if you are truly concerned bounce it off PT. Keep posting and keep healing. Hello to your wife.

 

[Pattipoo]

Josephine, will answer any questions that you may have. She'll check in on us later.

 

[referee54]

I cannot give you any advice, but I will tell you that you do lose leg strength at an amazingly fast rate---it takes very little time to lose it, and a very long time to gain it back. Keep working, as others have said, we all progress at different rates.

Be careful not to cmpare your wife to anybody else---we are all different and heal at different rates. I am sure that she will be just fine.

Tim C.

 

[Jamie]

Put your faith and trust in the professionals who are helping you - the physical therapist and your wife's doctor. Talk to both if you have concerns. It doesn't do anyone any good if you are worried about something! Don't be afraid to call the doctor's office to discuss your worries. It's part of their job to answer that type of post-op question. And the advice everyone else gave is right on....everyone heals in their own way. My best to you both. With your great support, your wife has everything going for her.

 

[JRogers]

Keep trying. As far as comparing to the guy at PT, you can't do it. Everyone recovers differently, and starts from a different state of disrepair. Muscles will get stronger as she goes and works them. You say she goes to Outpatient PT. They aren't concerned?
I've heard stories of people who had to have help holding up thier legs to do the PT, must have been week quads. Don't quit and if you are truly concerned bounce it off PT. Keep posting and keep healing. Hello to your wife.

Part of what's worrying us is that the people at outpatient PT did seem concerned although they never let on explicitly that they were...it was evident though when one of the therapists was trying to "re-educate" the muscle group in question with an electric current assistor. She kept telling her supervisor something like, "I've got it all the way to 40 and there's nothing...should I bump it any higher?" ...and the supervisor's reaction was like "Don't take it so high!" while her facial expression registered something that looked like, "Uh-oh....". That was day before yesterday and my wife was in terrible pain the rest of the evening which set in about 30 minutes after the outpatient therapy session. I'm hoping you guys are right about it taking various recovery times for different people and I definitely thank you for your responses. I hate to come across so negatively about this but I had misgivings about it from square one (The handful of people I'd been acquainted in my lifetime with who'd had this surgery were all in waaaaaay worse shape than my wife when they elected to go under the knife.). My wife's mind was made up though and, after all, I could never really know how much pain she was in because she's always been one to carry on no matter how tough the going got. I have to admit though that, as the days have turned to (nearly) weeks and her once very characteristic silent strength has started to show signs of cracking, that orthopedic surgeon I'd finally started to trust has started to look more and more like a Porsche driving preppie with dollar signs in his eyes and three minutes tops to talk with us at the office. At any rate, I'll try to do the one day at a time and, when my wife feels up to talking about this, I'll turn the JRogers screen name over to her. Thanks again...

 

[Jamie]

J.....based on your last post, I have a different suggestion. If you feel like your doctor is blowing this off, go immediately to another surgeon and get a second opinion. If there is a problem, finding it out sooner rather than later could be a benefit. Based on what you described in the therapy session, anyone would be worried. Don't wait to take action. Do you live in a large city where you have other orthopedic practices to turn to?

 

[JenniferG]

Tomorrow is Monday. Talk to PT specifically about your concerns and even call the OS offce if you want to. You love your wife and it is hard when we can't fix things for the one we love. I see & speak with the PAs in my OS's office more than him. So that is norm and in the long run, probably Ok. If that is who you get on the phone they will also be very helpful. Like it has been said by all, not advice just our ideas and experiences.

 

[JRogers]

J.....based on your last post, I have a different suggestion. If you feel like your doctor is blowing this off, go immediately to another surgeon and get a second opinion. If there is a problem, finding it out sooner rather than later could be a benefit. Based on what you described in the therapy session, anyone would be worried. Don't wait to take action. Do you live in a large city where you have other orthopedic practices to turn to?

Thanks for the advice and, yes, we live near a large city with an extensive medical center. She's got another appt. with this present Dr. in about 48 hrs. and, if there's more questions than answers again after that visit, We're definitely going to look elsewhere.

 

[Jamie]

Good for you. You are taking the right proactive approach. I'm glad you have a standing apointment with the surgeon. You might want to write out your questions and concerns so that you don't miss anything. That is especially helpful with a doctor that tends to "hurry" up the appointment. Under those conditions it is easy to forget something that was very important. You will be in my prayers! Please let us know how things go. We all care about the members of our BoneSmart family....even the newest members like you both.

 

[beachcomber]

J... I have nothing to add to everyone else's posts except my best wishes for a good outcome for your wife and for you.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Nursepair]

JRogers, welcome to you and your wife. Sorry to hear about your concerns. As the others above have said, talk to her OS and if you don't get the answers get a second opinion. Please give my best wishes to her, she is lucky to have you looking out for you.

Look for a post from Josephine, our moderator and retired Orthopaedic nurse, she is on UK times, so you should see something in the morning.

 

[NewKnee@44]

I remember that I could not raise my leg for around 3 weeks, then all of a sudden I did one day and cried like a baby...I added to say that this is while I was laying down and doing straight leg raises. My mind and leg were not connecting.

Hope your wife feels better soon.

Steph

 

[Doug]

As a practicing martial artist, I was very concerned when I couldn't raise my leg the first couple of weeks..I think getting the staples removed, and getting rid of some of the swelling went a long way in helping with the lift..
Just keep in mind, the TKR was major surgery..Look at one of the videos of it. No matter how impatient we are, time and effort on your part will help your wife heal.

 

[Skeet]

I agree with folks. It was a while before I could lift my leg on my own, then one day, presto! I'm praying for your wife. She is blessed to have such a caring and compassionate husband. God bless - Skeet

 

[JRogers]

Today she was able to raise her leg about one inch during the lower leg straightening lift where the knee is supported...this was with vigorous coaching from the physical therapist including much "tapping" on the quadricep muscles up on the thigh. Then the therapist had her dangle her legs off the side of the bed and she was able to kick out about 40 degrees (Hope I'm saying that right -- If her leg was at the 6 o' clock position in full rest and she was kicking toward the 3 o' clock position, she was able to make it as far as perhaps 4:30.) So I'm cautiously optimistic at this point although the therapist did mention the phrase "peripheral nerve damage" several times and was concerned enough that she called the surgeon's office to apprise them of the situation. Thanks all for the kind thoughts! Tomorrow will be the two week mark since her surgery...

 

[Jamie]

This is a very positive report! You did say you guys will be seeing the doctor tomorrow, right? Will pray for a good outcome and please let us know!

 

[Josephine]

Two weeks? Well, yes, do get your surgeon's opinion and a second opinion but my guess is that they will say it's okay and just needs time to heal and recover.

 

[beachcomber]

Falls under the category of things no one ever told us to expect after our surgeries, huh? Really scares you because you didn't expect it! And then you are set adrift with your fears and no one to reassure you...
THAT's why this forum is so important--- and here 24/7 for people in need.

Thank you so much Jo--- from the bottom of all our hearts!