TKR 12 Months since my TKR.

[SusieShoes]

Following the Physio's strenuous routine of bending I have blood showing through, they said that was normal so I guess nothing to worry about.

A little bit of blood seepage is nothing to worry about, though if the amount should increase you can call your OS just to leave a head’s up. What concerns me is the “strenuous” bending routine that caused the bleeding. It sounds like the bending was too aggressive and ripped some of the healing that had begun in your knee.

If your knee is okay with this routine, then fine. But if your knee bleeds or starts swelling more, and causing you more pain by getting sore and angry, that’s your sign to scale back on those bends. Movement is good, but movement that causes you more pain isn’t helping the healing, and may be hurting it.

You’re home and you’re in charge, so you can take a more laid-back approach.

 

[Jockette]

Movement is good, but movement that causes you more pain isn’t helping the healing, and may be hurting it.

You’re home and you’re in charge, so you can take a more laid-back approach.

I agree!

 

[denn]

I'm taking it easy today. stretching only and no knee bending. Tomorrow will be another step forward and there is time then to do it. There is a bit of blood inside the rubber strip but I was told it's normal.
I am very surprised regarding my pains, I thought id be a lot worse than this.
Kind regards Denn.

 

[Jockette]

I’m so glad your pain is less than you thought! But if you start to overdo, it will get worse than this! Take things very slowly and gently. Remember, no pain means MORE GAIN!

Yes you want to move around a bit, but a little at a time at this very early stage.

 

[Beckadeez]

Sounds like your incision was glued like mine. Hope you can get plenty of rest. Try not to do too much. Best wishes

 

[sistersinhim]

Following the Physio's strenuous routine of bending I have blood showing through, they said that was normal so I guess nothing to worry about.

Be careful with letting PT causing bleeding. I had that my very first surgery from an in-hospital PT. I bled some, then a few days later my knee was full of blood inside and had to be drained. Talking about hurting! Stop anything aggressive and let that knee heal first. Take a look at what's going on inside your knee.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/closing-surgical-wounds-how-is-it-done.4286/#post-90691

 

[Snoosie]

Welcome to the TKR adventure. I learned the hard way the aggressive PT doesn't work. 11 weeks out and I have stopped physio. OS agrees!

What I have learned is that my knee has always told me what it needs, but most importantly, when. If I get up in the night, walk about and then feel the urge to stand on my toes a few times (calf raises). I do one, check it out, do another... and my knee says 'thanks'. Other times, if I am resting and reading and I have the urge to do knee bends, I always try one at a time and listen to my knee. There are times it says to do one, other times a couple, sometimes 5. I never push it now. This transfers to ADL. My knee tells me when it wants to bend further to pick something up or stand up. I just have to listen.

It is difficult to relax and enjoy the process. You just have to get your head around it. Continued great healing!

 

[denn]

Thank you Snoozie for the advice.

I'm currently say with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel applied to my knee. It has swelled a bit today and thought the use of some ice could prevent further swelling.
I'm still trying to keep my leg as straight as possible and trying to bend. Bending the knee seems the hardest part and it will not go anywhere close to the bend I got with the Physio's. I'm leaving this practice until tomorrow where I shall begin a new day and more rest. I don't
want to burst the stitching or clips, what ever they sewed it up with. There is evidence of further bleeding through the rubber strip applied directly covering the wound.
I have no doubt i shall be up during the night for a pee, I may even do a few toe wiggles and heel stretches.
I seem to have a lazy foot, before the op I walked at ten mins to two and even this operated leg my foot wanders over to the right. I would like to keep it at 12 o clock.

Kind regards Denn.

 

[Celle]

@denn - Your knee isn't ready for PT yet. Give it a rest, so it can heal a bit more. Just move it a bit, gently, at home. That won't set back your recovery and you won't lost the flexion and extension you already have. If you keep going to PT now, and allow your knee to be stressed again, that will set back your recovery.

Just in case you think that PT is essential at this early stage, my surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years, because nobody developed adhesions. I think that speaks for itself.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

You don't have to keep your leg completely straight. It doesn't matter if it has a slight bend, and it is more comfortable that way.

 

[Snoosie]

Hey Denn. Don't sweat the bend. The meds helped you do the bend in the hospital, and I believe the shock allowed it to bend because it hadn't registered being operated on. I hope that makes sense. After I was discharged, I found that if I did knee bends when it didn't want to it just made me swell and stiffen. There were times when my knee would wake me up in the night, not from pain, but to bend. So I did - one at a time. Was able to fall asleep no problem afterward. As to straightening it, in the first month, I slept on my back and kept it straight. Prior to surgery I kept it bent when I slept so I know when I wanted to have it bent I figured that was just years of habit. When I elevate now, I make sure it is as straight as possible but comfortable.
I didn't do a lot of walking in the first bit. But when I did, I tried to make it purposeful - straight leg, heel, toe then knee bend to where I could. I too had a foot that went out. The first time I went on a very very slow treadmill it felt like I was walking pigeon toed. Hahaha It all comes with time. Again, I am 11 weeks out. Foot tracks forward and knee remains just about straight. Still working on my bend. If I could go back in time, I would not have done PT; I would have only gone to use the bike or treadmill and to meet others with TKR. Glad I know better now.

 

[amymj]

denn...you will find you will be able to bend more when the staples are out...or whatever they have your incision being held with. It will just be more ready to bend and you will be more comfortable then!

 

[SusieShoes]

Your bend is just a little hampered right now by swelling. My OS was pleased when, two hours after surgery, I had a 100+ bend in both knees. He smiled. “You won’t be doing that again for a little while,” he said. I asked why. He said my knees would swell, but that I shouldn’t worry. Wh en my bend went backward a little, just do my gentle PT and walking.

As your swelling goes down, your ROM goes up.

 

[denn]

Thank you very much for this information. I will walk but only just to ease the boredom. I have found going up and down stairs quite easy and I now can lift my leg into bed, I could not do this yesterday.
Time is the healer I guess? PS I also have bruising from knee down my leg.

Denn

 

[SusieB]

Heh, My knee is tight too.. guess that’s the name of the game! Not really pain.. I never had pain just tightness ! I’m 3days post op and I think doing quite well! I just do the little exercises the Dr recommended and ice ! I love the ice and walk! I fact on Day two I found myself in the bathroom and had left my walker in the bedroom! That’s how awesome my knee must be ... I sure hope you can move better ... I always think of those who have way bigger problems and then this is just a bump in the road!

 

[denn]

SusieB Your doing great.
I was never given any ice despite an icemaker on the ward. They must not have thought mine needed it. It only began to swell now I'm home. I can walk without the aids but I use them for stability.
I have only begun to use ice wrapped in a towel since I came home, I also don't seem to have much or any pain whilst still, only when I move.
Denn

 

[sistersinhim]

I remember not wanting to move cause I knew it would hurt. But, then not as much as I thought it would!

 

[denn]

It just seems as if everything has come at once.
Denn

 

[Beckadeez]

Best wishes!

 

[SusieB]

It just seems as if everything has come at once.
Denn

Hang in there I walk around every hour
Do my little chair exercises, ice, keep leg up lots, Bed exercises, ice again!! Lots
Of ice!!
I made my ice packs 1cup rubbing alcohol 3 cups water in gallon bag! Then double bagged and froze them they are like a thick slush. I use a bath towel against skin as they are really cold and stay cold for hours even when melted!!! But double
Bag Incase they leak! They are Wonderful!!!

 

[denn]

Just a quick update on the progress made.
It's just over a week since surgery and my knee seems fine. I do have a swelling but nothing to get the ice bucket out for. I have rested like I have never rested before. I still have pain but, not on the scale I thought I'd encounter, far from it.

I can walk without crutches, but I do use them in case I fall or slip. As for pain, I hardly feel anything, the only pain I get is when I have wake up and been sleeping other than on my back. I do struggle to lift my leg to put on my shorts but that will come in time. I have scrutinised this web site for information that has come to serve me well, without it I may well have suffered. A big thank you to the moderators and regular posters who give up their valuable time to help people like myself get through a difficult and worrying time.

I'm having the clips out next Monday, two weeks after surgery but I have to keep the white socks on for at least six weeks. I can lift my leg without too much difficulty and I regularly do the exercises shown. I have another seven injections to go before I can begin to enjoy a beer or a wine.

I am a CAMRA member and an avid beer lover who loves all the Real Ales and Craft Brewery beers that are available today. I have just ordered many American sour beers from a beer mail order company ready for my celebrations of being osteo free in my right knee.

Cheers all Denn.