TKR 13 days in on the other side

[Ollie]

Take heart that this is truly a roller coaster ride! We are all healing at different rates; my ROM was only about 11 to 75 when I left the hospital. With patience, ice, hydro-therapy, I am making good gains and am at 3 to 96. And this measurement was after back to back days in the pool. Yes, not optimal, but the 4th Holiday put a kink in my week. I was quite stiff today, but got loosened up and it all felt good.

Those who get high ROM quickly I do envy some, but I am staying pretty pain free, haven't over done much, am keeping the swelling down, and feel good in general. I keep reminding myself that we are all different; a friend of mine was in PT when I got there today - I hadn't seen her in years. She had a TKR a week before mine and she isn't doing as good as I am. She has also had two THRs. . . Her struggle is evident, and her pain levels are WAY worse mine. . . So I am happy to be where I am. It was a great reminder that I can't compare my journey to someone else's. Some are doing better - others are doing worse - am am where I am.

That isn't to say that I don't have emotional melt downs. Am on the edge of one right now, can feel it tickling around the edges. It usually comes with fatigue, and in am tired from two straight days of PT . . . Which won't happen again.

Use your pain Meds, use ice. Do your gentle stretches. Be gentle with yourself.


Ollie. LTKR June 10, 2014

 

[referee54]

Take heart that this is truly a roller coaster ride! We are all healing at different rates; my ROM was only about 11 to 75 when I left the hospital.

In fact, the recvoery looks often more like this:

Remember--your recovery will have ups and downs and plateaus, to boot---just be patient and understand this fact, and the fact that your recovery will take longer, for the most part, than you anticipate.

a friend of mine was in PT when I got there today - I hadn't seen her in years. She had a TKR a week before mine and she isn't doing as good as I am.

Again---do not compare yourself to anybody---you are unique, and your recovery is unique, too---and if you look to people recovering faster than you---well, there are always some, and it will be frustrating.

Take heart in knowing that you will reach your goal of being fully recovered, but it will most likely be a slower trip than you had anticipated---but you will indeed reach your destination of being fully recovered.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@midwest girl What kind of pool therapy do you do. I am day 16 of total knee and stitches are pretty good an dissolving so they said I could go to the pool. Was hoping to find out what others have done in the pool.

 

[midwest girl]

@jerseygirl-in-ca the pool exercises were basically the same ones I did on land. Leg lifts-forward, backwards, sideways. Using a pool noodle placed under the arch of my foot and push it up and down in the water, place the noodle under your ankle and let your leg float to the top to stretch the hamstring, and then pull it under the water. In the deep end I would use the noodle under my arms to keep me afloat and then do bicycle motions with my legs - like riding a bike. Also did scissor motions with my legs in the deep end. Also while in the deep end, with your legs together bring your knees up as far as you could and then go back down straight. Also worked on walking up and down a step- forwards, backwards & sideways. They also had a jet in the pool that could produce a light or strong current. I would walk against the current forward, backward & sideways. I quit pool therapy 2 weeks ago. I didn't think I was gaining anything more with it. I loved it and it was just so beneficial for my knee because the water makes you buoyant to take the weight off your knee. Plus the pool I was in was 92 degrees and essentially chlorine free. I will definitely do it again on my next TKA.

 

[referee54]

If you have access to a whirlpool, I found great success in using the heated jets to massage my quads and my hamstrings---I would warm them up and then gently stretch them for 30 seconds or so---no bouncing---just gentle stretching to the point of discomfort.

I found that this really helped increase my ROM as well as loosen my leg muscles.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@midwest girl Thanks. I think the pool will be good. I am paying or gym membership, I might as well use it. With the weight I gained since my accident, getting some weight off will help the leg. I love swimming. Thanks

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@referee54 I have a hot tub at the gym. THat should be good, right?

 

[referee54]

@jerseygirl-in-ca I would wait a while before I went into a hot tub/whirl pool. Here is why.

You are less than a month removed from surgery---heat causes increased bloodflow to an area. When you immerse your knees in hot water, there will be increased bloodflow---which would mean the possibility of increased swelling in your new knees. By immersing your new knees in a whirlpool, there could be more swelling and a set back or slower recovery.

I would wait several months or until there is little evidence of swelling before hopping inot something as hot as a hot tub/whirlpool.

Down the raod, it is very effective, but now, it could cause those knees to slow their recoveries.

 

[Ollie]

If you have a warm pool, then all the exercises Midwest girl gave you would be awesome. If you are in a cooler pool (my YMCA pool is much cooler than the rehab clinic pool), I'd be sure to walk several laps to get warmed up! I have been using walking fins in rehab - training fins they are called, too - since about my 4th week. The are short and stubby - not long and flexible like scuba fins! But I only use them for a few walking trips across the rehab pool. It feels good, but is a workout for the knee!!

Once I get past rehab, I am going to get my own pair to use at the YMCA pool. They really help with the stretching and will help build strength. My PT thought that would be a great thing to do on my own - along with the sort of stretches Midwest Girl gave you.

 

[referee54]

I would stay out of hot tubs or very hot whirlpools at the present---

Heat on a muscle literally "warms them up" and makes them more pliable.

But
Heat on an already inflamed joint can cause lots of fluid build-up (swelling) and stiffness and soreness.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@referee54 Good point. I will wait. Thanks for mentioning that or I could have had an issue.