TKR 14 weeks post op

Day 8 PO. Thankful pain has not been severe. PT is moving good. Have at home PT for couple weeks. Had bandage removed yesterday. No stitches or Staples Thank God. So thankful for the support of the group. The Femoral Block helped alot for a couple days after surgery.
 
@julie1968 ,
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.
 
@julie1968 Hi Julie, sounds like you’ve had a good first week! I did not, but yet again mine was a bit more invasive,it took me time to get that pain under control. I chose not to have the femoral block as I had some nerve damage the first time, so straight into the pain after spinal wore off. Your lucky no staples or stitches, do they just use glue? I had staples all three times and the scars weren’t even faded from the second surgery. My scar won’t be a nice straight line as they went in the side of knee with both partials and the tkr same incision just made bigger, so it’s curved. I really don’t care how it looks to be honest as long as the pain goes and I can get back to my love for walking. I have had awful calf pain and now half my shin that started a day and half ago. I’m still pretty swollen better than last week but got a ways to go yet. Hoping this week it will come down. I’ve been able to do my exercises past few days so that’s a plus. I don’t start pt until next Friday. In Canada we don’t have home PT.I’m glad your recovery is going so well and your knee is behaving! Hope your recovery keeps going nice and smooth :)
 
@Jolease yes it's all glue. Each day is different yesterday I was full of energy and little pain today I'm stiff and constant ache. I know it's a slow process I'm not good at being patient. Praying each day will get better for you. PT does help me alot. Just so much pain when we finish
 
Yeah it sure is a roller coaster ride. I had a good day yesterday! I have a hard time sitting still, but this time I’m forcing myself as I know what happens if I don’t. You think your good so you do more than you pay the next day or two. I like my pt they are gentle no forcing here. My problem was I had great rom early on with other two surgeries and not the stiffness like I have now with the tkr. It’s hard not to compare myself to that.Hoping that gets better each week. I will get my rom measured next Friday. Happy healing!
 
PT does help me alot. Just so much pain when we finish
If you have so much pain when you finish PT it is not helping you. Additional pain after an activity is a sign you are doing too much and/or something your knee is not ready for.

I am going to tag @Josephine
our forum administrator and nurse director.

It’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and in the early weeks does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
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Sounds like all is going well Julie. We don’t have home physio either here. It felt like a major treck going to them yesterday. Next session is Tuesday, straight after my clip removal
 
@catkin69 I'm glad I have only glue so nothing to remove. I couldn't imagine going out to PT my first week. My therapist comes 3 times a week. She is experienced and good. She makes sure I get them all done. Just so sore the next day?
 
I couldn't imagine going out to PT my first week. My therapist comes 3 times a week. She is experienced and good. She makes sure I get them all done. Just so sore the next day?

My PT told me it was ok to be a little bit sore for an hour or so after PT but if it was still hurting more than normal the next day it was a sign you had done too much. Be sure to tell your PT about your pain levels after PT. She may adjust what she has you do.

At your stage of recovery you really don't need much PT. You don't want to sit around and do nothing but you don't need to be doing tons of exercise, just gentle movement. My home PT would come for 1/2 hour and run me through some motions, have me practice walking or stairs or whatever. And that was pretty much my activity for the day.
 
Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?
ai63.tinypic.com_eta39s.jpg


4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
 
@Josephine

1. Pain level is about a 4. After PT it goes to a 7 in soreness

2. Take 1000 mg Tylenol every 6 hours during the day and a oxycodone at bedtime. PT days I take 5mg oxycodone after PT if very sore.

3. Moderate swelling

4. ROM is 90 she didn't give me number for straighten Friday.

5. Ice my knee every couple hours for at least 30 mins and at night

6. Elevate my leg at least 30 mins out of every hour

7. Haven't done any house work yet. Just heat my lunch in the microwave

8. Laying down left lifts 10 3times a day
Laying down heel slide 10 3times a day
Ankle pumps 10 3 times a day
Seated long arc Quad 10 3 times a day
Seated knee flex stretch 10 3times a day
Standing hip flexion 10 3 times a day

Do these also with PT 3 times a week.
 
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I strarted out patient PT 48 hours after surgery because I didn’t know any better. I just did what I was told. :doh:

Just getting in and out of the car was torture and it was difficult getting in and out of the building. That SO won’t be happening next time.

My PT caused me a lot of painful setbacks. I won’t be going at all next time and I will recover just fine, and actually, even better.
 
@Jockette i have thought of stopping also. I walking good with just a cane and doing exercises. I feel they push us too hard. I know we have to work the knee and muscles but when I do it myself I feel good when she comes I feel like I'm going backwards
 
Josephine will give you good advice. I totally trust what she tells us.

Yes, we want to move the knee, but gently, especially this early.
 
@julie1968 You might want to tell your PT that you do NOT need to do ALL sets of EVERY exercise or stretch while they are there. Just do one set of each for them to check form. Then you do the rest throughout the day at your own pace. This approach has worked for me... Best of luck!
 

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