Guest viewing is limited

TKR 2 weeks out

Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm approaching 3 wks post op TKR of my left knee. Trying to be patient w/my progress or lack thereof. Doing PT 3x per week, in addition to my exercises at home. Disappointed with my flextion numbers thus far. I can straighten my leg to 0 w/help from phy thearapist, but only got to 107 degrees of bending. What disappoints me the most is that I'd gotten to 117 degrees of flextion B4 my stitches were removed, and now I'm only to 107. Trying not to get hung up on the numbers alone. Sleeping is tuff. I used to be a stomach sleeper. Sleeping on my back isn't comfortable. Knee is still too tender to sleep on my stomach, but it's getting better. Trying to vary my exercises at home to keep motivated and fresh. Saw some friends the other day who'd been through TKR and they gave me new stretching and flexing exercises which I like. (Lay on back w/feet up against the wall. (Like an astronaut waiting to blast off:biggrin:) Then work your foot down the wall w/the assist of gravity. I've even strapped light leg weights on to help. I enjoy this new exercise a lot!) Trying to stay positive. Trying to balance wanting to get better quickly w/the reality that this is probably gonna take awhile. Any new ideas on stretching, bending, and strengthening my leg would be most appreciated. Reading these threads helps. Thanx for all your words of encouragement. JMB
 
Hi, mbitney.....welcome to BoneSmart! I'm glad you found us and decided to join.

I'm going to advise you to do a good bit of reading here on the forum in the LIBRARY (tab at the top of every page) and in the recovery forum. You are doing too much exercising on that tender knee! Please don't add more.....slow it down instead.

You are actually at a fabulous ROM for just 3 weeks out. The 117 you had before is there, but the swelling will prevent you from seeing it. The goal now should be very gentle bends and stretches both at home and in PT. You can also benefit by riding a stationary bike as long as you don't do it for extended periods of time. I would not use weights on your leg (or resistance on the bike) at this time. You are in a healing phase still.....plenty of time for strengthening later.

Here are some threads to get you started in your reading:

The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Discussion on managing pain in TKR surgery
Using ice

It's never too late to get more ROM!
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

You are not alone in wanting to get back to normal NOW.....but the reality of TKR recovery is that your knee is in charge and there is nothing you can do to hurry up the healing. It will repair in its own time. Push too hard and you'll get the swelling you are experiencing now.

I might be reading between the lines on your post also....but when you say you saw some friends the other day, does that mean you went out for lunch or another outing? Car rides and sitting for long periods without elevating your knee (toes above the nose) can also contribute to swelling.
 
Thanx for your kind advise. I'll try to remember that this is more of a marathon, than a sprint; and that I'll prolly have better results if I listen to my body (e.g. left knee) and work smarter, not necessarily harder.

They say patience is a virtue, wish I had more of it!

Take care & keep in touch. My best to everyone. JMB
 
You're in good company, JMB......a good many of the BoneSmarties missed the patience gene when it was handed out too. You're gonna be just fine....
 
Patience is a virtue. I'm not always a virtuous man!!!

Brother, the numbers you have are GREAT for where you are. But really, patience, rest, ice, elevate. All takes time. And I know exactly how you feel.

STOP the weight on the wall slide. WAY too early. Give it another couple weeks before doing that. You are in a phase where you could easily hurt yourself and go backwards. Just relax....

And in a few months you will see it pays off. Seriously. You'll find it hard to slow down once you're revved back up again.
 
This can be a long process---recovery. It is not like arthroscopic surgeries; your knee has had major surgical trauma done to it.

When we remember that, it helps us to realize the importance of being tremendously patient here. Recovery from a TKR or a BTKR is like a very long roller coaster ride. You will have some great days, some good days, and some real stinkers, too.

Just keep focused on the exercises and the tasks of the day---do not worry about how slowly this recovery may be going. Progress her can literally be measured in millimeters, and we also have to recognize that there may be a day here or there in which we regress slightly.

I tell you what--I had to develop a serious batch of patience; I was in PT for nearly four months after my BTKR---my limp followed me around like a beagle in a dog-biscuit factory. However, everything is fine now and I am doing everything I want to, and I am doing it pain-free.

Remember, it can be said that it may take a year for a TKR to return to "normal." Just keep fighting the little battles, and you will win the war.
 
As I mentioned earlier, I see my Phy Therapist 3x per week, for pretty aggressive sessions which include stationary bike, message, quad exercises, stretching exercises, balancing, & icing. Question: Is this too much at this stage? (two & a half wks post op) Should I throttle it back to 2x per week w/her? Any thoughts? Again, I appreciate everybody's thoughts & suggestions. It's nice to realize you're not alone in this struggle. JMB
 
Hi mbitney! If this is who I think it is, glad you joined. The folks here can give you some great advise. In my opinion, 3xwk is too much for the PT. I'm learning the hard way. The harder I work the knee the harder the set back. Spent the day elevated and icing today as yesterday I thought I would add resistance to the spin bike and try to peddle at a faster pace than the other day. Also, decided the only way to get better on stairs is to go up and down at the civic center 3 times yesterday. STUPID!!! I have found that I do so much better if I just do some easy stretches during the day and nice slow peddling on the spin bike. On those days I can actually walk very normal and I actually smile during the day. Today, nobody wanted to be around me. Welcome and keep up the good work!!
 
Lynn has it right. You are pushing too hard for this soon in recovery. You could keep the three times a week IF you insist that your therapist stop pushing you like that. Fewer, more gentle exercises. Two times a week would work too. You can do some gently stretches and bends on the days you're at home, but that should be about it. If you have an exercise bike at home, it's okay to sit on it for about 5 minutes and rock your legs back and forth.

Be kind to yourself at this point and you'll fell MUCH better.
 
I did PT 2x week after I did 3x the first week. Felt it was too much. And I wanted to extend the time I had for PT as well. My PT was very good for me, and I put in more time per vist than most. He also throttled me back at times when I wanted to do more or try something I wasn't ready for.
 
Hey Lynn, nice to hear from you firsthand for a change. This is quite the journey ain't it? Glad to hear you're getting your exercise routine(s) dialed in on what works best for you. I'm trying to do the same. Had a good PT session today. Talked to my thearapist a lot about what to do, what not to do, and how much work is enough vs. how much is too much. Knee feels pretty good this afternoon, which is a lot better than it did following my PT on Monday. Walking w/o any crutches last two days. Taking it slow and easy. Attitude/Emotions vary day to day and sometimes even change during the day. Sleeping still a challenge. Still cannot sleep comfortably on my stomach, which is my preferred sleeping position. So I catch what sleep I can on my back or sides. Last week while sleeping on my back I had a muscle spasm which made me feel like my knee cap was gonna pop outta joint. Hurt like hell and scared me. Thankfully, none since. Trying to stay positive, upbeat and patient. Scheduled to go back to work FT on Aug. 21st. (took 4 weeks off work initially.) Concerned that I might not be healed up enough by then to return to my dest job for 8 hrs a day. Plan on talking to my assistant to see if she can fill in on at least a PT basis for a couple extra weeks to help my transition back into the office. Last thing I wanna do is go back too soon and have all my hard work to date go down the tubes, if ya know what I mean. Anyway, thanx much for cluing me into this wonderful website. It's filled w/great folks who really care about each other and who share good advise based on actual experience, to help us survive & succeed on this long journey. Take care & keep in touch. JMB
 
Hey Mike, Glad you find this place helpful! I hear you about moods, my better half is learning when I say "I've had enough today", to just let me be and deal with the knee on my own. Do you want to get together for a coffee at alley cats and compare scars??? Nancy is welcome to join us too! Would like to talk with another knee person face to face! And feel free to call anytime you want, I'm usually just laying around with my ice!!
 
JMB, you sound like me..impatient. You also sound as if you're doing a lot of exercise. I am 23 days out today. I had a big day yesterday, hydrotherapy and a visit to the GP plus a lunch outing. My knee was tired yesterday afternoon so did lots of elevating and icing. I am diligent re my home exercises but listen to my knee as to how much else I do. Good luck with recovery.
L
 
I had a really bad muscle cramp above the knee cap a week after surgery. Grabbed and held really firm and I was terrified I was going to rip internal stitches. It was sore for days after. Thats not fun.
 
Nice to hear I'm not the only one to experience this type of scary ordeal. Let's hope it doesn't happen again for either of us.
 
Sounds great Mike, look forward to hearing from you next week. One night shortly after my surgery, my Mike and I were watching a slasher movie and he thought he would be funny and screamed, which in turn caused me to scream and every muscle in my body tensed up, including my quads, which proceded to feel like my knee cap was pulled half way up my leg. Boy, did he get a "butt" kicking for that!!:hairpulling:
 
I'm trying to understand my knee too. It's still early in the game, but eventually I hope that I'll come to learn my knee's "happy place" (that happy medium between not doing enough to help the healing progress and doing too much which leads to pain, swelling, and setback.) From what I've read thus far, folks advise to use caution and not overdo it especially early on in the recovery process. What concerns me is that if I don't do enough exercise and stretching early on, that my knee may stilffen up and I may never reach reasonable flexion goals. For now, I'll continue to do my exercises and PT AND rest, elevate, & ice my knee and hope/pray for the best. Thanx much. JMB
 
ROM/Flexion will get there. If your knee is swollen, it really wont bend. I found sitting at my desk more painful than walking ( rounding ) on my nursing unit. Try to find something to elevate your leg on while sitting.
Good luck!
Darlene
 
Don't worry.....there really isn't a "window of opportunity" for flexion. You can gain ROM for a year or more. So it is more important to go at the proper pace to prevent swelling and pain as you slowly improve. You have the right idea!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 2,591 (members: 0, guests: 2,591)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom