TKR 3 weeks and counting

[sistersinhim]

I try to keep my leg straight when I sleep

You don't have to keep your keep completely straight. It's much more comfortable to have a slight bend in it. You don't have to worry, your knee will still extend properly when it's healed.

At 7 weeks your knee isn't even 1/4 of the way healed, so being stiff is perfectly normal. Stiffness was the last thing to leave mine and I also complained about it. But, rest assured, it does go away in time. Be patient, this is a long, long recovery.

 

[Harryrightknee]

Does anyone have issues with a stiff knee/leg when waking up?? It's a pain (literally and figuratively) I try to keep my leg straight when I sleep but I miss move during the night. when I get out of bed and try and take that first step, it takes quite a few steps to get the knee to straighten and get moving.

anyone else experience this? I'll be 7 weeks this Monday

Hi Eliza61nyc

This Monday makes it 5 weeks for me. Right TKR....Sleep just starting to feel good again... I'm about 4-5 hrs I wake up ice, keep elevated, I used my Lounge Dr. In bed last night so my wife could sleep in bed without me having our adj. bed with the foot about 3ft up...lol
Yeah waking up and walking is a little rough for the first few steps, Don't worry about your leg being perfectly straight at night.... For me it's the swelling I find when I ice and elevate, swelling goes down and it's much easier to bend my knee...
Time is our friend....
Good luck!

Harry

 

[eliza61nyc]

9 week check in here. So the weather in Pennsylvania is finally warming up so I've been trying to get outside and walk as much as possible.
A bit of the post surgery blues has kicked in. not sure if it's because of the covid-19 pandemic or because of the knee or the fact that I have to go back to work in a week and that will be interesting.

Interestingly enough the knee seems to be "stuck" lol at this particular level. Getting up in the morning is still very ugly but gets better after a few steps. completely off the oxytocodone but I do take a tramadol before physical therapy or some times at the end of the day.

the top of the knee still has that stretchy/tingling feel and still gets a bit swollen. I did think by know that would have subsided.

Beginning to go down the stairs normally, very slowing but at least it's the normal left right, left right. My quad muscles still suck.

All and all I can say I haven't had any full on pain days so grateful for that.

Hope everyone is well and staying safe.

 

[sistersinhim]

You have plenty of time for those quad muscles to strengthen up. Your number one concern should be healing that knee, not strengthening. That will happen the more you use it.