United StatesYes the Va did the surgery I see the surgeon on Thursday….we’re going to have a talk about this and the darn tourniquet! And no the nurse practitioner is in general medicine….
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TKR 4 weeks Monday (2/14)
- Thread starter Skip
- Start date
sandiegomom
junior member
twitching can also be a by product of coming off of narcotics. good luck to you!
Please tell us more details as to why you say you are now a cripple? Hopefully we can help you through this phase. You are still pretty early in a recovery that can take a full year.
I can not walk….my surgical knee is ok…it hurts but it’s supposed to right?….as I’ve stated before my right one is a non operable knee that is far worse than the other….it will not support my weight….surgeon stated 3months before surgery, 1month before surgery, three weeks before surgery and the day of surgery that everything will be fine…no worries I promise….I’ve done hundreds of these etc…..now at 9 weeks I’m still on 2 canes still drag my right leg….and quality of life is non existent….the new pt place the VA sent me is like watching a 1940s movie….it’s a10x10 room…one table, one chair and a whole bunch of elastic bands….a lot of squats….I haven’t squatted in 20 years….can walk period the day after these guys pound on me….but it’s supposed to hurt right….it’s just a freaking night mare….and I’m done!
Skip, late to the thread here.
I cannot tolerate most opiate pain meds. I was sent home with oxi-this and that and I took them for a couple days then had to get off them. I get pretty sick on them. I guess that is a good thing is I'm unlikely to get addicted to them.
One however I have found that works wonders for me is Tramadol. It handles the "zingers" and other strange things very well. I only take it at night. Much less addictive and so far I'm tolerating it just fine.
I cannot tolerate most opiate pain meds. I was sent home with oxi-this and that and I took them for a couple days then had to get off them. I get pretty sick on them. I guess that is a good thing is I'm unlikely to get addicted to them.
One however I have found that works wonders for me is Tramadol. It handles the "zingers" and other strange things very well. I only take it at night. Much less addictive and so far I'm tolerating it just fine.
It sounds like your VA PT is from the dark ages. Bands and squats are bad for a knee replacement. No wonder you are in pain. Tell them that you would rather do gentle, non-pain full exercises until your knee heals more. What you are doing now isn't working so you need to try a different way.
Yes, this is a painful recovery, the surgery causes a lot of trauma that causes pain, and healing takes a long time, much more than 9 weeks. Pain in recovery is going to happen.
What we want to do is give the knee needed mobility without increasing the pain that is naturally associated with this recovery. It definitely sounds like you are getting inappropriate PT which is increasing your pain. Pain in PT is not necessary or even advisable, as it is counterproductive.
I’m really sorry this is the case for your right knee. It will be a bit of a hindrance with this recovery of your left knee.
Since PT is causing you a lot of pain, and seems to be innapproprriate “therapy“ would you consider not going to formal PT and doing your own rehab at home?
If you want to do exercises, these are the only ones you need:
Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it
Review and update June25, 2021 Extension can take a while to return to normal and usually comes after you have accomplished good flexion. Slow, steady progress is important and patience may be required to regain this critical part of your normal range of motion. By far the best way to regain...
bonesmart.org
Heel slides and how to do them properly
NEVER cause yourself pain doing this, only mild discomfort Do these every couple of hours during the day so you don't overstress your leg which is very easy to do. This is what happens when you do 10-30 reps in 3 lots 3 times a day. That much intensity is unwise. You get a much better effect...
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As we’ve said before, 9 weeks is still early in a recovery that takes 52 weeks (one year) on average. Lots of us felt like you did, at 9 weeks, and came out well in the end. There is a very good chance that this replaced knee will do well, in the future, when it is healed.
Ok so I’m what 15 weeks out from tkr and today the pt told me to make an appointment with my surgeon to see if everything is ok because I’m not progressing as they think I should…say they’re only trying to get me back to work...sound right….think I’m doing about I can…working through pain,etc….squats hurt but still do them….stuff like that…finally down to one cane now bitching I should be walking assistance free….thanks
Hi, Skip. I’m sorry your PT is not happy with your progress. I’m sure you’re doing the best you can to do what they say.
Unfortunately, not all PTs are created equal, and they don’t all give us appropriate things to do, in our own, individual recoveries. Working through pain in this recovery is not a good idea, and for many of us, squats are not good either.
I think the type of PT you are getting is working against you and hindering your recovery. If it was me, I’d stop going, they aren’t helping you anyway, and try to relax and let your body heal. The movements you do in your every day activities will give your knee all the mobility it needs to recover. Just taking a walk, not too long a distance, can rehab your knee just fine.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
bonesmart.org
Unfortunately, not all PTs are created equal, and they don’t all give us appropriate things to do, in our own, individual recoveries. Working through pain in this recovery is not a good idea, and for many of us, squats are not good either.
I think the type of PT you are getting is working against you and hindering your recovery. If it was me, I’d stop going, they aren’t helping you anyway, and try to relax and let your body heal. The movements you do in your every day activities will give your knee all the mobility it needs to recover. Just taking a walk, not too long a distance, can rehab your knee just fine.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
You will have noticed there is a significant opinion here about the potential hazards of PT. You may feel that your therapists are experts and know what you should be doing. However, over the last several years I've been here, I have observed that the more intensive the regimen of exercising...
bonesmart.org
At 15 weeks, squats hurt so I followed my OS's advice and left them out of the routine. Every few weeks, I 'd try squats until recently I was able to do them without pain during or after. I needed more time not more effort to get to that point. At this point in my recovery (8 months), I can simply bend my knee to quickly determine if I should push myself with some tricky or new activity based on swelling in the moment.
