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4 weeks on - doing good

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carolinacooker

junior member
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Dec 8, 2008
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United States
Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to let everyone know how helpful this site has been to me. I beleive it is the best forum I have come accross for knee Issues. I read all forty some pages of posts and now I have decided to join. I am 39 yrs old and am now 4 weeks out from a Right TKR. My knee was messed up over 20 years ago and has been going down hill ever since. About 15 years ago I went through a medial and lateral meniscal transplant plus an acl allograft. I have had a total of seven operations on the right knee, all of them cut on a long s shaped scar. At four weeks out my range of motion is from 5 degrees to 102 degrees. I seem to be having all the similar complaints and symptoms that most of you have and am just getting into a mild depression. I take my pain meds regularly and have done my PT and excercises religiously. I guess my biggest complaints are the incredible tightness and muscle cramps that I have in my right calf. My other complaint is the difficulty in increasing my range of motion. I just feel that getting 3 or 4 more degrees a week is too slow and Ill never get to 120+. I am very greatfull that I dont come here with a horror story to share, and I am also very greatfull for all the people that have posted and that have already answered most of my many many questions. Thank you all and maybe someday I can help someone as you all have helped me.
 
Re: New Member

I had my right TKR last January....Since you're 4 weeks out, you've got plenty of time to work it hard before the surgery...Strengthen as much as you can. It will undoubtedly help with recovery.
And with a screen name like that, I've just got to ask...Any area of specialty you cook? As in Carolina BBQ??
 
Re: New Member

Welcome!

It sounds like you're coming right along. Just keep doing the exercises and it will come eventually. It also helps the range when the swelling goes down. I am 4 months out on my LTKR and my range is now 0-145. I'm glad you found us. The depression is also normal, most of us were still wondering what in heaven's name we had signed up for at week four. It gets better.
 
Carolina, I changed the title of your thread as we get sooo many new members starting their thread that way and then new people trying to check out for information don't know what the thread contains. Hope you don't mind! Welcome to BoneSmart - glad you chose to join us and to know this forum has been a help to you.That's what it was created for!
 
Welcome!

The ROM will often plateau--little or small progress for awhile and then a big gain. Don't obsess too much about the progress from session to session--try to look at the bigger picture--as long as you are progressing. For example, I am on my second TKR this year--I just had a big breakthrough improvement this week at 7 weeks post-op. Based on experience with first knee I know I will probably plateau again for a week or 2.

Also, as to the depression, remember not only did you have a major surgery but some pain meds can have depression as a side effect. Keep taking them for the pain and know that the depression will likely lift when you are able to reduce or eliminate them--later.

You're right--you definitely found the best forum. Very soon you find yourself teaching the "new kids" and helping them out.
 
I had BTKR on June 3rd and got to around 104 the first week in July and made almost no progress for the rest of the month. I was looking at a MUA at the beginning of August but decided to keep going with PT. It took me 6 months to get to 120 on the left and the right one is at 118 on a good day. I am starting month 7 and still go to PT once a week as the PT does not want me to lose ground and to see if we can get a little more ROM. So be patient it will come.

I also had problems starting in my teens and have had 9 major surgeries plus some scopes and problem should have had the BTKR in my 40's but I kept putting it off. I also have a major problem with tightness in the all the major muscle groups as well as the joint capsule. The PT thinks it has to do with the previous surgeries and how the muscles adapted over time to the lack of ROM. It said it will take awhile to stretch them and keep them stretched. I found a good product to help with the stretching. It is basically a long strap with lots of loops in it so you can get your foot into it and have something to hold and give you some traction. Email me if you would like more info.

Simon
 
Wow! Thank you all for the warm welcome, it is good to hear encouraging words from people that have been there! Yes, we do cook some bbq here. I have a mobile kitchen and a large tow behind the truck grill that I use to do some catering and food concessions. I just graduated from home health pt and will start outpatient pt within a week or so when it can be arranged. Meanwhile I will continue to torture myself stretching muscles and going for more ROM. Simon, I have been using a long dog leash to my stretching and pulling, I just put the loop end over my foot and pull with the other end. I get some good stretches that way, and I also lay on my belly and pull my leg back towards my butt to increase my ROM. Thanks again folks!
 
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