TKR 46 year old's recovery thread

[Jane B.]

@cbrniner, I hope you enjoyed your football day. Our guys watch the Patriots.

My husband once told me to read a book, watch TV, and listen to music all at the same time when I had a mild case of shingles. Anything to keep your mind off the pain. I thought that the pain would be worse in the beginning and get better from there. Not sure that's how it works, once we start moving things, walking and stretching. Just got to get through it. I've had a couple of achy days this week. I've been reading the new Lee Child/Jack Reacher book. (I saved it to start reading in the OR waiting room!) His books are so not me, but like Stephen King, he's a good writer.

As for the "Ahem" stuff: I've been taking stool softeners (Colace or generic) and Metamucil twice a day. They are your friends. I choose my foods for protein and fiber. I'm not very hungry, so I make what I eat count.

I'm going to be very jealous when you and @amber777 get your stitches out. Mine come out on the 23rd, but I'm behind you watching you do your exercises!

 

[cbrniner]

Another update , things a little smoother this week. Still a lot of swelling and pain but trying best to manage it. Got my staples out on Thursday and got some X-rays. Plus I got the surgery report letting me know how my orginal knee was and apparently once inside it was a lot worse then they had thought. Was bone on bone , cartilage damage in all three compartments and arthritis riddled everywhere so indeed the TKR was needed more then he though.

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[tiredwife]

@cbrniner Bet getting those staples out was such a relief!

 

[Jane B.]

@cbrniner, I'm not sure that I'm happy to see that staples close like real staples! Yikes! It's a cool looking device.

 

[jeano]

It is weird looking at your own xrays after joint replacement--like, wow, that part of my leg is gone forever....
@Jane B. Is it any comfort to you that the removal tool DOESN'T resemble the staple remover you use at the copy machine?

 

[Jane B.]

@jeano, doesn't it? Never saw one. Pliers?

The PT held my skin together on either side of the scar when I was doing some exercises the other day. That was nice of her.

 

[jeano]

More like little pruners or toenail cutters, the ones that look more like scissors. Pliers-ish. They bend/grasp the middle of the staple and the ends lift out. Mine were 70% painless.

 

[RedRider]

Hey @cbrniner I stumbled across your original thread and followed it across to here. What a trip, sounds like you're on your way with something that has been long overdue. Congrats!
Any update? Seems like the OS always says, "it was a lot worse than I thought when I got in there". Well DUH! Sounds like your persistence in this matter was well justified. Good luck with your recovery!

 

[cbrniner]

Thanks for all the comments , sorry I haven't updated much .. Had a few setbacks as for as my new knee hasn't been coming around as fast as I would have liked it. But now at 3 1/2 weeks post I am getting along with walker okay and hoping in the next day or two I will be able to move to a cane. My last at home PT is tomorrow and then I finally start out patient pt Friday

Started driving a little , just short jaunts to Walgreens and such , have cut pain meds to once or twice a day depending on pain levels but mostly at night to help me sleep better , sleep overall is getting better as I can get a good 4 to 5 hours in a row ...

Other then that again I just wished things were moving faster. ROM is only 100 and I'm pushing for more , it's slower coming around then I thought but I'm hanging in there ... Family and friends have been great about coming by and helping out and so forth

Well I'll try to update more often. Again thanks for all the input and comments

The video was from like 1 1/2 ago or maybe 2 weeks ago





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[kneeper]

I know it seems like it's slow, but it sounds like you're doing fine. Keep up the good healing.

 

[Pumpkin]

I saw your video, now it is showing an epic day at Vail. Wow that was a fast change. LOL


Sent from my iPod touch using BoneSmart®
LTKR Sept 13 2011
Revision April 15 2014

 

[cbrniner]

Well Hello Bonesmart , it's been awhile since I have been here and figured I would check in...also have a question to. Anyway, update - I am 4 months Post Op and feeling okay still going to pt on a aftercare program 3x a week. I now have 140 degrees flexion and 0 on extension. Shooting for 145 plus by the end of this month.

I did end up having a manipulation awhile back and since then everything has improved. Now the one thing that is bothering me is all the noise , the clicking and popping and its a lot worse going down the stairs then anything. One Therapist thinks it might be possible that my knee cap may not be tracking well, other therapist thinks I just need more time to rebuild muscle. Anyway I found out my OS doesn't put button cap on back of knee cap , thought they all did. I have an appointment on the 20th of Jan for a check up so I will have many questions.

Is all this clicking and popping normal ???

Anyway a quick video of me working the knee on bike.


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[trailspud]

In some cases surgeons choose to leave the patella alone. In your case, perhaps your age, overall condition, and the condition of your patella-femoral compartment warrented that choice. I hope between PT and the wisdom of your OS you get the knee cap issue solved. Your recovery is still in progress.

 

[Clipless]

Congrats on your recovery! I am curious why you needed the MUA, since at 3 1/2 weeks your flexion was 100°, which was good! So, if you don't mind sharing, when was your manipulation (how many weeks post op), what was your flexion just before, what were your immediate gains after, and when did you reach 140°? I am a cyclist and my ROM is coming along much slower than I expected. It's enough to ride -barely- but I'm frustrated and a little concerned. Thanks!

 

[cbrniner]

@Clipless - Thanks for posting , as far as ROM when I listed it at 100 that was according to my in home therapist which didn't actual measure its was more of a guesstimate , and buy they were off when I went into Out Patient PT ...when I started there I was only getting 80 to 85 ....

By the time my 6 week post op OS visit came up the PT therapist wasn't able to get me past 90 ...So when I went in to OS on a Tuesday they said they wanted to do MUA asap , so That Friday I had MUA ..immediately following MUA at Hospital they had me go right to PT ....I didn't feel anything cause they did General Anesthetic and a Nerve Block ... When I arrived at PT they had me on Bike and had to literally tape my left foot to the peddle cause my leg was dead cause of nerve block and just kept falling off the peddle ... After some stretching and working out the leg they measured 125 Flexion ... I wasn't impressed considering i just had MUA , but thats all they got ..but it was still better then what I had

The following Monday I regressed to 110 but never went below that ...Over the weeks it got better and better and as far as the 140, that measurement was just this past Monday , I will take another measurement tomorrow cause I know I can push past 140 ....Ultimately I want 150 or more if possible .... This past weekend I actually had my first bike ride , its a bit harder on the bike cause the peddles are beneath you ...

 

[Clipless]

Thank you for the info. I learned that crankarm length is another factor (see my posts in Social Room, cycling thread), but at 140 you are well beyond that concern.

My flexion is up/down. Highest measured so far only 103 degrees. I will discuss these issues with my OS when I see him in a few weeks. It's a sunny day here and I'm about to try another short ride. Thanks again!

Diana

 

[cbrniner]

Okay getting a little paranoid maybe even when I was at dr he said the noise is normal cause the space makes it echo , he says over time the space compresses in the knee are and you won't hear .... Is this normal ??? I know I have some scar tissue but it's more in the area of the top of the femoral implant. I'm just starting to get worried.







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[skigirl]

It does sound louder than my knee---but it also sounds like adhesions. But this noise is different. I will ask @Josephine to listen.

 

[Josephine]

Is all this clicking and popping normal ???

I would prefer to say that while it's not uncommon but it isn't indicative of any problems. Try not to worry about unless it starts causing pain.

Anyway I found out my OS doesn't put button cap on back of knee cap , thought they all did.

Use is determined by the condition of the patella and the facing femoral surface. If they have any wear then it needs a button. Simple as that.

I know I can push past 140 ....Ultimately I want 150 or more if possible

Well, you'll be 1-1,000 if you do! Generally a flexion of 135 is considered pretty good.

 

[referee54]

When I went back to the classroom, my students could hear my knees popping and clunking in stereo!

It still make a noise now when I get down behind the plate when I umpire---but it is a tendon going over the implant---no pain or anything like that.