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TKR 5 months out

I had a lot of discomfort in my heals. My daughter brought me home these little egg crate foams for your feet and really helped. Finally that has gone away and I’m almost 6 weeks PO. My ankles burn a lot. I thing you can get pain just about anywhere from the back to the feet, presently I’m having pain in my calves and back which I haven’t had before. Frustrating!
 
I use a magnesium gel for these specific sorts of nervy pain: tingly, zingers, twitchiness, there are a number of ways to describe it. The magnesium gel really helps quite often.
I’m baffled why your surgeon won’t let you make use of ice to help alleviate pain!! That just seems mean!
 
I had back and hip pain until I started to concentrate on walking upright, head up, shoulders back, tummy tucked in, hips forward,. Not easy to achieve at first. At 10 weeks, I found myself walking like that without thinking about it, no back pain since. I think that lying around a lot in bed doesn’t help.
 
I have only recently discovered that long surgical stockings, or a length of tubigrip over the Knees helps a bit if I have to be on my feet for a while, such as for food prep or shopping. It just feels better if the swelling is supported a bit.
 
BBCG,
Thanks for the tip about the magnesium gel. I will definitely try it. I know what you mean about my surgeon. The swelling has gone down some but I would like to use ice! I have to wait 3 more weeks! I probably won’t need it much then.
 
I don’t know where you are located, but I’ve hit 8 ounces of this gel that will take years to use, so if you can’t find it, let me know! I think there is a post about it, too!
 
I think I’d like the extra support of the compression, too, but I’ve tried two different devices and both end up cutting off enough circulation that my foot starts to really hurt!
 
smokey1 said:
Elevation! When do you know when you can stop elevating your surgical leg? My swelling has go quite a bit but there is still some. I am 3 weeks out of surgery. Also, how often do you need to be in an elevated position a day?
Click to expand...
Elevate when ever you are not standing or walking.
I am 6 weeks out from toe surgery, my foot is toes above nose in bed, and elevated when sitting during the day.
I have a camp chair I use when I am not in bed or on the couch were I can lift my foot up.
A small pillow on top of the camp chair is more comfortable.

[Bonesmart.org] 5 months out
 
Yesterday at 10:13 AM
Elevation! When do you know when you can stop elevating your surgical leg? My swelling has go quite a bit but there is still some. I am 3 weeks out of surgery. Also, how often do you need to be in an elevated position a day?
 
I elevate every chance I can get and I’m much further along than you. I do some work in the house or garden, then I stop and elevate for half hour or so. If I watch a movie I sit with my leg up.
 
I also try to elevate as much as possible I am 6 weeks out. Some days I feel ok and dont ice as often but always elevate after being on my feet for a while and before bed.
 
I elevated and iced for at least a couple of months. After that I had my legs lifted up in my recliner for another 6 months or so and iced when I had pain and/or swelling.
 
Hello @smokey1
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as it's best if members in recovery only have one thread.
This is because:
  • That way, you have all your information in one place. This makes it easier for others to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you start new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. We won't miss your new question as, between us, the staff read all new posts each day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?

A helpful hint - Many members have found it useful to bookmark their thread so they don't lose it.

Best wishes,
Celle
 
Elevation does not always mean toes above the nose, sometimes it just means feet up off the floor, which I am still doing when I’m home, 4+ years after my surgery. At 3 weeks post surgery I was very uncomfortable with my feet on the floor.
 
I elevate toes above nose with ice after every exercise session. Anytime watching tv my leg is up. At work I arranged boxes and some padding under my desk so I can go back and forth between having my leg up and my leg down.
 
I can’t seem to get a comfortable way to elevate, it feels better when I just use the recliner without stacking pillows. The lounge dr is too large for the recliner and I don’t think it positions my legs correctly and my couches are not comfortable to use the lounge dr on. Unfortunately I purchased it last year so I’m stuck with it. I use my ice machine all day every day and it doesn’t do a thing for the swelling same thing last year on my other knee. I think it just takes a long time(in my case at least) for the swelling to go down. My surgery on my right knee is almost 10 months and it’s not that much smaller than it was last year.
 
I do have a bed that raises so I use that every night but my knee is no smaller.
 
I am sorry your knee’s swelling hasn’t subsided much in 10 months. What does your doctor say about your situation?
 
Well it has subsided some but I have 2 bursitis lumps that he says there’s nothing to do about. I am aware of it when I’m standing or walking feels like something hanging but I can’t complain because aside from being a little stiff snd lumpy it works fine. My range of motion is 120. My 2 week old knee is 88.
 
Ghostpipe said:
I had back and hip pain until I started to concentrate on walking upright, head up, shoulders back, tummy tucked in, hips forward,. Not easy to achieve at first. At 10 weeks, I found myself walking like that without thinking about it, no back pain since. I think that lying around a lot in bed doesn’t help.
Click to expand...
I'm at 6 weeks, now, Ghostpipe, and I'm feeling a need to stand straighter, and it feels like the muscles and tendons on the top and inner part of my leg are shortened, and tight, making it hard to walk "normally"! I have PT tomorrow, so I'm planning on asking her to watch me walk and help me by working on the tight areas so I can stand better and not be so tight...
 
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