5 weeks and what now?

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steelmagnolia

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Just joined the forum and already so many questions have been answered that I feel better just reading the answers! I am approximately 7 weeks post op. PT was discon't at 5 weeks.I am back to all pre-op activity but was feeling discouraged by the pain I still experience.In the past week the knee has felt very tight and I don't feel that I am anywhere near where I was before PT was stopped. Shouldn't I still be receiving PT? Am I doing too much, too soon? I am on hydrocodone and need it at night to get some sleep.
 
Hello, steelmagnolia and welcome to BoneSmart. I move your post into a thread if its own so it wouldn't derail Ophelia's thread and also so you'd be more likely to get answers of your own.

My take on your situation is that a) yes you still should be doing PT as you can go backwards very rapidly and b) it's still very soon for you to be doing 'normal activities'. Both these would be good reasons why you have tightness and you need to go see your doctor to get some more PT as soon as possible.

Plus you should make sure that you rest enough and elevate and ice still. And take your pain meds frequently enough. 7 weeks is very early days still and you may need to be on all this for at least another 7 if not more. You've had a BIG op and still have a lot of healing to do. Be kinder to yourself!
 
Welcome Steelmagnolia---

What Jo said!!!

Seven weeks is very early. It is easy to do or not do something and get a bad reaction (such as tightness, which at 10 weeks post-op I still get if I walk too much).
 
Welcome to the site. I, too, recently joined this website.
Today I am 11 weeks out, and will continue with physical therapy until early February. Stiffness is a daily issue, but gets better as movement increases. Apparently the stiffness continues for a good year following surgery. This cold weather dosen't help, either.
Ophelia
 
Welcome

It is easy for the knee to go backwards so you need to exercise everyday, a stationary bike is very good for this along with ROM and strengthening exercises. Check out the book in the book review section (Total Knee Rehab) as it has a program for a year.

I had PT 2 or 3 times a week for 6 months and then for this last month (7th) I have been going once a week as the PT wanted to make sure we did not go backwards. I do exercise everyday and so far have not lost ground. I am finding shoveling snow is good exercise as well.

Just keep working at it.

Simon
 
Welcome to the forum folks.
I am approaching one year post op.
I believe you will find that with our new joints, you are going to need to make a commitment to doing some type of exercise post P.T. I have worked out pretty much most of my life. But when my knee really went downhill, I lost lots of leg strength and stamina. I've regained it to a satisfactory level but have noticed that when I ignore ROM, I loose some of the bend.
My surgeon used to say that it takes a solid year to recover but he has changed it to 1.5years to recover.
The way I look at it, I'm not a spring chicken (56yoa) and I need to work out anyways for my overall health so what the heck...join a gym and have fun.
You'll meet folks with similar scars and be able to smile about it.
 
Thanks for the replies. Like many, I am used to having a surgery or procedure and after a few days or few weeks it is all forgotten. TKR is not as easily forgotten!
I will be increasing my ROM and purposeful walking.
I am wondering what non-prescription meds you have found most effective. I am trying to limit the prescription med for night relief. I have to be awake and alert during the day to care for my disabled son.
 
Aleve works for me better than Tylenol or Advil. Your statement that "TKR is not as easily forgotten!" is an UNDERSTATEMENT!!! LOL....it's still with me at 10 months and I imagine I'll be thinking of my knee for quite some time. Great surgery, but just like I was told - the recovery is quite long. That said, being free to walk with no pain makes it completely worth it.
 
Be patient, it takes time. I am eight months post op bilateral TKR and everyone has their own timeframe for healing, etc. You are still early days and at that stage we all go through of expecting too much too soon and becoming impatient, we went through a horrific surgery and want to make up for lost time. It will come, you just have to let it. Remember to continue to rest, ice is still important, heck, I still ice my knees occasionally, some days I need to be packed in ice from the neck down. LOL. Glad you found this forum though, it is a Godsend, best people in the world plus the jewel in our crown, Jo. How could you go wrong? Rowdy
 
I am seven weeks post op BI-TKR. Today is my first day back at work I am not 100% but am 1000% better than before surgery. I continued very vigorous PT untill the day of my Dr. appointment at which time he released me with no restrictions. Everyone is different and from what the DR. told me I am about 1 month ahead of the norm. my suggestion is to request more PT, take plenty of pain meds and request lots of range of motion stretching they dont need to measure each time but the stretching is very important.
 
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