bertschb
member
So glad I found this forum! Here's my depressing story. I'm 57 and was riding my mountain bike 100 miles a week right up until my TKR 2 weeks ago (10/24/2016). I considered myself in great shape. My surgeon is one of the few I've heard of who does not recommend PT. He said he sees similar results from folks doing their own PT at home. Anyway, my knee has been at about 60 degrees ROM since the day after surgery. At my first post op visit on day 10 the PA said I should be at 90 degrees and recommended PT. I told him I had tried the home exercises but my knee felt like it was locked in cement. Because of that, I could only do a few of them. I saw the PT for my first visit that afternoon. He gave me some strengthening exercises to do twice a day but those did not include any bending of the knee. I'm now scheduled for PT 3 days a week.
I'm EXTREMELY worried that I will need a manipulation because my knee simply stops bending at about 60 degrees. It hits a HARD wall at that point. I stopped taking pain meds a week after surgery because I just don't have any pain which I'm very thankful for. I know many folks are on pain meds for weeks and months following TKR. That's the only good news for me. I'm able to walk around the house without aids. I spend most of my day sitting either in the recliner with leg elevated or in bed which lets my leg lay flatter to help with extension. I use ice about ¾ of the time. I get up and walk around a bit every hour or so. Yesterday I went outside and walked probably 800 yards. That didn't seem to bother it and it didn't swell afterwards but I've since read that wasn't a good idea so I won't do that again for a while. Swelling has dropped a lot since surgery but my knee is still pretty swollen.
So my question is, is there any chance at all I will regain my ROM with just PT? I've read about so many people who leave the hospital at 90 degrees. I'm blown away that they are at 90 and I'm barely at 60. As far as I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing but I've seen ZERO progress in my recovery and I'm wondering if I made a huge mistake to get my knee replaced. I know it's only been two weeks but my knee is so stinking stiff I just don't see how any PT guy is going to change that. I will do anything and endure any amount of pain to get my ROM back.
Has anybody else gone from 60 degrees at 2 weeks to full ROM without manipulation? If so, how long did it take?
I'm EXTREMELY worried that I will need a manipulation because my knee simply stops bending at about 60 degrees. It hits a HARD wall at that point. I stopped taking pain meds a week after surgery because I just don't have any pain which I'm very thankful for. I know many folks are on pain meds for weeks and months following TKR. That's the only good news for me. I'm able to walk around the house without aids. I spend most of my day sitting either in the recliner with leg elevated or in bed which lets my leg lay flatter to help with extension. I use ice about ¾ of the time. I get up and walk around a bit every hour or so. Yesterday I went outside and walked probably 800 yards. That didn't seem to bother it and it didn't swell afterwards but I've since read that wasn't a good idea so I won't do that again for a while. Swelling has dropped a lot since surgery but my knee is still pretty swollen.
So my question is, is there any chance at all I will regain my ROM with just PT? I've read about so many people who leave the hospital at 90 degrees. I'm blown away that they are at 90 and I'm barely at 60. As far as I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing but I've seen ZERO progress in my recovery and I'm wondering if I made a huge mistake to get my knee replaced. I know it's only been two weeks but my knee is so stinking stiff I just don't see how any PT guy is going to change that. I will do anything and endure any amount of pain to get my ROM back.
Has anybody else gone from 60 degrees at 2 weeks to full ROM without manipulation? If so, how long did it take?