TKR 60 degrees ROM at 2 weeks. No progress at all :-( <

[KarriB]

When are you returning home and able to see your OS?

 

[bertschb]

Now another perhaps totally useless suggestion.. Hike one day and not the next.. see if there really is swelling.

I actually missed a day of hiking last week and it didn't change anything. My knee looks and feels the same and has the same ROM when I wake up in the morning, return from my hike and go to bed. It's basically frozen in time.

Little Red Canoe - I'll accept your compliment for my right leg but my left leg looks REALLY bad now. I used to tell people that my old surgical scar was a shark bite but now that I have my TKR scar to go along with it, I think people may actually believe me if I tell them I've been bitten by a shark. I SCUBA dive so it may just work...

 

[bertschb]

When are you returning home and able to see your OS?

Not until late May at the earliest.

 

[skigirl]

Bert, it does seem that you have done what you could. I think you need to talk to your OS. I do still think that a lymphatic massage therapist might not be the worst thing you could try. And, I guess in your place, I would do the same thing. At some point,we have to move. I do hope you will be able to see your OS in May---maybe you should make an appt now so that you see him/her right away.

 

[KarriB]

Skigirl has a great idea. See if you can get in as soon as you get back just because it does seem as if you've given it time, rest and elevation.

 

[bertschb]

Six month update. ROM is now around 110? I'm not really sure at this point. 90 degrees was easy to determine and I was stuck there for around three months. I haven't been doing any hiking (or anything else) since March 25th. I'm away from home until May 11th. I'm really hoping I can get back on my bike when I get home. If not, I'll get back to hiking. Either way, I'm on my way to setting the record for the slowest ROM recovery on TKR record
And for those of you who haven't followed this thread, the diagnol scar above my surgery knee was from a different surgery 40 years ago. And yes, with the two scars and swelling, it's a nasty looking knee. Fortunately, I couldn't care less how my knee looks. I just want it to bend.

For those of you who are at 90 or 100 degrees at six weeks and worried sick- consider yourself VERY lucky!!!

------------ 3 months------------------- 4 months---------------------- 5 months------------------------ 6 months

 

[Want2hike]

My ROM has been slow to come and at 6 months I am between 110-115 on most days (by my estimate). For me, that's a huge improvement over where I was presurgery, so I'm not as frustrated about it as you are.

Are you still doing stretching exercises? I still do a few heel slides each day to hold the stretch and do a couple of lunges to hold the stretch, which I think is working to sloooowly increase my ROM.

Good luck to you.

 

[sistersinhim]

How is your knee feeling? The way time flies, you'll be home before you know it! I bet you have more ROM than you think.

 

[Red's Mom]

It is so hard for me to comprehend that we are all at or approaching the 6 month mark. I hope your ROM continues to slowely improve and you arcane get back to the things you love. Are you able to get into your corvette?

 

[bertschb]

Are you still doing stretching exercises?

Yes, I've actually been doing more stretching the last couple of weeks. It hurts but I'm being more forceful now than I was early on in my recovery.

How is your knee feeling?

It feels fine other than right after a serious stretching session. It hasn't hurt since week one of my recovery. It's very strong and stable.

Are you able to get into your corvette?

I haven't tried that yet. I put the car under cover last October prior to my surgery. I'll be home May 11th and will try to get in then. I know for sure if I tried right now it would look really funny. I'm going to a performance driving school at the end of May. I'm driving a car just like mine with a manual transmission. That should be interesting. I think once I get in I'll be fine.

I'm REALLY happy I'm no longer stuck at 90 degrees. It makes stairs so much easier.

 

[Celle]

Just to encourage all of you who are slow to gain ROM, this is what one of our members posted: (Thank you, @Campervan ) As you can see, her flexion continued to improve for a long time.

"I had a slow recovery. Here's my flex measurements at various points:
92 - 8 weeks post op
105 - 10 weeks
107 - 5 months
110 - 6 months
112 - 7 months
116 - 9 months
119 - 11 months
118 - 1 yr
120 - 1yr 2 months
125 - 1 yr 8 months"

 

[Mireille]

@bertschb I also have struggled with ROM. I'm now at 4 months and am at 115. It's been slow fir me also but my OS twos me to give it time, it will come. I don't do any particular exercises for ROM anymore. I walk a lot, use my recumbent bike and do strengthening exercises for my hamstrings and quads. Don't despair, some of us just take longer to get to the finish line. Best of luck!

 

[bertschb]

Here's my 6 1/2 month update-

No photos this time because my knee has looked the same for the past several months (see post #266 above). But, my ROM has finally improved! WhooHoo!! I was stuck at around 90 degrees for more than five months. I've been on Maui for the last month and for whatever reason (I've done nothing special while here), my ROM has improved to about 120 degrees. I have to force it to get to 120 but it will get there. 110 is no problem.

For those who are curious how I'm measuring my ROM, I sit in a chair and put my foot on a book to get my thigh "level". I'm measuring level using an iPhone app. I then bend my knee back as far as I can with my foot still on the book and use the iPhone app to measure the angle. I can get to around 30 degrees from vertical doing this. I know this method isn't that accurate. Maybe I'm only 110 or 115 or whatever but it clearly bends more than 90 degrees now and 90 degrees was easy to eyeball.

Anyway, after six looooooooong months waiting for my ROM to improve, it finally has. I have no idea why it has improved so much in such a short time but I'll take what I can get. Fortunately, it looks like I won't be breaking the record for the world's slowest TKR recovery. I'll be home in a week and the next test is to see if I can pedal my bike. I'm not sure how much ROM I'll need to do that but I do know it's way more than 90 degrees because I tried with 90 degrees a couple months ago and it wasn't even close.

For those of you worried about regaining ROM - it will come! I still have a long way to go but I'm super happy to finally, FINALLY see some progress. Have a great week everybody!

 

[Celle]

What wonderful news, @bertschb ! I'm so pleased for you.

While we tell people that ROM can continue to improve for at least a year, it is really great to hear first-hand that this has happened to you.

Don't force your knee to get to 120. You know now that it can, and soon it should be doing it without help.

 

[PegGar16]

Hi! Was just reading your thread...it must be that nice warm sun in Maui that helped Your knee looks fine! Mine would qualify for shark bait...LOL. Happy that things are going better for you.

 

[KarriB]

That's great news, Brian! This recovery does take a while and you're evidence! Yay!

 

[sistersinhim]

Brian, you are living proof that ROM does still come later on and that patience pays off! I am thrilled that you are so well!

 

[Jamie]

If you're promoting a new type of recovery therapy (long vacations on Maui), I'm all in!!!! Seriously, at least part of the reason you're doing better is that you're relaxed and not working hard at recovery. It does come. I'm so glad to hear you're doing well. Now....have one of those umbrella drinks for me, okay?

 

[Red's Mom]

YeAh! Finally! The corvette isn't going to be a problem when you get home! I think Hawaii is an excellent place to recover from joint replacements! I'm so happy for you! Keep us posted on the bike and driving class!

 

[bertschb]

You folks are so nice and supportive. Thank you for all the kind words and for hanging in there with me during this recovery!