TKR 5 Years Post Op
- Thread starter dvannie
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Pheebs52
big-cheese
I think perhaps you need to find a new PT. I would. Hurting at a 7 on the pain scale is absurd. For what it's worth, I had my TKR just 2 days before you and my ROM is now 78 from a low of 30. I saw my surgeon on Thursday, and he was pleased with my progress. I expressed concern to him about attaining the *magic* number of 90 degrees and he told me "Don't worry, you'll get there." He wouldn't even discuss the possibility of an MUA for at least 8-12 weeks, because he's seen so many patients improve enormously in that time span. He's 63 years old, so has definitely seen a LOT of knees. I can't tell you how reassured I felt upon leaving his office. Sending you some pain-free, bendy, relaxing vibes!
All that therapist did was set your recovery way back. Sure, he doesn't mind hurting you, it's your pain, not his! How infuriating is what he has done to you. You should never let anyone touch your leg. It's nobody else's knee but yours! Your ROM comes by getting your swelling down. Pain is caused by trauma, which increases swelling, which decreases ROM.
You need to fire that PT. When and if you go back to PT, you take complete control of what is done to your knee. You are the employer, the boss. PT is your employee and what you say goes. I suggest you take the next month off of PT and heal. Your swelling will decrease and ROM will increase.
Very many of us never took PT or exercised. I am one of them. We just did our daily living using our knees in doing the things we needed to do. Your knee will rehab itself if you just use it as God intended you to. You don't need to exercise or take PT! Your body knows what to do!
You need to fire that PT. When and if you go back to PT, you take complete control of what is done to your knee. You are the employer, the boss. PT is your employee and what you say goes. I suggest you take the next month off of PT and heal. Your swelling will decrease and ROM will increase.
Very many of us never took PT or exercised. I am one of them. We just did our daily living using our knees in doing the things we needed to do. Your knee will rehab itself if you just use it as God intended you to. You don't need to exercise or take PT! Your body knows what to do!
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knit2tog
senior
I am so sorry to hear about what the PT did to you. 
I will be starting outside PT next week and I plan to make it clear that I am in charge of bending my knee. I am interested in a functional knee, not a "normal" knee. I haven't had a normal knee for a long a I can remember. If the PT's office cannot respect my needs, then I will go elsewhere.
I will be starting outside PT next week and I plan to make it clear that I am in charge of bending my knee. I am interested in a functional knee, not a "normal" knee. I haven't had a normal knee for a long a I can remember. If the PT's office cannot respect my needs, then I will go elsewhere.
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dvannie
member
Well good news, I fired my PT today! It took me until today to feel better from what he did on Friday so I know that I made the right decision even though he did try to tell me I was making a horrible mistake and that's there's so much more he can do for my recovery. Unfortunately my trust in him is gone so it wouldn't work out anyways. I did make a other appt at a different facility next Monday and I intend to go over what I want and if they cannot agree I'll just go on my own.
I was also able to bend my knee just enough to actually drive today! It's amazing how great that felt! I'm really happy that I no longer have those PT appts looming, it's amazing how much they were depressing me.
On another note, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to relax your leg muscles enough to actually bend your knee? I stiffen up so much when doing my stretches and i know that if I could just relax a bit, I could do so much better. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I was also able to bend my knee just enough to actually drive today! It's amazing how great that felt! I'm really happy that I no longer have those PT appts looming, it's amazing how much they were depressing me.
On another note, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to relax your leg muscles enough to actually bend your knee? I stiffen up so much when doing my stretches and i know that if I could just relax a bit, I could do so much better. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Your knee just needs time. You can rush anything about this recovery, but you can decide how your recovery will go with PT. You have already done that by the firing of that aggressive therapist! Good for you!
A recumbent bike helped to loosed me up. But, I didn't start on that until about 5 weeks. Then I started just rocking the pedals back and forth. It was at least a week before I could finally make a revolution backwards. The majority of us found that we could pedal backwards before we could frontwards. I bought my from Amazon and have it set up in my den in front of the tv. It makes it easier!
A recumbent bike helped to loosed me up. But, I didn't start on that until about 5 weeks. Then I started just rocking the pedals back and forth. It was at least a week before I could finally make a revolution backwards. The majority of us found that we could pedal backwards before we could frontwards. I bought my from Amazon and have it set up in my den in front of the tv. It makes it easier!
Pheebs52
big-cheese
Brava on firing your nasty PT! I hope you can find one you can work with, but if not, I think a recumbent bike, walking and the few home exercises we all do will take you all the way on the recovery road. Many here have great success without any PT. Unlike many here, I actually like my PT, but that's because he works with me and listens to me. He respects my boundaries and I sure have them. He's also given me many good tips on how to get around some present struggles that I wouldn't have known about on my own. My flexion is poor, so I will stay with him until it's at a decent range of about 100 and that will please my surgeon. Extension isn't too bad in my case, just -5.
That's the sort of Pt to have!
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dvannie
member
@Pheebs52 I hope I'm that fortunate with my next PT as well. I've been to the PT that I have the appt for one and really liked her so I'm hopeful. I know they can be of a lot of help when trying to figure stuff out as I go along. Unfortunately I didn't start with her because the distance was farther and there's alot of construction on the way and I didn't want to put out my drivers. Now at least I can drive myaself so I won't feel guilty about it .
Crossing my fingers this new PT works for you. That you've used her and liked her before is promising!
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dvannie
member
@SusieShoes Thanks! I felt I needed a plan in place before I go to see my surgeon tomorrow because I'm sure he will quiz me about PT. I'm hoping that he likes my ROM enough to not mention MUA like he did 2 weeks ago when my ROM was pathetic. It's still not 90 but I think it's a lot better than what it was!
I bet he'll be happy to see your progress. But even if he isn't, you aren't even a month out from surgery, so have plenty of time to get where you need to be! I can't believe he mentioned MUA at just two weeks out. People have had their swelling go down tremendously, and their ROM improve just as tremendously, from one week to the next. All the threats in the world can't accomplish that.
Pheebs52
big-cheese
@dvannie, I'm hopeful your surgeon will just be pleased to see some forward progress. Even if he isn't, you are!
It sounds as though your chances are quite good with the new PT given that you've used her before. Just be sure to clarify your boundaries at the initial assessment and be prepared to enforce them as you go along. I think they all, to one degree or another, have a tendency to get carried away. I flash a hand stop-sign accompanied by the word "Enough." So far, so good.
It sounds as though your chances are quite good with the new PT given that you've used her before. Just be sure to clarify your boundaries at the initial assessment and be prepared to enforce them as you go along. I think they all, to one degree or another, have a tendency to get carried away. I flash a hand stop-sign accompanied by the word "Enough." So far, so good.
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dvannie
member
@Pheebs52 And here I thought that screaming STOP would be sufficient with the last PT LOL!
And to top all this off my husband comes home from his business trip in South America of 10 days tomorrow! I'm so happy to be getting my support system back! Poor guy had to deal with me crying on FaceTime last weekend about this whole mess with PT. My fingers are crossed that the storms won't delay his return.
And to top all this off my husband comes home from his business trip in South America of 10 days tomorrow! I'm so happy to be getting my support system back! Poor guy had to deal with me crying on FaceTime last weekend about this whole mess with PT. My fingers are crossed that the storms won't delay his return.
Pheebs52
big-cheese
@dvannie, well...it certainly should be, but....you forgot the crucial hand signal as well! There's just nothing like a strong visual to go along with the audible; lol!
Oh, good to hear you'll have your husband back after such a long absence during this very stressful period. Here's hoping there will be no weather delays!
Oh, good to hear you'll have your husband back after such a long absence during this very stressful period. Here's hoping there will be no weather delays!
I loud "No!" with big, stern eyes worked for me with the hospital's PT.
flyaway79
graduate
When my PT was just moving my knee trying to see the flexation he said he could feel that my bend was hindered by the fluid and not something solid.
He said "I know I could get it to bend way more - but then I would be picking myself off the floor!" LOL smart man! He always stopped when I told him to.
He said "I know I could get it to bend way more - but then I would be picking myself off the floor!" LOL smart man! He always stopped when I told him to.
That fluid is swelling. It goes down in time. My new knee is still about 1/2" larger than my old knee. It definitely takes time!
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