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TKR 9½ weeks means something totally different to me these days

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@dtmbf & all

Saw my PT this morning. It was not a good start, I was super stiff and sore. After a pretty good workout with this knee, she applied the kenesio tape to my knee. She put on two strips, started below incision, curved around outside a bit, then coming back inward at my thigh. It's difficult to describe her technique. It's just two strips, not spidered at all. So far, I think it may help me feel a tad more secure, time will tell. She is going to do it again on Friday when I return for my next appointment.

Has anyone else had anymore luck or have more input? Mary
 
Hi Mary, @wolf woman
Maybe we both had Monday Stiff Knee Syndrome. My PT didn't use the tape, but told me to ease off on my at home PT exercises, as I may be doing too much.

See my OS in the morning & she told me not to be surprised if he mentions MUA, as my knee fe lexicon continues to be very stiff.
Reading up on MUAs now on the BS site.

Will keep you up to date,
Cathie
 
@marmora Cathie, I have two therapists now. One on Monday, the other on Friday, usually. This is because my Monday gal doesn't work at that clinic on Friday. Anyway, last Friday, the PT and I were discussing MUA and his reply to me was "Not on my watch!". So, I get that most of the therapists there are not in favor of manipulations. I don't know why, perhaps I should ask. Oh, FYI, my flex was 113 on Friday and about 111 today.

Also, I told my PT today about my closet cleaning project. She thinks I may have done too much as well. <sigh> I wanna be my old self again!

@gr82cu2 Janet, I will keep you guys posted! I do think it gives me a bit more feeling of stability, but it's too early to say for certain.

Mary
 
@wolf woman - I'm anxious to see how you like the Kensio tape after you've used it for a few days. My OS wasn't overly thrilled I was using it - but then said it was OK if I took it off every 2 days & gave the incision a breather. I can't quite figure out your application. It sounds like it goes around the side of your knee - kinda like a half moon around your knee. Is that close? And you said it was 2 strips, but my tape is about 2" wide, so I don't know how I'd get 2 strips around the knee. Not that I don't like my current application.

I removed the Kenesio tape for about 4 days just to see if it was all psychological. Well, by about 24 hours my knee felt like a basketball again & very stiff. I kept the tape off for another 3 days to see what would happen & there was no real improvement. So my PT reapplied it on Monday & within 4 hours my knee was much more tolerable. It still stiff & swells, but not to the same degree. I sat on an airplane today for 5 hours & by the time we reach altitude, my knee was swollen & throbbing, even with the tape. So I pulled some Tubigrip on the knee along with the Kenesio tape & that seemed to return me to baseline. Lordy, I am tired of thinking/ worrying about this darn knee!
 
I found that video also. Those spider legs would totally defeat me - they are so long! I kow how challenged I was when I used the Kenesio tape after my BTHR and those spider legs were only 8 inches long in a straight line down my thigh. Plus getting the ends to stick when they are cut in 3 or 4 is difficult. Now having said that, I would absolutely try this approach for my other knee. I'll try anything to decrease the swelling!
 
@wolf woman Mary
@g82cu2. Janet
@dtmbf Mary Beth

@kneeper

Very interesting about the use of the Kensio tape and helping with the stiffness and swelling.
This seems to be, what I think is holding me back with my Flexion & extension.
Will talk with my PT about the use of this at my next session.

Mary Beth - I can't imagine (at my stage any way) sitting on a plane for 5 hours ! Respect
Does this also mean that you also have a 5 hour return flight coming up soon?

I love to travel and being in Dublin take a few weekends away to other European cities several times through the year & also one of my sons lives in Bergen,Norway, so travel there very often.
And have been wondering when air travel will be comfortable, you had your TKR in May and found this flight uncomfortable.

Wonder, if anyone can say when they would flying comfortable, especially as it would be economy class & if flying RyanAir - seat & leg room very tight, so uncomfortable.

It the meantime, will watch travel programmes on the telly.

Thank you all for the info on the Kensio tape.

Cathie :flwrysmile:
 
@marmora - the trip back East is 4.5 hours instead of 5 cuz of the jet stream. But I was uncomfortable within the 1st hour mainly due to the swelling & throbbing. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't great. And we had a lot of turbulence so the seat belt sign was on & so I wasn't able to walk around much . I booked the Economy Comfort section on Delta which give you more leg room & pitch as I knew I could never last in their regular seats.

On the way home I am going to use the Tubigrip. I bought it for the immediate post op swelling, but I was soooo swollen it was too tight. It's just the right size now & really helped with the swelling post airplane. Like you I feel like the swelling is really hindering my progress.

In Oct. we're traveling through Maine and in Nov. we're flying out west again to Tuscon. I am so hoping these next few weeks show an improvement in the swelling!
 
Hi Mary Beth
@dtmbf

Really appreciate the flying information. Not familiar with Tubigrip and will ask my PT or look it up on the internet, as would be very useful when flying to keep the swelling down. Which is a real problem. For me.

Maine in the Autumn should be lovely with the fall colours of the leaves on the trees.
And sunny Tuscon in a November will be great for warming the joints.

Take care, I'm elevating, icing and resting after my Group Session post-TKR PT class this afternoon. It is a fun group and the hour goes do fast, because we are all laughing ! A good way to forget about our pain and stiffness for a little while.

Cathie
 
@dtmbf I fear my description of my taping was inadequate. The tape is about 2 inches wide, starts just below my knee about level with bottom of incision. It comes up either side of the incision curving out slightly and the comes closer together again above the incision. So, it's curved, but not quite half moon. Today was day three with it and I feel like it really does help with stiffness. I am wondering what the spidering of the tape would ad. And, I am really tired of worrying about this darn knee as well!

In general, I think I am doing a bit better. This massive clean out project I have started has really kept me busy. Coupled with therapy, gym visits, looking after my mom in the nursing home, and slowly trying to do light housework, my time on this site has been limited.

@tiredwife Thanks so much for checking in on me! My mantra: Every day in every way, I am getting better and better!
 
Good Morning Mary,
@wolf woman

I do agree with what you said, "working about the darn knee makes us very tired" !
I'm sure that we and all the BoneSmarties are looking forward to days on the other side of the rainbow, less pain & more mobility.

Your mantra "every day in every way, getting better and better" is very appropriate for us all.

Take care,
Cathie :flwrysmile:
 
Hi Mary Beth,
@dtmbf

Good Morning,

Haven't investigated the Kensio tape yet, will see my PT on Monday and ask her about it.
It is available in Ireland, as I have seen many joggers with it on.

The taping procedure seems a bit complicated to my, I am a very visual person, so will have to look it up on YouTube, I need to see, in order to do !

Take care and have a good day,
Cathie :flwrysmile:
 
@marmora
Hey Cathie! The tape in the video does seem quite complicated. However, what my PT did on me was very simple. I was just thinking that the tight band feeling seems to have disappeared since my tape has been on. Here's hoping I haven't spoken too soon! Time will tell. Mary
 
wolf woman said:
@marmora Cathie, I have two therapists now. One on Monday, the other on Friday, usually. This is because my Monday gal doesn't work at that clinic on Friday. Anyway, last Friday, the PT and I were discussing MUA and his reply to me was "Not on my watch!". So, I get that most of the therapists there are not in favor of manipulations. I don't know why, perhaps I should ask. Oh, FYI, my flex was 113 on Friday and about 111 today.

Also, I told my PT today about my closet cleaning project. She thinks I may have done too much as well. <sigh> I wanna be my old self again!

Mary
Click to expand...

Hooray for your physiotherapist! Studies have shown that MUA done early in the recovery period has very little effect on the long-term result.
See this:
MUA: the ineffectiveness of early MUA (JBJS)

In any case, MUAs are very rarely done when the flexion is over 90 degrees. They're not a magic cure for slowness in gaining ROM, and they can be done many months after a TKR, so there's no rush to get one done.

They can be helpful much later, if you have been stuck at a certain ROM (below 90 degrees) for some time.

They do cause some re-injury to the knee and, if you have one done, you need to go back to much more rest, ice, and elevation - and much less exercise for a while.
 
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