PKR A Partial Knee

Besoke

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Hello all,
I had two meniscus repairs and then finally a Partial knee replacement on my right knee in mid February, 2020. I feel like my surgery was unremarkable. I started PT in the first week and continued until a week ago, now 4 months out. I have walked since about the second week I have pain with every step I take. I ride my stationary bike for 30 minutes daily with no problem and I have great range of motion. It’s just weight bearing activity that is painful. I just saw my surgeon and he advised me to stop PT and just ”drag my leg around” and it would get better...But he also sent an email about weight loss. I weigh the same as I did before surgery. Is it “normal“ to feel pain (on a scale of 10, it’s about 7-8 with each step) I don’t take anything for pain, tapered off narcotics by about the 3rd week post surgery. People say it will get better, at 4 months I am losing hope. The nagging question I have is, am I doing damage? If something is wrong, am I making it worse to walk when its this painful, it swells and stiffens after all exercise. It also stiffens if I don’t walk. I understand stiffness and swelling at this point. It’s the pain I don‘t get.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
 
Wondering....is the pain the same pain that you had pre-op? Bone on bone weight bearing acute pain with every step or different pain?
 
It’s very similar to the pain I had before surgery. I had a medial Partial KR and that’s exactly where I was bone on bone before surgery.
 
Welcome to Bonesmart. :flwrysmile: You've come to the right place to learn all about knee joint replacements. Would you please tell us the exact date of your partial replacement. I will add that date to your signature. Knowing it helps us to advise you better.

You are just beginning a year-long recovery from your replacement. Some say that a partial's recovery is quicker than a total, but we have found that that's not so. This recovery takes patience and easy movements.

The following are our basic guidelines and should help get you started. As you read more on other members' recovery threads, you’ll get a better perspective of what to expect and what not to do, especially regarding PT.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Thank you for all the good reading..
Yes, my surgery was Feb. 18, 2020
 
Thank you for your surgery date. It has been added to your signature for you.
 
My PKRs really hated the bike, no matter how gently or how short the time. Felt great while doing it, but always painful later. Three surgeries in the same area? My soft tissues and nerves spoke to me for a long time in the knee that had previous meniscus surgery (8 yrs between). That's also the knee I sprained the ligament in (see my thread).
And the PKRs loved deep water pool walking (wearing an aquajogger belt), normal walking motion without impacting a hard surface.
 
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Mariettha,
I wish I had access to a pool. I bet it would really help.
 
As the BS advisors have recommended, resting and icing w elevating usually helps us all
 
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Is it important to elevate at 4 months out? I realize elevating is something I haven’t done since the early weeks post surgery. Is it something we should all continue to do until there is complete healing?

Also are there any threads about recovering on your own versus people in partnerships?
 
@Besoke

I'm 4 months out also and was religious about elevating (above my heart) with icing until very recently. I did not experience a lot of visible swelling but found it helpful...especially after exercise/activity... or if I felt in any way that the knee was tired, tender. I would definitely ice/elevate if swelling. And, I am not shy about propping my operated leg on another chair when we are out with friends and/or family if I have been sitting normally for over an hour or so.

I was fortunate that my husband was helpful waiting on me after the surgery so I did not have to push myself in the early days/weeks. (I felt guilty about being so reliant on him but he said he remembers my helping him after 2 ACL surgeries and 2 elbow surgeries while juggling little ones. ) I would not want to have to do this without help from family or a friend. Me and my sisters helped my dad get through his recovery 2 total knee replacements - we tag teamed helping for weeks with each surgery.

I am sorry you feel weight bearing pain as I know it is worrisome deciphering what pain and discomfort is normal versus whether something isn't healing quite right. I do hope it subsides with rest, ice and elevation.

FWIW, you tapered off narcotics far sooner than I did. I took 1/2 a pill to 1 pill a few days a week - for at least 2 months. The hydrocodone just took the edge off of the stiffness/discomfort.
 
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I was home alone after my replacement almost the whole time. It took a lot of pre-planning. I had bought lots of protein drinks, microwave dinners, mixed nuts, and dark chocolate kisses. I had 13 rescued kitties to take care of, so I bought lots of cat litter and cat food ahead of time. I neighbor of mine came over and cleaned the litter boxes the first week. After that, I was on my own.

It can be done. Rest as much as possible. When you do, ice and elevate at the same time.
 
Hello all,
i have read a lot here and have taken your good advice. I have backed off from daily walking and riding my stationary bike. I’m doing lots around the house and gardening, icing and elevating more. In fact I ordered the graduated pillow, even though my surgery was 4 months ago. (Of course my other knee needs replacement too) My pain is lessening but the knee is quite a bit stiffer...less pain feels like a gain, assuming i can gently bend and maintain what has been good ROM. I understand it must be difficult to offer one size fits all advice for recovery but that’s what the surgeons seem to do, in fact I was part of a study that emphasized PT. The funniest part is that I got an Apple watch to keep reminding me to move and now I have to ignore it!
You’ve given me hope that I may just get better.
Thank you.
 
I had 2 PKRs. I’d call both successful. For each, i was on pain meds for 6 months. with all the cutting, pounding, and sawing, I guess pain is normal. I had to fight And grovel for opiates. It was worth it.
 
Wow bill 3/
20. Well that would explain a lot.. I got off them quickly. My surgeon’s nurses were constantly lecturing about the importance of getting off pain meds.
Ha, you are in Portland too. Do you knees give you any problems now?
 
I am having an odd new symptom. My PKR was on the medial side but I’m having strange sudden jolts, like electrical jolts on the outer side of my replaced knee. They are fleeting but intense so that I look down to see what’s wrong. I‘m not walking or riding my bike but taking care of my house, garden and two dogs. Not overdoing, icing a couple times a day.. Sound familiar to anyone?
 
What you are feeling might be what we call “Zingers,” when the nerves are trying to reconnect as they heal. Most of us experience this.
 
Oh good. Zingers are normal. Thank you Jockette.
 
Hello all,
I had PKR in Feb of this year so I am now at the 5 month point. I still have considerable pain all the time, swelling with any activity, so much tenderness that staying asleep is still difficult. I stay active doing between 7500-10,500 steps per day just taking care of my life and dogs. So I am not just sitting around. X-rays show the appliance is sitting well and “should” be fine but the surgeon can see that my leg remains swollen and painful. He’s ordered an MRI of my back and suspects referred pain. Anyone been down this road?
 

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