PKR Aching legs

[Metal-Knee]

@benne68 thats a good idea, as I am seeing small improvements but if I document them as you say it will register in my brain, thanks for the tip

 

[Layla]

Reflecting back once a week, on the same day each week, is what I found helpful. If you look for daily progress you will feel let down quite often. You will get to where you want to be, slowly, but surely. Be patient and give it time. I know...easier said than done!
Happy Two Month Anniversary!
@Metal-Knee

 

[amber777]

@Jaycey thank you for your advice I will go back to using my walking stick, as yes I am still limping, I must keep telling myself to slow down and let nature take its own course.

Good plan on using the walking stick. I was told use it until the limp is gone or you just might keep it forever.

 

[Metal-Knee]

Advise please. I am now 10 weeks post operative and my knee is still feeling stiff when walking. If I do some gentle bending of the knee it feels ok for a while but as soon as I sit down and then stand up again it’s back to feeling stiff. Does anyone have any tips on getting rid of the stiffness, I should add that I am seeing a personal trainer and also have just started having soft tissue massages on my leg as my knee is still a bit swollen and I have been told that this helps, so I’m hoping that these will help. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Layla]

Hello Metal Knee,
Stiffness from inflamed soft tissue and tight muscles and ligaments is not abnormal at this point and causes the swelling you mentioned. This can go on for many months. Continue to elevate and ice, especially after any sessions with your trainer. The gentle massage you’re engaging in may help also.

You are only two and a half months into a recovery that can last a full year for many and even longer for some. Pay attention to how you feel after these sessions and don’t allow yourself to be forced into movement that hurts at the time, or later on. While your range of motion is currently limited, it will naturally increase as the swelling subsides and the pain eases. Give it time.
A great rest of the week to you!
@Metal-Knee

 

[Metal-Knee]

@Layla I must admit I haven’t been icing much of late, perhaps I should go back to doing more as this might help. You are right about tight muscles and ligaments as my trainer has also noticed this so we are concentrating on strengthening my muscles in the back of the leg by stretching these areas. It certainly is a long haul to get back to some normality, but so many times I have heard that it can take up to a year before I can feel normal. I will just have to be patient.

 

[Layla]

Yep, definitely ramp up that icing.
Sadly, recovery can be a long haul with ups and downs. It does take patience, but you’ll be noticing progress along the way. Instead of looking for daily or even weekly progress, turn your focus to the holidays, or some point further out and remind yourself how great you’ll be feeling by then. You can do this and we’ll walk with you for as long as you‘re benefitting from our support.
That’s a promise!
@BionicMama

 

[sistersinhim]

I am now 10 weeks post operative and my knee is still feeling stiff when walking. If I do some gentle bending of the knee it feels ok for a while but as soon as I sit down and then stand up again it’s back to feeling stiff.

Actually, this is quite normal at your early recovery time. You still have a lot of inside healing that is taking place and more than likely have inside and outside swelling. There is very little area inside the knee capsule and any amount of fluid will inhibit movement making the knee stiff. This was the last thing to go away for me.

I should add that I am seeing a personal trainer

This might be aggravating your healing knee. It is early in your recovery for worrying about strengthening it. Make sure your movements are not harming your knee at all or causing more inflammation.

 

[mendogal]

Hang in there and please do continue to ice and elevate a lot!!!!
My late January TKA had exactly what you describe: within ten minutes of being in any position, it was uncomfortably stiff. Until after week 12, getting out bed in the morning required support from both hands and the other leg; it was excruciating for about ten minutes.
Two things I found really helpful: before changing position, place one hand on each side of the knee and slowly, gently move it through its current range of motion, without any stretching, for a couple of minutes, then slowly walk in the house for 5 minutes.
I will note that at over 6 months out, while it's quite a functional leg, there is still minor stiffness after being in one position for a while (definitely tolerates more than 10 minutes!).

 

[Metal-Knee]

@sistersinhim when I say that I go to a personal trainer, she never pushes me into a stretch that I am not comfortable with, in fact she is always telling me to listen to my body and not try and do something that my body doesn’t like, I do think it is helping a bit as I was being woken up every night with pain in my glutes but that now seems to have settled down slightly. I saw my surgeon for a follow up appointment this evening and I put all my worries to him, i.e the pain that I am getting at the back of my knee and the swelling and stiffness, but like yourselves he reassured me that all that I was feeling is very common and that I should remember that even a partial knee replacement takes a lot of strain on the body and that it can take up to a year for full recovery, exactly what you guys have been saying to me all along, but it still helps that I can ask you all questions and also keep up with other people’s recovery journey. I am so glad my sister recommended this site to me it’s been a godsend to me.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Friday, MK
We’re glad your sister recommended the site also. Tell her thanks from us!
It is nice to have you here to follow your progress and support you along the way.
Thanks for joining us. Have a lovely weekend!
@Metal-Knee

 

[Metal-Knee]

@Layla my sister is also on this site as she had a hip replacement 6 weeks ago, what a family we are.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh, good. She knows how to rehab you OK and that you are being helped by her!

 

[Tentcamper]

Also I am thinking of buying some silicone gel to help with the appearance of my scar, does anyone else use this?

I am way too impatient to let nature do its thing so I got some silicone tape off of Amazon. I put a strip over my scar and leave it on until it starts to fall off. It really helped my scar turn into a white line pretty quickly.

 

[Metal-Knee]

@Tentcamper thank you for replying to my question however even though I’m also very impatient to get back to normal, I have decided to let nature takes its course as I can already see that my scar is getting flatter even though it still looks a bit red but I am confident it will eventually settle down, I also use Bio Oil regularly throughout the day.

 

[Tentcamper]

@Metal-Knee I'm really glad you found something that works for you. Onward!

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary!
Hopefully all has been going well since you last updated.
A great week to you!
@Metal-Knee