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TKR AG TKR new knee
- Thread starter agarrett
- Start date
United States
Just walking gently.
Stiffness is one way in which you feel pain, too, so make sure that you are taking adequate pain medication.
It's still less than 2 months since your surgery, so some of the stiffness is still the result of internal swelling.
Stiffness is one way in which you feel pain, too, so make sure that you are taking adequate pain medication.
It's still less than 2 months since your surgery, so some of the stiffness is still the result of internal swelling.
Red's Mom
graduate
This was the view, now you know why I didn't get out!
@agarrett and @RMasano i still have a bit of AM stiffness. Just spend a couple of minutes moving about under the covers. I lay on one side do a tuck and then long body stretch, then on my tummy to get the extension awake then tuck and tall on the other side. Easy peasy and makes standing up and moving a breeze!
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agarrett
member
@Red's Mom that is a great view. I would rather be on the beach about now, even in pain, it would be great.
Was hoping to go to church in the morning but based on current pain and stiffness, low chance of it. But last check in the morning in case ice and elevation overnight makes enough of a difference.
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Was hoping to go to church in the morning but based on current pain and stiffness, low chance of it. But last check in the morning in case ice and elevation overnight makes enough of a difference.
Right TKR 27 December 2016
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agarrett
member
Rom update....last week starting point was 95, some exercises and stretching and bike got to 100, then pushing from PT got to 105, uncomfortably. Then today with bike warm up got to 100, but PT thought it was bad and wanted 105 as the starting point. With some stretching and light pushing got to 104, all comfortable today. They said the goal is 105 without back tracking is the goal. Thoughts? Any other see this slide or progress with rom?
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Please don't let the PT push on your knee any more. It can cause harm.
Your ROM is just where it needs to be at this point. Don't let your PT's agenda for improvement be your agenda. Your knee is making progress and it knows what it's doing.
It's only 7 weeks since your surgery and you are well past 90 degrees, which is about where you should be.
Did you realise that ROM can continue to improve for a year, or even longer, after a TKR? You have all the time in the world. There's no need to rush or to worry, no deadline you have to meet, or all is lost.
Your PT wants rapid progress because that makes her look good on paper - but it might not be what your knee needs.
Your ROM is just where it needs to be at this point. Don't let your PT's agenda for improvement be your agenda. Your knee is making progress and it knows what it's doing.
It's only 7 weeks since your surgery and you are well past 90 degrees, which is about where you should be.
Did you realise that ROM can continue to improve for a year, or even longer, after a TKR? You have all the time in the world. There's no need to rush or to worry, no deadline you have to meet, or all is lost.
Your PT wants rapid progress because that makes her look good on paper - but it might not be what your knee needs.
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agarrett
member
I think she is working towards my next OS appt on 3/1 which he said he would decide if a manipulation was needed or not. My question is more how or what causes the knee to stay st that next level of rom when it gets there? So since I got to 105 what will keep it there?
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
It will stay around 105 or continue to improve, because it can. You may find it goes back a bit on some days (when you're tired or when you've done a bit too much) but generally it won't regress. That's because the swelling that was preventing your knee from bending has gone down far enough to allow your knee to bend that far.
It's not exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself.
By the way, very few surgeons consider doing an MUA once your flexion has passed 90 degrees, so don't let your PT frighten you with threats of an MUA.
It's not exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself.
By the way, very few surgeons consider doing an MUA once your flexion has passed 90 degrees, so don't let your PT frighten you with threats of an MUA.
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agarrett
member
@ Celle thanks, mine is just a slow progression and that can be frustrating as well. I just want the rom to be a comfy max not a it bend there once to get a number, but instead I can bend it to that point regularly and as needed. And my Rom was really good before surgery, not sure I am going to get all of that back even at this point which I hadn't considered before now.
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Mireille
graduate
@agarrett My ROM is also slow comimg to this party! It's frustrating and I also worry (probably too much) about getting the same good mobility I had prior to this. PT pushing on my knee didn't work so I gave up on PT and my OS is ok with this since I had ROM over 90 at 6 wks. I'm trying to just get on with life and let the knee be the boss. The knee is going to heal when and how it wants and I can't control it. Time will tell. I will tell you I don't know my current ROM but I'm walking better, I can sit comfortably for a long period of time and those were things I couldn't do just about 2 weeks ago. In my book that is progress and I'll take what I can get. I still worry about it a lot on my bad days but that's normal. Good days always come back! Best of luck to you!
I don't know how many times I have to say this: You are not having a slow progression in ROM. Your ROM is right where it needs to be at this point in your recovery.
I can only assume that your PT therapist has a schedule she/he wants you to meet and is pushing for you to improve more quickly.
Sometimes PTs get hooked up on the numbers, because improving the numbers is one way they can prove to the insurance companies that they are doing a good job.
That's all well and good for the PTs, but it can leave their patients feeling (as you do) that they are not doing very well when they don't meet the PT's artificial schedules. It's demoralising for their patients and not really good patient care.
Sheesh! It's only 7 weeks since you had this major surgery and already your PT has you feeling that you're falling behind. You aren't. You are doing just fine.
You will regain the good ROM that you had before surgery and that gain will eventually be permanent.
All it takes is time - time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself.
Slow and steady progress is a good thing.
Remember that this is a year-long recovery, so you have all the time in the world.
Your knee is still a work in progress. Where you are now is not where you are going to end up.
You are going to do OK. With the ROM that you have already, I'll be very surprised if your surgeon even mentions an MUA.
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agarrett
member
Today was a discussion with PT on which ROM measurements lately matter and that I feel progress is still being made. I was 102 on my own before exercises, not the 105, but I established me getting to 102 was success. The other day that was only 100. And I feel my strength is coming along and made a breakthrough the last few days in a good way.
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
lennie
member
Excellent. Don't do too much.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I'm glad you are making progress, but can I suggest that you stop having your ROM measured so often? While I know that you want to see measurable progress in ROM, there is so little difference between 100, 102 and 105. The differences can even be explained by a slight difference in technique.
You have passed 90 degrees, the number that most surgeons consider necessary , to avoid needing and MUA. From now on, let your knee progress at its own speed , without constant measuring.
Frankly, I think that measuring ROM every couple of weeks is plenty. Doing it more often just creates anxiety, which you have aplenty.
In any case, what you can do with your knee is far more important than the measurement.
Function is more important than the numbers.
My surgeon doesn't measure ROM. He expects about 90 degrees by 6 weeks post-op. After that, he can tell by just looking at your knee that you are bending enough. He just says "Show me what you can do."
We recommend you take about 12 weeks off work and then have a Phased return to work
It's not just the work - it's the getting ready for work and the journey there and back.
Most people find that their knee swells more and hurts more when they first go back to work.
It's not just the work - it's the getting ready for work and the journey there and back.
Most people find that their knee swells more and hurts more when they first go back to work.
Needy Knee
junior member
Hi agarrett, my doc let me go back to work this week (4 weeks for me) but only for 1 hour for 2 days. Next week I get 2 hours for 2 days. My first day I sat at my desk and sorted through all the paperwork that had piled up. The second day I moved around a bit more and people were coming by to chat since they realized I was there. My knee swelled more after I left that second day and still hasn't gone down. I might be stuck on 1 hour shifts for a while, lol.
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agarrett
member
@Needy Knee not sure I would know what to do with only working a few hours for the week. I was thinking only half days would be hard even. I know I will have to provide limits when I do go back. No extra hours for sure. But will still have PT so will get a few short days as well.
Right TKR 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
