TKR Almost one year, still a bit sore

[SusieShoes]

Sounds like your knee is telling you something. It makes so much sense: your knee has undergone severe trauma. Yes, it was a surgery, but your bones were still broken, and your muscles and tendons and other soft tissues were still cut and sewn and abused. They need to heal. While healing, they don't need to be subjected to exercises that further aggravate and inflame them. Moving your knee is fine! Knees like to move; it's what they do. And you see that when you walk around your house. Your knee loosens up, I bet. I know mine do. Your knee will tell you what works... and also what doesn't.

Whether you use a Lounge Doctor or some other means, by all means let your knees bend a little. In the hospital, nurses hounded me to keep my knees straight. Boy, did that hurt! So I found ways to bend them a little. Much better. I and my bent knees are recovering just fine.

 

[rubyyarn]

Welcome to the forum! Yes, the first couple of weeks hurt like the end of the world! I swore I would never do the other one, but here I am...scheduled for knee #2 on 9/26. So the pain does ease up. Just keep up with the drugs, ice and elevate as often as possible. At some point you will realize that the pain that drove you to the surgery is gone, never to return!

 

[Pheebs52]

Wow, do I wish I had known about the Crutch-eeze gizmos for walker handles! Just thinking about how my hands felt for the first 4 weeks is really bad Deja-Vu; ugh! Now, when I eventually go for Knee #2, I'll know what to look for, so thanks! I used duct tape, lol, and no, it didn't help much at all; pffft!

FWIW, I had to ...er...*dispose* of my Home PT person after just 4 visits. She was absolutely dreadful and just wouldn't respect my boundaries. Though I was only 2 weeks post-op and still, like you, in a lot of pain, my OS referred me to a fabulous Outpatient clinic and I'm still going. So, be aware that really good PT's exist. PT's who really listen and don't follow the "No Pain/No gain philosophy. They may be difficult to find, but worth their weight in gold.

It sounds as though you ended up having a much betetr day just by following the Bonesmart way. Funny how that works, eh?

 

[Polkadot]

I too was told to keep my knee straight when elevating or when sleeping; in fact, while waiting in great trepidation for an additional procedure at 5 weeks called an MUA, a doctor came in and gave me a lecture about really pushing exercise this time (as if I hadn't been before!). Then she approached the gurney where i was trying to hold back the tears and pulled my leg out straight in front of me. (I had it a bit bent and leaning to the side.) She said, "you need to keep it straight like this when lying down or sleeping, or it will never straighten out." (I was actually sitting up at the time, and have never been comfortable with both legs stretched straight like that.). However, i dutifully went home after the procedure and tried to keep my legs straight while sleeping. After a couple of nights of torture, I gave up and began sleeping with my TKR bent comfortably. My extension now hovers between 0 and 5 degrees depending on the day. She scared me needlessly.

 

[Celle]

I'm sorry so many of you were told it's essential to keep your leg straight - because it isn't. It doesn't make one bit of difference to your eventual extension. By all means, bend your knee a little when you're elevating.
If you read this article, you'll see that Josephine talks specifically about not keeping your leg completely straight all the time, as it causes extreme pain.
Elevation: the do's and dont's

 

[Irelandliz]

Hi KarriB
My surgery was on August 25th

So the question is do we evacuate South Florida? Thank goodness we moved into a single storey house with hurricane impact windows two years ago. I couldn't think of trying to get into the back seat of a car with my two dogs and driving forever to who knows where!!

So had a really great day yesterday with no PT - I walked several times around the house, iced my knee probably 70% of the day and had a full night's sleep so no crying for a change

I could do with a few more days like this

 

[Pheebs52]

I was tardy to the morning Bonesmart party this morning because I've been reading about Irma; frightening! I'm fairly familiar with most of FL, and I imagine the escape routes are already clogged. I have family on the middle East Coast area. Given that you are still in great pain and could be stuck on a highway for 2-3 days, only to get to the GA border and find all the hotels are booked, I guess I'd just board up the house as best as I could and head for a shelter if that becomes necessary?

It's such a hard call, given that you are post-op and they still don't really know exactly how Irma is going to track. Bottom line: Just don't put your lives at risk. If you look to be at Ground Zero, get to a shelter. If you must go to a shelter, bring a folding recliner for your knee, your pain meds, pillows and ice packs. Wishing all Floridians the best!

 

[Irelandliz]

Thanks Pheebs. Our house is quite protected with walls and other houses close together - this is when zero lot line is a good thing lol plus we have the Hurricane proof glass in our windows (I guess we will see if it really works )

We have some friends leaving and some staying so my prayers go to everyone

 

[Pheebs52]

@Irelandliz, if you are interested, I just started an Irma thread in the Social Room.

 

[Jockette]

@Pheebs52 Where is the social room?

 

[liam2015]

@Jockette ~ click on "community", then the option "social".

 

[Pheebs52]

It's just another Forum here Jockette!

 

[Jockette]

I found it, thanks!!!

 

[Pheebs52]

Cool!

 

[Irelandliz]

So I decided to stop the PT for now and let my knee heal rather than just 'blow it up' every day with therapy and add to my pAin tenfold.

Can I tell you what a lovely day I had today again without the hour of torture and the subsequent doubling up on pain meds.

I may even see a wee pinpoint of light in the distance!

Thank you for making me see the light everyone.

Tomorrow at 9.30 I go to get my 42 staples out of my leg and was a bit surprised that no numbing is done beforehand! Is it really not that sore?

 

[Celle]

I'm glad to hear your knee feels better with no punishing PT.

I hope you stay safe during Irma.

 

[KarriB]

I made sure to have taken a pain pill before having the staples out. It was pinchy for sure. I'm glad you're having good days!

 

[kmak81230]

Glad you are taking a break from the tortuous PT - your knee will be ever so grateful! Please be safe with Irma!! Will be sending good thoughts your way. Good luck with the staple removal - glad you are getting them out before Irma arrives.

 

[Pheebs52]

Staple removal is a bit ouchy, especially if skin has started to grow over them, but all things considered, small potatoes next to what you've been through and a real relief once they are out!

 

[liam2015]

i'm pretty sure the nurse rubbed something on my incision before taking the staples out. it was pink in colour; perhaps an antiseptic? only a couple of them stung a bit coming out but overall, painless (in my case). hopefully it will go well for you. the nurse put steri strips over the incision once the staples were out.