TKR Almost one year, still a bit sore

[Pheebs52]

Ah, the attack of the zingers @Irelandliz! I haven't had any for quite some time, but today, I must've been in synch with you! I only had one short episode though, in the shower of all places. Good thing I still have the rubber bathmat in there.

 

[pdx]

It gets better! The zingers stop, the swelling decreases, you'll all of a sudden realize you "forgot" your walker/cane, etc. Sometimes my left knee swells a bit on airplanes, but that's about it.

 

[Irelandliz]

Hi everyone


I am walking now mostly without my cane inside the house and I was able to actually sit in a restaurant for the first time in five weeks. I even hobbled through Marshalls for a wee. It of retail therapy

I did have some swelling and some pain afterwards but it was worth it just to get out

I have realized that my leg is not as straight as I thought it was and am having a bit of a panic so am using the towel roll to put my heel on several times a day but it does really ache when I do it but I'm afraid it is not going to come right!! Did I leave it too late to do this or is it just the swelling that stops it from straightening the whole way?

I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Oh and my scar is almost healed

 

[SusieShoes]

When you say you think your leg isn't as straight as you thought, I think you mean extension. That's often the last thing to get to where we want it to be. Other than sleep. Sometimes it's sleep. But usually it's extension. My left knee refused to go flat for months. It was just a little shy. I did various things like what you're doing and, yes, those exercises hurt. I mean hurt! I despised extension exercises most of any.

What helped me most was walking. The more I walked, the longer my stride became. The longer my stride (as it got back to a normal stride like I remember from ye olde days of walking normally), the better my extension. I knew it was "right" again when I could put my leg flat on a ottoman, bed, or anywhere and it didn't hurt. Once extension got to normal, something else happened: I could stand comfortably for longer periods. My PT guy had told me that would happen, and he was right.

 

[Irelandliz]

@SusieShoes
Thanks so much for telling me - I was panicking to say the least because I know when I was in hospital the nurses were always putting those rolled towels under my ankle and as soon as they left I pulled it away - I thought there was this 'window' of opportunity to get the leg straight and if one didn't reach it in time we were destined to have a bent leg for ever :-(

 

[sistersinhim]

The 'window of opportunity' is just not true. ROM and extension can improve at anytime. My extension, too, was the last to come in. I worked on mine by holding on to my walker and increasing my stride distance as long as I could. Eventually, it came in. But, it was slow. Now, it's not quite as flat as my old knee, which is about -5, but I am very happy with it!

 

[SusieShoes]

Oh, no, never let them convince you of that. Our bodies are slow at most things. No one can stretch big tendons like the ones behind our knees overnight. If you can't rush them anyway, might as well do it slowly and less painfully. I was still at 2 for Lefty when I saw my OS, and he just said, "That'll get there." And it did.

I took the rolled towels away from under my ankles, too. Even in PT, when my PT guy told me it was the only way to get my extension back. "Oh, come on!" I said. I mean, ONLY way? He laughed, because he knew better too.

But I think the nurses at the hospital believed it.

 

[Irelandliz]

When you say you think your leg isn't as straight as you thought, I think you mean extension. That's often the last thing to get to where we want it to be. Other than sleep. Sometimes it's sleep. But usually it's extension. My left knee refused to go flat for months. It was just a little shy. I did various things like what you're doing and, yes, those exercises hurt. I mean hurt! I despised extension exercises most of any.

What helped me most was walking. The more I walked, the longer my stride became. The longer my stride (as it got back to a normal stride like I remember from ye olde days of walking normally), the better my extension. I knew it was "right" again when I could put my leg flat on a ottoman, bed, or anywhere and it didn't hurt. Once extension got to normal, something else happened: I could stand comfortably for longer periods. My PT guy had told me that would happen, and he was right.

@SusieShoes
Oh thank you for telling me that, I feel so much better - Phew!!! I've been really stressing that I was doing the wrong thing... I've waited for five weeks with no physio so I think I'm ready now at last - I scheduled a session next Tuesday


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[liam2015]

Irelandliz...i always thought my extension was great until around a month ago when i stretched my legs out sitting on the floor and i could put my fist underneath my operated knee. then i stood in front of the mirror and was shocked to see a bend in my knee. anyways, a month later and my extension is much better and i'm not even noticing a bend in my knee anymore looking in the mirror. i agree with SusieShoes that walking really helps everything.

 

[Celle]

@Irelandliz - it sounds as if you're making good progress.
Now you're feeling a bit better, would you like to consider a new title for your thread?
Just let us know and we can change it for you.

 

[Irelandliz]

@Irelandliz - it sounds as if you're making good progress.
Now you're feeling a bit better, would you like to consider a new title for your thread?
Just let us know and we can change it for you.

Sure! I think that's a great idea - thank you ! how about "Five weeks and Feeling positive"


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[KarriB]

Here are two stretches you can do for extention. I found the stretch between ottoman and chair was easy to do a few times through the day.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/extension-how-to-estimate-it-and-ways-to-improve-it.9529/

 

[JJ65]

@Irelandliz I agree with what has been said. Walking has seemed to help me get my extension also. I am sure it will help you as well.

 

[Celle]

Sure! I think that's a great idea - thank you ! how about "Five weeks and Feeling positive"

@Irelandliz - I've changed your thread title for you.

 

[Irelandliz]

@Irelandliz - I've changed your thread title for you.

Thank you


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[rubyyarn]

I like the new title. It shows that hope is peeking through

 

[Celle]

SusieShoes gave you really good advice about extension.
Walking is a great way to help it increase, especially if you lengthen your stride as you walk. That really helps to stretch those tissues at the back of your leg.

Don't forget that both flexion and extension can continue to improve for at least a year after a knee replacement. There's no need to rush.

 

[Irelandliz]

Hi all
Well I've reached the six weeks mark and I do feel so much better. I'm finally off the Xanax which helped me sleep well for the last six weeks and I'm back to sleeping normally again albeit with a pillow between my knees for comfort.
Getting up and down off the sofa is still a challenge as my knee is still only bending about 70 or so percent - but I find if I gently rock to get some momentum I can usually get up. At home I am no longer using a cane except during the night for bathroom trips, and I have started walking in my neighborhood with my Walker as I find it so much easier to get a normal gait going with the support.
I am trying not to limp when I walk without aid, using the heel-toe-bend that my home care physio told me but it is quite difficult still.
I have stopped all pain meds as my pain is almost non existent and only take an anti inflammatory after walking while I use my polar cube ! That thing has saved me!!
I have signed up for my first physio session tomorrow with the guy I used post arthroscopic surgery in April so I don't foresee any issues with his overworking or over bending my knee. I'm ready to just say no thanks!!! He is gentle and uses massage etc as well as heating and cooling pads so hopefully he won't have me running on the treadmill lol maybe just a gentle to and fro on an exercise bike - I'll let you know how it goes!!
I'm still not able to drive - I think maybe one more week - is this really slow?

Hoping all my BoneSmart friends are having a peaceful Columbus Day

 

[liam2015]

what a positive update. no, it's not too slow not having driven yet, especially since it's your right knee that was replaced. better to wait a little longer until you feel comfortable and safe being able to push on the brake. i didn't drive until around 7 weeks and it was my left knee replaced. the pleasant surprise was that i didn't need to bend it so much to drive and my right leg did all the work. up until then i was too nervous to try. great that your pain has lessened enough to quit the narcotic pain killers ~ makes recovery easier to cope with not having so much pain. good luck at your first physio session ~ you know the drill!

 

[Pheebs52]

Yay, what an upbeat report @Irelandliz! It's great to hear how well you're doing now! I'm wishing you the best of luck with physio tomorrow, but from what you've stated, he sounds like the right person; phew! Just remember, nothing done in there should hurt! It may be a little uncomfortable, but that's it; no pain allowed!

I agree with @liam2015, regarding the driving. I don't think there is such a thing as being too slow to get behind the wheel. You'll want to be 100% certain you right leg can jam on the brakes for a hard stop without any difficulty and you want your confidence level to be high before you begin driving again. Besides, once you begin driving again, that means running errands again, lol. Why rush, eh?