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TKR Am not dead!

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Hi everyone; I wanted to post that I have had EXCELLENT results using KT tape for my Hoffa's Syndrome. I am currently using the pattern recommended for overall knee support, but there are specific patterns for inner and outer knee pain as well. I remember when I first saw professional athletes using Kinesiology tape..it looked like it wouldn't do a thing, but boy was I wrong.
So if , like me, you are dealing with some long-term healing pain, nerve stuff, whatever..consider adding this to your arsenal of tricks. You can read all about it at KTtape.com.
 
I use it sometimes and like it. The only problem I see with it is, for some of those patterns you need 3 pairs of hands. :rolleyes:
 
Checking in to say that I am regaining strength nicely in my operated leg. Like a lot of Bonesmarties I have some quad atrophy and until about 3 weeks ago, using the quad machine caused too much nerve pain in my calf afterwards. That has subsided now and I've gone up forty pounds on the machine, adding two and a half to five pounds each session.
My quad is starting to grow again! Next;hamstring development!
 
Heat waves are not my friend! We are having very hot and humid weather here..and one might think the nice warm temps would be helpful to my knee and fibromyalgia, but it ain't so. Mrs. Knee gets tight and puffy and muscles twist and spasm of their own accord. I am taking tons of extra magnesium, plus calcium and potassium, and hydrating up the wazoo. Even so, the last two days have been "knee-cation" days;ice elevating and being very, very careful not to throw my back out. My back has gone out 4 times, as I slowly get longer on my operated side. I often have to freeze in position and just stay there for several minutes, to prevent a spasm that will take me down for several days.
To be on the safe aide, I wear my weight lifting belt for now when I do chores..I'm going on a trip Monday and I want to be able to walk!
 
Ms.fixit, I now remember reading your thread a few times. You have had quite a battle. As I mentioned on my thread, I did go for a bike ride, but I didn't push it although I went a bit longer than planned. Wish you the best in knee recovery and all the other stuff you deal with.
 
Thank you Trailspud..I'm glad you aren't pushing too hard. I really tormented myself my first 12 weeks about my activity levels, but you have real bounce back-ness , considering you had your other knee done less than a year ago! No wonder you can't wait to get going. Have fun out there..but take naps.
 
Hey there everybody..having a rest day after a busy night shift at the Parrot Rescue.
At the six-month mark , where I now am, I am very glad I had the replacement, but the leg to which the new knee is attached still needs extra TLC , and is still healing. My outer calf and lower quad ache a lot at night; I'm icing them as I write this.. and the new knee still swells and gets tight after certain levels of exertion. Still, I was able to take 4 mile walks on my recent trip. Last week, I ran around my mother's NYC neighborhood doing errands for her and, while my Fibromyalgia had me almost in tears, my knee was good as gold..performed like a real champ! It's great not to have that acute pain any longer. Still only about 95 degrees of bend,but it's fine for now. :SUNsmile: :spin:
 
[Bonesmart.org] Am not dead!
Ms.fixit, good news to hear that you are progressing even if slowly---still getting there and able to do things you couldn't before surgery.

Take care and keep us updated. We care. [Bonesmart.org] Am not dead!
 
Hey there everyone..checking in at seven months.
Finally, my nerve pain is almost gone and so are the traveling aches and pains. I'm really happy with how things are turning out..and anyone who read my posts at the beginning knows this is a big change!
I refused an MUA several times early in my recovery, to my surgeon and PT's dismay, but I am SO GLAD I did. I gain ROM a bit at a time. Usually I don't notice til I spontaneously do something that I couldn't do before, and that's when I realize I've gained a few more degrees. They told me if I didn't do an MUA within 6-12 weeks ,I'd be forever stuck at 80 degrees. Lies, all lies! I'm past 100 now, and it will only get better.
Knee still gets tight and stiff if I overdo, so it is a balancing act in terms of activity levels, but I couldn't be happier.
 
Hey there everyone..checking in at seven months.
Finally, my nerve pain is almost gone and so are the traveling aches and pains. I'm really happy with how things are turning out..and anyone who read my posts at the beginning knows this is a big change!
I refused an MUA several times early in my recovery, to my surgeon and PT's dismay, but I am SO GLAD I did. I gain ROM a bit at a time. Usually I don't notice til I spontaneously do something that I couldn't do before, and that's when I realize I've gained a few more degrees. They told me if I didn't do an MUA within 6-12 weeks ,I'd be forever stuck at 80 degrees. Lies, all lies! I'm past 100 now, and it will only get better.
Knee still gets tight and stiff if I overdo, so it is a balancing act in terms of activity levels, but I couldn't be happier.
 
Aaaaand...now I have to slow way down again!
I took a fabulous walk 4 days ago and didn't wear terribly supportive shoes..I wore my Merrill "barefoot" shoes.
Felt great at the time..about 1&1/2 miles up a steep hill and back down again.
But!
Should have worn more cushioning and support, because I have been on ice since. Knee is tight and stiff, barely wants to bend and lateral calf muscles are very displeased. Lack of my usual ROM has cause my back to go into spasm too, so I am quite a delight right now.
Moral of the story is that I need to pay more attention to what goes on my feet at this point and not wear any old shoe I like, just yet.
 
HI Mrs Fixit. Hope you're still doing well. You encouraged me a few weeks ago and I've been great. However I recently had 'dry needling' done for a tight IT band on tkr leg. Knee did not like it. Swollen and painful. Feel like I've gone back 6 weeks. My ROM is 140 and my leg is straight so I've decided to stop seeing my PT. He said the only reason I need to keep going is for the IT band. I don't think I could stand the after pain of this treatment again. Also its very worrying to see your new knee deteriorate . Am I wrong? Should I bite the bullet? Anyone know a gentle treatment for IT band? Thank you all for the advice :-)
 
Hi Bottomshollow Thank you so much. This forum is amazing. Everyone is so helpful. I will try those stretches and the foam roller. Thanks also to Josephine and Jamie for itb exercises and foam roller video. I truly couldn't have managed my tkr rehab without Bonesmart. Excellent forum!!
 
HELLO!!! I haven;'t been on in ages, mostly because I couldn't get my password re-set, but tonight it worked.
I am at the 13 month mark, post RTKR, so I thought I'd post a progress report ,in hopes of hearing from some other BoneSmarties who can comment on their own long term recovery experiences.

The knee walks like a champ..I wish the rest of me was as good!.
I do still have a fair amount of nerve pain on the outside of the new knee, probably IT band, and because I got tired of being in constant pain, I have done only regular workouts and daily activities for the past 5 months, as opposed to doing PT exercises. The knee will still object if I overdo it or wear challenging shoes..it will get stiff and tight and need resting..sometimes even ice.
I have about 107 ROM, not great, but serviceable. I'm wondering, will I be likely to get further improvement if I resume the bike and stuff? I have rebuilt the muscles in the operated leg..my thigh and other muscles are their former size once again and the leg overall is nice and strong. When I have pain I feel it around my fibular head and down into the calf, but it isn't bad, just annoying.
Mostly I'm just wondering if the stiffness I'll incur by resuming PT exercises will be worth it in terms of some more ROM. I'd love to get to 120 even if I have to wait another year.
Any wisdom?
 
Like many of us, you have a mostly-good one year report. Believe or not, improvement will continue.

I agree with your non-PT approach considering the backlash you get. This will pass. As far as increasing ROM, why not go with gentle but regular stretching? I cannot imagine any other PT you would need for ROM. Maybe you can warm up the knee first. You don't want to make it angry. I didn't do this myself, but a routine I heard about I like the sound of is a few (like three) stretches, slow and held for a minute, several times a day. That way the knee is never pushed but the effort is regular.
 
Ms Fixit , I have had a straight leg for over 30 from an auto accident as a teen . You sound like you ate really doing well for what you had going in . I hope I can achieve what you have .
 
Thanks, Mary..that sounds reasonable.
I was one of the people who refused MUA multiple times, and I do not regret it at all, it was bad enough without that mess, but I do have slightly less ROM than many patients at my stage of recovery..and of course more than some others. I'm happy to give it the old college try once again though if there is a chance of new gains!
 
How do everyone!! Long time, I know. I thought I would check in with a progress report and a question for Jo or anyone wanting to weigh in.
I am 18 months out from my RTKR and basically, I am very very happy with my new knee..it walks like a champ and I almost never have any discomfort. I am, however at only 95 degrees of bend. I am wondering if it is worth it for me to get back into the PT ring at this point and push for more, or is that a futile pursuit? I asked my Mom's OS and he feels I won't get any more bend on my own, but says there is a surgery that can be performed at this point. I'm just not up for that..my pain was so poorly managed during my TKR recovery, that it impacted my ability to do PT, and I refused MUA for the same reason..I had had it with acute pain and just wanted Doctors out of my life.
What say all of you??
 
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