TKR Annaf's recovery thread<

[AnnaF]

@Josephine , Yes I’d be willing to answer any questions you have.

 

[AnnaF]

It’s 12 wks. Should my knee swell with a 5 minute walk on treadmill?

 

[Celle]

Some knees will still swell with any increased activity. Your knee is telling you it isn't ready for the treadmill yet.

 

[Josephine]

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?

4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[AnnaF]

1. Pain level 1 except when over bending 5
2. Only Tylenol
3. Moderate
4. ROM 90 extension 0/1
5. Depends when I overdo. 2/3 times a day
6. Elevating 3/4 daily especially after overdoing
7. Housework, cooking cleaning. Not too much shopping.
8. Stopped all exercises. Just daily routine. Started walking on treadmill 5 mins. Daily
9. Did PT for 7 weeks after surgery. Very aggressive.
Hope this answers your questions. Please any help would be appreciated

 

[Josephine]

You've not answered the questions fully

2. Only Tylenol

The questions was: how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

5. Depends when I overdo. 2/3 times a day
6. Elevating 3/4 daily especially after overdoing

The questions was: If so how often and for how long?

8. Stopped all exercises. Just daily routine. Started walking on treadmill 5 mins. Daily

The questions was: - how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each

9. Did PT for 7 weeks after surgery. Very aggressive.

The questions was: - how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each

 

[kneeper]

I found the treadmill a bit hard on the new knee and did better just walking outside for short distances.

 

[Celle]

@AnnaF
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. This is the second time that your threads have been merged. Please don't keep starting new threads.
For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.
Don't worry that we won't see your question because, between us, the staff read all new posts every day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[AnnaF]

@Josephine
1000 mg. Tylenol morning & evening
Elevating about every hour or two & icing for at least 30 minutes
I stopped all PT exercises. I am only doing my cooking, cleaning, usual daily routine
I go on the treadmill once a day for 5 minutes
NO MORE EXERCISES

 

[AnnaF]

I have no pain except if I force a bend. Just stiffness.

 

[SusieShoes]

Sounds like you’re having a good recovery, Anna. Being relatively pain-free is a wonderful place. I agree that the treadmill might be a little rougher for a new knee than some outdoor strolling, which also has the benefits of changes in elevation and making turns, etc.. A little more bang for your buck and all that.

 

[sistersinhim]

I, too, learned the hard way that the treadmill is rough on a new knee. Do you have an inside bike? I found that if I was aching at night that I could just get on my bike for about 5 minutes and that would work it out! Walking around the house would probably do the same thing.

 

[Josephine]

1. Pain level 1 except when over bending 5

Okay

1000 mg. Tylenol morning & evening

okay

3. Moderate

You did note that swelling is pain? Did you factor this in to your pain score?

4. ROM 90 extension 0/1

For 12 weeks out, that's actually not bad!

5. icing: depends when I overdo. 2/3 times a day

I understand that

Elevating about every hour or two & icing for at least 30 minutes

okay

I am only doing my cooking, cleaning, usual daily routine

Good

Did PT for 7 weeks after surgery. Very aggressive.

I wish you'd told me what you did! That was exactly what I wanted to know!

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each

I stopped all PT exercises.

Very good

I go on the treadmill once a day for 5 minutes
NO MORE EXERCISES

Then you haven't stopped all exercises! But so long as you can handle that on the treadmill, then okay

 

[AnnaF]

I can’t do a complete turn on bike only back & forth

 

[AnnaF]

No matter what the activity my knee still swells. If I do my everyday chores, dishes, laundry, cooking, it immediately swells. Is that normal?

 

[sistersinhim]

Swelling is normal at 3 months out. Remember, you are only 1/4 of the way of a completely healed knee. Icing and elevating is the best thing to do for a swollen knee. Remember, it's toes above nose!

 

[AnnaF]

I’m 3.5 months post op. My ROM is about 92. My extension is 0/1. I’m doing my daily chores laundry, cooking, cleaning. The only real exercise I do is 5 mins. On the treadmill because my knee swells moderately. If I stand too long doing things, it swells too. I really want to improve my ROM but since I swell so quickly, I’m not sure what to do. I realize when the knee is swollen it will not bend. I feel like it’s a catch 22. What should I do?

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you're doing your ADL, which is what you need to do. Treadmills are bad on new knees. Much better would be just regular walking around.

 

[Jockette]

Hi, Anna, I was just thinking about you today and wondering how you’re doing.

The thing that scares me about a treadmill is that the surface you walk on keeps moving. I don’t think I’d be comfortable with that even now at 1 year post op.

My balance was not great yet at your stage so it would have scared me more then.

How do you feel on the treadmill? Do you keep it moving very slow?

 

[trucka]

I'm almost 13 weeks in and mine swells when standing too long and walking too far. It's good to know it's not unusual.
I've decided not to push it too far and give it more time to get better. I'm sure your rom will improve later on when the swelling goes down more.