TKR Annie11 recovery

[Annie11]

Ok thanks for the advice!

I've been pushing my right knee and it's been swelling some on the side. My left still has some pain w ROM and is the one holding me back some. My right is the quad issues.

My walking and energy has improved and I'm starting to feel "normal" lol

I finished PT today @ 8 weeks and they pushed me to 112 on right and 103 on left. Better than a few weeks ago. Now I just have to continue my exercises at home...

I return to work on 10/31, I've been lucky enough to work from home since 2 weeks after surgery...(and go to PT 3 times a week)

I'm thinking of adding walking around the block a few times a week - it's about 1/2 mile. I can walk in a store for almost a hr. - of course I ache afterwards but I feel much stronger.


@thecoll I'm so happy to hear you reached your goal!!! I knew you'd get there! Glad no MUA was needed - what a relief! Keep up the good work!! [emoji106]


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[Celle]

@Annie11
Don't be in a hurry to add more exercise, especially as you will be going back to work soon.
If you look at this article - Phased return to work - you'll see that it gives a whole lot of examples of the extra load going back to work imposes on your knee. Your knee will be doing plenty!

 

[Annie11]

Great article and so true. I remember going back after first knee and I was exhausted. Sometimes I don't sleep well. I did only one day per week at first, then gradually worked up to 3 days. Seems funny but it helped. Took me several weeks to get back into the swing of things.

My main issue is I have along commute - almost 3hrs back & forth per day! My right (driving) knee was so stiff so now I have to be careful with this one being operated on. I do work from home 2 days per week which helps a lot. Also, sitting all day makes you stiff. You have to get up and walk around every hr - I just did laps through the office bldg. I took an ice pack in and kept in the freezer. I also have one of those car seat heating pads - that helps with back of thighs and lower back stiffness. In the morning I heated my legs up and rode the stationary bike for few minutes and did some stretching, then same when I got home.

I think getting up after sitting is when you feel it the most, I remember sometimes it being tough to get moving from the stiffness. I do feel a little better now after getting the second knee done.

 

[zzevi]

start back slowly if you can, can't believe how whipped I've felt at time since I've went back to work. By Friday I am drained energy wise. I am seeing improvement and granted I am battling an open wound on my knee which I think is also a energy drain.
Hopefully most of what you need to do workwise you can do from home. Or only have to go in a few times a week. ( agree with everyone else about exercising, I wouldn't worry about doing anything extra at this point.)

 

[thecoll]

Hi Annie, just checking in to see how things are going for you. Hope all is well!

 

[Annie11]

@thecoll Hi Colleen, I'm doing pretty good - how are you feeling?? I was thinking about you and wondering how you were doing ...then seen your latest recovery post - your ROM is going great!!

I've been lazy since leaving PT a few weeks ago LOL They gave me the list of things to do everyday and I honestly haven't even looked at it yet. We've had some house projects going on and that's been keeping me busy and my mind off my knees. I feel almost normal again...except for stairs, getting down still difficult. How about you?

My knee is still a little swollen some and tender. I started back on the anti-inflammatory meds this week. I do my stretching exercises every other day; like leg lifts, heel slides, quad strengthening, etc. Then I ride the stationary bike everyday for about 5-10 minutes, although this past week I got up to 20 mins and finding it easier. (so hoping my ROM is improving?) My right knee is still waking me up early morning...usually when I try to lay on my side (with pillow between knees) It stiffens up...idk, it's almost like a restless leg type of feeling. I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately...

So we're at 10 weeks today!! yay

I feel better this time around at 10 weeks then i did with my first surgery. I definitely feel much better after getting 2nd knee done - I think still having one bad knee hinders your recovery somewhat. When are you thinking of getting your other knee operated on?

 

[thecoll]

@Annie11 Yes we are at 10 weeks today. Crazy how time flies, for me it started off so slow then all of a sudden it sped up. I still have to work on my ROM as I want to at least get to 120. I am still going to PT 3x's week. They did not measure in over a week till yest (Wed) and she said high 90's. I must admit over the weekend I did not do exercises instead did house chores. Then skipped out on PT on Mon. My knee just gets so tight. Wed the therapist said I had some swelling in the soft tissue.
I started working from home this week so that has not helped as I tend to sit at the computer table with my leg down. If it's down for 30 min or more it swells and tightens up. So I started using my laptop in the recliner. At least there is no longer bone crushing arthritis pain.
Sorry to hear you are not sleeping well. Since day one I slept in my bed from about 11:00pm to 7:30am but in the past couple weeks I am waking up at 6:00am. I still do not have any luck sleeping on my side. Hoping to soon or back to sleeping on my belly. I still have 3-4 more weeks of PT, I want to cancel but not sure I will stay committed at home. Many people on this site say they stopped PT or did not go at all and achieved great ROM by daily living. I guess I am an anomaly because if I stopped I would probably lose my ROM. My son told me tonight to "butch up" on PT and suck it up. College kids...
I am so glad I did not do my right knee 3 weeks after the left!!! I did use up my 9 weeks of vacation time so I will wait to do the right knee once I save back up my vacation time. By then this left knee should be completed healed, at least I hope so. Looking forward to the day the tightness goes away and I stop thinking about this knee 24/7.

 

[Annie11]

@thecoll You are doing good - no worries...it will come in time. You had some setbacks - same thing happened to me with my first knee (which was also my left done back on 4/11) I am still not 100% on that knee - my ROM was always poor and I think we only got to 103 a few weeks ago. It still causing me some pain sometimes. The PT checked it and said to massage the incision and knee more - the tissue is still tight. (and that's from April!) I was in PT for almost 4 months and I do think it aggravated more, but we were trying so hard to get ROM. It feels a lot better now and the swelling has disappeared, but going to take time. My left was my problem knee and that's why we chose to do it first. It was only 75 degrees going into surgery and very painful. I could barely walk more than 5 mins without having to sit down. Last night we went around the block (15 mins) and I wanted to do another lap!! LOL No pain! I just started this week so I don't want to overdo it.

As for my right knee (on 8/11) I think this one is better since I got to 112 degrees so that makes sitting, the bike, steps easier. My quad pain just disappeared, but the knee still swells and gets tight sometimes, but much better than a few weeks back. My surgeon had me stop PT @ 8 weeks and just has me doing the recumbent bike everyday. (wants me to work up to 30 mins per day) I've been doing 20 mins so that's great for me since I could only do 5-10. He said that the ROM will improve after about 6 months of doing this. (We'll see!) He wants me at least 115 degrees now on both knees. (We were settling for 105 before) LOL The reason for this was because my ROM was so poor going in - they said my tendons and ligaments have all became like leather - he said I waited too long to get my knees done. Not sure that's true or not, as I've only had this for 5/6 yrs. - I seen people go 10 or more years in pain! I'm only 51, I was trying to hold off as long as I could...

Anyway, my legs also swell sitting at my desk - the PA told me to get up every hr and move around and when sitting to exercise the leg under desk - roll your foot, leg lifts, she said keep it moving. I've noticed an improvement. (I've been working from home since week 2/3) Like you, I would alternate between chair and bed/recliner. I drive back into the office on 10/31. I went back to work with my first knee @10 weeks and I was okay, but hurting a lot more because of other knee. Like I said, now that both are done - what a difference!!

I'm glad you didn't get your right knee done 3 weeks after the left - can you imagine!?? Both around same time would be rough for sure! I'm still amazed that I had both of mine done 4 months apart and how far I've come. Hopefully you can get your right done soon. Certainly different surgery and recovery with each one. One day at a time...

Your son is funny - my husband jokes with me too - says, "Suck it up buttercup!" We always laugh at that saying! He's amazed at how well I'm doing - sees the difference and my kids noticed how straight my legs are now. Sometimes I forget I had surgery - then going down steps remind me of how I still cant bend right! I too want better ROM but I think that's going to take more time...hoping a year from now we will look back & tell everyone on here how good they will feel and that everything will be okay!