Become an Insider

TKR Back with a question

Yes, that was a big day for not quite 2 months out.
 
Noticing little improvements, and finding joy in them, can be the key to staving off impatience. You ARE making progress, though it might not look like much if watched too closely. If looked at as a week to week thing instead of a day to day, though, you can see it happening.

This recovery can take on a "watched pot never boils" aspect, can't it? One thing that helps the time pass more quickly is to focus on other things and not how well (or not) one is "doing." Humans are so goal-oriented, though... we can turn almost anything into a contest or race. Recovery, though, would rather we just chill. :ice:
 
@Jockette, My chiropractor does not know how to tape. Apparently it's an art. Mine has been on since Thursday morning. Should I take it off today? I go to PT . I was told 2 -3 days. Knee looks good. Does the tape decrease the tendency to turn purple? I was out for 5 hours this morning. A little too long, but sitting and walking and driving so not too much walking. I sure a appreciate your experience. @SusieShoes thank you. I have gone out to do pleasurable things 3 days in a row. I forget about my knee a little bit when I'm with people.But, I can't count on my knee to say let's go home.
 
As far as the tape goes, I think you can leave it on as long as it will stay there, unless it irritates your skin. I was told to take it off in the shower, get it wet and soapy so it will come off easily, otherwise pulling it off can pull some skin off with it.

Again, personally, I wouldn’t want it on my knee. It it works great on my back.
 
Have been out 4 days in a row. I think I am walking well and I don't try to hurry. Have to remember heel - toe. I probably need to set a timer on my phone. Today my legs turned concrete in less than 3 hours. I'm going back to chiropractor tomorrow for another back adjustment. I am pretty sure that back and legs work together because my right leg was tired as well-not as tired as left. Knee started swelling and getting tight. Now I'm icing on the bed. I remember getting leg aches before surgery when my lower back hurt. I am really starting to understand how my body talks to me and I am fortunate to be able to get adjustments. Does anyone relate to the aching legs? and lower back. I don't want to be a hypochondriac.
 
I have had low back pain for years, I have 2 herniated discs.

I think you are out and about more than you should be! I was not out that long that often at that point in post op. In time you will be able to, but it’s still early.
 
@Jockette you are so right. My knee is swollen more than it has been in the last 2 weeks. Even my calf is swollen. I am stunned. I have about a month left before I have to go back to work. I re- read the activity schedule and am glad I work part time. In addition, my shoulder is acting up so I definitely have to get adjusted tomorrow and stay on the exercises that I was doing after rotator surgery. When I think about it, shoulder and knee surgery within a 6 month period is not something I would ever have anticipated. This swelling of the whole leg kind of scares me. I have lost some weight since the surgery and I think I look so much older. I have always taken care of my appearance. That probably doesn't mean much to anyone since nobody knows what I look like. I know that kind of thinking comes because it is very easy for me to get discouraged about everything today. I thought I was doing well and enjoyed getting out until I started getting tired and hurting. Sometimes I think reading all the different experiences is worse because it seems like things can go well and then go so wrong. I can't even think of anything that would encourage me. I made an appointment for a massage on Tuesday. I'm supposed to go to PT at 9 that morning. I thought maybe I might feel better since I've been so stressed by all this. I try to hide it from my friends. I want to see if I v can slowly ride the bike again. I'm so afraid of going backwards. I probably don't know a setback from losing ground. Your posts have helped me a lot. Thank you.
 
I have been reading and re reading posts and articles and for some reason I feel like I'm back at the beginning. I need some advice about stretches of other gentle things to do. I am disheartened by the swelling I have today. I am wondering if the kinesiology tape I removed yesterday was helping more than I knew. Yes my legs got tired on the days I was out but my knee looked good ( size and color). Now I have swelling below the knee and some in the calf. Also, I have pain on the top of foot which I think happens when my leg gets tired. I apologize for complaining. Today has been such a disappointment. Did I overestimate my progress? Suggestions?
 
You are not complaining, you are just asking questions.

I personally think you got to feeling better and just overdid it. It will settle down.

I was 5 weeks post op at Easter. My friend had out of town family visiting and they were having their Easter dinner Saturday evening. We were invited. I went to her house, just around the corner from my house, with a little stool to prop my foot up on, and we had a lovely evening.

The next day, Easter, we were invited to go to a restaurant with 2 other couples who were not going to be with family. We went. Even though we had reservations we had a long wait so I stood too long. I finally asked for a chair, but that wasn’t much better, with my leg down on the floor. We were finally seated, and I propped my foot up on the same small stool I had used the night before. The table legs were pedestal style which didn’t accommodate my stool well, so my back was a bit twisted the whole time so I could talk with my friends. I don’t remember how many hours I was out, maybe 3, and by the time I got home my knee, calf and ankle were very visibly swollen. I don’t know if it was just from Sunday or if also being out the evening before contributed, but it was too much.

This is a very long recovery. The best exercise we can do is to exercise patience. Try to do something, if you swell up, back off and wait a while before trying it again. You cannot baby the knee too much.
:console2:
 
And yes, I think you over estimated your progress because you started to feel better. Feeling better is good! Slow and steady wins the marathon.

We all overdid it from time to time.
 
And I love how you keep changing your thread title but keep your name in it!:wave:
 
I have enjoyed reading your posts, Jakeleg. I had my tkr Oct. 9th this year. I have been up and down and all over the map like you have. I will hit 8 weeks tomorrow and I had thought I would be completely recovered by now. My son was. Of course he is a male and 21 years younger than me, but .......
 
This recovery can be so frustrating at times. Just when you start feeling good and want to spread your wings, or more accurately take your new knee for a spin, is when you need to rein in that feeling. That wonderful feeling makes people think they’re ready for more, when they still need to keep things slow and steady. The knee isn’t ready yet, even if our bodies and minds think it should be and feels like it is.

Did you overestimate your progress? Maybe. But the improvement you notice is not a fluke. It’s just that you got caught up in the excitement of feeling better. That’s such a great feeling. Unfortunately, that great feeling can lead us to think we’re ready for more... when we’re not quite there yet. That great feeling is the time to grin with happiness, take a deep breath, and realize that what you’ve been doing is WORKING.

Though it’s tempting to want to “get back to normal” quickly at the first signs of improvement, you’ll get there faster by remaining in recovery mode and keeping things slow.
 
@Jockette thank you. I change my name and try to fit my status in the title. I really needed support when I changed it this time. I have depended on you and a few others for knowledge and experience. I am amazed at how quickly I forget the slow recovery, mood swings, repeated times of swelling. Sometimes I am up and down from hour to hour,but not drastically up and down. I go down more easily than I go up. I woke up at 3:45 - yikes,again? Debated the possibility of more sleep, finally got coffee and am now icing my knee. The responses I got this morning lifted my mood. I have mentioned previously that I am a longtime member of a 12 Step program where we share our "experience, strength and hope". That's what Bonesmart is to me. I cannot imagine doing this without it!
@SusieShoes thank you. It means a lot that the advisors are so patient. When people ask me about my recovery, I try to give some neutral response like "it's different". They do not want to hear the whole saga ( and mine n is only 8 weeks long!). I kind of enjoy it when Josephine let's go a little. It's kind off like a parent saying it over and over again. Josephine is great. I love reading her posts and articles-even though I might forget them minutes later. I'm more tired after these overdoing outing. I'm going to nap today, for sure. Good reminder that we are up getting dressed etc. before we go out. That adds time that I forget to count. @Thanks kbueno. I am a big OU football
 
Oops! fan and I cringe when anyone limps off thefield. Now it hurts to drop a Q tip on my foot. Gotta keep going. and be patient. Darn these typos!
 
This morning went to a 1 hour meeting, then chiropractor. From the time I got up and back home, I probably did not even spend 1 hour total on my feet. Got in and out of the car easily, sitting in the car is a little uncomfortable, sat for an hour in the meeting. No problems at the chiropractor. I used the sitting opportunities to do a few slides and felt pretty good about them. I did leg lifts while I was in the chiropractor's waiting room. No one even noticed me. Of course, I have been up and down many times since I got home. So.....where did this swelling about the size of a quarter come from. It is on the outside of my knee at top of kneecap. Kind of hard to describe location. It's a little tender to touch. After icing most of the day, my tissue swelling has gone down, but my knee is very tight. I think the new lump? has also gone down some. Am I to conclude that at 8 weeks, I'm still going to be experiencing new things, new sensations, different kinds of pain? I have not any pain worth mentioning for a few days However, the fatigue, swelling and tightness can really make a big comeback. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm asking too many questions. On a more positive note, people comment on how well I'm walking. I can go up steps straight, going down I'm straight if I step slowly. I felt like I might be getting a "bug" earlier today so i cancelled PT for tomorrow.I'm going to do gentle things and ADLs. Seems I worry a lot about back sliding. Comments welcome
 
@kbueno I am 8 weeks today. Are you still going to PT? What kind of exercises are you doing? I have been going out, but continue to swell at home doing my ADLs. I admit to worrying too much. I learn from others here so I am just curious about what you are doing, especially if you are troubled by swelling and tightness as I am.
 
:what:@bertschb I look for posts referring to bend and ROM. I appreciate your encouragement re: ROM. I have been going out for the last several days and have overdone it. I'm trying to find the balance between activity and overdoing. Sometimes I get discouraged when I read the posts that say ROM 120 at 3 weeks or posts where people are taking trips. I look for posts like yours so that I can remember that not everyone is running marathons in 2 months. I am bothered by the swelling that comes so quickly when I get up in the morning. It doesn't interfere with walking, it's just the tightness. I find myself wondering if I am resting too much. Than I read that I can't baby my knee too much. I have no idea what my ROM number is because I got pushed to 114 about 3 weeks ago (can't remember for sure) and I was out of commission for 4 days. That's when I had to take a stand (no pun intended). When I went back to PT I was sent to a bike where I could do very slow revolutions. I got a couple of new exercises that were fairly easy- easy means no pain or bearable pain to me. I am afraid that I have fallen prey to some of the scare tactics in PT. That's why Bonesmart has helped me so much. Maybe you have noticed that I tend to obsess. :what:
 
@jakeleg, I am 10 weeks out with my second knee and still have swelling and stiffness. Not much swelling, but the stiffness--yes! And random ouches that come in the night.

You are doing the right thing icing that lump, it will help. I've got one too, a persistant rascal.

Please don't worry about these phenoms that jump off of the operating table and work wonders. Like as not, they will be back with "Ohhh, the pain! What happened?"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 550 (members: 0, guests: 550)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom