Bilateral TKR Baths and Feet

[twirler]

Hi, everyone. I hope you guys are coming along swimmingly. For us turtles, it's a long slow swim.
I am asking for some encouragement once again. I resolved the biking issue. Best advice was from a young man at a bike shop who knew nothing about knees, but a lot about biking. He told me wearing jeans was the worst possible idea. I can now bike in tight light weight shorts or pants and no chaffing.
I can also go down steps normally at times, if the tight feeling is not there, which worsens in the evening.
It is 10 months. I took my granddaughters to a huge mall and walked for about 2 hours, with some sitting, then took grandson to play mini- golf, both things I have not been able to do in about 2 years. But, of course, the week after that, I felt it.
I still do my exercises almost daily, ice a few times a day, because the tight feeling has not left me yet and my incisions are pink, not white. I worry about the tight feeling, but hope it soon lessens.
Thanks for listening once again. Any comments will be appreciated.

 

[twirler]

Ps. Still no attempt to approach the bathtub. Plantar is better but I have mild aching in my left achilles, so have slowed down on the long distance walking. Hope to get back to that soon.

 

[maryo52]

Hi, it's hard to comment without knowing more about your recovery. We generally put that in our "signature." Here's a link with instructions about how to do that. https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/how-to-create-a-signature.14728/

But the tight feeling that seems to come from our scar comes from a combination of the tissues still not being 100% themselves and perhaps a bit of swelling or joint effusion (extra fluid in joint). It will go away. You notice that it gets worse with activity. You have learned to rest accordingly. Unfortunately there seem to be no other "fixes."

 

[Dhare63]

Twirler, try shoes with really good support. I wear Klogs brand and they have helped with my plantar a lot.

 

[scaredinCA]

Hi Twirler, I also have planta fasiitis for years before I needed knee replaclments. I know people who have had to have surgery for it and I didn't want that. Someone told me to wear Birkenstock shoes. I found them expensive and the first three days about killed me with pain, but they cleared up the pf in about three weeks. I wore them for the last 10 or so years and have not been bothered with pf since.. Also rocker shoes are supposed to be good for pf. I don't know how good either shoes are for knee replacements though.

 

[twirler]

Thanks for the shoe ideas. I wear really good NB sneakers or clarks, do have birks but they make my legs tired. may try them again. thanks I also have very good orthotics. doc said I am doing everything right, but it is a stubborn problem. my heel no longer hurts but my achilles tendon is a bit sore. that lasts a long time

 

[pedsnurse8]

I have a vinyl covered foam pillow I use for a headrest in my jacuzzi tub, that I got from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It is about 1.5 inches thick. Something like this (foam not inflatable) might be cushion enough to kneel on to work, but I would try the suggestions to desensitive the knees to kneeling before trying the whirlpool.

 

[scaredinCA]

Yes give the birks another try. I wore the sandals exclusively for years. In the winter I just put socks on and wore them, but of course I live in southern california so we have no snow, etc. Wear anything with a good arch support and it should clear up on its own.

 

[Dhare63]

My pf was so bad that I ended up with a cortisone shot in the heel. It was 10 seconds of sheer pain, then in about 3 days things were much better. I would do that again in a heartbeat if it ever gets bad again. But the shoes with good arch support are key to this. I bought a pair of Keen sandals with a closed toe and great arch support. They aren't pretty but they are great on my feet.

 

[twirler]

I went through sic weeks of pt for pf and had some kind of drug infused electronically. it is pretty well resolved, but i have a bit of soreness up the Achilles. my podiatrist said he would never give a shot into that area because of the possibility of rupture afterwards. I wear a very good firm orthotic in all shoes. recently bough dansko shoes that the clerk thought I could wear without the orthotic because the inner sole was not removable, but that did not work.

 

[kneeper]

Glad you have made progress with the PF. It does take a while to clear up.

 

[twirler]

Hello, all. Thinking of al of you and hoping for the best. My oneyear milestone comes up next week. Things have been improving but in the last five days, I have developed a new slight ache/Pain on the inside of one knee, mostly when I get up or bend, not so much when i walk. I am worrried because I have been pain free for the last 8 months, pretty much. This is a new development. Does it spell trouble?

 

[maryo52]

Not to worry. It's almost certainly soft tissue. Needs ice, maybe some advil or something. Have you possibly stepped up your activity or routine? Usually we can identify some activity that's irritating our painful spots. If it's just below the midline of the knee, it might be bursitis, which I got just from some benign pedaling after TKR.

 

[Jamie]

Mary's right. The sad truth is that, although our arthritic joint was replaced never to hurt like that again, we are still left with all our aging soft tissues that can provide plenty of "excitment" for us in the months and years after surgery. When something like this happens, it's good to go back to the BoneSmart mantra for a few days or weeks - rest, ice (or heat if it feels better and doesn't make you swell), elevation (if you're swelling) and take something for the pain.

 

[twirler]

I am 14 months out from bilateral replacement of knees. Most things are going well.I can do so much more than I did for the last 5 years and enjoyed the holidays. My limitations are that I only got 120 degrees flexion( just read of someone here who had 135), can do steps normally but it is a bit stiff and forced, still have the tight feeling, especially if I ride in a car for more than an hour, but otherwise, coming along with slight improvement from time to time. It has been a long slow ride for me. Talked to a man who played golf two weeks after surgery. Why do those stories always come from men??

 

[Jamie]

Why do those stories always come from men??

That's the question of the year, isn't it!!! Guys just gotta be guys. The truth is everyone recovers in their own time. In your case, you may find that you add more ROM as the year(s) go by. It can be very gradual. Likewise with losing that tight band feeling....it can take months for some people. But just keep doing a reasonable amount of activity, ensuring that you are stretching and bending routinely and you may be surprised at where you are one or two years out from your surgery.

I think you're doing GREAT!!!

 

[twirler]

Hi, everyone. I have been coming along nicely, but spent 3 days driving to Florida from PA late last week, and now my knees feel more stiff and tight again. Is this to be expected? We stopped to walk about every 3-4 hours, but the drive was long due to heavy traffic. Thanks for caring.

 

[twirler]

Forgot to add that I am 16 months post bilateral replacement.

 

[suzzee2000]

@twirler...welcome and thank you for asking your questions! I really loved reading your thread! I'm glad you found Bonesmart! Hope your recovery continues to make steps toward your full recovery!!

I had that feeling from 4 months to about 7months, then it slowly disappeared never to return.

That 's so goo to know!! Incase it happens at least I will have read this and will remember!

What matters is that I can walk with pain free knees for long distances for four or five hours. I can do the things I want to do pain free.

Can't wait for this day!!

This is a long recovery---takes at least 12 months for complete healing. You must remember that just because the outside looks great----there's still a lot going on on the inside for much longer.

Awesome post!!

 

[referee54]

Best advice was from a young man at a bike shop who knew nothing about knees, but a lot about biking. He told me wearing jeans was the worst possible idea. I can now bike in tight light weight shorts or pants and no chaffing.

That is excellent advice---you can ride forever in the correct shorts with a great saddle.

Plantar is better but I have mild aching in my left achilles

HAve you tried this---it is called a "Pro-Stretch"---it has helped me out and my PF has gone bye-bye---I also use it for my Achilles and my calf muscles, too---It will really help out with the PF.