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Revision TKR Beginning my recovery.

@Vangheluwec so sorry to hear it - our bodies have sustained quite a trauma and that seems to invite additional troubles. Plus we are never sure if it's a virus or a reaction to the meds. We know we need to eat healthy while recovering - but how can you do that when your tummy objects to almost everything? I hope you are feeling better today! :console2:
 
Thank you my stomach feels a lot better. Now just working on getting this pain level down. I was able to finally hold my meds down around 7-8 this morning. I'm do for them again but need to eat first. Today is just going to be resting and icing my knee.


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Ok knee pain not going down at all. It is only in the left lower part of the knee. I have elevated and iced it today. I did not do any pt exercises except for moving it and using the cpm machine. Pain meds have done nothing. Now trying the tens unit hope it works.


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Sometimes after letting the pain get ahead of you as you did with getting sick, it can take more than one day to get the pain behind you again. Be sure to take your meds through the night and hopefully tomorrow will be better.
 
I'm not very sure that a TENS would help you it hurt you more. Did your doctor tell you to use it post op? I would just concentrate on keeping it elevated and and iced. Check with your doc tomorrow. I never used a CPM but isn't that doing the same thing as doing exercises? I'm not sure of the answer. Maybe you need to take the night off. I hope you feel better soon.
 
My dr orders the tens unit for post op. It didn't do much anyways. The cpm is kinda like pt but I don't have to put in any effort I just relax and it does it. It helps because it keeps some of the stiffness away. Hopefully tomorrow will be better I'm due for more meds in about an hour.


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It isn't the effort that is causing you pain, it's moving the knee and soft tissue in general. I wouldn't do anything except ice/elevate and take your meds until the pain is under control.
 
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Hope it was a good day and your pain is under control.
 
It was definitely better pain was I fly about a 4-5 even after the pt was here. I'm still stuck at 65 so I really need to get this knee bending more.


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Vangheluwec said:
It was definitely better pain was I fly about a 4-5 even after the pt was here. I'm still stuck at 65 so I really need to get this knee bending more.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you're not in so much pain today.

No, you don't need to get your knee bending more! It will bend all on its own when the swelling goes down. The bend is already there, but your knee is prevented from showing it because of the swelling. If you like, think of your knee as being like a hosepipe that is full of water. It's stiff and hard to bend. But, get the water out and the pipe will bend easily.

So, spend as much time as you possibly can resting, icing and elevating. Only do a minimal amount of exercise. Just walking around the house a bit and doing a few (very few) Heel slides and how to do them
That's all the exercise you need to do right now.

You see, there's no need to rush to get ROM, because it can continue to improve for a year, or even longer. There's no "window of opportunity" within which you have to get ROM, or all is lost. That's an old myth that should have died long ago - and I wish it would!
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
It's never too late to get more ROM!
It's worth the wait for ROM

And here's one more article for you:
TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”
 
Thank you the articles were great. I know their is swelling in their because of the way it feels. I'm sure their is some bruising on the inside also ( it does not show on the outside) but my leg went thru a lot. I know that it will bend at least 90 because it did the first few days after surgery so I guess I will get their in time.


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Hi @Vangheluwec - just found your thread. It sounds like your recovery is going well, despite the rocky start on the meds and getting a stomach bug. As Celle said, don't push the knee to bend ... it will when ready. Two things I did to help with the swelling: I took the "elevate" to heart - I literally laid on my back on the couch with my feet up on the wall for hours just reading! :spin: Of course I had two knees needing elevation. The second thing was to try gentle massage below the knee and working up - being very gentle around the knee (sides and back only so as not to aggravate the scar, and even at that, I "held" the scar together). I actually had a massage therapist friend trained in lymphatic drainage who started me on that. Because of all the swelling resulting from all that construction in a very narrow area, the blood and lymph may not circulate as well and things just get backed up. If you can get it moving again, the body's natural circulation will help with the healing. My OS was shocked at each of my 3 week follow-up appts at how little swelling I had. But you do want someone trained in lymphatic or shiatsu massage to start you on it. Check with your OS. btw, I was developing more ROM into my 18th month. It will happen!

Good luck on your continued recovery!
 
@NightQuilter. Thank you I try to massage a little bit. I do a lot of elevating I'm usually on my bed (my couch isn't comfortable to sit on yet) I'm hoping when I start outpatient pt that they will do some massage. Hopefully the swelling goes down some over the next few weeks.


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I know that I am slowly improving. I was able to get my leg in and out of the shower by myself. I have only been able to get it out a couple of times. I had to use a towel to lift my leg but it did not feel like it was going to pop or dislocate. I have gotten used to that feeling which has made things a lot easier. And just a little bit ago I got my pillows under my legs by myself I usually have to wake my husband during the night to help with that.


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When my leg was really swollen (after sitting with it down for a few hours) I laid flat on my sofa and put my legs up on the arms of the sofa with ice on my knee. Did this one night around midnight after going to dinner and a play (I was given tickets for Christmas and was NOT missing due to my knee), my knee had swollen so much I had to peel my pants off the leg. But after an hour or so like that it felt better, not perfect, but better.
 
I'm glad that worked for you. Eventually I'm sure I will somehow be doing that with a really swollen knee.


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I am glad you got over your stomach bug. I have a CPM and I agree with you about it getting the knee "loose". I am having a great deal of swelling and just setting the CPM on a lower setting and using it seems to help the knee be able to bend. I also do the exercises my home PT gave me - although they aren't very strenuous since she didn't want to stress my poor knee. Yay for getting in and out of the shower by yourself! I cannot get in by myself yet, but can get out since the knee is loosened up by the warm water. Gotta love a helpful husband! I hope you have a good day.
 
Pt was here. I've done improvement from yesterday. I was able to bend 70 degrees a 5 degree improvement. But I have less swelling in the morning so I'm sure I won't bend that far later. That's ok though. I managed to get my foot about 10 inches of the ground while sitting and held for 15 sec 5 times. Last pt appointment until I start outpatient next week.


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I do the same with my cpm it is usually higher in the morning and has to go down some at night. We're both getting their everyday seems to be a little better. I was so happy to do the shower by myself ( had to use a towel to lift in and out of the tub).


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