TKR beth1954's Recovery Thread

[Jamie]

Sounds like you have a good therapist. I'm glad to hear it!!

 

[beth1954]

I think she's gonna be good.
You know even though we didn't do that much yesterday, I am a stuff swollen up mess! It even hurts in spots it never hurt before. I'm discouraged and frustrated but not beyond repair.

 

[Josephine]

She sounds like a genuine BoneSmart PT!

 

[beth1954]

So as far as my swelling today, just ice and elevate?

 

[kneeper]

Yep that's just the thing to do.

 

[beth1954]

I can barely bend it today. I'm supposed to massage the incision and it is so painful to do so.

 

[DogLoverx3]

Hiya Beth1954. The stiff and swollen will pass, don't despair. As for massaging your incision, I have to do that too. I find it not quite so unpleasant either right after icing or while I'm in the shower. I sit on my little shower chair with a soaped up wash-cloth and use that with warm water running over it to massage my incision. No clue why it doesn't hurt as much in there, but give it a shot!

 

[beth1954]

Ellen, I will definitely try that!
I'm really worried about that "tearing" feeling under my incision. I feel certain I have adhesions . My worst fear coming true. And it is so painful too.

 

[DogLoverx3]

Try not to worry about that. I had that feeling too. I know exactly the pain you're feeling. It was very sharp and it felt as if my stitches were being ripped out right at the very bottom and the very top of my incision inside. It kept my bend at 80-90 and It lasted for weeks but I kept working on my stretches and heel slides, a little more each day (stopping when it started to really hurt) and I no longer have that particular pain. Of course, I have different ones now, but I guess that's the life of a TKR patient.

And really, there's no use worrying about something we have no control over. You're just a week ahead of me in recovery and everyone says not to worry until at least 12 weeks. Just keep pushing thru this particular pain, as unpleasant as it is, and I bet it resolves itself in a couple of weeks. It's hard, but you can do it!

 

[Josephine]

I'm really worried about that "tearing" feeling under my incision. I feel certain I have adhesions

Actually you don't have to massage your incision. It has no therapeutic value whatsoever. And the tearing feeling just means that it's still tender and doesn't want to be massaged! So don't do it. It also has nothing at all to do with adhesions. Nothing - zilch. Okay?

 

[beth1954]

So, let's just say hypothetically I really do have some adhesions starting to form. Can you tell me what can be done for them? Is MUA inevitable?

 

[kneeper]

It's all part of the healing process. Your tissues are tender. Remember the surgery is pretty invasive and it takes time to heal.

 

[Josephine]

@beth1954 I would tell you that adhesions are actually pretty uncommon so don't worry about it.

 

[beth1954]

That's the kind of thing your should push through to a certain extent.

So how much do I push for this tearing feeling?

 

[referee54]

So how much do I push for this tearing feeling?

OK---I did have adhesions; my OS and my PT said that I was one of the very unlucky few---many, many, people---read that"The vast majority" do not get them. I would not worry yourself about them at all.

I would follow the Bonesmart Mantra and just gently work the surgical knee to the point of discomfort and no further; you will not do yourself any good if you go beyond that.

And, of course, afterward, ice and elevate as much as you can.

 

[Josephine]

As per BoneSmart standard advice which is

"push to the point of discomfort and then a teensy bit more - but no more".​

 

[beth1954]

I've had 4 sessions of PT ( outpatient) and I guess I have mixed feelings. I like the therapist. I do not take pain meds before PT and she likes that because then she knows I won't allow too much of a stretch because of a painkiller. I just don't think pain killers do that much for me!
She massages my incision and kind of stretches it. Flexion went from 59 to 77 in about a week and a half. That's just all I can get right now. I hope it gets better before I see my doc on the 19th of February. He won't be happy.
I am having something new and unpleasant going on. Out of the blue I get a rather sharp pain in my surgical knee that rates about a 7 on the pain scale. It kind of takes my breath away for a second when it happens. It started when I was just sitting on my recliner. Sharp pain for about 2 seconds, then it goes away for maybe 15 seconds then it happens again. Probably about 5 times then it goes away. I got up earlier and it did the same thing while I was walking. Very painful! It's just below and a little off to the right of my kneecap area. (Left knee, which is my surgical knee) any thoughts on that??

 

[DogLoverx3]

Probably just your nerves coming back to life! Wish they would do so a bit more nicely, but they seem to have a mind of their own. I called mine 'zingers' and they would come out of nowhere and HURT. This is only temporary though. It's actually a good thing, just kinda hard to think of it that way when you're wincing in pain. ;-)

 

[NuNe4Me]

Actually you don't have to massage your incision. It has no therapeutic value whatsoever. And the tearing feeling just means that it's still tender and doesn't want to be massaged! So don't do it. It also has nothing at all to do with adhesions. Nothing - zilch. Okay?

There is NO way I would massage my incision! Those tissues are trying to heal. Massaging the incision is just going to tear those fresh, new tissues apart. I would fire anyone that made me do it. If anything, that will CREATE adhesions. DONT do it! Nope. No way.

 

[Josephine]

Flexion went from 59 to 77 in about a week and a half. That's just all I can get right now. I hope it gets better before I see my doc on the 19th of February. He won't be happy.

Don't fret about your surgeon being unhappy. Neither he nor you can influence the rate at which your wound heals and lets things normalise. This isn't a high school exam and he isn't the school principle! If your flexion doesn't improve it's more likely his fault but certainly not yours! Plus you are only 7 weeks out yet and have plenty of time to get there - so don't be bullied.

Out of the blue I get a rather sharp pain in my surgical knee that rates about a 7 on the pain scale.

do you take pain killers for these episodes or are they there and gone too quickly? If there an after pain or ache? Any of these feelings soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness?

Can you tell me the exact site of your pain using this chart?