TKR Bluejuju's Recovery Thread

[kneeper]

Thanks dtmbf- the thought of doing my other knee right now makes me want to throw up!! Maybe in a few years I will forget this torture (kind of like childbirth!) And have the second one done.

When you see how well your first knee winds up, you will be willing to have the 2nd done. My 2nd knee is even better than the first.

 

[bluejuju]

Man, I went to the Ymca yesterday after PT and I am paying the price today-so stiff and achy...feels like I did at 4 weeks and not what I should feel like at 7 weeks. I get so frustrated and so impatient. I just want my life back!! Some days I just keep asking myself WHY did I do this??? No exercise for me today...I am on a sit down strike!! I'm eating ice cream and watching movies all day!!

 

[tigz]

I'm with ya @bluejuju!

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @bluejuju

Even though my recovery is a bit slow, like childbirth (you're right there!). you do kind of forget how it felt. However, I've no regrets having it done. To be rid of that broken feeling and bone on bone arthritic pain makes these early days more bearable.

My only advice to you was the advice given to me by my OS. Get your other knee as healed as much as you possibly can. You need it strong. Mines now proved itself to be worthy of being called my knee, not my replaced knee.

Patience is key. Mines running a bit low but hey it's all part of this wonderful experience xxx

Enjoy the ice cream and the movie...that sounds lovely x x

 

[bluejuju]

Anyone have any luck with Kinesio tape for swelling and stiffness? PT is going to try that tomorrow on me - did the tens unit on Monday. That was a weird feeling!! I'll try anything if it doesn't kill me .

 

[iivesfam5]

You sound great!!! No advice - I am waiting 3 weeks from tomorrow and I am doing both - crazy, huh? But I am afraid I would never do the second one so double whopper for me please!!

 

[PolarBear60]

Pro athletes claim the tape works for them. It's worth a try.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005

 

[bluejuju]

@iivesfam5.. I applaud you. In one way, I wish I went ahead and did both at the same time, but I couldn't get up the nerve. Now I have to face getting the other one done next year. But you will be all done in a few weeks, never having to do it again. Bravo to you my friend....I will be following your thread closely.

 

[bluejuju]

7 weeks out now- I only had one PT visit this week. I had a slight virus so they wouldn't let me come. The only exercise I've been doing is some occasional stretching and walking the dog three times a day up the street. I have been elevating, icing, and Aleve every twelve hrs. No pain, just stiffness and swelling. I have my next PT visit on July 2nd and I am afraid of not progressing (ROM has only been 95). Should I be more active? I feel that whenever I do something ( yesterday went to an outlet mall) the next day I am stiff and swollen again. Was so looking forward to the kinesio tape, but because of the diarrhea they wouldn't let me in( totally understand). I feel like I am going backwards and not progressing like I should be...Monday I am forcing myself to go to the YMCA's pool for some stretching.

 

[Celle]

I have my next PT visit on July 2nd and I am afraid of not progressing (ROM has only been 95). Should I be more active? I feel that whenever I do something ( yesterday went to an outlet mall) the next day I am stiff and swollen again.

No, I don't think you should be doing more. Concentrate on getting rid of that swelling, because your knee can't bend well while it is still there.
A ROM of 95 at 7 weeks is quite OK.
Going to the mall was probably a bit much this early in recovery and your knee let you know that.

 

[bluejuju]

Thanks celle.. I get in the habit of comparing myself with others that are the same or near same number of weeks that I am at and it gets me depressed. I am so fixated on reaching at least 110.... that's what PT is drilling into my head. I know I can do it, but my knee feels like a board. It is so stiff...then there is the fear of the dreaded MUA... Can't afford to be out of work longer than 12 weeks. I'll just keep elevating and ice...anything else I can do to get rid of this stiffness? Still taking Aleve and Tylenol during the day, sometimes a dilaudid at night.

 

[Celle]

I get in the habit of comparing myself with others that are the same or near same number of weeks that I am at and it gets me depressed. I am so fixated on reaching at least 110.... that's what PT is drilling into my head.

Two things:

1. Don't compare your progress or your knee with anyone else's. Your knee is on its own journey. Nobody else's knee was exactly the same as your knee before surgery, so nobody else's knee is going to have the same recovery journey as your own knee.
2. Stop listening to the physio and her/his obsession with the numbers. The physio has a target to meet (probably to prove that her/his ministrations are doing some good) but that does not have to be your target. There's no need to rush to get ROM. As long as you are making steady progress, no matter how slow, you are doing OK. It's never too late to get more ROM! It's worth the wait for ROM

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? the tortoise won the race because he kept on making slow and steady progress. If you have to be the tortoise, so be it - you're going to win that race!

 

[Blendab1]

Hi Bluejuju! I wanted to let you know that I used the tape and it helped me tremendously. The swelling was reduced after wearing it three days. I had them reapply it when I knew I was going out on the town at 7 weeks to keep the swelling down and it really helped. They applied it lie a basket weave pattern. Here's a photo of mine

Good luck with your recovery and if you can take ibuprofen that helps reduce the swelling too. I'll be 16 weeks on Monday and that is all I take when I need something.


Brenda

 

[bluejuju]

Wow!!! Thanks for the pic Brenda. I will definitely show this to my PT person. How long can you wear it for? Ok to shower with it on? Can you walk ok with it, too? Looks kind of pretty!!

 

[Josephine]

Good questions! I decided it was time I had an article about Kinesio taping. I thought it was done using pvc tape but yours is just plain old fabric strapping! But it's also a purpose cut tape so that's something else I've learned!

Brenda I've reduced the size of your picture as it's easier to see when you don't have tp scroll up down and sideways to get a good look at it! I'd also like to use it in my article if that's okay with you.

 

[iivesfam5]

Very interesting that tape used for swelling....

 

[momweb]

@bluejuju I was reading your thread with interest. My surgery was almost a week ago, June 22nd. I was doing so well and feeling so great that I paid for it, not only in swelling and pain, but in flexion. I started at 85 and surprised my home PT the following day with a flexion of 110. He was shocked. I didn't feel any different, but thought wow, ok, I can do even more. So, I went for a walk outside, did extras of my exercises. And boy, did I pay for it the next day. I felt sick to my stomach (I also take dilaudid), I was sore, stiff, swollen and when measured I had dropped to 96. It's just not worth pushing. Even the PT said the same thing as @Celle about being the Tortoise. So, the tortoise I will happily be!

 

[Blendab1]

Wow!!! Thanks for the pic Brenda. I will definitely show this to my PT person. How long can you wear it for? Ok to shower with it on? Can you walk ok with it, too? Looks kind of pretty!!

You can wear it as long as you an tolerate it. Yes, I can do everything you mentioned and I generally kept it on for 3 days because my skin can only handle the adhesive for that long.
I hope it works for you like it did for me.


Brenda

 

[dtmbf]

I used the kineseo tape on both my hips & my 1st knee - and thought it made a difference. My PT used a very different application than in the picture posted for the knee - and I think it was much easier to apply. We started at about 8-10 weeks post op with a very well healed incision line. She took a solid piece of K-tape, anchored it below the incision line, had me bend my knee as much as I could, and then stretched it straight up the incision line (with about a 75% tension) and anchored it above the incision line. For the hips the PT used it for the swelling to promote lymphatic drainage, and for the knee it was used for swelling and soft tissue support. I'll still use it on my 1st knee on occasion as the soft tissue never did go back to normal & I have a very weird sensation around my knee. I liked it & will use it on this 2nd knee if I need to. It's inexpensive, you can buy it on Amazon, so I thought it was worth a try and I'm glad I did

 

[kneeper]

@bluejuju I was reading your thread with interest. My surgery was almost a week ago, June 22nd. I was doing so well and feeling so great that I paid for it, not only in swelling and pain, but in flexion. I started at 85 and surprised my home PT the following day with a flexion of 110. He was shocked. I didn't feel any different, but thought wow, ok, I can do even more. So, I went for a walk outside, did extras of my exercises. And boy, did I pay for it the next day. I felt sick to my stomach (I also take dilaudid), I was sore, stiff, swollen and when measured I had dropped to 96. It's just not worth pushing. Even the PT said the same thing as @Celle about being the Tortoise. So, the tortoise I will happily be!

Classic Overdid it Club (ODIC) scenario! But the fact that you got to 110 means it's "in there."

it's hard not to compare @bluejuju but tkr is very much an individual sport.