TKR Bunchgrass is tired

[bunchgrass]

I hope you have backed off this brutal attempt to increase your ROM since you can see it’s having the opposite effect.

Keep in mind, it’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and in the early weeks does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.

I had a different experience. When I had my first knee surgery on this leg back when I was 20. I did almost no PT and very little rehab. I got to where I could walk and then went back to my daily life. My ROM was and has remained abysmal (90?) for the last 30 yrs so I'm taking a different approach this time.

As far as an ice machine? No. I have some cold packs and a velcro holder to keep them in place on my knee. Keep rotating them through the freezer.

I drive about 1 hr each way for PT or Dr visit which isn't too bad. I also drive 6 hrs to get calves every other week. That one is a little rougher.

 

[bumneej]

I also have trouble sleeping and I am now taking 1/2 Hydrocodone and 1 Arthritis Strength Tylenol and it has helped a lot. I still toss and turn quite a bit but can go right back to sleep. Not the best but much better then it was. I also like to sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees. It seems to keep my knee relaxed. I still get up early though and just accept it and start my day. Hopefully I can sneak in a catnap here and there during the day. You are very busy but if you try and ice and elevate as much through out the day as possible I think you will find it does help a lot. Even if it is just 20 minutes. I have even iced while eating my meals. And like everyone says, slow down on the exercises. It really does set you back. Do your daily living with some light stretches and let your knee heal. I think you will find it helps. Don't try to rush the healing process. I did that and paid for it with more pain and frustration. Time and patience is what it takes. And your ROM is great!

 

[skigirl]

Pressing on the knee and forcing it to bend is counter productive. Think of your knee as a garden hose---would you try to bend a garden hose that is full of water? If your knee is swollen, it needs elevation and rest so that the swelling goes away. Once the swelling goes down, the rom will be there waiting for you. Pushing on an already swollen knee results in more swelling---does this really help?

There is a far cry between I did no pt and extreme PT of pushing on a swollen knee. Think about it, if you had a calf with a swollen leg would you really try to bend the leg more to resolve the swelling?

 

[SusieShoes]

You sure have an active life! I also wish I had you for a neighbor. For now I’ll hope you have a mild, relatively snow-light winter so you can spare your knee a bit.

Any work you can delegate to other people for the next couple months will really help with your recovery. Whenever you face something strenuous, think about whether you can possibly skip doing it (lifting heavy things, etc.), and if you can skip it, even for a week (longer is better), do so. I knew a man at my PT when I was recovering and one day he came in with his knees super-swollen and in pain. He’d lifted four big tires that weekend and totally set back his recovery. Even the therapist told him to rest and ice for a few days. He’d been doing great. Knees in the early stages of recovery are cranky and easily aggravated.

I also used cold packs. They’re handy to have around, too.

 

[bunchgrass]

I don't want to get into an argument over this. I also don't recall saying there was any extreme pushing going on. If I did, then I misspoke. The therapist asked if she could push on my leg and, if so, to let me know when it was 'too much'. Not extreme in the least.

Yes, swelling inhibits ROM. No doubt about it. It is also a normal response to use of an injured leg. I also agree that you will get some ROM when the swelling goes down but ROM doesn't just happen as we sit and watch. You do some exercise/activity, deal with the swelling and then repeat.

As I mentioned earlier, I went 30yrs with a ROM of 90. Literally days before the surgery, I was able to perform a full blown kneeling quad stretch - kneel down and lay back on your heels until your shoulders touch the ground. I am of the opinion that lack of PT, formation of scar tissue and atrophy of leg muscles all contributed to my pathetic ROM. I'm not willing to take that chance again. I'll suffer a little pain to cover myself this time.

SusieShoes --- normally in an El Nino year (like this year) we get warmer and drier conditions in the PNW. All the storms go further south to CA. This year has been so-so. We have had snow on the ground since the day of my surgery (Dec 3) and although it's not as much as normal, the warm-cold thing has left us with slick icy conditions. I have to put those yak-trak clets on my shoes to leave the house. Take them off in the shop when I get on concrete etc. Pain. NOW we get to get some of that nice arctic air to remind us that Feb is still winter. -1 F this AM.

 

[Celle]

I think there's a happy medium between doing too much exercise and doing too little.
That happy medium can differ between one person and another.

I hope you find a happy medium that works for you, @bunchgrass .