TKR Can lost ROM be regained
- Thread starter Majic
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Majic
graduate
@Josephine appointment with chiropractor made, I see her tomorrow. I now have virtually no pain from knee, and although dancing a fair bit knees cope well. My main problem is cooking when I find that standing and moving short distances back and forth around the kitchen gives me burning pains under my knee and an inch or so down my shin. This I think is made worse by my gait which is very wobbly. I seem to have developed a distinct rock from side to side, which is not helped by the awful winds we are having. It is about 40 mph now and will apparently be worse tomorrow. When it is really bad I stay in or use two sticks, so maybe I am not getting enough practice. I will report back after tomorrow.
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Majic
graduate
Trip to Chiropractor went well this morning and @Josephine you were right. The muscles and ligaments down the outside of my left leg were so tight that they were almost rigid, which was causing me to walk flat footed with my left foot. I also have a very tight ligament I think which goes almost to my bottom. My pelvis is slightly crooked which means one leg is slightly longer than the other. She gave me some exercises and will see me next week. Since she thought my calves were also very tight and my ROM is not what it could be, I lowered the seat of my exercise bike when I got home and have managed fairly easily to get right round. She didn't think my ROM would improve after so long, but I know that Bonesmart think differently and I agree. So I will do my best to increase it.
Thanks so much for your advice I now feel that I am improving, or at least can see a way to improvement. It feels so comforting when you find someone who understands your problem and why you are having the symptoms you are.
Thanks so much for your advice I now feel that I am improving, or at least can see a way to improvement. It feels so comforting when you find someone who understands your problem and why you are having the symptoms you are.
CATSMUM
post-grad
Sounds very much like the problem l had with my ligaments and muscles - they were really tight and solid. Getting there now with the massage but it's taking time. Glad that the chiropractor was helpful. Hope you have a good weekend x
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Majic
graduate
@Josephine Yes she did lots of deep massage some with a metal instrument as she said that at first she could make no impression with her fingers it was so tight. She also used a small machine and she massaged also around my hips and calves which were also like rocks. It all felt much better when I came out.
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Majic
graduate
@Raffs Thanks for your reply. I was very sore and a bit bruised last night where the tightest knot was. This morning I feel much better despite a fairly windy dog walk. The wind blows down our hill, so coming back is very difficult. But it will apparently get worse again this arternoon. How are you?
Raffs
graduate
I bet you were! I'm doing ok thanks. Knee not too bad today - so far! I'm going out later so will be up and down the hill in the wind, via M&S to buy myself something yummy for dinner! Home alone today, husband is doing family stuff that luckily I'm excused from!
OP
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Majic
graduate
The dog is our beloved crossbreed rescue dog Dusty. Sadly he will be 14 in three weeks time, and although will walk and play like a puppy he is starting to show his age mentally. Strange things worry him, and he has become really frightened of the strong winds, although who can blame him, I don't like them either. We have had to let him sleep in our bedroom as by himself he was awake all night trembling and barking, and wouldn't eat. He now climbs into his bed and sleeps all night solidly, and so do we _ a small a price to pay for good nights sleep. Have you any pets? We have no children so have had cats and dogs for years, Dusty is the last of a long line, although when I can walk well again. If and when that time comes, I think we all live in hope. I am sure there will be more.
Raffs
graduate
Oh bless him. We had a cat but she died in May after a year long battle against cancer. She had surgery and chemo and the best veterinary care possible but it wasn't a happy ending. Darn near broke my heart. We don't have children either so she was my furry baby. Can't think about getting another one yet although my friend did give me a toy Mog cat from the Sainsbury's Christmas advert!
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Majic
graduate
Went dancing as usual last night. Muscles were very tight indeed I think because of icy cold and strong winds. As we start with waltz and rumba nice gentle dances, muscles eased off nicely, and we danced for an hour and a half with a short tea break. Sat down for a short while when muscles tightened again, then was able to do a cha cha and tango. Came back happy and satisfied with myself. Sat with legs elevated and a hot water bottle under tight ham strings before bed.
This morning knees much looser, came down stairs easily. Have done everything this morning that I used to do, and in half an hour we are going down to our local hall to practise some of the dances we had almost forgotten. Hope legs stand up to another hour of exercise. @Raffs and @Swish like you both I have some pain/tightness across, or slightly under knee. Don't know what causes this, I will ask chiropractor on Friday.
This morning knees much looser, came down stairs easily. Have done everything this morning that I used to do, and in half an hour we are going down to our local hall to practise some of the dances we had almost forgotten. Hope legs stand up to another hour of exercise. @Raffs and @Swish like you both I have some pain/tightness across, or slightly under knee. Don't know what causes this, I will ask chiropractor on Friday.
OP
OP
Majic
graduate
Had another session at chiropractor yesterday. She said that she was surprised at how much better I was, I must admit I have had very little problem this week. She massaged again and gave me excercises to stretch my muscles. At her suggestion I have bought a small massager which I intend to use when my muscles tighten. Today we once again have gales and heavy rain. Have walked just a little in it this morning, and my main problem seems to be pain along the inside of my shins after fighting heavy winds and when standing. I haven't had that for a while.
@CATSMUM are you still taking pain meds? @Raffs how about you are you on any? I am still taking paracetamol which I need, but how I wish I didn't. @Pumpkln Is it usual to still need pain killers after 6 months? How long do people take it for? My Dr told me I shouldn't take it after Christmas, but he hasn't got the pain!
@Roy Gardiner i have been reading about increasing ROM, which doesn't seem to be going great with me, although I don't know how to measure it. What ROM have you ended up with? I really need to be able to ride my bike, and maybe I already could, but the UK weather is at the moment too vile to try. Have you any idea what will happen if my extension never gets to zero. I seem to function reasonably well at the moment and I have been back ballroom dancing for months, yet my extension is not zero, and my flexion not great.
@CATSMUM are you still taking pain meds? @Raffs how about you are you on any? I am still taking paracetamol which I need, but how I wish I didn't. @Pumpkln Is it usual to still need pain killers after 6 months? How long do people take it for? My Dr told me I shouldn't take it after Christmas, but he hasn't got the pain!
@Roy Gardiner i have been reading about increasing ROM, which doesn't seem to be going great with me, although I don't know how to measure it. What ROM have you ended up with? I really need to be able to ride my bike, and maybe I already could, but the UK weather is at the moment too vile to try. Have you any idea what will happen if my extension never gets to zero. I seem to function reasonably well at the moment and I have been back ballroom dancing for months, yet my extension is not zero, and my flexion not great.
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Majic,
Wonderful that you are back to ball room dancing.
I took pain medications for about 8 months, not all the time but when needed. First TKR because I badly injured myself at 5 weeks, torn ligaments etc. The revision because it is out of alignment and puts stresses and strains on my muscles. I still take Tylenol once a week for aches and pains.
Here is some information about Shin splints, shin pain, compartment syndrome .
I use indoor (foam) golf balls over my sore muscles, they help loosen up those tight spots.
For your ROM, a good heel to toe gait will help, Roy has some links in his signature you can follow, when he comes along in response to your tag.
Wonderful that you are back to ball room dancing.
I took pain medications for about 8 months, not all the time but when needed. First TKR because I badly injured myself at 5 weeks, torn ligaments etc. The revision because it is out of alignment and puts stresses and strains on my muscles. I still take Tylenol once a week for aches and pains.
And he has not had a joint replacement.
Here is some information about Shin splints, shin pain, compartment syndrome .
I use indoor (foam) golf balls over my sore muscles, they help loosen up those tight spots.
For your ROM, a good heel to toe gait will help, Roy has some links in his signature you can follow, when he comes along in response to your tag.
OP
OP
Majic
graduate
@Josephine As you will be only too aware, the weather is so appalling at the moment, certainly in the Cotswolds it is almost impossible to get out for any sort of proper walk at the moment. I feel as though I am seizing up through lack of exercise. What is the best thing to do, go back to all my PT exercises given to me by the hospital? Hopefully I can get some ballroom dancing in soon, it certainly loosens me up, whereas battling agInst the wind just seems to give me painful shins. I am trying to do 2 minutes on my exercise bike every hour or so, but looking at the weather forecast the present weather is set to last and I can see me getting stiffer and stiffer.
I have read a lot of your posts where you say that it is pointless to push to gain ROM, it is there and will come as the swelling goes down. I am now 15 months out with one knee and 6 with the other and my ROM has not come, or certainly not to the extent that yours did. Do I have to just wait and hope for the best, or continue trying to increase it with excercise? I think that walking would certainly help my extension, but that is a no go at the moment - roll on Spring.
I have read a lot of your posts where you say that it is pointless to push to gain ROM, it is there and will come as the swelling goes down. I am now 15 months out with one knee and 6 with the other and my ROM has not come, or certainly not to the extent that yours did. Do I have to just wait and hope for the best, or continue trying to increase it with excercise? I think that walking would certainly help my extension, but that is a no go at the moment - roll on Spring.
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Exercise will NOT get you your ROM. You haven't got it now because of all the exercising you did earlier. Capice?
If you can't go outside, do what the Edwardians did, take walks around your house, round the living room, through the hall, around the kitchen, up the stairs, and in and out of the bedrooms! You have plenty of floor space to use - use it!
If you can't go outside, do what the Edwardians did, take walks around your house, round the living room, through the hall, around the kitchen, up the stairs, and in and out of the bedrooms! You have plenty of floor space to use - use it!
PolarBear60
Former BoneSmart staff member
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Majic (Jackie), I had my replacement in April of last year. I have no idea what my ROM is right now, but over the last couple months, it seems to have been improving perceptibly. I have been doing nothing specifically for it except going about my daily life. Since you're three months behind me, I'm confident if you relax and don't worry about it, you will be pleasantly surprised in a few months.
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