TKR Ceegee's recovery

[Ceegee]

I'm now just over seven months post-op and thought I would come back with a quick report. Things have continued to go fairly well, with a couple of small bumps in the road. At around five months post-op something happened to the knee during the night: it was fine when I went to sleep, and I couldn't put any weight on it when I woke up. It felt like a nasty muscle sprain or something. It got gradually better during the day but I lost some flexion as a result (down from 125 to 118) and wasn't able to gain it all back - I got it to about 120 over a couple of weeks. My surgeon did x-rays to check for joint damage and an ultrasound to check for tendon damage, and there is none, so he thought it was probably just a muscular strain and said I'd gradually get the flexion back with time. He suggested I might want to work on building the calf muscle a bit, since it's not quite as developed as on the non-TKR leg. I'm doing this and it's helping. I haven't measured my flexion recently, but I think it's improved a bit from 120.

While everyday activities - walking, gardening, housework, etc. - are pain-free, I'm still getting lots of stiffness if I'm inactive (sitting) for too long. Since I sit for a living, this is a problem. I'm also getting some pain if I put all my weight on the leg when it's fully bent, which has meant that I haven't yet achieved one of my main goals with the TKR, which was to be able to hike in the mountains again. However, I have been able to do some fairly long hikes (10 miles) on rough, hilly ground. In August we went on a family vacation and I was able to do some wild bird photography for the first time in a couple of years - it involves sitting, crouching and lying on the ground and I couldn't do that for a while. It was a lot of fun. A couple of sample pics below for interest! The photography outing involved a 7-mile hike, which I was easily able to do, at a good pace, with no stops. This time last year, before the TKR, I couldn't even have contemplated the idea.

The joint feels strong and stable, and I'm able to run quite fast (given my age!!!) with my dog in the agility ring.

I feel generally fitter and better than for many years and am hopeful that improvements will continue.

Here are a couple of my favourite photos from this summer. The birds are Northern Gannets - they are beautiful.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are doing really well for 7 months! Good going! You'll already walking in hills, those mountain hikes will come!

 

[Ceegee]

I'm now eight months post-op and things continue to go well. I have less ROM than I would like (0 to around 120) but the surgeon thinks flexion will improve on its own with time. I can walk long distances and hike on hilly (but not mountainous) terrain. Hopefully the mountains will come with time too! As for agility with my dog, we're doing fine. Video below. I'm gaining some speed, which is useful! And I'm off all medications including Tylenol, even for exercise.

 

[Jockette]

What a great video! I love to watch that on TV! You did awesome! I’m 19 months and there’s no way I could do that!

I especially like when the dogs zig zag through those poles. Is it hard to teach them that? It seems like it would be.

 

[Ceegee]

So this week marks the one-year anniversary of my TKR. Things continue to go fairly well. The knee itself feels strong and solid, and there's no swelling. I still get some pain and stiffness after sitting for long periods at my desk, but no pain or fatigue whatsoever as a result of activity. Flexion hasn't improved in the last few months and still hovers around 120, but that is fine for what I need to do. I have full extension.

However, as has been the case throughout recovery, I'm still plagued with tendon/ligament issues. In the early months of recovery it was the "other" knee and hip (on the unoperated leg) that were sometimes painful, plus the hamstring on the TKR side. They seem to have settled down. Now, it's the ankle on my TKR side; I seem to have damaged a tendon or ligament inside the ankle joint. It's not so bad as long as I wear shoes with my custom insoles, but walking barefoot is painful. Like all the other aches and pains of recovery, it seems to be improving on its own. Fingers crossed. The price to pay for having a permanently bent knee for nearly a decade, I suppose.

We've been snowed/iced in almost all winter this year, so I'm not as physically fit as I would like, but spring is coming and I'm looking forward to hiking and long walks with the dog. In the meantime, here's a video of my most recent agility trial with my dog (last week). I was dealing with a bit of ankle pain, but the knee was good.

The TKR has given me my life back to a large extent, and I'm very grateful.

 

[grandma chris]

@Ceegee as one Quebecoise (originally!) to another I thank you for your report! It's so very encouraging to read of your success. Although your number doesn't sound like where you'd like it to be, surely your functionality is excellent. I hope for similar success, although I'm not nearly as active as you are!

 

[Jockette]

I love the video! Wow, you move around that ring so well! I’m just about 2 years post op and there’s no way I could do that.

 

[sistersinhim]

Flexion hasn't improved in the last few months and still hovers around 120, but that is fine for what I need to do.

That's where my hovers, too. But, like you, I can do all the things I want to do. You look amazing running around that field with your beautiful dog. Just see what a tkr can be like!

 

[Ceegee]

I haven't been on the Forum for a while, but thought I would give an update. I'm now 16 months post-TKR.

The last few weeks have been frustrating because I injured my "good" (non-TKR) knee quite badly - enough to be on crutches for a couple of weeks. My family physician diagnosed a muscle strain, gave me a couple of weeks' worth of painkillers and sent me home. I do not think it was muscular: I believe I strained or damaged a tendon. So I rested it for a month and then went back to gentle activity along with some gentle home-made stretching exercises. It has been a long haul but the knee is now back to normal. The good news, in all that, is that the TKR knee was able to take over and do the bulk of the work.

As for the 16-month TKR review: While not perfect, the TKR has definitely been a success for me. ROM has remained at 0-120. Although the numbers sound disappointing, I feel I'm fully functional and can do pretty much everything I want. The things that are still difficult: It is still very painful to put weight on the knee when it is fully bent, and nobody seems able to tell me why (the pain is behind the knee). I have to be careful when getting up out of low chairs, for example. This has also limited my ability to hike in high mountains, but I can walk for long distances over moderately hilly terrain, pain-free. And I still get a sharp pain behind the knee if I inadvertently try to bend it too much. Again, nobody seems to know why, so I'm learning to live with it and hoping it will improve over time. However, on the upside: The knee feels strong and I can run, turn and put forward weight on it with confidence. I'm able to run my dog in agility and we're gradually building speed as a team. Yesterday my husband and I installed a length of fencing, which involved lifting, carrying stuff, standing on piles of unstable stones, stretching, etc., and I had no problems doing my share of the work. I would not have been able to do that pre-TKR.

These days, I often forget that I have a tin knee because it's working so well. I look at that sentence and feel lucky to live in an age where we take things like this for granted. If I'd been born a few decades earlier, my active life would be over and I'd be crippled and dealing with horrendous, constant pain. As it is, I have my life back. I wish I hadn't been so afraid of the operation that I tolerated the pain from the damaged knee for far too long.

Video for interest. This was taken last month. My "good" (left) knee was still pretty painful and was heavily strapped at the time, but the TKR knee was able to take the strain.

 

[Jockette]

It is still very painful to put weight on the knee when it is fully bent, and nobody seems able to tell me why

I have this same problem with my partial at 2 years post op.

I loved watching your video, you did great even with a sore non TKR leg.

I like how you said it’s not perfect but you feel your TKR was success. I’m not ready to say that yet.

Best wishes for continued improvement. Even with all my issues, my leg is still relaxing which is increasing my ROM, even st this late date.

 

[Ceegee]

I have this same problem with my partial at 2 years post op.

I wonder if this is a "thing" with some replacements? I feel I did everything right, and I'm sure you did too, but that particular issue hasn't gone away. I mentioned it to the surgeon at my 12-month visit, and we did a ton of diagnostic tests that didn't produce an answer.

It's a bit more than a minor annoyance, but in my case it's been outweighed by the benefits. Focus on the good stuff, I guess. I know you've had a much rougher time than me. I hope things improve for you.

 

[Jockette]

Back in December I almost fell into the refrigerator section at Walmart because the coffee creamer I wanted was on the bottom shelf, and it was too far back to reach. (It didn’t slide forward like it should have as ones in the front were taken) I took a second to debate bending my knee more and leaning in and decided to go for it, but my knee wouldn’t support me in that deeper bend. I had to grab the front support of the refrigerator doorway, and I hurt my arm in the process. It was my bowling arm and I lost 2 months of bowling while my arm healed. All because of my knee.

Of course my X-rays are fine, “so there’s no problem.” It’s very frustrating.

What kind of tests did you have?

 

[Ceegee]

What kind of tests did you have?

I had x-rays and ultrasounds. I also spent an hour with the surgeon's physiotherapist, trying to isolate the reason for the pain. The surgeon thought an MRI would have been useful but not indicated for a replaced joint. There is nothing physically wrong with the artifical joint or with the way it functions, and nothing showed up on the ultrasound - so no obvious injury. I've been given gentle stretching exercises and exercises for flexibility in the hope that they will help in the longer term.

 

[sistersinhim]

While not perfect, the TKR has definitely been a success for me.

Mine isn't perfect either and some days are worse than others, but I can ride my bike, hike and swim, the things I love to do for fun. Function is so much better than numbers!

 

[Ceegee]

I'm back for a visit and update! It's been 20 months since my TKR, and things continue to go well - somewhat better, I'm glad to say, than was the case when I last visited the Forum four months ago. At that time I was experiencing pain behind the TKR knee when putting weight on it with the knee bent to more than about 80 degrees. Doctors had been unable to find the problem despite numerous diagnostic tests.

Well, about a month ago, I was sitting in an armchair one evening, with my TKR leg resting on a footstool, and my golden retriever came over and stood on my thigh with his front paws. He often does this. This time, however, he slipped off, pulling my thigh muscle sideways. It hurt a lot: I had the sensation that something had "snapped" behind the TKR knee. But after a couple of minutes, when I stood up, I was able to put my full weight on the TKR joint when bent, with no pain whatsoever. It has been fine ever since: I can stand up from low chairs, walk upstairs two steps at a time, completely painlessly, and put my full weight on the TKR leg with the knee bent to 90 degrees. I think there may have been something trapped or caught somewhere in the joint, which my dog released. Whatever happened, it's resolved a problem! I'm very grateful to "Doctor Dog!"

I'm feeling fitter than I've been for years and am enjoying agility with my dog. My various other joints, tendons and ligaments seem to be settling into their new role well, and most of the problems of the past year are more or less resolved.

 

[Celle]

It's good to hear you're still dong well.

Your Doctor Dog did a good job, from the sound of it.

 

[LindaO]

Nothing like a simple cure! Good to hear your excellent results!

 

[Thatbpguy]

"Dr. Dog" might just invoice you, so be careful.

Read your thread and it was very encouraging.

Thank you

 

[Jockette]

I love the video! I’m glad your dog fixed whatever that problem was. Can you send him over to me? I have the same problem.

 

[Ceegee]

@Jockette, he'd love to come and visit you! Seriously, for a couple of minutes I really thought he'd done some serious damage. It was such a relief when I got up out of the chair and realized he'd actually resolved a problem ...!