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Checking in after 8 days

Had my new PT today. Such a difference! Gentle, thoughtful. I know we don't care about ROM but my doc will, mine was 85 today at 13 days post surgery.

One cat returned, btw. Other still at large.


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Your ROM sounds good and I’m so glad you have one cat home!!!
 
You ROM is really good for so early in your recovery! Great about your kitty. I hope the other is soon home, too!
 
Hello, everyone, I've just learned that the VNA will stop my in home PT in a week or so, it's not up to the doctor but they don't do more than 3 weeks. I'm expected to go to outpatient. Can't drive yet, but am supposed to get rides. That's a little odd, I think but there you have it.

Yesterday my PT actually helped my pain, who knew? I felt better afterwards. Have been getting very down about my pain level.


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Did you get you other kitty back?
 
Not yet, but he keeps coming back for food left for him so I think it's just a matter of time at this point. Thanks for asking.
 
Well at least you know he’s near by. I hope you get him soon.
 
I hope your other cat comes home soon. Having two cats myself, I know how you worry about yours.

I honestly don't think it will matter if you don't go to PT until you are able to drive. You've been shown what to do by your in-home therapist. That, and just walking around the house will be plenty of exercise for your knee at this stage.

Many of us did no formal PT at all, and had excellent recoveries. You see, it's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

I did go to PT a few times for my first two knee replacements, but after the last one I did no PT at all. I just let the normal activities of my daily living (ADLs) be my PT. I have had three excellent recoveries.
 
I agree to not worry about not going to PT. You will be just fine without it. You really don't need it, just use your knee as you can in your daily living. That's therapy enough.
 
Both cats back! Thanks for your encouragement.

I see the doc on Wednesday, which will be one day short if three weeks from my L TKR. As we have all noted so often, the PTs expect too much. If I do all the exercises they prescribe, I will be on agony, swelling will increase, all the usual stuff.

Two questions today:
1. I had a cementless implant. I have read that this leads to being slower to achieve weight bearing status. Wouldn't that also be a reason for increased pain? Do the PTs take this into account? And second, the left foot is very painful, especially the heel. It throbs. Getting a little concerned. Is this typical?

Thank you.




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So glad you have both your cats!!!

I don’t know anything about cementless but my personal opinion is that the PT does not take anything like this into account because most of them probably don’t have surgical knowledge. It seems many have a textbook, one size fits all approach to treatment for TKR recovery, from what I read on many members posts.

By reading the information Bonesmart provides we can make an informed decision about our own body and our own recovery and we decide what we will and won’t do at PT, or even whether or not we go to PT at all.

I kept forgetting to ask, how did your knees feel later in the day, or the day after, when you went out looking for your cats?

I am 8 months and I’m still careful with my activities. I was out for 5 hours yesterday, and while my knee was tired and uncomfortable when I got home, it recovered well overnight and felt decent this morning. More progress.
 
That's great, that is progress!

I was very sore the day after the cat adventure, but not overwhelmingly so. I did my PT and seemed back to "normal" by evening.
 
Wow, you did great then, so early in recovery!

But those were special circumstances, don’t think your knee will let you get away with it too often yet!
 
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Fantastic that both of your babies are back home! And it sounds like you're doing really well, too! It's a good thing for your knee that you didn't do all those exercises PT wanted you to do! You wouldn't be doing nearly as well as you are now! Many PT just don't get it and the patient suffers for it.
 
I'm glad both your cats are safely home again. :yes!: :catbutterfly: :kitty:

About the cementless knee: I don't think it's any reason to have increased pain.
PT doesn't need to be any different, because all PT should be gentle anyway.

I think that @kneeper has a non-cemented knee. Perhaps she can talk to you about it?
 
Also wondering to what degree the condition of your knee prior to surgery affects your recovery. The doctor did say afterward that my knee was in pretty bad shape. I guess I just thought that they cut out the old part and whatever the prior condition was didn't matter. Maybe it does.

Today the OT had me down a flight of stairs doing my laundry. Didn't hurt at the time but now, it sure does.


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I think if your knee was really bad before surgery, you naturally use it less, so your muscles lose a bit of strength. That could affect your recovery.
Also, if your knee needed a lot of work during surgery, even though the diseased parts were removed, there is often more disturbance of the other tissues, so they could need longer to recover.

Doing the stairs was probably all the exercise your knee needed for the day, but it was too soon to be doing the laundry. Have another look at this article, to see what your level of activity should be:
Activity progression for TKRs
 
I really wish the docs would talk to you folks here. There's such a disconnect in care.


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Unfortunately one load of laundry means three trips downstairs! It was a bad idea.


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I’m so sorry you are hurting at the expense of someone else’s idea of therapy. :blackcloud:

Exactly why if I have to ever do this again I will not have therapy. :bignono:
 
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