TKR CiCi New knee

[Jodingers]

@Cici65 I had my tkr on Mar 20th, I've had back + hip ache since, mostly in the evening. Try putting ur ice pack on the area for a while, I find distraction is best, helps me to forget about it .

 

[Cici65]

Well I think it's about 3 weeks since my tkr got my staples out on Wednesday but I still have to wear my ted hose one more week I hate these stockings ! PT is worried about my extension he said it might be painful to work on but there's a small window to get it right and if not it can really effect my recovery. Of course I freaked out and tried to work on it at home and over did it the next dayI was nice and sore! I can't wait for my energy to come back, went to lunch with family today and bookstore ,I couldn't wait to get back to my bed.

 

[FCBayern]

@Cici65 Don't buy into the "short window" to get your extension, there are many many stories here on BoneSmart that show that's a lie. We all tend to want to believe the "professionals" but way too many are just old school and not keeping up with new ideas and advances.

 

[Celle]

PT is worried about my extension he said it might be painful to work on but there's a small window to get it right and if not it can really effect my recovery.

Don't believe a word of it! It isn't true.
There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

We've even had people her on BoneSmart who found that their ROM was still improving years later.

It's perfectly normal for it to take longer to achieve extension than flexion. That's because you have large muscles and tendons at the back of your knee that need to be stretched slowly and gently. Try to force extension too fast, and you might damage those soft tissues.

Above all, don't allow or do any exercise that cause pain. Pain is a sign that you are doing too much for your knee.
Myth busting: no pain, no gain

 

[Jockette]

There is no window of opportunity. My PT told me that, too. Extension can often take longer than flexion, and we are all different. Try not to worry about it, it will cone back.

This was in the recovery articles I left you:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/myth-busting-window-of-opportunity-in-tkr.6895/

 

[Cici65]

I've been improving in my extension and my rom has gotten a little better also, but my PT suggested I start wearing the ted hose again . The outside of my knee apparently has a lot Edema ? He thinks the ted hose will help get rid of it. I know that's the same place the doctor had to do a lot of work and cutting because the arthritis had gone up the outside of the knee. It feels hard and rough on that side, although to me I thought it was looking better every day. The PT tried to explain Edema to me but I didn't quite get it. Does anyone know how long it takes to go away ?

 

[DLR]

@Cici65 i had a fair bit of edema with my first knee (swelling with fluid) and it lasted quite a while. I found it helpful to lay on my back on my bed and lift my leg straight up, then reach with my hands and gently pull along the calf through the sides of the knee, on up the thigh towards groin. Basically encouraging the fluid to move towards the lymphatic drainage system. As a plus it also gave a nice hamstring stretch.

 

[Celle]

my PT suggested I start wearing the ted hose again . The outside of my knee apparently has a lot Edema ? He thinks the ted hose will help get rid of it.

Wearing the TED hose again will not decrease your oedema.
What will help to decrease it is less exercising, less emphasis on ROM, and more rest, ice and elevation.
Ice to control pain and swelling
Elevation: the do's and dont's

The PT tried to explain Edema to me but I didn't quite get it. Does anyone know how long it takes to go away ?

Oedema is your body's normal reaction to the trauma of a major surgery. Not only were your bones cut and large foreign bodies inserted into them, but your knee's soft tissues were man-handled, turned over, and pulled aside. They're traumatized, too.

Too much activity in the early days will increase oedema, or swelling - sometimes right down to your ankle and foot. That's one reason why we recommend rest. Your knee needs time and gentle treatment, so it can heal. It isn't lazy or unfit, needing exercise - it's wounded.

Swelling takes a long time to go away, so be patient. even when your knee no longer appears swollen, it will swell again if you try to do too much, too soon. That can go on for at least 6 months.

PT is worried about my extension he said it might be painful to work on but there's a small window to get it right and if not it can really effect my recovery. Of course I freaked out and tried to work on it at home and over did it the next day I was nice and sore! I can't wait for my energy to come back, went to lunch with family today and bookstore ,I couldn't wait to get back to my bed.

It sounds as if your PT therapist is focussed on getting good ROM numbers as soon as possible. Don't worry about those numbers yet, because you're only one month into a recovery that takes a full year. Time is on your side.
There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

Don't allow any painful PT. Not only will it slow down ROM, but it will also increase swelling.
Extension is often slower to achieve than flexion. That's because of the large tendons and muscles at the back of your leg. They have to be stretched slowly and gently. You can't rush that, so don't go doing extra exercises.

Just in case you think you have to do everything your PT says, you don't it's your nee and you are the boss. Your knee will heal and achieve good ROM, both flexion and extension, if you allow it to take the time it needs.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

 

[Lemondrop]

I had swelling (= edema) at just one month. I'm at 8 weeks and still need to ice (probably more than I do).

Elevate and Ice!

You can't expect to have a great ROM if your knee is swollen. Just not phyically possible. The fluid is in the way. Relax, elevate, and ice. At just 1 month post-op you are still very early on.

There's an article from the Bonesmart library about swelling: "Swelling: controlling swelling with compression" (https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/library-index.14830/)

Hope this helps.

 

[Cici65]

Was wondering how long it took for people to go back to working a physical job? I work in retail backroom sorting truck lifting boxes, some very heavy. Management treated me like I was lazy for trying to sit down because my knees hurt so bad I had to get the weight off of them for a minute. Now 2 months after tkr I'm afraid to go back to that position I still have another tkr to do on other leg that had a PKR but arthritis has spread to other side. Saw my doctor last week I told him I was nervous about going back and he said he would give me another month and if I needed to set some restrictions he would write a a note. So to make a long story even longer if you have a physical job where you able to go back to it after a total knee replacement?.

 

[Benay]

Hope your recovery is smooth and uneventful. Sending you good thoughts. I've always been concerned about my 18lb cat landing right on my knee, so far hasn't happened but I'm always mindful.

 

[Jockette]

As always we are all different with different healing rates, but generally Bonesmart recommends 12 weeks off work and then a phased return:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/phased-return-to-work.5696/

But that can still vary depending on how you’re doing in recovery and the type of job you have.

That’s great that your doctor approves of another month off for you and that he’s willing to write some restrictions for you. With a heavy duty job, take all the help you can get. Better too many restrictions than not enough. Knees are drama queens and will quickly let you know if they don’t like what you do.

What was the date of your partial, and what type of partial was it? We’ll add that to your signature.

 

[Cici65]

My rpkr was September 15, 2014. It was a Biomet knee replacement. My ltkr card says Zimmer Biomet replacement, March 25, 2019. I should have had a total knee replacement on my right knee but the doctor talked me into a partial. That leg is still very bow-legged. I have also had burning calf pain in the back of right leg for the last year anytime I'm standing like at my job, but it hasn't done that since the surgery I haven't been standing all day of course that is one of the main reasons I'm scared it will start again once I go back to work. I am hoping the new knee replacement on the left leg will help with the pain if that makes sense. Right before surgery my primary care doctor thought it might be nerve damage maybe from my diabetes. I just know I cannot continue on in pain as much as I was last year there were a lot of days I went home from work in tears. I'm thinking of going into work and then next week or so and ask him if I can change positions I haven't gotten along too well with the new bosses so I'm very nervous about this conversation but I don't think my knees can handle that type of work anymore. Sorry for the long post, thanks for letting me vent!

 

[Benay]

Wishing you the best.

 

[Jockette]

I hope that a different job there will be available and work out well for you. A lot of people don’t understand this surgery and it’s recovery, especially if they haven’t had it themselves, or if they’ve had a much better than average recovery.

The important thing is for your particular knee to have the best circumstance in which to heal.

Thank you for the date of your partial. Was it medial, lateral or Patellofemoral? I’m just curious. Mine is a Patellofemoral.

 

[Cici65]

Jockette my pkr was a medial. With my partial I took more pain medication but was able to do more the exercises. With my total knee replacement took a lot less pain medication but it was harder to do the exercises in the beginning, I guess it's true no two knee Replacements are the same!