TKR Click and buckle

[lizzie611]

I am now a year and a half post-op. At my one year checkup, ortho said all was well and the way my knee is now, is the way it will always be...never to look like or perform like my other knee. I still have some swelling on the inner knee and that area is painful from time to time, but I will take that over the bone grinding before the surgery.

Two weeks ago, I had surgery on my foot (not the TKR leg) by an ortho who did not do my knee. One thing I wished I would have known before my knee surgery is to discuss with the doctor pain management med after surgery. This doctor discussed with me before my foot surgery, pain management meds and the med I rec'd really kept the pain under control. After my TKR, the two meds I took, Oxy then was put on Tramadol, really messed me up and I did not continue with either of them after only a few days. I now so wished I had had an advocate to look into different pain meds...I guess I was in so much pain, frustration, withdrawn, that I never did speak up for myself to find alternate meds. Now I see that talking with the doctor before surgery is the best way to go for me.

 

[sistersinhim]

At my one year checkup, ortho said all was well and the way my knee is now, is the way it will always be...never to look like or perform like my other knee.

He is incorrect. Many of us have had improvements even into the second year or more.
One of our members, Bertschb, kept a record of his ROM process. He agreed for us to post it for those of you that are afraid you're stuck. The key is to have patience! Bertschb says:

This is what one of our members wrote about the slow development of her ROM. (Thank you, @Campervan ) As you can see, her flexion continued to improve for a long time.

"I had a slow recovery. Here's my flex measurements at various points:
92 - 8 weeks post op
105 - 10 weeks
107 - 5 months
110 - 6 months
112 - 7 months
116 - 9 months
119 - 11 months
118 - 1 yr
120 - 1yr 2 months
125 - 1 yr 8 months
128 – 6 years "

 

[Jockette]

My ROM has improved in the second year. My whole leg continues to relax. You may find yours continues to improve also.

 

[lizzie611]

Thank you both sistersinhim and Jockette for your information. Unfortunately I had to go to another ortho and not the one who did my TKR as I am now in a different location. I will not go back to him but wished I had been able to go to my original doc. My xrays looked good and I do have good flexing but not as much as I thought I should have. Now I see from Bertschb further flex is definitely possible. I guess the more you do, bending the knee (not on Game of Thrones), the more flex you have. I keep active but I sure do have a time getting my leg(s) out from the back seat of a vehicle! Have to keep bending!!