TKR Coming along<<

[Elad1002]

@ebungalow
It may just be an immediate post OP concern. I wore them on both legs yesterday and they felt great. I walk easier, hopefully the tights will arrive soon. I'll keep you posted.
Dale

 

[CAB]

Is there a point in recovery that you dont wake up stiff and swollen?

I too wondered when this would stop. Or when I would just get out of bed and walk away.
I was so excited when my knees started to look like knees in the mornings.

I'm sorry that I can't remember exactly when it happened but it has been at least a month now. One day you just realise its way better!

Patience...a big bag of it! Is what we all need for this recovery.
Keep on smiling!

 

[Elad1002]

@CAB
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I've posted openly about my worries regarding this surgery and though as we all know, worry is a waste of time, it helps to get support as I try to navigate this recovery. Thanks again.
Dale

 

[Elad1002]

For those who have had great reductions in swelling and healing at 1 year out, what do you do for exercise? I had Hope's of getting back to walking 2 miles a day, riding my bicycle a few miles. Is this doable or advisable after 1 year? I was reading an older post where @Josephine thought 10,000 steps at 2 years out was too much, so now I'm confused. Or maybe it was the tracker she had concerns with...I need something to look forward to.

 

[Josephine]

Elad, I already had you answer my questions and then gave you advice with the answers. It's in post #154
Perhaps you'd like to go and look at my advice again and remind yourself what I said. However, if you think it would be would help, perhaps you'd like to answer them again?

 

[NavyGunns]

@Elad1002, I slowly began to add leg exercises to my workout at around 6 months. I found I had to be careful doing too much because my ITB was easily aggravated. I’m now able to pretty much walk as much as I want (my knee is not what is bothered), I can use an elliptical for 45 mins and have no issues with my knee, I’m also able to use leg press and leg lift machines with no issues, but I’m very careful not to have too much weight on them (mainly because of my ITB). It’s important to understand these were all things I was able to do pre-PKR, so I fully expected to eventually get back to doing those exercises.

You are only at roughly the 3 month mark, so your knee may not be ready for any of the above. It’s important to always start these activities for the first time with moderation in mind, even if you had never had knee surgery. When you feel like you are ready, do a little bit and then see how your knee reacts. If no issues, try again a day or two later. If no issues, keep at it slowly. If your knee (or leg muscles, etc) reacts adversely, give them a day or two rest and retry but back off a bit in terms of time, etc.

 

[Elad1002]

@Josephine
Yes, I did answer your questions, and have taken the advice you offered. Presently I walk around the house and in stores until I feel my knee starting to swell. I use my recumbant bike still at 0 resistance for 5 minutes a few times a day. I walk up and down 14 stairs twice a day. I bend my leg in the air a few times a day, heel slides upon waking up. I go to PT for gait training twice a week, and no exercise there. I elevate and ice several times a day. That's about it. I have a little concern that right above the incision in my quads I have what seems to be a 4×4 area where there is a pouch of swelling that is annoying but not painful. It seems like fluid is collecting there.
Thank you
Dale

 

[Lindylee]

@Elad1002 I get a swelling above the kneecap, used to get it before the surgery too. It's obviously a collection of fluid, which I guess is going to happen from time to time. I believe it's the body's natural reaction to us doing more than the knee likes, or performing an exercise that is creating inflammation. Is it there permanently or does it subside? Can you pin it down to anything in particular?

 

[Jockette]

Personally I would not walk until I felt swelling. I think that means you passed the limit of your knee’s ability. Doing something that causes swelling does not help you improve.

At 3 months you are still in early days.

Recently I compared this recovery to baking cookies. My chocolate chip cookies take 12 minutes to completely bake. If I take them out earlier, at 2 minutes, 4, 8 or whatever, they will only be partially baked, and not all that tasty, because they’re not done yet.

The same is true of our knee at 2 months, or 3 months, etc. It needs time to finish healing.

I’m sure you will be able to do the things you listed, in the future. That’s why we have this surgery.

But right now, keep in mind, where you are now is not where you will end up.

 

[Elad1002]

@Linylee
It seems to have come down a little, been there since the surgery, not prior. It is squishy with fluid when you palpate it. I will address it with PT on Wednesday, thinking maybe ultrasound might help.

 

[sistersinhim]

For those who have had great reductions in swelling and healing at 1 year out, what do you do for exercise?

I was pretty much able to do everything I did before my tkr. That included bike riding and hiking and the normal yard and house duties.

You need to stop worrying so much and enjoy your little improvements each week. Let you knee be your guide. If you do something and then that night or next day have increased swelling and pain, then don't do it again for a few weeks. It's common sense. If it hurts, don't do it. Each one of our recoveries is different because each knee is different. Listen and obey yours and you'll be fine.

 

[Elad1002]

@sistersinhim
I feel like I'm doing next to nothing at this point and concerned about losing strength in quads. It's too cold to walk out doors, I'm alone all day, sitting way too much and bored silly, its such a long journey. I do have an anxiety disorder and worry way too much, but at times it seems out of my control. I've recently started an antidepressant to deal with the extreme nerves. I understand and appreciate you telling me to relax but it's more difficult for me given.my diagnosis. I have to refocus and add more positive things into my day. Today I will be working on March scheduling for work. It helps to feel productive.
Thanks

 

[Josephine]

I walk up and down 14 stairs twice a day. I bend my leg in the air a few times a day, heel slides upon waking up.

Those are the things I advised you NOT to do, remember?

I feel like I'm doing next to nothing at this point and concerned about losing strength in quads.

I'm sure you're not really! By the time you've got up in the morning, washed and dressed, got yourself meals/snacks and drinks and done a little essential household chores, that's plenty enough activity.

 

[Elad1002]

@Josephine
I am confused, I thought heel slides were ok to do. I walk up and down the stairs in my home twice a day out of necessity and the leg bending is an exercise that Navygunns recommended that I thought you approved. I aslo do my stationary bike on 0 resistance a few times a day for 5-10 minutes. I have to go back to work in March and I'm getting concerned that this stiffness will get worse once I am on my feet more. I am 12 weeks po.
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Josephine]

I thought heel slides were ok to do.

I never did them - ever!

I walk up and down the stairs in my home twice a day out of necessity

Well obviously that's okay

the leg bending is an exercise that were recommended that I thought you approved

Well I'm afraid I don't.

I also do my stationary bike on 0 resistance a few times a day for 5-10 minutes.

That's fine

I have to go back to work in March and I'm getting concerned that this stiffness will get worse once I am on my feet more.

The way to ensure it doesn't get worse is to rest your knee - LOTS!

 

[Elad1002]

I went to PT today- Its just for functional rehab, like walking without a limp, doing stairs etc. There was a woman in the waiting room, I said hello and she began to tell me that she wished she never had her knee done, the muscles ache all the time now. I started to cry thinking that would be my fate as well. I'm emotionally vulnerable right now, havent felt the benefit of this surgery yet to know if it was worth it. I have to get a better mindset, I feel so stuck emotionally with all of this. My mother isn't doing well and I wanted to fly out to see her, but not feeling like I could do that right now. I want to go back to work so I could think different thoughts, but not sure I could be on my feet that long during the day. Maybe a wheelchair...oh man, what have I done.

 

[grandma chris]

@Elad1002 honey, if you don't mind the familiarity - that's your anxiety speaking! You have done a good thing for yourself. I can see from your posts that it's getting better all the time. Remember that little drawing that illustrates the trajectory for healing from a TKR? You know the one that shows the real trajectory as being a big squiggly line? That's where we're at! You had your surgery one week after I had mine, so by now we're pretty close to even in timing. What kind of work do you do? Do you have to be standing all the time? Or sitting?

 

[Elad1002]

@grams chris
Thanks for your encouraging words. I'm feeling so vulnerable lately, I seem to easily latch onto someone else's negative experience like its mine. The truth is, I fought this surgery tooth and nail, did not want to do something as unnatural as a knee replacement. I've lived a holistic lifestyle, accept that I have a bad knee. I made the decision based on my increasing pain levels, but as we know it's not a quick fix. I didnt research it enough, didnt know all that it entailed...I know it's done and I have to move forward, just some internal struggle with acceptance. Tring to make peace with it.

 

[grandma chris]

 

[Didot]

I understand your concerns around not “doing” enough. I have followed advise here around rest and waiting for knee to heal. At PT yesterday however, where the approach is gentle yet encouraging the knee and surrounding muscles to come back to life, they commented on how weak and tight my leg has become. They insist that at week 5 I need to start strengthening slowly. Lying around at home potentially delays all of this. The knee apparently needs gentle challenging to be able to move on. So difficult to know what to do.


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