TKR Coming along<<

[traceys]

I live in a small apt and walk in the underground parking just for “fresh scenery” and then took to walking in the apt backwards or sideways or only turning right just to be moving and make things different.

You will manage. We all get through it with the huge family we acquire on here that have been thru it and understand like no one else can.

 

[Mom2Lucy]

I’m in a small apt. too, and know how it can become claustrophobic. But it does get better.

 

[Newboots]

Have you got anyone who could drive you somewhere like a covered shopping precinct? Or even just out for a cup of coffee? Just to make things seem a bit more normal again.

 

[Seattle123]

“Nothing could have prepared me for this...the lack of sleep, the relentless aching, the worry about infection, the depression and anxiety and figuring out the best way to handle PT. “

Thanks for saying this! I think we share the same brain at 11am, 1am, 3am etc.
We are in it together!

 

[donnag1108]

I agree getting out can really help. Doesn't really matter what just a change of scenery. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Elad1002]

Today I am going out. It's been raining here for 3 days, so I was hoping that the pain relief I had achieved was a sign I was on the mend. But I have more aching now with the weather. Dont want to go back on a narcotic for this. I've been off them 3 weeks already and they constipated me terribly. So maybe I will take my celebrex and tylenol just before going out.

 

[Larryhg3]

@Elad1002 I have to say the weather here in CT has not been conducive to walking outdoors that is for certain. Like you I live in a 3 bedroom raised ranch. What I do is get up once per hour and walk the length of my house using my back bedroom as my turn around spot. I have worked that up to 10 minutes each time @ 15 laps of my house. It is relatively normal to be worried about things going wrong especially if you haven’t been through this before. This site is an excellent resource for those questions the staff here is very knowledgeable and someone here can definitely relate to any question you may have. Good luck in your journey, today’s weather in CT doesn’t look like it is going to cooperate again today

 

[Elad1002]

So, I have this tracking problem with my kneecap. It sometimes goes off to the side when I kick my leg straight out in PT. The exercise for it is to strengthen the quads. So it baffles me why a PT would continue to have me keep kicking my leg out straight through 3 sets if 10, knowing I have a tracking problem that hasnt resolved yet. Surely doing the thing that makes it hurt isn't going to correct it. I am going to PT once this week rather than 3 x. My plan is to cancel my Monday appointment, go on Wednesday and talk to them about doing my exercises at home. My doctor follows my PT so I have to be careful with this kneecap thing, dont want OS to say that I didnt follow advice if it continues to be a problem down the line. (I actually have a feeling I pulled it out in PT, and it needs time to heal.) I can do the corrective exercises at home. Let's see how it goes.

 

[NavyGunns]

@Elad1002, if you haven’t done so already, you need to have a very serious up front conversation with your pt about your concerns and what YOU want and expect from your therapy sessions. Make it clear to them, you are the patient, you are the customer, YOU pay their salary, therefore you expect them to listen and be supportive. If they refuse, debate, threaten to “tell the OS”, then FIRE them! Go find another pt who will listen! Then do the same with your OS! Sometimes our medical team forgets who their customer is. They get caught up in “they are the professionals” and they “know better” than the patient. Maybe they do, but that doesn’t mean they know it all!

Regarding the boredom of walking around your small apartment, is there anyway you can get someone to take you to a local mall? This will give you plenty of room to walk, change of scenery, and places to sit and rest when needed.

 

[Jockette]

It seems counterintuitive to start beating up my leg in the midst of healing,

Surely doing the thing that makes it hurt isn't going to correct it.

I actually have a feeling I pulled it out in PT, and it needs time to heal.

I agree with you in all these areas.

My doctor follows my PT so I have to be careful with this kneecap thing, dont want OS to say that I didnt follow advice if it continues to be a problem down the line.

I do understand your feelings here, I felt the same way. At 5 weeks post op I found my PT counterproductive when it took 2-3 days to recover from it. I wanted to stop going but was afraid if a problem came up in the future my surgeon would say, well you stopped going to PT.

you need to have a very serious up front conversation with your pt about your concerns and what YOU want and expect from your therapy sessions. Make it clear to them, you are the patient, you are the customer, YOU pay their salary, therefore you expect them to listen and be supportive. If they refuse, debate, threaten to “tell the OS”, then FIRE them! Go find another pt who will listen!

I agree with NavyGuns, and I wish I’d realized this early in my recovery. I had never had a knee replaced before so I followed instructions figuring they knew best.

I have come to learn that there are MANY different opinions on this recovery and what type of PT to do, or not do, or even go at all!

You may not know all the ins and outs of the surgical procedure, but you know your body, and if you feel this type of PT is not right for you, you have every right, and even a responsibility to your knee, to do what you feel is right.

 

[Elad1002]

Thank you. I do plan to tell my PT what I can and can not do. One of them tells me there is a window where you have to get your ROM to 120, while the other, the owner actually tends to respect my tolerance levels. I will tell him how long it takes me to recover from each PT visit. I will also tell him that they are not to push me past my tolerance levels. I am also cutting back on my amount of visits. I only like going 3 times a week because it gets me out of the house. I really shouldnt drive yet, I can not yet slam on the brake if I needed to. Any way 1-2×wily sounds better.

 

[traceys]

@Elad1002
I enjoy getting out too even if only to my pt - or gait sessions - or massage sessions. Lol. My social life revolves around my therapy!


Thankfully my pt respects what it was doing to me and my treatment team worked together to keep it moving with no force.

Glad you seem to be in better spirits today!

 

[Larryhg3]

@Elad1002 you are absolutely doing the right thing to have a rules of engagement discussion with your PT. You are very early in recovery and this is certainly not a race. While it is normal to have some discomfort after PT pain after or during PT is not something you should accept. Advocating for ourselves seems to be one of the hardest things we have to do. If we listen to our knee and let It be in charge of our recovery things seem to go more smoothly.

 

[Elad1002]

Oh this kneecap tracking issue is driving me nuts. Anyone out there who has had a kneecap tracking problem post surgery? My doc tells me it will resolve when my quads get stronger, I am 6 weeks po tommorow.

 

[Jockette]

Oh this kneecap tracking issue is driving me nuts. Anyone out there who has had a kneecap tracking problem post surgery? My doc tells me it will resolve when my quads get stronger, I am 6 weeks po tommorow.

I’ll tag @Josephine for you.

 

[Elad1002]

Thank you. Also how do I change the title of my thread?

 

[Jockette]

Tell us what you want the new title to be and we’ll take care of it.

 

[Josephine]

Oh this kneecap tracking issue is driving me nuts. Anyone out there who has had a kneecap tracking problem post surgery? My doc tells me it will resolve when my quads get stronger,

Well I don't believe him for starters. But I suggest you see a good PT and get some McConnel taping done. Though you can also do it yourself provided you obtain the correct type of tapes.

 

[NavyGunns]

@Elad1002, while I didn’t have a tracking issue, during the early part of my recovery I did have a problem that my pt felt was due to scar tissue and inflamed ligaments creating a sharp stabbing pain just to the inside of my knee cap. He applied kinesiology tape to my knee (and showed me how to do it myself) that helped provide stability to my knee cap and greatly relieved the issue. As my knee continued to heal, the issue did resolve on its own. I want to say I first started experiencing the issue around week 4 or 5 and it may have lasted until week 10 or so. I know I posted about it, so if you check my recovery thread you’ll see what was done.

 

[Elad1002]

Interesting. That is exactly what my therapist did today!!! It made a bit if a difference! I will look for your thread. Thanks