Bilateral TKR Confused on PT pushing<

Lol. It sounds really bad when I write it out. It’s 2.5 hours. Last year I was rehabbing my shoulder after major bone spur surgery and also neck, back, knees. If I had both in one day it was 4.5 hours.
I worked with a personal trainer 2 times a week for 6 months prior to the surgery and was in such good shape. I’ve lost all that. I’m going back to that when allowed. My doctors have always considered me an athlete which I like, and rehab me accordingly.

When I had my first knee scope with extensive cartilage damage, my PT was 4 hours a day every other day. That was hard since I worked.
 
18 weeks
1. Lowest is 0 when resting and the worst an 8 if I bend too far or step wrong. Normally about a 3-4 if doing stuff. That tight band feeling is still bad.
Interesting
2. I’m not taking pain meds now except 15 mg Mobic in AM which is also for migraine prevention, neck and back, foot. I was on oxycodone but been off since about week 8 except a few pills when really bad.
WHY aren't you taking pen meds when you clearly need them?

At the very least, take Tylenol 1,000mg 4 times a day at 6hrly intervals.
3. Moderate but larger than that picture esp above my knees. Right worse than left. Slightly swollen all the way to feet. I have a slight indentation when I take shoes and footies off
Not good.
4. Left 135 and straight. Right 130 usually but not straight. Can get hand under. I can push flat but painful when held.
Well not so bad, actually.
5. Might be approaching problem areas. I’m not icing much at all lately. When I do it’s in a pillowcase and I leave it on about 20 minutes. Been a week or so since iced.
You accomplish little or nothing in 20 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
6. Sitting on recliner with foot stool reversed so high end at feet so legs fairly high but not above heart.
That sounds okay since the rule is "toes above nose"!
7. I’m normally very very active so I feel low activity. But in reality it’s probably high.
That, if I may so so, is something of an oxymoron! "a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction"!
I’m single so do all. But cleaning is not often and have a roomba. I eat simply: cereal and protein bars and usually frozen dinners. So not up long. I do the shopping but that pretty fast. Fall yard work is here so going to try to just do a little at a time and pay for hard stuff. I gave a horse and started riding 1-2 times a week but we mostly walk and my friends are bringing her in from the field. I have a gang of cats and they are a lot of work. Have not been walking for exercise due to heat.
(Roomba - cleaning robot!) "Have not been walking for exercise" Well at least that's something!
8. PT said stop home exercise due to swelling and pain. I’m bending further since stopped. I only stretch at home. When sitting I constantly bend one leg up at a time and try to straighten esp: right for a couple of minutes usually once daily.
NOT a good idea!


PT is once weekly for last month cut from 3x a week. It’s a lot though and I’m sure too much- you could be right!
Elliptical 8 minutes set on 1 to warm up - okay
PT works on knees to help loosen - dare I ask how she does that?
Steps raising knees up in front 2 passes down floor - no
Steps kicking leg up behind 2 passes down floor - no
Steps raising leg up and forward to loosen hips 2 passes - no
Steps backward raising leg up and back -2 passes - no
Step ups using bar to help 15 reps each leg on 14” box - no
Stretch calves on slant board 3x30 sec - no
Wall sits 4 x 30 sec - no
Monster walk 4 passes (short) with green band - no - NO bands
Side steps 4 passes with green band - no - NO bands
4 way 20 forward, side, back each leg red band - no - NO bands
Balance board 2 minutes - no
Balance board 20 squats 5 sec each - no
Stand on foam pad feet one in front of other and throw 3 lb ball into trampoline x 20 each way - NO!!
Stand on foam with one leg throw 3 lb ball info trampoline- 20 each leg - - no
Leg press 2 sets 10 with both and single with less of course - no - NO weights

Table:
Leg extensions 7 lbs x 20 each - no - NO weights
Leg lifts 7 lbs each leg 2 sets 10 up, side, Babi - no - NO weights
Clam shells green band 2 sets 10 each side - no - NO bands, no clamshells
Bridges 20 w green band - no - NO bands, no bridges
Wall slides 20 each leg then she measures - no
Heels on tool and prop legs 5 lbs each 5 minutes - no - NO weights
Stretch hamstrings 3 x 30 sec - no
Ice with compression 10 minutes - okay

Are you aware that this all add up to 393 reps per day? And you said your ROM is right 130/0 left 135/0 so you really, really don't need to do any exercises, specially not at 18 weeks out! That's just ridiculous!

As for the pain, you reported a 0, a 3-4 and an 8 which tells me, without any shadow of doubt, this is all caused by all this exercising! It's pointless and bound to cause you problems. I can only think that your PT is keeping you going there so they can continue to rake in the money. They're certainly not doing it for your benefit!

I suggest you put a stop to it all and focus your activity on your animals and even riding. Much more healthy!
 
I knew what I meant about activity. I’m normally a very active person so I feel very lazy sitting as much as I am. Unless I ride, which is once or twice a week, or have pt, my current activity level is very low.

I’m not taking pain meds because Tylenol does nothing at all for me. If I take the prescription, I’m not allowed to drive. I’m alone and not driving is bad.

She works on my knees by massaging them basically. Works on scar tissue.

I’ll cut pt.

Thanks
 
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I knew what I meant about activity.
Yes, I knew what you meant about activity too. Doesn't make it right!
so I feel very lazy sitting as much as I am
You need to understand this: When you are resting, you are NOT 'dossing around' you are 'engaging a carefully considered pro-actively designed, heuristically programmed, dynamically structured recovery programme'. In oter words, you are allowing your knee to HEAL!
Works on scar tissue.
I'd be very surprised if you have any 'scar tissue'. a) it's very, very rare and b) it also doesn't exist. If you have stiffness, this is, as I said previously, due to all that exercising. It is NOT due to the mythological 'scar tissue!.
 
I know my incisions had tightened again and after she worked on them, I could comfortably get a better bend.

I understand. But I’m single and have NO help and being on a fixed income, I can’t begin to afford to pay to have everything done. Sometimes it’s not an option. I rest as much as I possibly can.
 
I'm single, too, and rehabbed all on my own. I never took PT or did any exercises. Taking care of daily obligations is enough activity to rehab a knee. I believe Josephine wasn't saying to stop taking care of your home duties, just to stop all that exercising. That is keeping your soft tissues inflamed, swollen and painful. Stop it for 2 or 3 weeks and see just how much your knee will improve! I know, I've been there!
 
I can’t begin to afford to pay to have everything done.
Did I even suggest that? But sometimes we (that includes me!) do have a tendency to think we have GOT to keep everything clean and tidy as if we were well. Well that's not the case. If you live on your own (as I do) then you don't need to clean more than once a week or even once a fortnight. And you don't need to do laundry more than that either! So pace yourself!

This business only takes a few weeks and you're 19 weeks out now anyway so should be almost there if not long past it. Personally, I don't think you should be doing ANY exercising or PT at all at this stage. None at all. What is left that you need to do more can safely be left to time!
 
No, you didn’t say that but I was trying to explain my situation. I don’t clean often and as I said previously, I have a roomba and that’s a big help. But I’m spring and fall I have yard work that must be done. It’s not an option. And a fish pond that has to be winterized. I totally get it about stopping PT and all exercise but I was trying to explain I have things to do that are still a lot of work. I’m doing a little each day to try to not overdo. I guess I misunderstood when you said “at least that’s something” I was doing right when I said I wasn’t walking for exercise.
I appreciate the advice.
 
I ran across the same problems that you have. My surgery was in early June. The grass had to be cut, the flowerbeds cleaned out, the brick patio was full of grass and weeds coming up. These were a huge mental stress. I did what I could when I could. Oh, and I forgot to mention, that I am a cat rescuer and at the time of my surgery had 13 to take care of! My dear neighbor cleaned out the litter boxes the first week or so. After that, it was on me. Moderation is the key. Do a little, then stop and rest. Let your knees be your guide. All of it doesn't have to be done at one time. Do little jobs, and be thankful for being able to do those!
 
Exactly. I’m doing a little each day. I pay to have the grass cut and he’s actually weed eating my brick patio. I cried I was so happy. I too have a house of rescued cats. I had 4 sick ones, 3 needing a lot of care. Syringe feeding, fluids, insulin.....not same cat for all this. I had to pay to have sick kitty stuff done and boxes scooped. If I stood long my bp would plummet to 60’s or 70’ over 40’s and 50’s. Still going that and never had trouble prior to surgery. Another reason they don’t want me on the strong pain meds. As I said earlier, I sit as much as I can.
 
Sorry, I misunderstood. Didn't realise you had so many responsibilities. You have a lot on your hands.
 
Thanks. I certainly do. I’m not complaining about my rescue kitties but they are a lot of work and expense so can’t pay to have more done. They are worth every penny. Then add house and yard and it’s rough right now but I’ll get past it. I’m really trying
 
@bitkr, you and I have a lot in common! My first week out of surgery, I had a neighbor clean out the boxes because they are down 4 steps on a screened-in porch. I have 2 cat doors, one to come into the house and one to come inside the screened in porch. That helped a lot cause many go out to 'go'! I would work the second week for 15 minutes, then rest for at least an hour. My sleeping schedule was all over the place, so even in the middle of the night I could do a little bit on the porch or inside the house.

To do yard work I left an old walker outside all the time that I could hold on to and bend over and pull grass and weeds. My good walker was inside the house right at the door, where I'd grab onto the outside on. Things took forever to do, but I did get them done!

How blessed you are to have someone weed eating your patio. I didn't have that. But, that wonderful neighbor rode my riding mower to cut the grass the first month. It was really dry, so she had to do it only twice! Afterwards, it was up to me. I found the vibration from the mower was painful and could do it only for short periods at a time. Again, taking things really slowly will get you there. You don't need PT because you are already doing it just taking care of you, your house, your yard and your cats!

Have a blessed recovery! I'll try and help you all I can with my experiences.
 
I don’t know how in the world you rode a mower that soon but we do that we have to do. My friends who did one sure did better faster. I knew it would be a year recovery but no idea I would still be so bad for so long. But I also know I expected too much since I got in such good shape.
MyBad foot and shoulder are killing me due in part tonthe weather. They both need surgery but I’m just going to deal with the pain for quite a while. I’ve just had it for now.
Thanks for your kind words and support. We do have a lot on common.
 
I haven’t checked in lately. PT is over and I’m trying to do a little more each day. I’m now 22 weeks out ( but who’s counting ) and still have issues. I turned the corner about 3 weeks ago but I still have the feeling of tightness. I also am still quite sore in my knee area and even all the way down my legs. Not terribly but if I bump my knees it hurts. My right knee is no straighter than before surgery which I don’t understand and wonder if straight would have helped my bad back some. I’m now being told by all the health care folks they hated to tell me how difficult it is to do 2. I would have done much better mentally if I’d known what I was facing but I understand not wanting to put negative suggestions in your head. I only had help for 3 days and feel no one should do bi if they are alone. Doing so much made it all take longer I’m convinced. At least the worst is behind me and in 7 more months I should be good. I hope. It’s been a terrible 5 months but slowly better.
 
Some of us have a tougher time than others, I did.

It still hurts if I bump my new knee.

Just think how much better you’ll be in 7 more months! :console2:
 
Wow it hurts after that long?

I’m looking forward to that year anniversary.
 
I’m now more than 6 months out. I’m still sore from mid thigh to feet. When I take my socks off I can tell I’m still swollen due to indentation. My knees are still so sore and very painful after being in a position for very long. I know it’s a year recovery and everyone is different. But none if my friends were still like this at 6+ months. So tired of this
 
These recovery definitely requires the patience of Job. We start to feel better and do more, then pay for it later on. The time to recoup becomes shorter as times goes on. Your knees are getting better not worse, like they would be with arthritis!
 

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