TKR Crying & bending knee question

[jtrahan]

Swelling will limit your range of motion. Some days are better than others. Remember to ice and elevate. Also, the more active you are the more swelling you will have.

 

[Susie-Q]

This journey is like a roller coaster, definitely ups and downs and 1 step forward, 2 steps back. The overall trend will be to slowly improve but there will be setbacks along the way. You're doing great! Hang in there!

 

[saleenluver]

the more active you are the more swelling you will have.

When it became so swollen, I did slow down some on my activity, icing and elevating more. That seems to have helped as the swelling is not so bad now - still there, just less.

 

[saleenluver]

@Susie-Q That is definitely what I am feeling - 1 step forward and 2 steps back. I'm really glad to know this is all normal! Thank you! ☺️

 

[Annie5]

@Vinpetrol thank you for sharing! That gives me hope that this will pass and I will continue healing.

Hi I’m 8 weeks out now and my knee has had its ups and downs along the way. I don’t push my knee but just do basic exercises and lots of icing and elevating. I haven’t seen a PT since day 3 and have no intentions of seeing one. I don’t need one. My consultant is really pleased with my knee and that’s good enough for me. I make small strides every week. This week I have been able to get in and out of the bath unaided or supervised I’m thrilled.
Listen to your body and don’t look at expectations that are unrealistic. Take care of yourself and good luck. Keep posting so we know how you’re doing

 

[saleenluver]

Hi all! This Tuesday will be 8 weeks out for me. I'm doing much better at this point, with ups and downs. On most days, the pain level is not too bad - anywhere between 3-5. I am able to do most things myself and am starting to even walk without the cane. Hubby still has to help me tie the shoe on my surgery leg.
I still have swelling; some days that is worse than others. Elevating and icing are still my friends lol. I still can't bend my knee as much as PT wants me to. I am at 95°, but they are wanting me to get to 110 as they say that is the functional level. My knee just feels so tight and is still swollen so I just can't get it to bend more.
I did go back to work this past Wednesday - i am a teacher. That was not great. I didn't do too bad on Wednesday, but by Friday I couldn't sit or stand due to the amount of pain I was in. I did take a zero gravity lounge chair to school with me and had to take breaks to elevate and ice. Not sure how I'm going to do once students are back this week as I can't just lay down in the middle of class. I also have 4 classes in a row after lunch, so that means 4 hours up. I'll have to see how I do.
I really am so thankful for this forum - it has helped me keep my sanity throughout all this.

 

[Jaycey]

I also have 4 classes in a row after lunch, so that means 4 hours up.

Tough one as you know that knee is going to complain. I know it's not ideal. But can you perch on a high stool or sit in a chair for any of your teaching? I'm sure the students will understand and may even help fetch and carry if needed.

 

[saleenluver]

@Jaycey My surgeon has written me a note to sit as needed, and my principal is fine with that. However, what I i found out very quickly this week is that sitting up rapidly increases the swelling and therefore my pain level, too. I actually felt better standing, at least for a bit.
While I have been healing, I took the elevating and icing to heart. If I did not need to be up, I was elevating. This meant that this week was the longest stretch of time that I had been sitting up. I'm hoping as I build my stamina back up, this will improve. And yes, my students will be very helpful, especially my 6th graders.

 

[sistersinhim]

Would it be possible to take a stool to elevate your leg on while you are sitting? Also, those chemical ice packs would be a help, too. Any amount of time you can take to ice and elevate would be a help.

 

[saleenluver]

@sistersinhim I definitely am going to try and figure out ways to ice; the elevating may be isolated to my planning and lunch time, but I am trying to figure out ways to do it during other times as well. I hadn't thought of trying one of the stools....I will have to try that tomorrow. Thanks for that idea!

 

[2chains]

Do you sit at a desk and does it have a drawer? You could pull that out maybe use for elevating with towel or pillow.

 

[kneeper]

Icing and elevating is definitely tricky at work but do try to do it on your lunch & whatever prep time you have.
A stool can work to at least get you off your feet a bit.
Regardless, that's long day at 8 weeks. Be sure when you come home for the day you can rest, ice and elevate. If you have someone at home who can help you fetch, carry and make meals after work, take advantage of it.

 

[saleenluver]

@2chains I have figured out how to use one of the student chairs to elevate a little bit and ice. Not ideal, but hoping it works. I also ordered an ice pack for the knee that has straps. Hoping that during my long stretch that I can at least ice, even if I can't elevate it. If it works, I'm going to order a second one so I can swap them out.

 

[saleenluver]

Be sure when you come home for the day you can rest, ice and elevate. If you have someone at home who can help you fetch, carry and make meals after work, take advantage of it.

My hubby has been super amazing through this. He does all that and more for me.

 

[saleenluver]

Update - it's been 10 and a half weeks now. I have good days, but still have more bad days that I would like. The bad days are definitely related to my job as a teacher and being on my feet for a good bit of the day. Last Friday i had to leave half way through the day because i was hurting so bad. I have found ways to ice my leg while at work - the Koo-Kare gel ice pack from Amazon has been great for that (I hope that's ok to include).

I have also found that sitting at my regular desk chair will cause my knee to swell, increasing the amount of pain. If I use a lab stool for sitting, I can keep my leg straight and it helps limit the amount of swelling. My PT explained why that was happening to me - when sitting in a chair the knee is bent blocking the flow of fluids causing them to gather at the knee, whereas keeping the leg more straight when sitting allows the fluids to flow, thereby keeping the swelling down and not swollen due to excess fluids.

No matter what I do though, by Friday my leg is verry swollen from the knee down and the pain level is a bit high. I am also exhausted - recovery is hard work! Each week does seem to get better, so I'm sure it will eventually not be as bad.

I do have a weird feeling pain at the top of my leg bone where it meets the implant. It's a tingly kind of sharp pain in the bone itself - not in the knee. There will also be sharp, stabbing pains that go through the same area that can bring me to tears. My PT says this can be caused from being on my feet a lot. I don't have the same kind of pain where the top of the implant meets my femur. Really hoping that calms down soon as it can be a rather debilitating pain as I don't want to do anything but ice and rest it when that happens. That is not an option at school. Looking forward to the Labor Day weekend for sure!!

Hope everyone else is recovering well!

 

[jtrahan]

Wow! You’re still really early yet in your recovery. I think you might be pushing it a little too much. I’m going back next week after being out since March and I don’t feel ready. I’m an elementary school physical education teacher and I teach seven periods a day out of a nine period schedule. One day this year, I only have one period off. My knee still hurts and swells at six months. I met my surgeon last week and he sent me back to pt. I’m also dealing with a severe case of plantar fasciitis is in my opposite foot. I may just retire.

 

[InkedMarie]

Wow! You’re still really early yet in your recovery. I think you might be pushing it a little too much. I’m going back next week after being out since March and I don’t feel ready. I’m an elementary school physical education teacher and I teach seven periods a day out of a nine period schedule. One day this year, I only have one period off. My knee still hurts and swells at six months. I met my surgeon last week and he sent me back to pt. I’m also dealing with a severe case of plantar fasciitis is in my opposite foot. I may just retire.

I’m the kitchen manager at a school, been out since April and start back day after Labor Day. Not ready at all.

Marie

 

[sistersinhim]

If you're having pain and swelling in a joint replacement, most of the time excessive PT is not the answer to help it. Rest, elevation and ice are the answers. Gentle movements, doing what is in your normal day, is all the PT it needs until that pain and swelling go down. It's a learning thing, what works and what doesn't work.

 

[Samsrf]

glad to hear it is getting easier. Adapt and overcome is the name of the game. I used to pre- entirely ice even if I didn’t need it and I knew I had to go hours without it.

 

[kneeper]

Definitely use the long weekend to ice and elevate and rest. I hear you about both being on your feet and sitting being aggravating to the knee. Be sure when you've been sitting down for about an hour to get up and walk for a minute or two to help with the stiffness. But at a certain point you just need to rest and elevate. I know I just crashed when I got home for the first couple of weeks back at work.