TKR Dr Mirkin Recants RICE

CT-Mike

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Surgery was on New Year’s Eve at am ambulatory surgery center (went home same day). PT was waiting for me at the house when we got home, and came every weekday until my two-week post-op appointment yesterday. Getting the staples out yesterday was no joke, I guess I had healed so well that many of them were embedded and had to be dug out - not fun.

ROM was 91 degrees and flexion was 3 degrees, surgeon was happy with that. I start outpatient PT 3x/week starting next Wednesday.

Pain is pretty manageable right now unless I try and stand/walk on it for too long. Still have quite. Bit of swelling but the is to be expected I guess.

Photo below was taken on day 7 post-op.
AF314C30-E369-4741-AD3B-A3EC3D231800.jpeg
 
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@CT-Mike Welcome to BoneSmart and the other side of surgery! We will be here to support you through this journey.

Please take it slow and steady. Our experience is that approach works very well. No rush for ROM - it will come when your knee is ready.

Are you icing and elevating that op leg? Ice will decrease any swelling that is hindering ROM.

Here are your recovery guidelines:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this Activity progression for TKRs

6. Access these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Question for you seasoned pros, how long till I can sleep on my side? This back-sleeping is killing me.
 
I think you can go ahead a try it, to see if it’s comfortable. Some members put a big pillow lengthwise under their operative leg. I think it was @Celle who tried sleeping on her side in the hospital. (Celle, correct me if I’m wrong!)

I was always a side sleeper until after my surgery. I adjusted to sleeping on my back by elevating my legs on the big foam wedge my hospital sent home with me. At the time I also had an adjustable bed, and I elevated the head, just a little, and it took the pressure off my lower back. I no longer use the adjustable bed, but I still elevate my legs all night on that wedge, and I’m very happy sleeping like that.
 
That's correct. The nurses put me on my side for short periods while i was in hospital.

Lie on your non-operated side, with a pillow between your legs. It was comfortable at first, but I couldn't have stayed that way all night.
 
I slept on my side from the first night. At first it was just slightly on my side, not fully. I did this with both knees. I used pillows in various positions and it varied with each knee. Put a pillow behind my back also to lean against. Honestly, it varied night to night, adjusting for comfort. And getting comfortable did take some time each night. I could not have spent the entire night on my side though.
 
I laid on my side with my operated on leg almost straight out with I was elevating. Most of the time I was icing and elevating, but when I got tired of that I'd roll over on my side for a while. At first, it was only a few minutes before my knee started hurting so I'd go back to the elevation. As I healed I was able to sleep on my side for longer periods of time.
 
I also had robotic assisted surgery which has been going really well. I'm nearly 9weeks out. I have slept on both sides since the beginning and also rolled onto my stomach with no problems. My OS said to sleep any way that's comfy. The staples look painful, my incision had no external stitches or staples.
 
I have tried sleeping on both sides with a pillow between my knees, and just can’t get comfortable on either side. In due time I guess.
 
Anyone have any positive experience with the ON-Q pain mgmt system? I was told it would keep the front of my knee numb for 3 days post-op - didn’t seem like it did anything.
 
It's only been a couple of weeks, Mike.
It will come and you'll be able to sleep on your side again.

Anyone have any positive experience with the ON-Q pain management system? I was told it would keep the front of my knee numb for 3 days post-op - didn’t seem like it did anything.

We have had people on here who found it helpful.
 
I did have that system and it didn’t work because the line got kinked up in recovery. I was without any pain medication for over 24 hours due primarily to the kink.
 
Well today I needed to do some grocery shopping and am definitely feeling it this afternoon.
 
Yes, that happens to all of us. Rest up tonight with your feet up!

Have you considered online ordering and curbside pick up?
 
@CT-Mike Probably Over Did It Club entry :( Ice, elevate, take what ever pain meds you are using. And check in your area to find grocery store that either delivers or has order on line then pick up available.
 
We tried local grocery delivery, half of the produce that was delivered was rotten, never again.
 
Not good. Did you call and have it replaced? What part of the country are you? Maybe I could recommend a grocery store. With the side sleeping I started with multiple pillows under the TKR with gradually working my way to my side. My husband used to prop the long pillow behind me so I could relax my back..but then as soon as I got comfortable I would have to do a bathroom run...LOL. With the multiple surgeries I ended up getting a lazy boy for the bedroom. I spent more time sleeping on that with my Iceman :)
 
Started outpatient PT today. They put me on a Biodex machine to work on ROM, have some lingering pain ever since.
 

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