TKR Days of Recovery (TKR 1/4)

[Flashlight]

I found that massaging my incisional line with some lotion helped this and I started around 7-weeks twice a day with the ok from my OS. I'm at 7-months the 15th and just at the end of my incision it is still sensitive. It looks he went in pretty deep there. You are doing great!

 

[trinket]

@LD of Michigan I don't like icing either. Have never felt it did much for me. I have found that if I take my ice out of freezer and let it "warm up" for a little while I can tolerate it better. Curious to know how much tightness you have in your knee? I'm about four weeks ahead of you, and while I am back to doing everything I was pre-surgery I still have a fair amount of tightness on the right side of knee. My ROM is fine so I don't think it's the hardware.

 

[Jockette]

I don't like icing either. Have never felt it did much for me. I have found that if I take my ice out of freezer and let it "warm up" for a little while I can tolerate it better.

Same here!

 

[EalingGran]

Sounds like you are doing amazingly well.
Take care and don't over do things!

 

[Layla]

No cane or roller in home, but on stairs in the AM I'm stiff so using cane to car.

I believe its in the Phased Return to Work article that it reminds us of the energy it takes to even get to work, let alone endure a full day there. I think we tend to envision ourselves in the work place without thinking about the effort / energy used beforehand from an already low reserve, so I'd say you're doing great! I hope you're able to get lots of restorative rest this weekend and feel strong going into the next work week.

 

[LD of Michigan]

@Layla
Thankfully I work only 30 hours a week - not too bad. I was late one day as I find myself still moving SLOWER overall in the AM even down to applying makeup and I was NEVER an early morning person and my job has an 8 AM start time ...... but thankfully there are some ebbs and flows of activities thru the day. So I pace myself.

The effort getting there requires much energy indeed: sorting, ironing and laying out multiple outfits many days in advanced helps I noticed. I can't get up wondering what I'm wearing - standing at an iron board at 6:55 AM!

 

[LD of Michigan]

@EalingGran
Yeah I beat myself a bit yesterday for laying around most of the day, but heck I was tired. So I allowed myself to be lazy in pajamas and a bathrobe the entire day. My knee was a-ok with that!

 

[LD of Michigan]

@LD of Michigan I don't like icing either. Have never felt it did much for me. I have found that if I take my ice out of freezer and let it "warm up" for a little while I can tolerate it better. Curious to know how much tightness you have in your knee? I'm about four weeks ahead of you, and while I am back to doing everything I was pre-surgery I still have a fair amount of tightness on the right side of knee. My ROM is fine so I don't think it's the hardware.

I think ice helps, and I used it at the end of my onsite PT sessions I etc. I just don't like cold things against me in the winter and my home ice set-up required me to wrap the ice into place with these velcro straps leaving me with pain about the back of my knee during the icing. Like a tight tourniquet feeling. Ugh.

I need to invest in one of those oversized weighted ice packs like at the PT center. Those do not require that binding-wrapping to stay in place nicely. I agree with you that the warm-up factor helped.

I feel some stiffness/ tightness still at the full extension level. For example in bed I put my left knee across my right knee to extend it a bit. Initially joint feels resistant to that full extension - then it gets better. I've good motion and range for bending my knee. Just a tad of clunking in both knees depending on how I'm moving or fast sudden motion(s). I'm getting LESS caught off 'guard' with pain in new knee. So I'm healing well. Just a few nerve 'zingers' from time to time and pain if I over-do it. Which I am prone to. LOL!

As others have said, and I concur, it really takes a full year+ to recover, yet you gradually resume activities as knee heals and your body adapts (much of this going on without your knowing about it IMO).

 

[LD of Michigan]

I found that massaging my incisional line with some lotion helped this and I started around 7-weeks twice a day with the ok from my OS. I'm at 7-months the 15th and just at the end of my incision it is still sensitive. It looks he went in pretty deep there. You are doing great!

Indeed it's a complex incision so sensitivity should not surprised. But sometimes it's like incision was yesterday!

Yet I've had other surgeries and none gave me wound issues like both my TKR's. Maybe cause it is at the bend level.

I wore generously fitting tights this week and that was not bad at all. Heavy blue jeans are the worst as they shift upon your knee as you move. I'll just have to be patient and count my blessings that all going well.

 

[LD of Michigan]

Sounds like you are doing amazingly well.
Take care and don't over do things!

Hah! You know I want to at times, but I get in the bed and stream something on the tube, or talk on the phone.
Rest is most needed still - even if not completely asleep...

 

[beachy]

Just want to echo....you ARE doing amazingly well. You're sensible about this recovery, too. Because you've been thru it before, like me.
I know you've had some ups and downs and take in stride.
Hope you and your knee had a nice, restful weekend!

 

[LD of Michigan]

Oh-ME-oh-MY! ...... I've had a set-back. I have a bad cold - fever with chills.

A bit better but the joint pain has zero'd in on new TKR!

In bed with an electric radiator supplementing regular heat as I can't get warm. Watching reruns of Star Trek movies. LOL!

I may have to take an Oxy. I have a few left over.

 

[EalingGran]

Hope you feel better soon. There have been some filthy bugs around this winter.

 

[LD of Michigan]

Well a gal needs an excuse to stay in bed covers up to neck watching Science Fiction!
Thank goodness not nauseous ... ...

 

[sistersinhim]

I am so sorry that that bad bug found you. I pray your knee eases up and you kick that bug to the curb!

 

[LD of Michigan]

Thank you...... Just stayed in bed after handling some early commitments. Knee pains less too - MUCH BETTER!

 

[beachy]

Yay! For feeling better.

 

[DEL2024Dec-38]

@LD of Michigan - I have the same gel pack as @beachy. Get a large one as it's helpful to cool both sides of the knee. Mine fits nicely in the freezer, just make sure it's spread out in there. I also don't like cold so I put it directly inside an old clean pillow case and place it over whatever light pants I'm wearing. It kind of falls apart in two, so there's cold on the left and right side of the knee. I'm finding these days that I'm also using it for swelling that happens under the knee. If I feel like I'm not getting enough help with swelling, I pull my pant leg up and bite the bullet with the pillow case pressed against my skin. You can usually do this after starting out with it on your pants for a while. However, not really necessary to freeze. My secret to dealing with the cold is, I have a heating pad placed right down by my feet. Feet on the warm pad helps!

 

[Flashlight]

I'm watching the last season of Star Trek: Picard! It reminds me of watching Star Trek when I was a lot younger! I've just gotten over an upper respiratory infection probably from grandson. My Grand dog actually was put on an antibiotic for a possible cold too! I had never heard of that before. Glad you are feeling better!

 

[EalingGran]

I've just gotten over an upper respiratory infection probably from grandson. My

We have had some dreadful colds/ chest infections this Winter from our baby grandson ( aka the biohazard or petri dish!!)