TKR Dealing with RLS after TKR<

[Newboots]

@Newboots it's very popular sport among seniors in the US. Kind of a cross between badminton, ping pong, and tennis; played with a paddle and plastic ball. I played PBall after my first TKR, once I was no longer limping; my PT thought it would be good for me as long as I took it easy at first while I was gaining strength and coordination (she much preferred it to ice hockey which I was eager to return to ). At the end of August I took a stumble playing pickleball and broke my arm -- my OS and I are hoping it is now strong enough to support me with TKR #2 next week. I am optimistic.

Thanks for that info. I’d got it into my head that the balls were shaped like pickles!
Sure hope you’re arm’s better for next week. Good luck!

 

[Cementless]

@Softtail, it's your knee. At least play doubles. After a revision, I would not do anything that could possible loosen my new implant....even if it is something I love. You are not bionic. Good luck though.

 

[Softtail]

Lol, it’s a great game ,and as mentioned a cross between ping pong,badminton ,and tennis played on a much smaller court, with a slightly lower net than tennis. It is the fastest growing sport in country , at least among us old folks. It’s everywhere in Florida where all us winterbirds hang out. Google it up on the net and see how it’s played. Warning ,it’s addictive once you start.

 

[Cementless]

@Softtail, I am very familiar with pickelball. I have a cousin that is addicted!!! It is a great sport but not for people with TKR, imo....no matter what your OS says. Why risk it?

 

[Softtail]

Cementless , there is new information on doing more sports wise , that supports it is actually good for the implant. If you go to bonesmart library, you can read articles on both, with a relatively new study following a group that did aggressive sports ie, skiing, basketball, etc. and a group that didn’t. The study found there was no statistical difference, and might even favor the sport group. I hope the sports study is right, cause I can’t see myself just walking for exercise, at least not yet. I am just a kid at 70 lol..

 

[Softtail]

Oddly I just visited the library today for first time , and what a wealth of information it contains. Anything from suggestions on what recliners to consider, to studys on what you can do post recovery with new knee , to nutrition articles. Highly suggest everyone take advantage of it.

 

[Softtail]

Ok 10 weeks out tomorrow,so I thought I would throw out some good news for all the bonesmarties, wondering if getting that new knee is gonna knock everyone down for months on end.

Had last session with PT today, and he said I don’t need anymore formal guidance, just keep up flexion and extension exercises, so knee doesn’t backslide. Flexion at 130, extension at 0. Swelling virtually gone, and only get gentile reminder if I push knee too far. Climbing steps is normal ,which I couldn’t do pre surgery, and I can even get on my knee on carpet for some exercises without pain, although it does feel a bit strange lol.

All pain gone ,except if I try to squat too far, but need to build strength up in knee. That will come with walking and exercise. Problem now is TKR knee is passing the non TKR knee. Can now walk , play golf, play pickleball, and new knee is fine. Non tkrknee is now being passed by the new knee in that the right knee ( nonTKR knee).doesn’t like any excessive. exercise or activity that is weight bearing.

It’s sad I will have to go thru all this again next year(probably April) ,but it’s good to know the end result is worth it. So all in all 10 weeks is not too bad to get a sorta like new knee lol. I know there is a lot of healing to go in the knee, but with no pain, and being able to do everything I was hoping to do with new knee ,albeit limited somewhat by right knee, all is good.

I read pretty much all the posts here on recovery, and know I am one of the lucky ones to have progressed pretty quickly. Early on I started out with same limitations as most, but knee recovered and I thought it would be a positive thing to show return to many activities can come just over two months out for some of us.

Hopefully there won’t be any set backs, and as healing progresses things should just get better and better.
Picture of knee at 130 flex.

 

[Kiwigirl62]

@Softtail , I've been noticing your silence. Great pic of knee -gives me a visual of what 130 looks like. Great update...really pleased for you. You have been very encouraging to so many people.
I hope the knee keeps progressing at same rate

 

[beachy]

That's really encouraging! I hope right can take some of the load off lefty.

 

[Softtail]

Yea Kiwi, been waiting to see if the miracle recovery was gonna continue. Getting a test this morning cause Mother Nature decided to drop a foot of snow on us . Can’t get south to Florida quick enough.

 

[Softtail]

Don’t know how many got hit by snowstorm, but here in upstate Ny,just spent 2 hours shoveling out from 18 inches. The knee got a good workout this morning , and remains to be seen if at 10 weeks it can still get angry .
It feels a bit warm, but not suffering any pain, so can live with that. Darn I do not like the snow anymore.

 

[hegel]

Hey Softtail: when did you go off oxycodone, or whatever major pain meds you were taking? and are you mostly not needing ibuprofen etc. at 10 weeks?

p.s. I'm dealing with smoke from the hellacious Camp fire up north. it's being reported that we have the worst air quality in the world right now. No end in sight. Send us some of your cleansing snow!!!

 

[Softtail]

Hegel, I am never off all the oxycodone, but my use of it is not for pain. I have not needed any medication for pain since right around week 5. If you read my thread, I suffer from severeRestless leg syndrome, and need to use 10 mgs. Of oxy at bed time to relieve symptoms. If it were not for the RLS, I would be off the oxy as well. I hate having to take it, but at this point, I have little choice. At 10 weeks, I am relatively pain free, and knee only talks back to me if I attempt to do something like bend it too far.

 

[Softtail]

Hegel, meant to tell you how sorry I am to hear of your air quality. Not sure if you are near the horrendous fire destruction in California, but if so my heart goes out to you.

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow! What a bend you have there! That's better than mine. Of course, each knee is different! And my leg is much fatter than yours!

 

[joek]

Did you have rls before your replacement? I to have severe rls had it for years and it’s hard to find the right treatment for it after many trials for different drugs my doctor finally found that gabapentin and mirapex works for me also I found that sugar and sweets will trigger it

 

[flsungirl]

What a great knee bend! I doubt mine will ever get that far! I’ll be happy with function over form I can’t remember when my knees bent that far back. Very proud of you!

 

[Softtail]

Joke, yes I have had rls all mylife. Just got worse as I got older. I am poster boy for all the drugs that are the “current” treatment for it. I was on both Mirapex and Requip, and they worked well till augmentation set in. Took more lasted less, until I had to quit it. There is a specialist who is associated wit rls society of Southern California who helped me cause an idiot neurologist put me on a benzodiazepine which did nothing for rls, but hooked me good. Took 3 months to get off it. Treatment for severe rls when all else has failed is opiat, either oxy or methadone. Specialist prefers methadone, but my doc is Leary of prescribing that. 7.5 to 10 mg. Per night has it pretty much under control.

Flsungirl. Just got lucky I guess, was nervous first few weeks , but came on strong later on.

 

[hegel]

Thanks softail; I knew about your RLS but forgot about your needing oxycodone for that. I hope that I will match you (it's not a competition!) in not needing pain meds, or anyway oxy for pain, at week five--which is coming up! If not it will happen eventually.
My in home PT told me that she took 2 oxycodone at bedtime for months--pain is worst at night. I shall see!

 

[Softtail]

Hegel its amazing how everyone’s recovery takes a different route,in both pain and range of motion. I am pretty good dealing with pain, but have not had to from pretty much week 5/6 on. I still know knee is there, and healing ,just not painful thank goodness. No pain at bedtime either just my god awful jumpy legs. Some nites oxy works great, some nites so so. Have to pay attention to how sweets effect it. I know alcohol revs them up. Have RLS in arms too, which further sucks. Wish they could find a cure, or at least a better way to get it under complete control. We all have our crosses to bear