TKR Dealing with RLS after TKR<

[Softtail]

Ok thanks just curious about difference from one position to another

 

[Jockette]

Everything you are going through is pretty universal. It could be a couple of months or more (for me it was more) to stand still comfortably.

I remember in my first week I would stand up and gravity made the pain feel like hot liquid running down my leg. It was awful. The early weeks are not fun.

Stick with us, follow Bonesmart’s recovery guidelines and you should do pretty well.

 

[NavyGunns]

@Softtail, in addition to the feedback you receive from advisors and other members, you might want to go and read some of the recovery stories of the various advisers and moderators. Read the recovery story of @Roy Gardiner or mine if you want a guys perspective. If you want to see what recovery can be like with minimal or no PT, read up on @sistersinhim or @Josephine.

I think my recovery story is the newest and still one in progress as I’m barely 5 months post op. I’m pretty much able to do my normal activities I did before surgery (golf, bowl, walk, yard work, etc). In some cases, I’ll be stiff and some soreness afterwards, but that is all soft tissue healing, not the new joint itself. The biggest lesson you’ll need to learn is to pace yourself and to be prepared to accept consequences when you overdo it. Sometimes it’s a must. When that happens, I just deal with it.

 

[Softtail]

How do you go directly to another members recovery thread

 

[Jockette]

Some of us advisors have a link to our thread in our signature.

Usually I put the username into the search feature near the top of the forum page.

I think somewhere there’s a link in their profile but I don’t do it that way.

I don’t think I explained that very well. Someone else will be along with better info.

 

[NavyGunns]

@Softtail, exactly as Jockette described. I have a link to my thread in my signature block.

If you have difficulty finding someone in particular, ask and I’m sure one of us can help.

 

[InkedMarie]

@Jockette is there a way for us to have our recovery threads in our signatures?

 

[Jamie]

@InkedMarie ... you can put a link to your recovery thread in your signature if you like. Just go into your profile and make that change. If you need help doing that, let us know and one of the staff will assist you.

 

[InkedMarie]

@Jamie I guess I need help. I’d like to put both my thr and TKR recovery threads in my signature but I can’t figure out how.

 

[Josephine]

Just one question that here in US is drilled into us. If you don’t do the flexion/ extension exercises scar tissue will build up as incision heals and destroy your range of motion. Where does this come from, and is it just something that happens to a select unfortunate few, and/ or can it be avoided?

It's a myth! I think it was something like Chinese whispers where surgeons and/or PTs were anxious that patients would end up doing nothing and just sitting about. In fact, during my career - which as you can see, is pretty extensive - the numbers of TKR patients having adhesions (scar tissue) and stiff legs was not just minimal but pretty much unknown. So there came this 'philosophy' that you have to work hard, push through the pain and all that rot! And it's not just a US thing either! But as I said previously, there are a lot of us on this forum who have done NO exercising or PT whatsoever and yet ended up with excellent results. I was one of them. In other words, exercising and PT is unnecessary ! Totally unnecessary! So long as you are engaged in normal activities of daily living which includes things like trips to the bathroom and kitchen and other similar activities, you'll be fine. I recommend you read my recovery thread to see how little exercising I did for either knee! Knee recoveries UK style Parts I & II (Josephine)

How do you go directly to another members recovery thread

You can't go 'directly', you first have to go to the forum where all the threads are listed. (Finding another member's threads and posts)

The other way you can do it is to watch a thread (Watching threads).

 

[NavyGunns]

@Softtail, I use “watch threads” for those members I feel I can contribute value to their recovery. It alerts me when changes are made, regardless of who posted. You can also set it up to receive or not receive emails with the alerts.

 

[Softtail]

Wow lots of info everyone thanks and somehow before getting all this info I stumbeled into a few. Should be easier now lol

 

[Softtail]

Don’t know how many responses this post will get , but I seeJosephine answered my question about those of us in UShave been drilled into believing that no P T leads to poor results and scar tissue. I see there are quite a few other US people on forum, so am curious how many bought into the no pain no gain PT approach, vs. how many followed Josephine’s path. Sure would be a lot easier following Josephine’s thread,than the one PT man is setting out for me. Been reading Navygunnsj recovery thread and seems his follows mine pretty close too .
No PT scheduled for at least 2weeks other than therapist that has been coming to house twice a week showing me some exercises similar to what Navy was doing. Certainly nothing to cause pain, other than that which comes from regular walking this soon in recovery. Just continuing to take it easy,still elevate and love my ice machine

 

[DLR]

@Softtail good morning I am not from the US but from Canada and heard a lot of no pain no gain. I have been fortunate in having a great home PT. I am at nearly 5 weeks, she geared my exercises back when she saw my pain increasing and told me not to focus on how many repeats I get but to stop when the exercise causes pain. Better to do 1 or 2 repeats well without pain then push through 10 with extreme pain and thus poor form. In the past week I followed that advice and my ROM increased dramatically as well as being able to maneuver without a cane and my sleep improved. She was so pleased yesterday with my progress and reiterated the need to Focus on reducing inflammation and swelling so you get your ROM comfortably. Just my 2 cents worth .. have a great day

 

[NavyGunns]

@Softtail and @DLR, I’m really glad to see this line of discussion! I didn’t find BS until about a week or so into my recovery. I, too, was under the impression that pt was going to be very painful. I was a little surprised that I didn’t have at home pt after reading of others who did. At my first follow up with my OS between 2 and 3 weeks post-op, was the first time my OS even mentioned pt. In fact, he asked “Do you feel up to starting pt or no?” Floored me! That’s when I asked him his thoughts. Because my swelling was minimal and I already had flex greater than 90 (extension was about 5), he felt I was ready. As you’ve read, my OS didn’t believe that forced ROM was needed, focus should be healing and reduce swelling. I haven’t had anyone measure my ROM since my last pt session, but I’m going to guess I’m at about 135 to 140 flex and 0 extension. About where I was before surgery. I still can’t sit on my heel, but I’m hoping it gets there over the next year or so. Then again, haven’t been able to do that for decades, so if it doesn’t happen, no big deal.

 

[InkedMarie]

@Softtail I’m in the US and am three weeks post op from my TKR & eleven weeks post op from my THR. I’m in the “in between club”. I just started outpatient PT yesterday. My therapist is great! He tells me what he’d like me to do and asks me if I’m okay with that. With anything added, I’m asked if I’m ok with it. If I say no, we stop.

I’ve read horror stories about therapists who give the patient a washcloth to put into their mouths to stifle their screams. No....just no. I recently read about a patient laying down,therapist over them with red face while they try to bend the knee. Not a chance.m

 

[InkedMarie]

@NavyGunns I was surprised that my surgeon asked, at my two week checkup, if I felt ready for outpatient PT. He explained that all of his patients do in home PT until the first checkup because some did too much if they did outpatient right away. He said many do in home for much longer, some do in home only because not everyone has someone to drive the. Makes sense to me. I’m lucky, my husband can come & go at his job, which is 10 min away.

 

[SusieShoes]

I’m 16 months post-op, so considered fully recovered even though I’m still noticing improvements as I continue. I found BoneSmart before having surgery and decided I wanted to try the BoneSmart way of no PT. My surgeon wanted me to “at least try” PT, so I did, but I applied BoneSmart principles: If it hurt, I didn’t do it, and I also refused exercises my OS told me to not do (leg presses) and weights.

My therapist thought I was wrong but worked with me and we had a good relationship. I enjoyed getting out of the house and being with other people. After a few weeks I was his star pupil! I stopped PT at six weeks per my OS because I had excellent ROM and was walking daily, his preferred way of rehabbing new knees.

I never, ever did home PT exercises, even though my therapist and surgeon told me to do them. I did a few heel slides and quad presses whenever the notion struck me, a few here, a few there, because my knees appreciated doing some movement. They really loved walking — by loved, I mean they responded really well by not swelling after and loosening up nicely — so I did lots of that.

In home PT is a nice option. I never had that, probably because I stayed one week in a rehab hospital, which is kind of like home PT but in reverse.

Some people find PT useful and if it’s helping, then do it. But way too many people have been victims of aggressive, unnecessary PT and it breaks my heart to see that happen. I know it doesn’t have to! People having this surgery should do what you’re doing: ask questions, lots of them, about PT and make informed decisions about what they do or let be done to them.

 

[Softtail]

No doubt finding this site has been fabulous and is reshaping my approach to “rehabbing” my knee. I have already rejected the no pain no gain method as being an archaic approach to rehab.

The feedback from everyone also is allowing me to “personalize my own PT so to speak.
Since day 1 , and 2 visits from home PT therapist, he knows I refuse to do anything beyond mild to moderate stretching and movement to loosen up my range of motion.

Navy, I have read most of your recovery thread and like you did for most part, actually like the stretching part of exercises. I am watching to see if anything I am doing is adding to bruising or swelling but so far does not seem to. Swelling has decreased and stretching has moved my leg from 75 to over 100 yesterday day 10.
Love icing and elevating leg feels best.

Sitting is a pain, literally. Hurts if I have to sit with leg on floor or dangling. Not bad if I can elevate it like I did going to Denny’s Sunday night. Apparently I am not in the minority when it comes to sitting leg down, so mostly lie down leg propped up.

Inked—- hats off to you THR 11 weeks ago, TKR 3 weeks ago wow you go girl. Talked to Doc about doing right knee about three months down the road and he said at least 10 weeks but that was pre-surgery talk before having actually gone through TKR and I am not sure I am quite so cocky about jumping into that now, but will wait and see as I get into further weeks.

I have the Conformis knee, which is basically made to order implant, based on a cat scan of knee, a 3d make up of that cat scan, then they built the jig and knee specifically for me. Thing is it takes 6 to 8 weeks for them to build knee, so I would have to commit to it shortly to have done by end of year.

Argument for: both knees then done and can rehab at our winter home in Florida. Wife is against, saying at 70, should fully manage rehab of this knee then put off till next April, or September again.

Personally don’t prefer April cause being an avid golfer, hate to give up the summer season here.
Decisions decisions lol.

Navy see you visited the Finger Lakes some time back at Watkins Glen..I have lived here all my life, and actually run wine tour Trolly which runs down close to Watkins in summer n fall .

Fun to see people come from all over the world to try the Finger Lakes wines Rieslings Chardonnays which are world class also gives me opportunity to share the wonders of the Finger Lakes with them while on the tour.

Hoping to be back on the trolley two weeks from now to finish the season.

I think Golf may pretty well be out of my wheel well the rest of this year but expect to be back on the links next spring. Should you get this way again throw your clubs in the car and will make a date of it we can exchange old war stories LOL

Again thanks to all for making a miserable time of my life much more tolerable and will keep posting recovery

 

[NavyGunns]

@Softtail, lol, I got a chuckle from your comment about my visit to WG! I grew up in Horseheads, my family is originally from Hornell, so Finger Lakes region is home stomping grounds for me and my wife. We were back for my bil’s 60th birthday and retirement party. We loved WG when dating. Spent many a date visiting the vineyards up and down Seneca and Keuka Lakes! We had our granddaughters with us and wanted them to experience WG, thus my day trip up the gorge on a knee that was barely 9 weeks old. Worth it though!

If you do delay your next knee until April, don’t be too concerned about giving up golf the entire summer. I think I played my first round (9 holes) at roughly 9 weeks or so (early June I think). Rode cart of course. Took it real easy. Here in Michigan, we don’t have a lot of hills, so that wasn’t a problem.