TKR Dearjr's new knee

[Dearjr]

Getting a new pt eval to see if I need more at 20 weeks
Going to os in 2 weeks and will ask about clicking on sideway motion

 

[newlybionic]

I'm going back to PT next week for an evaluation too.

 

[Wanttobebiking]

Well as you both probably know I am back in PT. I told her today that I was concerned that I would never walk down stairs normally without pain. She said not to worry about it and that it would come. I hate to be a doubting Thomas but I am coming up on five months.

 

[Dearjr]

@Wanttobebiking we all progress at different rates.
I went to a new pt who thinks my quads are still week and tight calf and hamstring might be causing clunking. Still very annoying

Question about measurements of rom...what is the degree of accuracy from one therapist to the next

All my 3 old ones measured at 115 this one is at 108

Should I be worried about the change?

 

[Pumpkin]

Therapists can be off 5+ degrees or more, from one time to another. It can be the same PT or a different PT. First thing in the AM may be better for measuring than PM after you have worked all day.
The old measurement could have been anything between 110 to 120, this new therapist can be between 103 to 113.

 

[Celle]

Remember, too, that its not the numbers that matter, but what you can do with your knee. Function is far more important than the numbers.

 

[Dearjr]

Yes function is important

I am going to the os this week and will press him in the issue of constant clunking and that the knee feels boggy after standing in it

I'm 5 months now and thought it would be better feeling by now

 

[Thesoutherncook]

I'm sorry to read about your dog. We have a 13 yr old Schnauzer who is failing fast. It's really tough.

Do you have a recumbent bike? My OS said that is all I need to do. Unfortunately #2 is acting like a jealous toddler and will not allow me to ride.

 

[Dearjr]

I do have are unbent bike

Still have weak quads and hip muscles according to my new pt that I got evaluated. So I am going 2x a week again

 

[Clipless]

...
I'm 5 months now and thought it would be better feeling by now

^ I had the same thought at least once a week after my 1st TKR. Now recovering from my 2nd I just SIGH now and then. It is a long haul, and nothing really helps except for the simple passage of time. I think you'll start to notice some definite improvement over the next month or so.

 

[Celle]

^ I had the same thought at least once a week after my 1st TKR. Now recovering from my 2nd I just SIGH now and then.

@Clipless I'm puzzled. Please tell me what is the significance of the "up" arrow before the words. If it's a bit of text speak, I haven't caught up with the convention yet.

 

[Slainte]

I think it is at this stage of your recovery (5 months) that a lot of the things we do in PT finally become appropriate. Earlier, it is too much on our knees to do some of the strengthening exercises. One of my knees is the same age as yours, and the other is a babe in the woods at 10 weeks. Recently I have been going to PT once a week. Will go two more times. Then moving over to the gym. Have used these sessions to ask loads of questions about strengthening exercises I can do on the machines at the gym. PT will cost me too much after the new year, when my deductible starts over, so I'm soaking it all up now.

 

[Clipless]

@Clipless I'm puzzled. Please tell me what is the significance of the "up" arrow before the words. If it's a bit of text speak, I haven't caught up with the convention yet.

Text speak ^ pointing to the thing above, which was actually redundant since I was responding to a quote. I don't wish to confuse anyone, so I'll try to restrain my texty habits.

 

[Celle]

@Clipless Thank you for explaining the text speak. As I'm officially an "oldie" I haven't caught up with all the new phone stuff, although I'm reasonably competent on a computer.

 

[Dearjr]

@Slainte @Clipless
I went back to a new pt. was not getting any one on one time at all with old pt
Today's session was loosing hamstrings and strengthening the quad.
I think you are right strength is what we need to work on now that the knee is ready for it. Meaning it is much less swollen and starting to heal better
The pt said as the orthopedist did my side to side clunking and clunking on walking should get better with the strengthening. It's a long process. My os said see what I say at a year!
The spring can't come soon enough and then I can walk outside and bike
Meantime stretches and strengthening

Starting to think about knee number 2. It's acting up
With pain under knee cap. Just got a cortisone shot yesterday and will get orthovisc in January. Hope it holds out till November
Happy holidays to all

Also a follwup on my 14 1/2 year old cockerspaniel Sunni. She passed away last Tuesday...it's lonely without her

 

[Dearjr]

@newlybionic how did your pt eval go?

 

[newlybionic]

I love your picture of your dog. How cute! I'm sorry that you have lost her. They do become our best friends.

As far as my PT eval I went because I'm still having pain pretty much everywhere in my leg including my knee. Mt ROM decreased from 120 to 110. They are working with me on stretching my quad as and calves and also my IT band. I'm doing fairly easy exercises. The therapist is starting back to the beginning of the usual progression after surgery. My other knee is complaining loudly right now too but I have no plans for surgery since the TKR usually has a pain level up to a 7 during the day when I'm working.
I have that tight band feeling around the TKR. The stretching is helping a bit. The only thing I don't have is the clunking you're having. I have it rarely.

 

[Wanttobebiking]

I have lots of clunking. My PT is doing myofacial release on my IT band and the more that loosens up the more clicking I get. Then the clicking subsides until my next weekly PT appointment, at which time the cycle starts anew.

 

[Dearjr]

I have clunking all the time
@newlybionic when I am sitting I don't feel knee. Only when moving. My new pt is also starting from scratch My quads are still weak and hamstrings tight
Maybe the clunking will get better
With the rom change of 20 degrees it can be just be the therapist. My os said it can be that different. My old pt said 115 my new pt said 108
How is your function?

 

[newlybionic]

I never know if I will be able to do stairs at any given time. Sometimes I can do both or either up or down and then sometimes neither (back to baby steps) but the old knee seems to be causing the problems too. Even when I'm sitting I have pain. I've been sitting for a couple of hours with my leg up and I have pain at a 5. Occasionally I get some sharp pains too. It is actually worse than the pain I had before the surgery. I'm also limping again. Talk about frustration!! I think the exercises are going to have to make sure not to annoy the old one. I knew there was some problems there with some bone on bone but I recently found out there is some torn lateral meniscus. Actually that knee makes a loud clicking noise when I straighten it out while I'm sitting. It has a constant dull ache with and some sharp pains too but it feels better than the new one.
Do you still have any area of your TKR that feels warm to touch? The lower half of mine is still warm. So as of now I have no thoughts of ever doing the other one!!