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Bilateral TKR DONE!

@Rubyroo That exercise is not as bad as it sounds, it’s basically just tightening your thigh and using that “tightening motion” to press your knee down on the bed. It’s almost more mental than physical, if that makes any sense. At least, that’s how I did it, and I always did it sitting on my couch with my legs on an ottoman.
 
Rubyroo said:
Knee press into mattress? Yikes! :nah:How does that feel Christopher??
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First couple are not so bad but I have to do 15 reps then I'm breathing hard! Today I was at 0% on one leg and 3% on the other, in the straight position. Heel slides we are at 103 and 100. In pretty tired today. PLUS fire alarm kept going off! Had to get a stick to press the button... finally the Physical Therapist arrived and she was able to help. It was a rough day BUT that is reality!
 
It sounds like you're making great progress @christopher_car. Today might be a good day to rest if you're already tired.
 
christopher_car said:
First couple are not so bad but I have to do 15 reps then I'm breathing hard!
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How are you doing these, they really shouldn’t make you breathe hard? Since that’s the case, just do a couple at a time, wait a while, and do a couple more. This early in recovery you don’t need a lot of exercises, just gentle movements.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
christopher_car said:
Rubyroo said:
Knee press into mattress? Yikes! :nah:How does that feel Christopher??
Click to expand...
First couple are not so bad but I have to do 15 reps then I'm breathing hard! Today I was at 0% on one leg and 3% on the other, in the straight position. Heel slides we are at 103 and 100. In pretty tired today. PLUS fire alarm kept going off! Had to get a stick to press the button... finally the Physical Therapist arrived and she was able to help. It was a rough day BUT that is reality!
Click to expand...
You can always split the 15 reps up. But I hear you. I made it a point to get dressed every day (shorts and a t-shirt--it was summer for me) but it was quite the event for a while!
Be sure to rest, ice and elevate a lot in between those exercises.
 
Congrats on getting those new knees! As for all the exercises, just because they want you to do x amount of certain exercises, doesn't mean you must. If they feel good, and don't cause your pain or swelling to increase, either right away or within a day or so, then they're probable fine. But, if you're having a hard time catching your breath, or your pain is ramping up, I'd skip those until you're ready for them. If it's what you want to do, then that's your right, but if you choose not to do the exercises they prescribe, that's also your right.

My home health nurse was here to check on me the other day, and after checking my leg and removing my wraps, left me some suggested exercises. The list hit the round file after she left. I allow my leg/knee to begin to recover, while doing ADLs. I naturally do ankle pumps while lying around icing and elevating. I also naturally flex my quads, stretch gently as I walk, and make sure to walk laps around my house every couple of hours.

My house is large and all on one level, so a lap around it is quite a bit of walking. We have several wings, so I go down one shorter hallway, then I go down a second long hallway, turn around and go back up that hallway, go down a third hallway, then walk through the living room, dining room, front entryway and around my sewing room, then turn around and go back to my bedroom. It's plenty of walking on my leg, along with going to the kitchen for tea, coffee, etc, as needed, using the bathroom and occasionally answering the front door when hubby is outside. The point to this is you really do get plenty of exercise as long as you make sure to walk regularly, and increase it as you recover.

I also never allow anyone to actually measure my ROM. My goal is not to get to some random number; rather my goal is always to get back as much of my previous function as possible. I'll never have the function in this knee as I have in my left knee, so my immediate goal is to allow it to heal, and to keep moving.

I'm allowing home health/PT to come out a second time on Tuesday to remove my dressings, only because she has to make sure it's okay to leave the dressings off and I can shower without them. I again won't be doing any formal exercises for the PT, and I will continue with my current mode after this last visit.
 
Sounds like your plan will help achieve your goals. My goal is to return to the gym, weighted squats, and regular exercise. I ask to be measured to let myself know how I I'm doing. I look at it as getting on the scale! It is too easy for me to justify things and i need to see proof. I lost 80 pounds 9 years ago so i have to face numbers!
At this point, 10 days post op, I want to reduce pain meds, increase ROM.
 
@christopher_car Hello, you have had remarkable achievements in the past 9 years and definitely show you are ready for the challenge of properly healing and achieving recovery so you can look forward to returning to your life and the things you enjoy like your exercise routine and the gym.
Healing from a Bilateral TKR is a marathon not a sprint - as you know if you don’t pace yourself you run the risk of potential injury and setback. You do need to move but you don’t do it to the point of pain- it is not a “No Pain, No Gain“ situation. You work to the point of discomfort not pain, if your knees swell from overdoing things then you won’t achieve the range of movement numbers you need- that’s why we talk about resting, icing, medication as prescribed and elevation.
Medication is a valued component of our healing, taken on a regular schedule it enables us to do more, to slowly push our limits each and every day- it isn’t something to discard too quickly, listen to your doctor and get their assistance when it is mutually decided to reduce and then eliminate the meds.
I , myself am nearly 4 months after a LTKR, I had a bad setback because I was foolish and thought I could push through anything, so now I am like someone at the 6 week level but I am seeing progress everyday. I will get where I need to be healthwise soon enough, as I said before it’s a marathon not a sprint and I intend to finally finish my race with a healthy strong knee!
I wish you a pain free and healing recovery.
 
@christopher_car Hello, you have had remarkable achievements in the past 9 years and definitely show you are ready for the challenge of properly healing and achieving recovery so you can look forward to returning to your life and the things you enjoy like your exercise routine and the gym.
Healing from a Bilateral TKR is a marathon not a sprint - as you know if you don’t pace yourself you run the risk of potential injury and setback. You do need to move but you don’t do it to the point of pain- it is not a “No Pain, No Gain“ situation. You work to the point of discomfort not pain, if your knees swell from overdoing things then you won’t achieve the range of movement numbers you need- that’s why we talk about resting, icing, medication as prescribed and elevation.
Medication is a valued component of our healing, taken on a regular schedule it enables us to do more, to slowly push our limits each and every day- it isn’t something to discard too quickly, listen to your doctor and get their assistance when it is mutually decided to reduce and then eliminate the meds.
I , myself am nearly 4 months after a LTKR, I had a bad setback because I was foolish and thought I could push through anything, so now I am like someone at the 6 week level but I am seeing progress everyday. I will get where I need to be healthwise soon enough, as I said before it’s a marathon not a sprint and I intend to finally finish my race with a healthy strong knee!
I wish you a pain free and healing recovery.
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Thank you.... wise words that i copied and kept to continue to read when I'm having a bad day like today. Seriously, thank you for taking the time and i el heed your advice!
 
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@christopher_car You are welcome!
I am sorry to hear you are having a bad day today- I hope it gets easier as the day progresses.
You can post questions here regarding what you are going through with regard to your Bilateral TKR if you feel comfortable doing so- you would be surprised how many times I found sound advice that kept me on my healing journey.
I wish you healing and health!
 
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