TKR Eeek’s recovery thread.
- Thread starter Eeek
- Start date
OP
OP
Eeek
senior
I had my two month post op today. Everything looks fine. Flexion for both knees over 100.
left knee is great. Right knee (the newer one) is ok, but I‘m still having quad pain, especially when I stand up, and my leg aches when I stand too long. I think i need IT band stretches. I‘m wearing orthotics - very flat feet that roll. And I‘m using the tens unit. Should be icing more, i think. Now i just need patience!
left knee is great. Right knee (the newer one) is ok, but I‘m still having quad pain, especially when I stand up, and my leg aches when I stand too long. I think i need IT band stretches. I‘m wearing orthotics - very flat feet that roll. And I‘m using the tens unit. Should be icing more, i think. Now i just need patience!
SherrieT
senior
Yes, "Patience, Grasshopper!"
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Having to be patient is difficult, I know - but it will be well worth the effort.
OP
OP
Eeek
senior
Patience pays off, I guess.
Haven't been around for a while. So basically things are improving, albeit slowly. You're not kidding when you say "be patient". I'm at almost 3 months right, 8 months left. I'm not using my sticks or crutches unless I know I'll be on uneven terrain. Pain is minimal. Haven't had a paracetamol in weeks. Am walking the dog at least once a day. My right leg is definitley a bit more painful than the left, but most of the pain is muscle type pain right above the knee.
Standing is much, much better - last week I cleaned out the refrigerator and stood for the better part of two hours. And when I'm done standing, my right leg isn't stiff. I'm also able to sit at my desk and use my big computer, which I haven't done since before my first surgery in February.
I'm doing PT once a week.... I have some stretches for my quads that I like. I ride the exercise bike, and I want to see if I can row. We have a rower at home, not one at PT. So yesterday at PT, we practiced sitting on something low, and then getting down on the floor, which was ok. Knees are weird kneeling, but I'd only do that on a towel. My rower is about the same height as my stepstool, so if I can sit on that, I can probably row, especially at low resistance for my legs. Have to see. The reason I thought of rowing is that I did the leg press with very little weight and I thought that maybe rowing would be possible. I'm not doing anything with heavy weights, but just a little movement.
I hate exercise, but I always liked rowing. I'll see how much it hurts....if it hurts. Am I crazy? Maybe. Will report back. My knees both feel wonderfully stable, it doesn't hurt to walk. I do have some quad stiffness in both legs but with time I suspect that will resolve. My flexion is close to 110 in both legs.
So it's a pretty good outcome so far.
Haven't been around for a while. So basically things are improving, albeit slowly. You're not kidding when you say "be patient". I'm at almost 3 months right, 8 months left. I'm not using my sticks or crutches unless I know I'll be on uneven terrain. Pain is minimal. Haven't had a paracetamol in weeks. Am walking the dog at least once a day. My right leg is definitley a bit more painful than the left, but most of the pain is muscle type pain right above the knee.
Standing is much, much better - last week I cleaned out the refrigerator and stood for the better part of two hours. And when I'm done standing, my right leg isn't stiff. I'm also able to sit at my desk and use my big computer, which I haven't done since before my first surgery in February.
I'm doing PT once a week.... I have some stretches for my quads that I like. I ride the exercise bike, and I want to see if I can row. We have a rower at home, not one at PT. So yesterday at PT, we practiced sitting on something low, and then getting down on the floor, which was ok. Knees are weird kneeling, but I'd only do that on a towel. My rower is about the same height as my stepstool, so if I can sit on that, I can probably row, especially at low resistance for my legs. Have to see. The reason I thought of rowing is that I did the leg press with very little weight and I thought that maybe rowing would be possible. I'm not doing anything with heavy weights, but just a little movement.
I hate exercise, but I always liked rowing. I'll see how much it hurts....if it hurts. Am I crazy? Maybe. Will report back. My knees both feel wonderfully stable, it doesn't hurt to walk. I do have some quad stiffness in both legs but with time I suspect that will resolve. My flexion is close to 110 in both legs.
So it's a pretty good outcome so far.
Great report!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
So good to hear from you! Rowing is a favorite exercise for me, too, though I haven't done it since the new knees. My thought is: Keep the resistance low at first and see how your knees -- especially your 3 month old right -- handle it. You get a good workout even with low resistance for the legs.
And you cleaned out the fridge too? One more chore I still have on the back-burner....
And you cleaned out the fridge too? One more chore I still have on the back-burner....
OP
OP
Eeek
senior
I will absolutely do low resistance. Thanks for the reminder.
Haven‘t done it yet...have to make sure rower is set up, husband‘s away....other things to do.
I got the idea from the leg press. My PT Said, let‘s just try this at low weight, we‘ll stop if it hurts, and I rather enjoyed it, so thought I might try the rower. I was totally excited to get down on the floor too.
I haven‘t done huge amounts of walking, but it‘s such a pleasure to have two stable knees.
Haven‘t done it yet...have to make sure rower is set up, husband‘s away....other things to do.
I got the idea from the leg press. My PT Said, let‘s just try this at low weight, we‘ll stop if it hurts, and I rather enjoyed it, so thought I might try the rower. I was totally excited to get down on the floor too.
I haven‘t done huge amounts of walking, but it‘s such a pleasure to have two stable knees.
OP
OP
Eeek
senior
Thought I would check in. Left leg at 10 months, right at 5. it‘s good. Really better than I expected to be honest. Very little pain, numbness on the left is almost gone, on the right it improves weekly. Flexion is probably 120 ish on both legs. I‘ve been walking and it‘s delightful. Just no pain, lots of stability. My PT kicked me out in early November - she asked me if there was anything else I needed to learn. I didn‘t think so, and I was given the choice to quit. So I did.
A few weeks ago, I flew. Sitting in a plane for almost 3 hours is tiring, and getting in and out of taxis is a bit tricky if the back seat is cramped, but walking through the airport, standing in line was great. Getting used to being patted down. Did have an annoying experience in Tel Aviv....i went through the metal detector and had to go through 3 times because it didn‘t go off in the right place for a knee replacement. Or something. I tried to explain patiently but it was frustrating. I guess there are regions set off in the detector. Isn‘t that what the wand is for? Anyway, I got through eventually. This is why you give yourself 3 hours to get through everything.
My house cleaner went back to school and so I‘ve been doing my own cleaning for the past month, something which would not have been possible before surgery. I‘ve decided to do other things with the money, like buy a train pass for all of Switzerland. I hate cleaning, but it‘s not so bad when you‘re not in pain.
Anyway, happy holidays and a very happy new year! Hope all your recoveries go well. What a great resource this is! I‘ve referred several people to Bonesmart in my travels.
A few weeks ago, I flew. Sitting in a plane for almost 3 hours is tiring, and getting in and out of taxis is a bit tricky if the back seat is cramped, but walking through the airport, standing in line was great. Getting used to being patted down. Did have an annoying experience in Tel Aviv....i went through the metal detector and had to go through 3 times because it didn‘t go off in the right place for a knee replacement. Or something. I tried to explain patiently but it was frustrating. I guess there are regions set off in the detector. Isn‘t that what the wand is for? Anyway, I got through eventually. This is why you give yourself 3 hours to get through everything.
My house cleaner went back to school and so I‘ve been doing my own cleaning for the past month, something which would not have been possible before surgery. I‘ve decided to do other things with the money, like buy a train pass for all of Switzerland. I hate cleaning, but it‘s not so bad when you‘re not in pain.
Anyway, happy holidays and a very happy new year! Hope all your recoveries go well. What a great resource this is! I‘ve referred several people to Bonesmart in my travels.
I, too, would have thought they would have used the wand on you. What an aggravation, not to mention embarrassing!
KarriB
Former BoneSmart staff member
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I’ve flown 5 times this year and have never had a wand used. Each time I went through the BIG detector and because it went off in a few locations I was patted down and dusted every time. So 5 trips is 10 boardings, 10 pat downs. 
I'd rather have the wand than have the pat down. Yuck!
