Bilateral TKR Elevation of leg

[VolFan0927]

Have you tried massage therapy on the quads? Sounds like alot of activity so soon. Maybe a bit more rest?

 

[Jockette]

I agree that with the swelling you continue to have, you are overdoing it. It could be the reason you’re having trouble lifting your leg, in certain positions.

I would cut way back and give your body a rest, and see if you improve.

 

[Kildare]

Thank you for responding. I am learning so much from bonesmart I will take your advice and cut way back on the exercises and hope the swelling improves. It is very uncomfortable, especially at night. Kildare

 

[Jockette]

Honestly, you really don’t have to do all those exercises. Are you doing them to increase ROM, or strength, or both?

 

[Celle]

Hi @Kildare ,
You'll see that I have moved a post of yours and the response to it from Roy Gardiner's thread about exercises to your own thread. They are Posts #20 and #21 in this thread now.
Roy's thread is a very old thread, started in 2012 and last used in 2017. It isn't a thread that's used for discussions.

Please post any updates or questions about your recovery in this, your own thread. We will see them there, as someone checks all the new posts every day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Just in case you couldn't find your thread, here are the instructions on finding your thread,
How can I find my threads and posts .

A helpful hint - Many members have found it useful to bookmark their thread so they don't lose it.

Best wishes,
Celle

 

[Kildare]

When elevating the leg to relieve swelling, does the knee have to be higher than the hear? Kildare

 

[Kildare]

Should read, higher than the heart. Kildare

 

[MARYCOOL]

@Kildare..I am 5 months out, and everytime I up my resistance on my exercise bike, my quads get so sore. I just wonder if I have any muscle tone at all! I rode my bike religiously pre surgery, felt strong, but now I feel weak. I guess I will keep pushing to see if strength improves....frustrating sometimes!

 

[Ghostpipe]

Your knees should be above your heart. In fact, the higher the better, gravity will help too.
As for weak muscles, I have lost 1.5 kilo. I am no thinner, my clothes are not any looser, it’s all muscle that’s disappeared. At 5 months out, I feel that it is time for serious strength training, but my knees aren’t having it. They just complain and swell.

 

[Jockette]

Elevate as best you can. I had to take a lot of breaks from it because it just hurt too much that first week. By 2 weeks I was able to sleep with my leg up on the foam wedge my hospital sent home with me. I elevated like that any time I was in bed, sleeping.

When I was not in bed, my leg was only as high as my ottoman, when sitting on my couch. I would also use it under the dining room table on the rare occasion I ate there.

Elevation: Doing It the Right Way

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[Kildare]

Thank you for your replies. I am also using Dr. Ho’s electrical pulse machine around knee area as it claims to relieve swelling, I have also reseigned myself to the fact that it is a long haul recovery after BTKR surgery. Looking back I have had knee pain and mobility issues for 8 years so if it takes a year to fully recover I will be ahead of the game. Kildare

 

[Sisterpat]

Great attitude, Kildare! A year seems long, but it’s a great investment for a lifetime ahead, free of limitation and pain!

 

[Kildare]

Kildare here, new issues with me. As mentioned before I cannot lift either leg straight when I lay flat on my back. The knees stay bent. Had an EMG test yesterday and specialist suspects nerve damage caused by tourniquets applied on thighs during surgery to control bleeding. I am 83 so Doctor says healing can be a lot slower in the elderly. Supposedly nerves can heal but take a long time about an inch per month. I am getting around on the four wheel walker but I will be using it for a lot longer time than I’d hoped to.Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[Jockette]

@Kildare I’m sorry they suspect nerve damage from the tourniquet used during surgery. I have also been told thwt nerves take a long time to heal.

By the way, I moved your post from someone else’s thread so we could talk about your recovery here. It’s much better if you ask questions here in your own recovery thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you. You can always bookmark this thread so you can find it easily.

Best wishes on your continuing recovery!

 

[Kildare]

He everyone, I have had a terrible setback. BTKR April 1. I took a fall 3 days after surgery, knees buckled and my bum hit my heels. Went by ambulance to hospital took x-rays and told everything was fine. I have not been able to lift leg straight when on my back, also straightening knee when sitting since April 4. Reported this to doctor and doctors nurse and asked if ultrasound would be helpful to determine if anything was torn. Was told all x-rays showed everything was fine. I took a fall on Sunday while walking and broke my tibia just under replacement on right knee. Went to hospital by ambulance in and emergency they also checked by ultrasound my knees and found quadricep and patella tendons ruptured. Because of Covid situation hospital very busying have waited till today Wednesday to have surgery to repair tibia with plates and screws. Also been told that the tendons have been damaged so long they might not be able to be repaired. Needless to say I have not stopped crying. I advise anyone having trouble straightening leg from lying or in a sitting position after knee replacement to insist on ultrasound and/or CT scan to determine if there is damage to tendons not just quadriceps muscle weakness what they thought my problem was. Please pray for me, my name is Kathleen.

 

[patriciad]

I will pray for you Kathleen. Your journey so far has been so difficult and now to have badly broken your tibia must feel so overwhelming.
I have a friend who fractured her tibia 18 months after her knee replacement and after many months of Physio she did get back to normal activities and is doing great. Your situation is not the same I know but so impressed that you would think of others and share a warning at this hard time.
Sending thoughts for your recovery.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, you have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you start new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.

 

[Jockette]

Kathleen, I’m so sorry this has happened. Recovery from a joint replacement is hard enough, without an additional fall and broken bone, and torn tendons. Sending lots of hugs and prayers.

Do they have any idea how those tendons got torn?

 

[Kildare]

Kathleen here, from a fall I took 3 days after surgery my knees buckled and when I fell my bum hit my ankles, so a sharp sudden bend of both legs and the doc only ordered x rays no test to check for tendon or ligament damage. K

 

[sistersinhim]

I will be praying for your complete recovery, Kathleen. I am so sorry your doctor didn't do a complete follow-up after your fall and it's a shame it took a broken leg to find out about your tears. At least some good has come from your second fall. You never would have known about your tendons otherwise.