TKR Evewwcs's Knee Replacement July 23, 2019

[evewwcs]

Had my right TKR done Tuesday July 23, 2019. Very different from the first experience I had. Will hold off on opinion until later in healing process. I am so thankful for the loving support around me. Don’t know what I would do without it. Encourage everyone to build their support team before surgery!!!

 

[Celle]

to recovery @evewwcs
I hope everything is going well.

I've copied your post from the Knee Replacement Pre-Op Area and started this recovery thread for you.
From now on, please post about your recovery in this thread.

Here is the recovery reading we give to everyone with a new knee:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[FitGal]

Congratulations on your new knee! We had surgery on the same date! Sending you hugs! Hang in there!

 

[luvcats]

Welcome to the forums! I've found this a great place to hang out and make friends who understand exactly what you're going through every step of the way.

 

[Chemist]

Hi @evewwcs ,

Welcome to the recovery side. It is interesting how knee replacements can be very different. My 2nd was much easier. I had trouble putting any weight on my first knee for quite a while. I was up and walking shortly after surgery with the 2nd. Same surgeon, same equipment, very different recovery.

Good luck with this one!

 

[sistersinhim]

Same surgeon, same equipment, very different recovery.

But, a different knee! That's why we say to never compare knees, even on the same body.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Congratulations! Please keep us posted as to your progress, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

[evewwcs]

Thanks all! I will be 2 weeks out from right knee replacement tomorrow. I'm more than thankful its 2 weeks!!!! I have to say that I'm struggling with the rehab which is odd because the first knee rehab was not difficult. I am only bending my knee at about 52 degrees and I have -5 extension . My therapist is constantly making negative comments and saying I'm not doing well . When she leaves it takes me a good 12 hours to get my pain under control.
She has me doing lunges and squats as well as the regular exercises. Pain and swelling is terrible. The day I left the hospital my ROM was in 60's

I was only taking 5 mg of Hydrocodone and realized I need more to even begin to do rehab. Doctor increased to 7.5 for 1 week.

Please give me any advice you might have. I am very very discouraged and i would like my PT to stop coming. Not sure how to go about that either......

 

[lovetocookandsew]

IMHO, your therapist is doing you harm, both mentally and physically. Being negative to a patient never helps, and generally harms. Plus, having you do the exercises she's having you do is not good. It's way too early to be doing lunges and squats! My suggestion is to fire that therapist and take some time to recover; not only from the surgery but from that therapist. You have the right to say no to her, or any therapist/therapy, and I suggest you do just that. If you do decide to continue PT, at the very least get another therapist. In order to stop her from coming, just tell her no thanks when she calls for an appointment, or if she doesn't call, call her office and cancel the sessions. If they pressure you to make another appointment, you can decline and end the call.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/saying-no-to-therapy-am-i-allowed-to.36688/

 

[floridoris]

Lunges? You can have two good knees and hurt yourself doing them. Post-knee replacement? I cannot imagine what would make a professional think that would be a good idea.
You must call and them and tell them you're cancelling your appointments. It doesn't matter the reason - it's your body, your choice! Be as honest or as vague about the reason you're cancelling as you feel like. I cancelled my therapy and just said it was too tiring for me at this time.

 

[Chemist]

Hi @evewwcs:

With my first knee I tried to go along with PT (before I found this forum) and would end up in pain and discouraged. I dreaded the days when I had PT. I talked to my OS after I found this forum and he was fine with me directing my own recovery (he knew I was motivated to become active as soon as practical). He cancelled the remaining sessions. With the 2nd knee I approached PT as an employer. They insisted that they had to push on my knee so I "fired them" (never went back). I found my knees did just fine with normal activities that I added as my knees allowed - they were and still are very effective at communicating. I am now doing things that I hadn't been able to do prior to the replacements.

Hang in there, be patient with your knees. As already said by lovetocookandsew you may want to fire your current therapist or at least have a serious chat with them!

Take care

 

[InkedMarie]

Please tell the therapist to stop. If she won’t, tell her to leave your home. Make some phone calls tomorrow to PT’s in your insurance network and find one who does gentle therapy....if you want t to do therapy.

 

[Celle]

My therapist is constantly making negative comments and saying I'm not doing well . When she leaves it takes me a good 12 hours to get my pain under control.
She has me doing lunges and squats as well as the regular exercises. Pain and swelling is terrible. The day I left the hospital my ROM was in 60's

Your therapist is harming you and your knee.
Get rid of her.

For the first month after a knee replacement your knee needs gentle treatment, so it can start to heal. All that vigorous exercise is retarding its recovery. You can see that because it's more swollen and it can't bend as well as it did when you left hospital. Squats and lunges are very bad for a new knee. THey put far too much strain on newly-wounded tissues.

Your PT therapist is supposed to be supportive and encouraging, not to make disparaging and discouraging remarks. She's making you feel bad and that's unforgivable.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM (Range of Motion) - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, and it will gradually increase as your knee heals.
You don't have to work hard at it. It will happen on its own, if you give it the right conditions.

In case you think you can't fire your therapist, read this article:
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

 

[kneeper]

No, no no to lunges and squats! They're bad enough any time, but this early is nonsense. I see you posted this a couple of days ago. Hopefully you have cancelled those PT appointments. If you can find a sensible PT after you recover from this aggressive treatment you might be ok, but sensible PTs can be hard to find.

Rest, ice, elevate and gentle movement is the way to go. Hope you're feeling a bit better.

 

[luvcats]

I really hope you got rid of that PT. Lunges at 2 weeks? That's ridiculous. You're still supposed to be using your walker! My surgeons office gave me an ap, and on that ap I get recommended exercises they think I should be doing. Heel slides and a few supine leg lifts were about as exciting as it got in the first two weeks. Maybe you should check in with your surgeons office and see if this is the level of therapy they recommend?

 

[Celle]

Maybe you should check in with your surgeons office and see if this is the level of therapy they recommend?

Whether or not your surgeon recommends lunges adn squats at 2 weeks, they are totally inappropriate. They will over-stress your new knee. Speak up for your knee, take charge of what you will allow to happen to it - and don't do those lunges and squats. No weights or resistance bands, either.

 

[knee#2]

Yikes! I agree with everyone! I am following to see your recovery, best wishes..