Guest viewing is limited

TKR Flexion Range extremely low

Status
Not open for further replies.
May I suggest sitting in a rocking chair, just slowly rocking? When my flex was 28, the therapist I had sat me in a rocker for about 10 minutes, twice a day. To stretch the tendons without too much effort.
 
Diesellily said:
The hospital only offer transport to non walkers.
Click to expand...
Diesellily have you tried asking your GP surgery? They can often arrange transport where the hospital can't.

As for renting a CPM, DON'T even think about it! If your surgeon had wanted you to have one, he would have ordered it. You will do yourself no favours trying to self-prescribe such things.

As for being told 6 weeks and that's it, who told you that? Not your occupational health, I'll warrant! I strongly suggest you phone them right now (well tomorrow) and ask them for advice about a return to work. They have the ye or a nay about when staff return to work. I've worked in OH for 20 odd years and the remit has always been 12 weeks if all is well. Your manager should refer you for an OH review before you return anyway, it's a requirement in the NHS. What kind of work do you do anyway? Even if it's a desk job, you still need that time to recover. There is no such thing as 'just' a desk job! Deskies tend to up and about on their feet quite a bit filing or drawing out files.

When do you see your surgeon for your review? See, you're only 4½ weeks out yet, very early. I think you still have a lot of swelling which is impeding your ROM. The ROM is there, it just cannot show itself until the swelling goes down. I take it you read all the article Kelly posted for you earlier? There was one in there about the swollen leg. Print it off and keep it nearby so you can read it every time you get panicky about this.


In the meantime, I have some questions to ask you:
1. what medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?
2. how often are you icing your knee and for how long?
3. how high are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?
4. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and
5. what kind of PT are you doing? How much and how often?
 
Hi People, hope everyone is ok and well on the road to recovery!

Well here's my update. We went against everyones advice and hired a CPM. Definitely helps as I can rarely get to PT but is definitely not the whole answer. Swelling is still apparent but is going down slowly. Can now get around the house without sticks but I hold on to furniture etc mainly for balance. Saw a lesser surgeon on 2nd July who was quite sympathetic to the lack of bend and sent me for X-rays. On my return to the room he had called my surgeon who was less than sympathetic. Told me the operation I had did not affect my ROM and told me to sit at the end of the couch where he took the weight of my leg, practically ordered me to remove my hands and told me to bend the knee.

I can tell you I was almost hysterical incase he dropped my foot. I tried what he said but the pain was too much so he has very reluctantly decided to get in me in on Monday (8th July) for MUA. My day to day pain is minimal unless I try too much and if I do I'm taking Co-Codamol 30/500 mg tablets which really help. Had 2 lots of 10 minutes in the sunshine today to get some Vitamin D. Other than that I rarely leave the house. Not looking forward to Monday but am positive of the result. I ice whenever I'm sitting which is most of the day and knee is elevated above my hip. Keeping fingers crossed for Monday.
 
Best wishes for Monday
 
Hi Lily, hope everything goes well for you on Monday. Im sure it wasnt what you had in mind after your TKR but I hope its the answer to your flexion problems. Let us know how you are as soon as you feel well enough. Best wshes. X and take care x
 
Thank you Pat. No, it wasn't what I was expecting and really not looking forward to it but if it can give my current situation a big kick towards getting my life back it'll be worth it. I'll keep you updated :flwrysmile:x
 
Just home from MUA and although feeling very battered my knee is unto 90 degrees +. Have taken some painkillers and now doing heel slides using my 36 year old skateboard. I knew I kept it for a reason!:happydance:
 
Increased from 20 to 90 degrees. They did get it 110 but 90 is what I'm achieving by myself. I had PT this morning and she is happy. I need to find out how often I should be exercising at home as I don't want to over do. I mean 30 minutes 3 times a day or should it more? I need to ice in between too.
 
Diesellily said:
I mean 30 minutes 3 times a day or should it more?
Click to expand...
30 minutes!? Goodness me, stretching exercises last only a 30sec or so each repetition, so that's a HUGE amount. Having said that, you can do as much as you like so long as your knee does not ache or swell up any time in the 24 hours following an exercise.

If you're using a rocking chair or skateboard or similar device for flexion, you can basically do as much as you like, again as long as it doesn't hurt or cause any reaction.
 
Didn't think of it like that! 30 mins was a ballpark figure. Basically everytime I leave my chair (which is a lot when you add it up through the day) I stretch on the bottom stair several times and then sit on my dining chair and do some leg raises. On top of that I'm doing around 30 mins CPM twice a day. I am still a tad sore still from the MUA yesterday but I'm not making it any worse. Given this info am I doing enough in your opinion?
 
Leg raise is a training exercise that puts force through the knee; I wouldn't do it at all yet.

Stretching is always good, unless it hurts or causes swelling.

CPM I've no opinion either way.
 
I probably don't mean leg raise, I mean from the knee to straighten it not the whole leg. I couldn't do that if I tried :angel:
 
Does anyone know how long you have to wear surgical stockings? I'm 7 weeks post op tomorrow and they are driving me crazy in this heat!
 
In the UK its genreally only for six weeks. I was told to keep them on at night as well but after two weeks it was just too much and I stopped wearing them at night and did sleep better. Glad to hear your MUA went well and I hope those figures go higher. I will be very jealous. Keep up the good work.
 
I used to do 10 very gentle very slow stretches, 2-3x a day.
 
Not in a good place this morning.:yikes: Back to using both crutches, very swollen and sore. Think this the MUA coming out!. Very gentle exercise today and lots of ice!
 
Poor you! It's annoying when you seem to take 1 step forward and then 3 backwards. I hope the ice helps. I've just hit 3 weeks after TKR and am icing as often as possible to reduce the swelling. I never thought I would be having this much trouble. I was told it would be about 6/7 weeks before I could go back to work ( and I'm in a job where I'm basically on my feet all day). I can't see this happening. I'm only walking for about 10 minutes before I need a break. Around the house I can manage with one stick but outside I need two and I struggle if going up any incline. My ROM is about 90 and seems to be stuck there. I don't have problems with stretching or leg raises but when bending I feel as if I'm going to burst my scar open. I've had no physio since leaving hospital so have been able to go at my own pace. Maybe this is a good thing judging by postings on here. I'm back at my GP's next Monday for a check-up (and another sick note !!!!) Let's hope they are happy with my progress.

Take it easy today and keep icing. Let us know how you go :SUNsmile:

Gail
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 8,660 (members: 3, guests: 8,657)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom