TKR Foot and toe numbness

[Curiousnva]

thanks for the helpful info. It's just hard I have no patience. I'm working on it

 

[newlybionic]

Patience seems to be something that we all have problems with during this recovery. It's very important now and will be what gets you the quicker result.

 

[Curiousnva]

Thanks for all the input! I'm taking it easy from here on out. Was wondering if anyone had a sharp pain on the lateral side of the knee cap when performing heel slides? It's very bad on the outward motion.

 

[Celle]

You'll find that you do get pains all over the place during this recovery. The soft tissues all around your knee are handled during the surgery, so they're all a bit upset.

However, as we do advise: - if it hurts, don't do it . So, stop doing that particular exercise. There will come a time when you can do it without pain, but that time isn't just now.

 

[Curiousnva]

Just wanted to throw out and update. Had first appointment with out patient pt today. She said everything is looking ok. I'll be four weeks out tomorrow. She said she usually doesn't see people until six weeks out. I'm at 93 degrees flexion. My extension is 10 degrees off. Just need to work on them and I'll be good! She put a heat pack on me today. I'd reccomend that to anyone. It felt amazing!

 

[Celle]

I hope she didn't put a heat pack on your knee! Heat will increase blood flow to your knee, which will, in turn, increase swelling - which you do not want. It's OK to use a heat pack on your thigh, but not on the knee itself.

Your flexion is good for 4 weeks out. The extension will improve slowly - it's not unusual for extension to take longer to achieve than flexion.

 

[KarriB]

My first PT put heat on my knee then a weight on top, not good. It felt wonderful at the time, but I was sore and swollen afterwards. Ice, ice, ice

 

[Curiousnva]

She did in the beginning. Then stretches me out and we iced.

 

[Curiousnva]

Also put heat on my calf for about 10 minutes. The way I've Been walking is straining my calf a lot. I'm sure as things stop hurting and moving more freely it will subside.

 

[KarriB]

I would not let her put heat on your knee again. It causes more swelling and then inhibits ROM.

 

[kneeper]

I found heat on the muscles soothing, but didn't put any on the knee itself.

 

[Curiousnva]

Yeah it's definitely helping my calf. Think it's hurting due to the way I'm walking/limping on it. Kinda wish I could shut my eyes and wake up in about a month. Haha good times are around the corner.

 

[Bikesouth]

@Curiousnva all you need at this point is gentle stretching and leg lifts with NO weight. If you do have some nerve irritation weights will only make it worse.

Look up foot drop & peroneal nerve to see if your symptoms fit. Based on what you have described it sounds related to the block IMO.
If your peroneal nerve was upset during surgery it can take a long time to calm down. Also don't do leg presses with weights until you get it all figured out.

I pushed to hard early on in PT and it was an overall setback. Similar to you I was in good shape other than my left leg was a weak noodle prior to surgery and it took 6 weeks before I could easily climb stairs. So hang in there and let it heal.

 

[Curiousnva]

@Bikesouth since I've got all this time to read while healing I did read about that.

The knee seems to be getting better. I'm 4½ weeks post op. All I do now is the light stretches. Also do my treadmill for 5-6 mins at a time a couple times a day on a very slow speed.

 

[PolarBear60]

For some reason, patience is always on backorder at Amazon. Keep taking it easy, curiousnva, you'll get there just fine. As long as that treadmill doesn't hurt, you should be fine, but make sure it is slow enough for you to pay attention to your gait. You mentioned earlier your calf was sore and suspected it was from the way you've been walking. The treadmill could make that worse instead of better (it has done that for me sometimes). If you suspect that may be the case, try just walking around the house for 5-6 minutes at a time, paying attention to your walking form. Be slow and deliberate and use any walking aid necessary to keep the proper form. If you have someone to watch you and notice any bad habits you've picked up, that could be helpful. I asked my PT to do it for me and got some useful advice.

 

[Bikesouth]

Curiousnva, stretching your hamstrings could help.

Do you have the tight band feeling around your knee or femur?

 

[Celle]

You need to stretch those tissues gradually, and gently.

 

[mbrown]

Yeah it's definitely helping my calf. Think it's hurting due to the way I'm walking/limping on it. Kinda wish I could shut my eyes and wake up in about a month. Haha good times are around the corner.

I hear ya!!!

 

[Curiousnva]

@Bikesouth i do have that tihht band feeling. When I'm flexing my leg. I do hamstring stretches at least 2 times a day.

 

[Bikesouth]

@Bikesouth i do have that tihht band feeling. When I'm flexing my leg. I do hamstring stretches at least 2 times a day.

One thing I have found out after many years of rehabbing is when they tell you three sets of 10 hamstring stretches per day it really does help. I always thought it was punishment.

How are you on quad stretches, they are tough to withstand until some of the tight band loosens up.

Gentle but steady will get you where you need to be.