TKR Four Months Post TKR

[kneeper]

Since you have an appointment this week mention to the doc. But it is likely to be one of the weird aches or pains we sometimes get in the first months. The tissues are very sensitive to little tweaks for quite a while.

 

[Roux]

I am 15 weeks post op, and feel like I do a lot of ice application during The day and at night. Is that normal. Anybody else doing the same

 

[Jaycey]

Totally normal to ice at 15 weeks out. Many people ice for many months post op. It really help to control swelling.

 

[Roux]

i also have a tight pulling feeling in my medial aspect of my knee With flexion. Will,that eventually go away with time. I know I am only 15 weeks after surgery but worry every day that my knee won’t improve. I Try to be positive but some days it is very difficult. Thank you all for your help. This forum is keeping me sane

 

[sondrals]

I still ice my older one occasionally and it’s 6 months old. I figure ice as long as you feel it’s doing you good

 

[Jacqueg]

ROM is what my PT always pushes on me also. At week 8 I was being manipulated to 120 and on here I see many of you did not reach that for a year. No wonder I suffer for days after therapy. Last PT she dat on my foot and held it at 130 bend. Finally had to threaten to kick her to get her off my foot. Definitely brought tears to my eyes.

 

[Jockette]

I iced for about 6 months. Not as many times a day, though, as the months went by. I did not like doing it, it never felt good to me, but I knew it was helpful anyway.

 

[Jacqueg]

I go back to my Doctor Thursday and will be making him listen to me or I will have to find a new doctor. I don’t want to go through a 5th surgery and if I do it will be with a different doctor. CT scan will hopefully give some information. Doctor is also trying to send me back to work when I can’t even walk to the kitchen without severe pain. My job is high stress and very physical. Just don’t understand why he doesn’t listen.

 

[Helizabug]

I think that pulling might be the ‘tight band’ effect. There are plenty of people who have written about it on BoneSmart, and I think there’s an article about it too.

I’m right there with you on the icing, on the struggle, and on the fear that things are going too slowly. But I think I’m okay. What I is need reassurance and patience, patience and reassurance. It’s important not to ignore warnings of problems, of course, so don’t ignore those concerns; but I’m finding my biggest problem is patience. I wish there was an exercise for that muscle.

 

[Roux]

I am 15 weeks post op. Saw ortho today. He said everything looks good. Swelling pain normal. He said to do recumbent bike 5 min in the am and 5 min in the pm. Also straight leg raises, but said with normal adls flexion and extension will improve in time. Need to see him in 8 months, and told me to stop pt. Well I am very happy and relieved. thank you all for the support on this website. I will recommend to anyone I know having a knee replacement

 

[loneshark64]

Glad you got some good news that made you feel less worried. It really does feel like there is no other option other than to get this surgery but this amount of recovery time is really hard to comprehend. Even though people tell you to expect that, it’s mentally challenging when you are in the middle of it.

 

[Roux]

The recovery time is unbelievable. I didn’t do my research prior to surgery. I should have. But they don’t really stress the recovery time because it would scare people into not having it done. It is so mentally challenging, but at least there is light at the end of this tunnel. Even if I am not where I would like to be yet. I can just continue to anticipate slow but improving progress

 

[caredFL]

16 weeks and still icing most nights.
Finally, most days I hardly think about it. Never thought I would get to that point about week 8, but a lot of improvement in the few weeks. Ended my PT 2 weeks ago when I saw my Dr as well. A slow process for sure!

 

[kneeper]

Good report from your doc. You're getting there!

 

[Roux]

I am now 16 weeks post op. Is it normal for progress to wax and wane. I felt like I was doing good, and today stiff and sore again with a snapping sensation in my lateral knee With intermittent hip,pain. I think this is my it band causing this. I saw my os and he said he Saw nothing abnormal. Is any one else having issues with waxing and waning progress And it band issues. Any suggestions

 

[Summer2020]

Hi @Roux!

Then I start worrying about what other people may think (which is stupid, I know!): it's been 2-plus months, don't be a baby, don't be lazy, so what if you're tired, get moving, so-and-so was back at work and doing fine after 4 weeks! (People tell you stories.) It's all I can do to ignore this negative self-talk and thinking and stop comparing myself and what I'm feeling to anyone else. I think we have to have faith that we will get there by respecting our own individual bodies and recoveries! (I'm saying this for myself too.) It's so difficult to be patient about this, but I don't think we have a choice.

Thank you @Seatides I really needed this. I’m 6 weeks post op and I’m feeling the same way. Feeling I should be able to do more,Dont be a baby, don’t be lazy, just do it. And then I do more than I should have and my knee gets angry with me. I needed to hear what you said here. we have to have faith that we will get there by respecting our own individual bodies and recoveries. Thank you again! You just helped me to relax a bit!

 

[sistersinhim]

It is perfectly normal to have good and bad days. Think of this recovery as a rollercoaster, up and down and round and round. Sometimes we know why our knee hurts more; we did more the day before than we usually do. But, there are times when the knee will hurt more and we can't figure why. I would blame it on something I did in my sleep that aggravated my knee. Who knows? It is just the way it is, up and down.

 

[Roux]

Hello

i am entering my 17 th post op week. Have a question. I am experiencing a crunching sensation when I bend my knee at the distal aspect of my thigh just above my knee cap. It is not painful, and does not restrict my range of motion. Is anyone else experiencing this. Is it scar tissue, tendinitis of quadriceps tendon .Should I be worried. I mentioned it to my os but he didn’t really say much. It’s not getting better or worse. its just there. also my knee is very stiff in the morning. Gets better thru the day. Also normal? Thank you

 

[Jockette]

I am experiencing a crunching sensation when I bend my knee

Here’s an article about clicking:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/clicking-clunking-knee-joint-after-surgery.13534/

also my knee is very stiff in the morning. Gets better thru the day. Also normal?

Yes, this is normal.

 

[Roux]

Entering my 18 th week post op. Visiting my sister in Maryland. Did a lot of walking in excess of several miles. Experiencing a lot of stiffness and soreness and pain with flexion. Anyone else at this point experiencing the same. Just wondering when I won’t have this pain any more. Gets very discouraging. I feel like it is 2 steps forward and 1 step backwards