TKR Getting somewhere at last!

[Roy Gardiner]

Yesterday I ... did extra exercises. No bother. Today, wakened all stiff and sore. I didn't feel I overdid it at the time so quite gutted! ... So tough not knowing quite how much you can do.

But that's perfect.

You pushed the envelope a bit, like we have to, and 24 hours later your knee tells you off. No bother, it takes 24 hours sometimes, and you've toned everything down. Correct! Now you won't do those 'extra' exercises. In a while you'll do a bit more and again see what happens. Maybe nothing, next time!

E.G. Me, Tuesday 4 miles on bike all OK, Thursday 6 miles all OK, yesterday 10 miles. Feeling stiff today, not too bad but slightly worse than yesterday, so 0 miles.

 

[Jazyb]

Morning Nancy

I am in the same boat as you today. Sat here icing with a knee that is feeling a little sore as I did some extra exercises yesterday - this is all very annoying :DOH:. When you feel good you always feel like doing that little bit more but it's all about finding that balance. Roy is spot on with his comments this morning. A quiet day for us :wink1:

 

[Roy Gardiner]

When you feel good you always feel like doing that little bit more

As a racing cyclist gets older, training includes planned rest days. It has to, or you will batter yourself to bits and fail to get fitter, because you're not recovering.

For surgery a similar thing IMO applies. Every so often we feel good, so do a bit more. Quite right! But we should also plan for the next day to be a rest day, because we may well feel a bit worse and need to recover.

Psychology innit. If we plan and anticipate what's likely to happen then instead of feeling miserable and down we feel as clever as a tree full of owls. Then the day after the rest day, if we are back to normal, we know we are just about on track -- if we are still a bit crook, then we know the 'bit more' was 'a bit much' and can do a little less.

 

[speccybecky]

When I do heel slides on the bed I get so far. Then I can pull further with sheet hooked round my foot. Can anyone tell me if this means the bend is in there and will it come as my muscles strengthen?

 

[Josephine]

It does indeed but it's nothing to do with muscle strength. As I am always telling people, the bend is there, it just can't show itself because of the swelling and pain.

Swelling acts like plaster cast and prevents the knee from bending. Ergo, manage the swelling with rest, elevation and icing, and as the swelling goes down, eventually you will find the bending increases. But don't ever push it too much just now as all you will do is make the swelling worse with obvious consequences and then you will start panicking! So nice and easy does, remember? :wink1:

 

[Roy Gardiner]

As the clouds form over my head and the atmosphere crackles and pops with the build up to the bolt of lightening, I must disagree with Josephine a bit.

In my own case my ROM was greatly reduced for years before surgery; this means that even if there were no swelling at all, I'd still not have full bend. The muscles and tendons must be trained - stretched - to be able to attain it.

But I hasten quickly to agree that swelling must be dealt with first.

Nancy, what you are doing with the sheet is the stretching; just don't let it hurt!

 

[megbabyrn]

Nancy,That site is neat!! That really is the frustrating part, you don't know that you over did it until the next day!!

 

[speccybecky]

I know it' s a great site, my son found it when he was cycling from bottom of England to top of Scotland. I spent ages just mapping round the houses!

 

[Josephine]

:hate-shocked: Roy .... you're disagreeing with Mother Hen?

:hysterical:

Actually, I would be most surprised if there was no swelling at all in your knees. They may not have looked swollen, but there can be an awful lot of occult swelling internally which will still obstruct the flexion. Besides which, assisted heel slides (such as you portray in your excellent pictures) only require muscle strength in the arms - do they not? :wink1:

 

[Roy Gardiner]

:hate-shocked: Roy .... you're disagreeing with Mother Hen?

:hysterical:

Only a tiny, weeny bit, honest.

Actually, I would be most surprised if there was no swelling at all in your knees. ... assisted heel slides (such as you portray in your excellent pictures) only require muscle strength in the arms - do they not? :wink1:

Before surgery my ROM was limited by osteophytes for a long time, and probably by swelling too in the latter stages.

Yes, I am sure there must be swelling still now. There is still a lot of fluid around both knees. But I can climb stairs, walk (1.5 miles yesterday), ride my bike (6 miles today) etc without pain worsening or any swelling becoming noticeable.

And correct, using the skateboard I use my arms only to make the slide.

 

[speccybecky]

I have 2 incisions, the one across my knee and a small one on shin. The shin is navigation site for computer. Both are healing nicely till 3 weeks ago a small raw bit appeared at side of bottom wound. It didn't appear infected so left it thinking TED's maybe rubbed it. No sign of healing so phoned nurse. Nurses have been visiting twice a week to clean and dress it. They think it is a bit of stitch trying to work it's way out ( I had dissolvable stitches, no staples). Today it looks a bit bigger , almost like a little hole so she's coming back tomorrow for another look. Question is, if it is a stitch can it not be pulled out with tweezers? If it was a wound with dirt or glass surely they would take out whatever is in there? Good thing is it seems perfectly clean with no infection

 

[speccybecky]

I'm just feeling a bit fed up with myself....seem to spend my whole time exercising! Physio gave me more exercises to do on top of usual 4 times a day (3x15 sets of leg lifts , knee bends, half lifts over pillow, lifting legs from knee when hanging over end of bed ) added gentle squats, balancing on bad leg , stepping up and down first stair , which I really struggle with! Also a daily walk outside. Oh! and standing to sitting 8 times. I can walk mostly without sticks inside until it just tightens up, really tight just round where calf/shin meets knee. I am due back at hospital for 6 week check next week when I am expected to be able to climb stairs and only taking paracetamol. Have managed to get down to tramadol once or twice a day with paracetamol 4 times a day. Am thinking I might try taking more tramadol tomorrow to see if it helps...sorry for the rant, just feel like everyone thinks I should be better by now and I' m so not! Even one of the gp's said before op I'd be back at work in 6 weeks and that,s not going to happen ( not bothered about that!). And all this with hardly any sleep! On the plus side physio says I'm doing ok, -5 on the straight legs but ROM is 120. Ah well let ,s hope for a better day tomorrow!

 

[sandyk]

hey Nancy sorry to hear your feeling down - what do the physio's think you are a machine - jeez they seem to have given you a lot of exercises to do. regarding pain relief as of tomorrow i am 6 weeks post op and i am still taking tramadol 4 times a day (mostly 1 but sometimes 2) i am able to get around the house with no support but need my stick outside - went to town on saturday for the first time - was walking through the food court in marks and spencers and i had a slight panic attack as i suddenly seemed to be surrounded by people swinging shopping basktes at knee height and i just stood there for what seemed like ages was probably about 30 seconds lol - so your not alone. I can't imagine not taking my tramadol to be honest - i can do going up stairs but am tentative on the down, i;'ve only done this at my friends house and she has a bannister rail on either side of the staircase so it's easier than if there was just one. you need to tell people that your knee is in charge not them and if anyone doesn't believe what a traumatic time you ahve gone through show them the pics and vids in the library section - that will change thier minds -

just take it easy one day at a time and hang in there oh and your not ranting that's what we are all here for to help eachother xxxxx

take care and hope you feel better tomorrow

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Physio gave me more exercises to do on top of usual 4 times a day (3x15 sets of leg lifts , knee bends, half lifts over pillow, lifting legs from knee when hanging over end of bed ) added gentle squats, balancing on bad leg , stepping up and down first stair , which I really struggle with! Also a daily walk outside. Oh! and standing to sitting 8 times.

Gordon Bennett Nancy, ease up a bit FGS.

IMO you don't need to train you need to recover. Recovery is aided by stretching exercises; when you've recovered, then you can train.

 

[Jazyb]

Hi Nancy

No wonder you feel fed up - all those exercises you have been given to do - far too many!!! My physio has not given me any extra exercises to do - I am still doing all the ones from the hospital but have added in ankle weights for leg lifts but this was my suggestion. He knew that I had an exercise bike, so he said to use it as often as I felt comfortable with (twice a day for me). I think your knee gets more than enough exercise with all the extra bits and bobs you are doing around the house, add in the exercises from the hospital and it should be enough.

I know you are worried about the stairs but as I have said you will be doing them soon, I promise. I am like Sandy and can go up no problem but coming down is another thing :rolleyespink:. So many folks on here have said that coming down is a nightmare - so don't worry it wall all fall into place.

Remember we all progress at different rates and it's not a race. We all make it to the finishing line and we all deserve a medal having had this surgery . Take care and not too many exercises!

 

[Josephine]

If you spend more than 30 minutes a day doing any form of exercise or physio then you are doing too much. And even then it should only be every other day at the most.

This was my experience
1. surgeon told me no PT and no formal exercises for the first 3 weeks, just ankle pumps, gentle heel slides and a bit of walking around the house like to the bathroom and kitchen and stuff
2. throughout my recovery I did about 5-10 heel slides maybe 3 or 4 times a day and sat on my exercise bike for about 2 mins twice a week tops! Actually, it might have been about twice a week for 2 weeks tops in the end! Once I was able to do a full rotation I rather lost interest and just used the bike to hang my blankie on!
3. I also dropped to one crutch indoors in week 2 and no crutches in week 3 or 4. Used a cane very little
4. 3 visits to the physio at weeks 3, 6 and 9 but that was just for assessment when they would eyeball my ROM, ask me how I was and then give me the next appointment!
5. after 4 weeks, started doing little walks outside, starting at about 100yds and increasing bit by bit each day.

You are not obliged to go to physio - my advice is to take charge of your own body and life and stop going.
It sounds like you will do as well as if not better on your own.

 

[speccybecky]

Will ease off a bit. Hospital appt next week but don't think I'll see the surgeon unless there is a problem with x ray. But will mention the exercise

 

[speccybecky]

Don t suppose this is connected to tkr. But since last night I have had a terrible headache. Today I also had diarrhea and my cheeks lookalike they ve been slapped. No temp. Not eating, dozed off and on all day. I began to wonder if it's a side effect of paracetamol for 6 weeks? Or maybe just a regular bug?

 

[Lilly]

I have been through the headache thing too. I have blamed it on the stress of the surgery on our bodies and the added stress of having to exercise a body part that has been cut,sawed, pounded and generally manhandled. I didn't have the lose bowels but let me tell you about constipation! Worked through that with daily doses of Metamucil. Yours may be the result of medications or (I hope not! an bug of some type). Hope others have better responses than mine. Hang in there girl, you are in my heart.
Lilly
RTKR
Jan.9,2012

 

[Josephine]

Whatever it is, I can promise you it's not the paracetamol