TKR Gingerbread's RTKR Recovery Marathon

[Jamie]

If you're so inclined, you can work on kneeling to help make it better. You start by kneeling on the bed and progress in small steps through various things like 3 inch foam, lesser foam, the carpet, a towel, a wood floor and even concrete, if that's what you desire. It can take quite a while to "recondition" your knee, but it can work for most people. Just be sure there is never any actual pain....just a weird feeling of discomfort as you take on each stage. I have found that my most comfortable kneeling when I need to do it is on carpet or a folded towel and making sure my entire shin has contact with the kneeling surface. This distributes my weight over a greater portion of my leg and puts less pressure on the actual knee joint. I think some people also have success with the foam knee guards that construction guys wear.

 

[Catalien45]

I’m glad to see this. I’m reluctant at this point to put my weight on my knees. But this really helps, to have a PLAN to do it Gradually. This really helps! At this point, I’m still working on my extension & ROM since that cleanout surgery for infection in November, so will continue to focus on that, and our regular walks ( we now walk just a bit over 2 miles daily! Yay!). One exercise I’ve always done regularly for my glutes requires being on my knees, and some gardening adventures may require that also, may have to wait a bit, but, I now have a plan! Thankyou, so much, @Jamie !

 

[Jamie]

One final thing about kneeling I forgot to mention.....it's best to wait until at least 6 months after surgery before working on this process. That gives you plenty of time to heal. Even then, if any of the kneeling progressions bring pain, hold off and try again in a month or two. Kneeling should never hurt....just maybe feel a little odd and not like a "normal" knee.

 

[Catalien45]

Thankyou for this update! My cleanout surgery was in mid-November, so I know to wait til May or June for the knee. And, I’m planning on getting some good knee pads for my gardening.

 

[hawk2go]

Funny how my MD & PT were certain I should have a MUA. I shudder to think where I'd be if I had listened...

This a perfect example of letting your body tell you what is needed. It seems, MUA is sometimes used as a penalty to get folks to work harder at a time when hard work is just not what's called for. I do know a couple of TKR patients who decided to lie around and let others care for them for so long that they never got good function. Also, have heard of folks with true adhesions who benefited from MUA (from theNIH: "Arthrofibrosis of the knee can be debilitating to patients who have undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It occurs in 3% to 6% of patients undergoing TKA"). Threatening TKR patients with MUA is like holding the whole class because a few kids were naughty. I'm glad you had such good results listening to your knee.