TKR Good grief, it's Gort!!

[jetthugger]

I have tried and failed to have an easy, pain free weekend!
As much as my stubbornness goes, Gort fights back! It's a battle I always lose, but I never learn!!
Still, back to work tomorrow, & if I'm able - a nice lake walk afterwards.
Haven't worn my heels anywhere yet, there's a huge difference with buying the blessed things and having the gumption to actually walk in them
I'm taking painkillers, apparently my heel pain is plantar fasciitis, hopefully it will ease up with home grown physio & heel cushions.It's a new one on me, didn't have it before my op, unless my painkillers masked it. If I didn't have that pain, I reckon I'd be better than good! Even as it stands, Gort is a million times better than the old hag! Josephine have you ever heard of anyone getting this kind of heel pain on the "good leg"? I'm getting stabbing pains in my right (good) knee, maybe because I'm now gimpy with the heel?
Hope you all had a splendid weekend! I think I put on a shed-load of weight back there! Eton mess is definitely an infernal recipe!

 

[Josephine]

I have heard of it and I know just the person who has (if you forgive the pun!) been in your shoes! Jamie

 

[Jamie]

Hiya, jethugger. So sorry to hear you're having heel pain. It certainly could be plantar fasciitis and I'm VERY familiar with that ailment. Mine pops up now and then when I put too much strain on my foot or leg. Here's a thread I started some time back about my latest bout with this stubborn critter.

There are stretches you should do several times a day. Do you know them?

This can be caused by a number of things that you can try to work on. First and foremost is your shoes. Sadly, now that your knee has been replaced, it may be that you need to replace all of your old shoes. The wear patterns on shoes that are more than a few months old can slightly change the alignment of your foot and leg and result in pain. Look at the soles of your shoes and, if there is wear and it's a pair you've had for a while....let them go and head out shopping.

Another issues can be your gait. Frankly, you have been pushing yourself a lot in your recovery and it may be that in doing so, you've strained your "good" leg to compensate when walking on the weaker TKR leg. If this is the case, you'll need to stop pushing, give your foot LOTS of rest and elevation. Do the stretches. Also, freeze a water bottle and several times a day put it under the arch of your foot and roll it from toes to heel. Plantar fasciitis can take MONTHS to resolve, but the sooner you get at it, the better. It can become chronic if you keep fighting it.

The third thing that may be an issue is that your other knee could have some arthritis too. In my case, my "good" knee lost some cartilage in the medial compartment and at the back. When I had my TKR on the opposite leg and suddenly became correctly aligned, the other leg didn't like that very much. Over the period of a few months, I developed plantar fasciitis again from the mal-alignment. Absolutely nothing worked to relieve it...even wearing a brace that I had made years ago when I really had it bad in both feet. My surgeon and I decided to go ahead and replace the other knee on March 8th to see if that helped at all, since I was slightly bone and bone anyway and knew it would not get better...only worse. The surgery did help. I still get the heel pain now and then and am working on getting rid of it entirely again. It's a process, as I said, that takes a lot of time. I need to do the same thing I'm suggesting to you and that's look at my shoes and do some replacing.

Please don't hesitate to ask questions about your heel pain. I do think in your case you may find some relief if you don't push yourself so hard when you want to branch out into normal activity now and then. Remember....most people don't really report that they feel "normal" until about 6 months. Even so, it can still take a year or more to really recover. Your surgery was after mine and I still am on my Tramadol for the pain that pops up if I don't take them at night or when I plan to do a lot of activity.

 

[Toothfairy]

Poor you. I have had some problems with a recurrence of this in my TKR leg but thankfully it is settling. It is pretty miserable.
Hope it settles down. Very frustrating to have to rest and avoid too much walking just when you are getting more active.
I also found it tricky balancing the need to walk to get my knee moving and improve my gait with the need to rest my foot.
Hope today goes well at work. Happy Tuesday.
Hugs Toothfairy x

 

[jetthugger]

Thank you Jamie for your advice, I googled the stretches & massage techniques, just trying to persuade hubby to 'do' my foot now!!!
I suppose I should slow things down a bit, I'm still doing a 35 minute lake walk (limp!) after 5 hours of work, so suppose I'm overdoing. It's just that I'm not even a quarter as active as I was & don't want to pile on the pounds with inactivity. I've also ditched the tramadol. Although its an effective pain reliever, i didn't want to be working & going through the funk of withdrawal at the same time. I still have my cocodamol & ibuprofen, so that helps if I need them (mostly nighttime still)
Great idea about shoes, it's not as if I need an excuse to buy new shoes!
Toothfairy I know the gait thing, ive been rolling around like a drunken sailor in the office today & it wasn't Gort!
Thanks Josephine for the referral, i think I can confidently say on behalf of all bonesmarties that you are the most informative, empathetic & helpful person ever. Full stop. Can't thank you enough for all the help and advice together with the other administrators, you guys are wonderful!!!
Hump - day tomorrow (middle of the week?) then the slope on down to the weekend. Something to look forward to - its full on in the office, so I don't have time to think about my knee, which is great, but 5 hours is plenty at the moment!!!!!
G'night all.

 

[Josephine]

I'm still doing a 35 minute lake walk (limp!) after 5 hours of work, so suppose I'm overdoing.

Jet, if you're doing a day's work, that's quite enough therapy for one day. You don't need to do more on top!

 

[jetthugger]

It's Friday tomorrow!! 4 days @5 hours a day. Took josephine & Jamie's advice & left off the post-work lake walk yesterday & today & together with stretching & massaging my right foot, I think I'm beginning to get on top of the heel pain!
Gort has been very unhappy at night & I think it may be a reaction to returning to work & the natural increase in activity that results from it. it's a good job the return is staged as I'm falling asleep for an hour when I get home! Sheer exhaustion!
Still, it's nice to again look forward to the weekend, something I've not one in a while. Plusim MIL free this weekend!!!! And the forecast looks good
Hope all bonesmarties have a lovely weekend! I'm going shoe shopping! Thanks Jamie

 

[Jamie]

NOW you have the right idea!!! Sometimes less is better and it's truly the case with joint replacement recovery. Patience, patience....PATIENCE. It's the most difficult thing to do sometimes when we just want to get better and get on with life. Take heart, though. Even this impatience is a good thing. It means you are recognizing the improvements your new joint is already making in your life and shows you want more, which is normal. Just try to maintain a good balance of activity, rest and medication to keep pain and limping at bay and activity levels acceptable to those tender, healing soft tissues.

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Jetthugger, good post above. You are doing really well back at work. I will be there from Tuesday.
Have a wonderful MIL free weekend. Happy shoe shopping. Hope you can fit in some resting and recharging time too.
I will be having a quiet weekend as this week has been hectic with my visitors. A four year old and a four week old baby doesn't make for a peaceful time but they are worth it.
I went for my first proper cycle ride today, kept it very short but really enjoyed cycling on a sunny afternoon. Much better than the exercise bike.
Enjoy your sunny weekend, hugs, Toothfairy x

 

[jetthugger]

Ahhhh Toothfairy you inspire me! I may mosey on over to my sisters garage & unearth her mountain bike!
Not got grandchildren just yet.... Not sure I'd make good granny material
Garden centre this morning, my pots are badly neglected & when Loki isn't behaving like a naughty housecat, he thinks he's a mole & digs for victory in my big corner herb box (which now has no herbs in it!) & my bean canes are hustory I may put some marrow & pumpkin in, hopefully the plants will soon be Big enough to deter an enthusiastic pharaoh hound!! :rolleyes:
Shoe shopping later & BBQ on the Patio with hubby! Went to a lovely Thai restaurant last night & wore my wedges! Modest heel & Gort was uneasy' but figured I'd be walking to & from taxi & the occasional 'visit' so it was ok. May yet see Fernie in ODIC
May also splurge on some cupcake making before I sit down, behave myself & finish my crocheting
The very best weekend to you all!

 

[Fernie]

Hi Ladies - lots been going on here i see! i've been trying to have some down time and a fairly quiet weekend just pottering and dottering about with minimal outide excursions.

i hope your foot and Gort feels better soon - the return to work will be having an impact for sure but its only natural and you'll settle down soon and find a balance with everything. Week 2 being back is looming. I fully agree with the 'looking forward to the weekend again' feeling - its odd being off work for so long and each day morphs into the next.

sounds like youve had a busy weekend as well - dont know how you do it

anyway, I'm meant to be working so will keep this short - have a fantabulous week and take care. ttfn fxx

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi jetthugger and Fernie, what a lovely weekend. I have been busier than planned catching up on all the laundry after my visitors.
I went for a lovely cycle ride yesterday. We went to a local market town and had a mooch around and a sandwich then cycled back. Around 11 miles in total. I was really proud of myself. Is a fairly easy cycle and one we have often done before but I am so chuffed to manage it again. I was tired by the time I got home but very happy. My knee was slightly stiff today but not bad at all. Had a quiet day pottering around at home today then a gentle walk this afternoon. I will need to be up bright and early tomorrow as my hospital appointment is at 08:30am. That will be a shock.
I've started getting things ready for work on Tuesday, just really getting my head round it.
Hope,you both have a happy Monday. I am hoping to go for a swim after my pre-op appointment tomorrow. Making the most of my last bit of freedom.
Hugs, Toothfairy x

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Alison, hope you have had a good weekend at work. Have a great weekend, happy Friday,
Hugs
Toothfairy x

 

[Fernie]

Hope all well, hope you are busy doing lots of lovely things.

Have a great weekend, Fernie x

 

[jetthugger]

Sorrreeeeee!! Been sooo busy! Gort has been spinning around from office to lake to bbq's only stopping by in zodiac when a gap is in the schedule!! On track for full time work (again) & steadily building back a decent portfolio to work on.
Hope you are all fine & enjoying the cooler than average (but at least it's stopped raining!) weather!
Will catch up with y'all soon, grabbing a five minute ice & elevate before cooking tea & ironing!!

 

[Fernie]

Glad all well, know what you mean abou being busy!

Take care and try to keep out of zodiac. Full time work

Fx

 

[denpucc]

Allison - i agree with your approach. i told my hubby he had to watch the surgery on youtube to fully understand what i am going to have done (Dec 2013 RTKR). i've had 9 knee surgeries to date (7 while married to hubby) but i recouperated very well and needed little assistance from him...he never had to help me in the shower or the toliet and other than getting me food/drink the first few days i was completely self sufficient. i know this surgery will be a huge difference for both of us but he refuses to watch the video!

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Alison, just popping by to say hello and how are you and Gort the Golden getting along.
I am amazed that I have been back at work for 5 weeks already, time flies.
I hope your knee is doing well and that you are enjoying life post TKR, enjoy the sunshine,
Hugs, Toothfairy x

 

[jetthugger]

Hi guys!!!! Boy!! Busy busy busy!! The one thing that gets me, every day, is the total lack of bone on bone pain! Silly things like crossing my leg - crooking it up while watching tv, even sitting on a Garden chair for a few hours without wincing (or being frazzled on painkillers!!!) just amazes me!!!! I still get grumpy Gort at night as I've invariably done far too much in the day, now I'm back to full time 8-5 hours & walking for half hour to an hour a day, strangely, it's not so much Gort (except at night) but my right heel that Smarts!!!!! Still, I'm pretty much off the strong stuff, running down my cocodamol mainly at night now & upping my activities as soon as Gort & the heel get into a more happy place. Yay to this incredible op!

 

[Ready]

What a great post! I am so thrilled for you and hope that heel doesn't get in your way of fully enjoying your new mobility. Also, I am happy for you that you get to enjoy summer! Congratulations.