United StatesThat's what I did with my second knee- no home care and no home PT. I changed my own surgical dressing (it's easy!), did simple exercises on my own, and recovered just fine. At my 6 -it was closer to 7- month appointment I handed my OS a photo of me mountain biking. HA!
I was 120/20 at discharge!
The PT made no long term changes, worse right after a session, but recovered after a day or so. At 9 months, I am now 140+/0, FINALLY hit 0! I think my problem was that laying on my back in the hospital, my legs naturally lay out, the toes pointing apart, and the knees bent. (think frog on it's back!) I want a brace next time for the first few days to hold my leg straight. straight. I remember it was straight immediately after surgery ( I was awake for most of it)
@jmdearras do you mean you were awake for most of the surgery or most of the time afterwards in the hospital?
For the surgery. They somehow missed my sleep apnea, and I started having breathing issues laying on my back. They said they could have intubated me which would have interrupted the surgery momentarily or just wake me. I'm glad they woke me! I had so much happy juice, I was just amused at the workshop sounds (hammering, sawing, drilling, etc.) Got out of the recovery room faster, too.
I agree it's uncomfortable, but why then did I lose so much extension in the days after surgery? I'm all for not bracing it if it won't help. I sleep in near fetal position, legs bent far, probably why I left the hospital with 120 degrees of flexion!
They did not use GA, just a spinal and a nerve block in the leg. I was given happy and sleepy drugs via the IV, they just stopped the sleepy, and maybe increased the happy! It sounded like it would be terrifying, but I was happy and just amused! I was given a GA for a kidney stone sonic fracture procedure, and yes, I felt awful for days, not counting the kidney stone, which hurt worse than the post-op knee!
I usually sleep that way, too, but I did try to sleep on my back most of the time after my surgeries. Maybe the loss of extension was due to swelling?
They don't like a single pillow under your knee for a couple of reasons - it can restrict circulation and it can keep your knee bent a bit too much. But a pillow just under your ankle is going to extend your knee uncomfortably. You don't want that either. Just go with what they want in hospital (unless it's hurting you) and you can do what you like once you get home.
That's what they insisted on for me post op. Knee suspended over air. Problem was, I had to concentrate to hold my feet vertical, they flopped out otherwise, and my knee bent.
What is too much and why? I'm sure mine was bent a lot most of post-op as described above and sleeping in fetal position.
I did bend it a lot, awake and sleeping, shifting and turning over.
