TKR Had Mako TKR

Thanks for sending me the video. Now I can see that what you're therapist is having you do is a slow motion simulation of the correct heel, roll-to-toe gait motion. This is an excellent thing to do. If it's hurting when you do it you can use your walker to take some of the pressure off. See if that makes it more comfortable.

You are quite swollen and that may be where at least some of your pain is coming from when you are standing and trying to move. You're going to need to cut way down on exercises and do lots of resting, icing and elevating to get that under control. You also need to take something for your pain on a regular schedule. If you don't want to use the prescription medicine your doctor gave you on a regular basis, you might stop it and try taking 2 Extra Strength Tylenol (1000mg) every 6 hours on schedule. You need to not go over the 4,000mg in any 24 hour period, so be sure and count the acetaminophen in any over-the-counter meds (like cold and sinus medication) you might take. You can also take an NSAID (if you don't have any stomach issues or a reaction when taking it) along with the Tylenol....also on a schedule according to the product label. The point is you want medication in your system all the time during both day and night to keep inflammation and pain reduced.

Also talk to your surgeon (or your GP) about using the Geko device. It's relatively new to the American market, but has had a lot of success in the UK in reducing post-op swelling. It is not covered by insurance in most cases yet, so you would have to pay for the treatments. I think it would run about $500 for the typical treatment period of 10 days.

 
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Thanks everyone!! Exactly what I needed to hear! I feel like such a baby, but I’ve sobbed many times this week and questioned how will I EVER be able to work again? I’m a flight attendant and I’ve got 11 weeks to be healed enough to go back into the skies!
I didn’t care for my first post op in home PT, so I’ll be asking for a new one on Monday. The CRM machine was so soothing in the hospital, it literally makes me cry here at home and it’s the same machine I brought home. I had much better ROM before I came home. I’m assuming it’s from swelling. I’m going to trust the community here and lay off the “exercises” that are too painful.
Cannot thank you all enough for your insight!! It’s hard doing this alone! Best wishes to everyone on your journey!!

Hi, nearing end of second week and feel your pain (literally). Hang on. Don't over exercise -- think this was part of my problem, along with natural swelling/healing pains plus the restrictions on how few percocets I am allowed. Ice has been a godsend, but a pain to keep replacing. Next knee (if I make it thru this one) definately getting an ice machine.
 
I’m literally about to lose my mind with pain. I had TKR 12/09/19 and MUA 02/17/20 and I can’t go on like this. The post MUA pain is excruciating. The PT is TERRIBLE and I feel like everyone thinks I’m not trying. I’m TRYING!!! It hurts so much I can’t stand it. I have been taking Tylenol and ibuprofen every eight hours PLUS dilaudid before PT and it dirt touch what I’m going through in terms of pain relief. I ice, elevate, heat, and I’m back on CPM and I can’t stop crying. I just wanna give up!!!!! I can be off work almost 2 more months so maybe I’ll just stop all the PT? But they scare me and say I’ll never get ROM where I need it. My leg is swollen and killing me where they did the nerve block after they put me out for MUA.

Should I call a pain doctor? I can’t live like this.
 
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just post what you would like it to be and we'll change it for you
 
Having read most of your posts, I can’t imagine the PT they have put you through...I am just over 4 weeks post op, and don’t let the therapist do anything that causes a quick sharp pain..She actually says Get the knee just past resistance, then let go...then repeat...slow and steady..the dangling of leg is something I do as well...let gravity and motion do the work..I didn’t think your ROM was terrible , and MUA seemed excessive, but I am not a DR or physical therapist...

Hope the pain is less and recovery moves foward
 
Sounds like you are having too much aggressive PT, it's catch 22 at this stage the harder you exercise/push the knee the more swelling you will get as the interior ligaments etc are still healing and swelling is their of protection, try stopping your PT and just do a few gentle movements and daily living activities look at purchasing a mini peddler this you can do in front of the TV and it's a gentle form of exercising the knee.
I never had any aggressive PT and only went twice a week now I do no PT at all and rely solely on walking /mini peddler and DLA I start back at work in April at a busy tennis club so like you will be on my feet many hours.
Only go back to work when you feel able ...I took almost 6 months off.
Hang in there it will get better xxx
 
Hello, I can completely relate to your difficulties! I once had a knee revision (completely replaced my first TKR that did not “stick”) and then a month or so later had to have a MUA. I was in so much more pain afterwards and didn’t gain as much ROM as I would have thought. When I went to my OS a week after the MUA he felt that the MUA ”injured” my knee. I had to stop everything for 2 weeks. It worked. I would suggest asking your OS if this is a possibility. Not that this happened to you but it can’t hurt to ask about this. I am lucky after my latest revision on 2/7/20 that I am already at about 90 and fairly straight. Good luck!
 
I have been reading along. You are getting great advice from other posters. I just really wish you the best. I do hope you take a complete sabbatical from activity and PT for a while. I know that when I overdo it I go backward, and then it takes time doing nothing to regroup. If I had done all the activity and MUA they put you through I do not think I could handle it. You must be pretty tough.
 
I can be off work almost 2 more months so maybe I’ll just stop all the PT? But they scare me and say I’ll never get ROM where I need it
I am so sorry your PT is causing you so much pain! This is absolutely not necessary, and it will cause a set back.

If it was me I would stop going to formal PT and let your poor leg recover. Give it lots of rest, ice and elevation. Just do some gentle bends and short walks, to keep your knee mobile.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

You have all the time n the world to regain your ROM. Mine not only continued to improve past the one year mark, but also the 2 year mark! So ignore that threat that you won’t get it back, my knee proves it’s not true.

I took 1,000 mg of Tylenol every 6 hours, round the clock for a total of 4,000 mg per 24 hour period. I found that dose very helpful. If you try the same, just be aware of any Tylenol that might be in any of your other medications, like prescription pain medication or cold medication, then adjust your Tylenol dose so you stay within the 4,000 limit.

I hope things settle down for you soon.


Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
I had an MUA in early February, and, for two weeks I was in worse pain than I’d been in since two weeks after the original surgery. The afternoon of the MUA, I went to PT and was so psyched because I hit 110 degrees flexion. The next morning I was reliving my first ACL tear.

Then, for the next two weeks, I lost the ROM that I had gained and headed back to the mid 90s, which was better than before the MUA, but my PT and I could see that ROM draining away. We were both quite discouraged. Increased swelling, increased pain, and the possibility of decreased flexion was really a drag.

However, yesterday and today, I seem to have turned a corner. The pain is easier, the swelling is down, and my flexion has returned to the 110 degrees that I got the day of the MUA.

I am hoping that, as my soft tissues recover, the swelling will continue to improve and my flexion will too. You might be able to look forward to a similar outcome. Give your knee time and care to settle down from the MUA, and maybe things will improve.

I hope that’s a helpful post, and it gives you some hope.
 
I’m such a ninny, I just barely figured out how to “respond” to you lovely people that resounded you me!!

I honestly believe that I’m overdoing it and it’s making it harder, as you said. My biggest issue is that I need to get back to work dinner than later! But I think I’m gonna figure out a way to stay off longer and stop the madness!!
Thank heaven for this forum!!
 
You can edit your post, if you do it soon enough.
Down at the bottom of the post, there are words - Report, Edit, Delete, etc.

Just click on Edit and you'll be able to do just that. That facility does turn itself off after a few hours, though.
 
FYI: It is not necessary to use the "Quote This Message" to reply to a post. This feature should be used only when there is a post or several posts on another topic between your post and the post you want to respond to. To reply to a post, just scroll down and put your cursor in the dialogue box and start typing.

Use the "Quote This Message" to reply to a post only when there is a post or several posts on another topic between your post and the post you want to respond to and you need the entire post to be quoted.

You can quote a sentence or a section of a post by simply highlighting it and clicking on the "Quote Me" oblong that appears in gray at the end of the highlighted selection. This is frequently a better choice than quoting a whole post. You can use this feature in several different post by a member if you want to respond to things in multiple posts. When you go to the dialogue box you will see "Get Quotes " and in parenthesis the number of quotes. Click on that when you want a quote inserted into your post.
 
This needs to be on a placard, t-shirts... and on the GoodYear blimp - going national! So TRUE!
Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all

along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.
 
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I’m beginning to really believe that most of my pain and stiffness is caused from PT!! I must be a very slow healer, too, but also a scar tissue champion! It’s very hard to find a balance. If I overdo it, I suffer. If I don’t do enough, I’m more stiff. 77 days post op RTKR and it still feels like in internal amputation with a brick where my knee used to be.

I’m so thankful for this group of people who have been through this and know EVERYTHING!!
 
Take care of yourself and your knee. That pain should ease up over time, with some TLC. You’ll find that sweet spot between overdoing and underdoing, and then you’ll have to keep recalibrating because it might be a moving target. You’ll get there.
 
Stiffness is just part of recovery for most people, so try not to get alarmed by it. It goes away eventually but can last for 6 months or more in some degree for some people. If therapy is causing you pain afterwards, that's your body's signal it's too soon for that level of activity and to scale it back for a while.
If the stiffness you're feeling goes away once you move about, just make sure you're getting up and walking around every hour for 5 minutes or so. A stationary bicycle is also wonderful for this if you have one or can pick one up at a second hand store.
 

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