TKR Happydale's Left knee, now properly installed,

I'm having early morning insomnia, so it's a nice bonus that BoneSmart is back to functional. Another week has flown by, and now I'm celebrating my left knee's one month birthday. I was thinking about Becky's grand baby Harper, about the same age as my knee, and how little and vulnerable she must be at this age.

So yesterday I went to PT, and saw my dear Colleen. She is such a blessing. She fixed a literal pain in my butt by doing her voodoo on me. I immediately felt so much better. She also wiggled my knee cap around, which didn't hurt for her to do that. These adjustments caused me to walk so well that she removed my cane! I have been too afraid to walk without it, but surprisingly it was fine. I still feel a bit like I'm walking a tight rope without the cane, but I will be happy to be less dependant on it.

I had declined an invitation to a friend's birthday party that's coming up Sunday, but yesterday I called to say I think I can make it. Whoo whoo! This will be my first off-site social engagement. It's about a 1/2 hour drive, but I will ride in the back seat. I'll have to save some energy for the party itself. I have a tolerance of about 1/2 hour of sitting with my leg down, which still has me hesitant to go out to eat.

Last night was my first night without a Tramadol. I've tried several times previously, but last night it worked. The fact that I woke up at 4:30 a.m may or may not be related. I will be happy to be done with that. During the day I really haven't needed much pain relief - just a very occasional Tylenol.

So all in all, things are going well for my recovery. I'm enjoying each new "accomplishment", and think a lot about how these are normal things that almost everyone takes for granted every day. I watch people walk down the street so effortlessly, and I'm thinking about how they don't even appreciate what a gift that is. And I vow to remember to be thankful for the ability to walk painlessly as soon as that happens.. I'll bet there comes a day when I, too, forget this vow. Sounds good!!
 
Yesterday was my 5 week knee-a-versary. Sometimes this recovery feels so long, but I must say it's hard to believe 5 weeks have flown by. My report is mostly good: I'm walking around the house without a cane, taking 20 minutes walks around the hood with the cane, going up and down stairs one stair at a time, using toilets without raised seats, standing in my shower, and taking only 1-2 Tylenol a day. I can handle my own laundry, a fair amount of cooking and light housework.

So what do I have to worry about, you ask. With me, there's always something I drum up to occupy the scardy cat lobe of my brain.

Problem #1: My main worry is a dreadful click coming from the ligament on the outside of my knee as it rubs across the bone or bones. My PT can feel it with her hand. At first I only noticed it when doing heel slides, but now it's apparent when I walk as well. I really think the creepy feeling of this is causing me to resist bending when I walk. I thought my PT would say it's normal and temporary, but she didn't! She said it may go away and it may be like that. SO UPSETTING!! She said she can do something about tendon issues, but not ligaments.

Problem #2: ROM is stalled!! I'm fine on extension (0), but the flex has been 100 for two weeks. Yesterday I had a substitute PT, and she measured under my own power, then did some massage and warm up and gently pushed my knee and had me say when to stop. Guess what it was then?? 100. Ugh!!

On the plus side, I'm hoping to be ready to travel two hours to a family gathering for Labor Day weekend. Thinking about that trip has been very motivational, as I want to feel good and enjoy myself with my 10 nearest and dearest from 4 cities/ 3 states. I haven't committed to attending yet, but I am starting to feel ready. It cheers me up each time I read through others' recovery threads and see that all of us are indeed improving along the long arc. Yes, everyone seems to have an amount of push and pull, but improvement is happening. Cheers for that, friends!
 
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It sounds like you are doing wonderfully! I am impressed that you are off the meds so quickly, but it sounds like you don't need them, bravo! I hope you are up to the trip. Just prepare, preplan ice, elevation, rest. It should be a great mood lifter if you don't overdo too much.
 
Oh, lest I forget, you already have better flexion than me Sara! So, by the time you are at 13 weeks, I suspect your flexion will be well over 150.:snork:
 
Good progress report. I'm quite sure I was not past 100 degrees ROM until about week 8. I have clicking and popping all the time now - it started a couple of weeks ago. From my PT and others on here it does not seem to be anything to worry about - does it cause pain. Mine doesn't, but it feels quite weird. Glad you are able to get out more.
 
Sounds like you are doing great. I can feel/hear a ligament (or something) moving on the outside of my knee also. My doctor said it was because of all the work they had to do on the outside of my knee to straighten my leg. I hope it goes away. I'm sure by Labor Day you'll be ready for your trip and it will boost your spirit to be able to spend time with loved ones.
 
Sarah, I was released from PT with a ROM of 109, not far from your 100 and gained movement for months afterward. Remember, you can't hurry this recovery along and pushing the knee may just add more swelling. As far as the clicking, when I began swimming after my TKR I had both knees clicking. The natural knee clicked and hurt, while the TKR just clicked with each kick. Eventually the TKR clicking stopped and so did the natural. Celle has a TKR the clicked and one that did not. I think she recently said the clicking has stopped.
 
Sara - great report other than your annoying click. Hopefully that will just go away on its own! I made a few trips in the earlier part of recovery. Try to ride in the backseat, sideways with your legs elevated on pillows or LD and your back leaning against the door on a pillow. Then you can ice as you ride. I found this saved the " hang time" for my leg for the things I wanted to do when I arrived. I hope you can go to your family reunion on Labour Day. I'm sure it would be a real pick me up! Good luck and keep us posted
 
Sara, I was just catching up on your thread and just read your post last week about baby Harper. That was sweet you were thinking about her. I somehow got all behind in reading over the weekend and this week.

You're making good progress! I understand about being "stuck" hopefully she will start moving again soon. I've had clunks and clicks all along but actually notice some changes in them and I think lefty is trying to kick the habit! Hopefully they go away and if not I pray we are able to learn to ignore them!:friends:
 
Problem #1: My main worry is a dreadful click coming from the ligament on the outside of my knee as it rubs across the bone or bones. My PT can feel it with her hand. At first I only noticed it when doing heel slides, but now it's apparent when I walk as well. I really think the creepy feeling of this is causing me to resist bending when I walk. I thought my PT would say it's normal and temporary, but she didn't! She said it may go away and it may be like that. SO UPSETTING!! She said she can do something about tendon issues, but not ligaments.
I remember having that feeling aftermy first knee replacment - a PKR. If it's any consolatoin, it did gradually go away. MY tendons adn ligaments had distorted and some had shrunk during teh long time I had to wait for surgery. As they re-adjusted to the different mechanics post-surgery, that ligament stretched a bit and the odd feeling gradually went away.
I think it was the lower part of the ileo-tibial band (ITB) as it moved across the lower end if my femur.
ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and treatments

Problem #2: ROM is stalled!! I'm fine on extension (0), but the flex has been 100 for two weeks. Yesterday I had a substitute PT, and she measured under my own power, then did some massage and warm up and gently pushed my knee and had me say when to stop. Guess what it was then?? 100. Ugh!!
Don't worry about the apparently stalled ROM. You do remember that ROM can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a TKR, don't you? There's no deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

It's quite normal for progress to seem to stall, or even take a step backwards. Try not to think of it as stalling, but more as a period in which your knee is consolidating the progress it's made.

Above all, don't get trapped into thinking that if you work harder at your exercises, the ROM will start to improve again. Often, the reverse is true. Give your knee a vacation from exercises and, instead, concentrate on more elevating and icing, just doing your normal activities of daily living.
TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”
Knee recovery - Lose the Work Ethic!!
TKR: Evidence shows that less really is more when it comes to exercising!
TKRs and our fast food society
Life in the slow lane
 
Good news for me yesterday! I had PT, and my regular therapist Colleen was back to work after her vacation (hallelujah!). My flex hadn't moved off of 100 for 2 weeks and 4 PT appointments. Reassurances from my Smartie friends really helped me to settle down about that, but I was also feeling like just walking around was more uncomfortable. I poured this all out for Colleen and she quickly diagnosed that I had a very tight quad. She used her rolling pin tool to run up and down my thigh, with a fair amount of pressure, and then massaged it quite deeply. She said that was the reason my knee wasn't bending more, and boy was she right!! After that, my whole leg felt so much better. And the measurement?? 119!! According to Colleen, they want to see 120 for a TKR full recovery, and anything more than that is just a "bonus". I was flabbergasted.

Next, I told her I was feeling fatigued in general, and I thought it was from nearly 6 weeks of sitting around too much. She told me it was just the opposite. Now that I'm improving, I'm doing more. Her advice: a 2 hour nap each afternoon. This really surprised me, because usually she's the one encouraging more exercise, a little longer walk, etc. So, I appreciated that feedback as well, and will re-institute my nap that now feels like doctor's orders! Colleen said that the sleep is needed for the healing to take place, not just to feel less fatigued. I know I've read that many times on BoneSmart as well.

I went into all this detail here especially because some of you have shared nightmares from PT and we tend to do a lot of PT bashing with each other. If you don't have a PT who is actually helping you and supporting your recovery, I'd recommend finding another PT. They are not all the same. The person I saw during Colleen's vacation didn't know what to do to help me, although she had a PhD and was very well meaning. I now believe that finding a great PT can really help improve recovery in many ways.
 
Thanks for sharing this, Sara. I'm not a napper by nature, but after sleeping 1 1/2 hrs Sunday afternoon, I see the benefit. I was taught that people who napped were lazy. Mama went until she could not put one foot in front of another. She was a Strong Southern Mama! And I agree wholeheartedly with your PT observations.
 
I had that tendon pop on the outside, especially when going up inclines. It eventually went away. Didn't take long. Yours will too. Also, I remember being stalled at 105 for several weeks and then movement. Kinda like trying to lose weight and plateauing. Seems like that massage may have just got you moving. Sounds like you're doing fantastic for so early in the game of recovery.
 
I bought one of those rolling-pin gadgets from Amazon and find it very helpful. However, it has not brought my flexion up to 119 as of yet...:wink: Regardless, it helps with stiffness, and hey, it just feels good. :SUNsmile: As such, I am still in the Slow-Benders Club, just cruising along the scenic path with several others. You, on the other hand, seem to be on a fast-track. Of course, you'll be the last to realize this, but we certainly see it, lol.

A good PT is worth their weight in gold. A bad PT should be tossed out with the rubbish!
 
I was NEVER a napper, but I did nap during recovery and haven't napped since. Sara, please don't think the "sitting around" is causing your fatigue. The fatigue is caused by the amount of energy your body is using to heal from surgery. The best thing you can do is exactly what Colleen suggested, sleep or nap and whenever you can. Your body will be happy!
 
Great report Helen - glad you have an awesome PT -- they really make a huge difference in recovery. I, too, have been using a roller to help with tight quads, hammies, and calves. Not with as much success as you, but hopefully over time will see improvements.
 
Thanks for sharing that, @jaschembra. It gives me encouragement. And @Pheebs52, I find your comments to be so uplifting. I admire your willingness to go with the flow, taking things as they come. I'm sure you've noticed by reading everyone's progress, that it isn't unusual for some to go along without improvement to write home about, only to have unexpected big gains out of the blue. So I'm looking forward to reading a post like that from you and your friends in the Slow Benders...
 
Your PT sounds wonderful! I think PT can be greatly helpful if only the therapist focuses on gentle, TKR specific exercises and doesn't try to rush patients into strength training and other hurtful things. I got a lot of benefit from my PT. Yours really "gets" TKR because she nailed the tiredness: you're doing more. I mean, what do we do at first? Go to the bathroom? Get a water from the fridge? Not much energy being spent there, and we sleep all the time anyway. Later on, though, because we can move more... we do move more. We decide to clean a little. We make beds. We get the mail. We're doing many many times more activity than those early weeks, and our body is still spending lots of energy trying to finish with the healing. No wonder we get tired!
 

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