MUA Hello and a huge thank you<<

[Josephine]

I tend to do the exercises as I feel the need, not religiously every day. I'll carry on with the consultant's advice of doing the exercises as I think he is right and I trust him.

My point is that with all your work, house work and shopping and having such an excellent ROM, you really don't NEED them any more. I think your surgeon would say so too if he knew what you are doing right now. Perhaps you should print off this post and show it to him. I'm quite sure he'd be astonished!

 

[sistersinhim]

I am a single woman and I had to do all the household duties, which was my rehab. I never took PT and did great!

 

[hopalong61]

Hi, I understand what you're saying and really appreciate your help. I have an appointment with my consultant on May 3rd so i'll have a chat with him then. I'll let you know what he says

 

[kneeper]

For what it's worth...once I was back at work I wasn't doing PT exercises anymore. I did sometimes loosen up on the exercise bike for a few minutes and did some gentle stretches, but basically doing PT and working (a lot of time on my feet) would have been too much.

 

[hopalong61]

My job involves 9 hours a day at a desk ! I'm currently only working 4 hour days 4 days a week but will have to go back to full time soon :( We have a gym at work. I've had a chat with the personal trainer there and will probably try to get in there and use the cross trainer and bike for half an hour a day when I'm back to full time.

I can also walk a circuit of the office, it's a huge open plan space (football pitch size !) so that'll help too. I really need to focus on walking properly too as I can feel the strain in my left hip sometimes. It amazes me how we all take walking for granted !

 

[Mutti3]

I went back to work 8 weeks at a desk job, working from home, was exhausted for weeks. Pace yourself carefully when returning full time.

 

[kneeper]

Sitting all day is almost as bad as standing all day when you're recovering.(My day is basically half standing/half sitting.)
If you can get up and walk for a few minutes every hour or so that will help. Possibly doing the exercise bike for 10 minutes or so on your lunch break could be good. But start slow. Even though motion is good for loosening up, it's very easy to overdo. I'd also be bringing a gel pack and figuring out a way to elevate or at least get your feet off the floor in between.

 

[hopalong61]

Thanks x I do try to walk every hour or so and have 2 different footrests to use, one is for my feet, the other is higher and supports my legs as well.

I had a chat with the ladies in our restaurant today and they've agreed for me to take in my ice packs and store them for me when I'm at work. I really needed ice today and didn't have it :(

At the moment I'm struggling most with the lack of sleep. I'm wondering whether to take Tramadol at night instead of Codeine? I only take one Tramadol but wonder if two would help me stay asleep longer for a while. When I wake up my knee is stiff and that's after a couple of hours so goodness knows what it would be like after a full 7 hours sleep ?

 

[kneeper]

I don't know which would be better for you to take at night. I'd think so long as you are not going above what is prescribed and are spacing them out properly you could experiment on when to take which one.

But generally our sleep problems gradually start to resolve. Doesn't help in the short run, though, drat it.

I like that you have a system so that your leg is supported when you elevate at work. I found it tricky to devise something that wasn't uncomfortable.

 

[Mutti3]

Used a medium size stability ball, when I started back to work. It was the level of my legs. Hope you find a solution. As for sleep, it does get better gradually.

 

[hopalong61]

Having a woe is me day today Went shopping with my daughter yesterday and did too much. I'm sat here with ice on my knee and trying not to notice all the stuff that needs doing around the house. I don't know what i'll do the day that i don't have the pain and stiffness !

 

[Spex10]

When that day comes just count your blessings and get on with life! It'll most likely come sooner than you think. Hope so anyway.

 

[SusieShoes]

I don't know what i'll do the day that i don't have the pain and stiffness !

I could send you a to-do list for that day... but I think you'll have a long one of your own!

One of the surest bets you can make about anyone after TKR is that they will do something, at least once and often many times, to join the Over Did It Club. Doing so teaches us to really, truly Obey the Knee.

And that stuff that needs doing around the house? It will still be there tomorrow, or the next day. It's not like it will wander over to the neighbor's house or anything, though sometimes it can multiply. Still, it will be there whenever you can get to it. Just tell it to chill.

 

[hopalong61]

@SusieShoes I took your advice and went to the Pub for lunch ! Back now icing again

 

[kneeper]

Having a woe is me day today Went shopping with my daughter yesterday and did too much. I'm sat here with ice on my knee and trying not to notice all the stuff that needs doing around the house. I don't know what i'll do the day that i don't have the pain and stiffness !

Just put your blinders on. One day you'll realize you're not even thinking about your knee...but not quite yet.

 

[hopalong61]

Message

 

[Mollymax]

That looks look. Mine is kinda shaped that way. Love the sandals

 

[Needhope]

Your scar looks great! Mine are still red and obvious. Do you put anything on it to help with the fading?

 

[Jaycey]

@hopalong61 you will 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 give a shout.

 

[hopalong61]

@Josephine Hi I'd like to pick your brains!

My knee is still sore and stiff (MUA March 17th 2018). I manage daily, walking, climbing up and down stairs (normally), driving etc., but after walking any distance I really suffer again.

It's mainly the muscles in my calf and the back of my leg which makes me feel it's my extension which isn't quite there yet. It's also when walking downhill it feels as though it's going to throw me forward! It's a weird sensation really. I do feel as though my walking is causing these issues and try really hard to stride and use heel to toe properly but every morning when I wake, it's so painful still.

I'm not worried about my knee joint as the pain is mainly muscular apart from the tight band across the front which I know is common.

I've got an appointment with my GP next week to ask to see a physio but wondered if I'm worrying without reason. I know extension takes longer than flexion but it's starting to worry me now a little.