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TKR Hello Everyone - First time knee replacement patient here : )

You pose an excellent question about therapist’s measurements and it’s one reason why we tell people not to worry so much about numbers. There can be a lot of variation when your movement ability is measured in different positions.

I can only guess why your therapist chooses to disregard the better movement you get when sitting and pedaling. Perhaps this is the way they were taught and it’s stuck. But, as you note, it makes no sense. The real measure of your ROM is how you are able to function with your knee. And it sounds like you’re making fine progress with your seated heel slides and pedaling. Keep that up and don’t worry about the prone heel slides.
 
Margot said:
Why is this the only bend that PTs and surgeons seem to want to measure? I can get a much better bend when I am sitting in a chair doing heel slides.
Click to expand...
I think it's really just old-school thinking. Neither my PT nor my surgeon measure; both say the tool is inaccurate and that even the same person won't get the same measurement twice. That makes it pretty useless. Instead, he has me sit on the exam table and swing my leg back and forth a bit, while he "eyeballs" my bend.

Please don't worry over this. As Jamie says, the only measurement that counts is function. In fact, your flexion may actually be better than what you've been told. I found the following information really interesting when I was in the early weeks of recovery.

You need at least 65° to walk,
- 70° to lift an object from the floor,
- 85° for stair climbing,
- 95° for comfortable sitting and standing
- 105° for tying shoelaces
 
Please don’t worry about it.
My physio checks mine on the side of the bench and the knees both bend beyond 90 easily. The left isn’t quite a good, it had more procedures.
As many post on here tell some professionals become fixated on things, especially flexion.
We’re here for the long haul and everyone heals at different rates. If it stresses you why not miss out a session or two?
I’ve been to PT only 3 times in 9 weeks. At 2 weeks in the hospital because it was a wound check too, with the dressings coming off, then I avoided any appointments until I felt confident enough to go to one nearer home at c.6 weeks. Saw OS at 7 weeks and he was happy. Then PT at 8.5 weeks and will be going again at 10.5 weeks.
Thinking of you.
 
I add one very good reason to disregard the lying down measurement AND to only do the heel slides while seated: the problem/difference isn't in the knee at all! It's the extreme HIP flexion when lying down that alters the entire lower body structure hindering knee flexion. It makes more sense functionally and structura!ly to do heel slides seated on a chair.

BTW you can actually decline to have your flexion measured.
 
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Margot said:
Why is this the only bend that PTs and surgeons seem to want to measure? I can get a much better bend when I am sitting in a chair doing heel slides...a much better bend if I am pedaling on my little pedal apparatus...it feels like those bends don't count...but
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Bend definitely varies with position and hip and back factors also come into play.
Bend only really matters in terms of function and my surgeon never actually measured it until I went at about 15 months post PKR for discharge/ discussion about possible hip surgery. By that time it was back to about 140/ 150 degrees. But I remember the lying heel bends being painful early on and I wouldn't have been anywhere near that then.
I really wouldn't worry too much about ROM numbers so long as you can see your knee gradually moving better. It really is about improving and what you can actually do.
Even with really great knee flexion I sometimes struggle with getting socks on due to my painful back/ spinal stenosis limiting knee bend in some positions.
 
I agree that knee slides while lying down are harder to do and result in a lower number, and I agree that function is more important than a ROM number.

However, it seems that most medical teams rely on this method of judging our recovery. It doesn’t make sense.
 
Thank you for your replies, everyone. I'm leaving for physio in about 45 minutes (I cancelled last Friday and will decide today if I wish to continue going). I will request that we not measure today.

I will move forward with FUNCTION being my evidence, as I can tell my function is improving day by day. I am so thankful I found Bonesmart.

Many thanks again : )
 
I found it really helpful to note each little milestone in my knee recovery thread. When I felt a bit down it was great to actually SEE the progress (plus we love to celebrate with you!).
 
My physio session today went very well. My PT surprised me by suggesting (before I could bring up the topic) that we no longer take measurements. I am pleased and impressed by her responsiveness and thoughtful consideration of patients. We did not measure but she did say that she could see I was achieving a deeper bend than last week during exercises. I'm thrilled! I have decided to continue with physio for the time being, as I feel lighter and less anxious now that measurements are off the table. Today's session felt like good exercises that were at the perfect intersection of strengthening and stretching.

I also only used my cane and not my walker to enter the building and walk through to the physio department. It's been a good day : )
 
All great news! Thanks for sharing.
You sound so perky today and it's wonderful to feel the positive energy through your post. May it long continue, Margot. Have a wonderful weekend! :SUNsmile:
@Margot
 
Hi everyone - just wanted to share a bit of a victory today...I drove for the first time in 5 weeks! Woot woot! It wasn't hard getting in or out of the car and I was able to go on a little pleasure drive out in the country for about 25 minutes before my knee was telling me to head home.

It felt great to be out and about : )
 
It is a wonderful feeling to regain our independence behind the wheel.
Cheers for you going for a Sunday drive on Thursday, lol. :driver:
I'm happy for you, Margot. :thumb: I hope you have a lovely weekend!
@Margot
 
That first drive of freedom was a wonderful, uplifting time in my recovery. I bet you felt the same way!
 
Hi everyone...hope you're enjoying the weekend thus far.

I am finding that the back of my calves are really tight and sore. Did any of you experience this while you were recovering from knee replacements?
 
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