Become an Insider

TKR Help! I've developed right hip pain 3 months after LTKR.

Status
Not open for further replies.
tiredwife said:
they are up to 150 on flex
Click to expand...
:skep: I don't think that's possible . 140 is about the maximum a knee can flex. This one is about 140

[Bonesmart.org] Help! I've developed right hip pain 3 months after LTKR.
 
@Josephine I think it was ConnieJOS that was up to that. Connie's was 147 trying to find the 150 I saw today. Okay it was Diana's (new knee in June) thread.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@TexasTee and @Minnie's knees (great names both of you!) your Dupay Trumatch knees sound ideal. This kind of surgery is fascinating when you step back and think about it, although I don't want to waych a video of it! My surgeon's PA said they have a whole range of parts in different sizes in the operating room so that they can use components that fit each individual. Yours will be sized to fit you before the surgeon even starts! They gave me a sheet with the names, sizes and model numbers for each part they installed in my knee.

Thanks for the flex update @tiredwife! My goals are in steps: 130, 135, 140, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153....!
 
sunny-island said:
My surgeon's PA said they have a whole range of parts in different sizes in the operating room so that they can use components that fit each individual. Yours will be sized to fit you before the surgeon even starts! They gave me a sheet with the names, sizes and model numbers for each part they installed in my knee.
Click to expand...
Not that I want to burst your bubble, but this is standard procedure for all knee replacements, custom or otherwise.
sunny-island said:
My goals are in steps
Click to expand...
I strongly urge you not to set goals. If anything untoward occurs you are setting yourself up for disappointment. One day you will increase in one degree, another will be zero and the next might be 5 degrees. You see, your knee likes to progress in its own time and style and doesn't take kindly to having targets set. Remember - the KNEE is in charge not you!
 
@Josephine You didn't burst my bubble - it's all new to me so I found it really interesting when he explained it to me. Mine is not a custom knee as far as I know.

You say I shouldn't set gosls. Oh my, that's going to be nearly impossible! How to break a lifetlong habit? Thanks to this forum I have learned to listen to my knee. That hasn't been hard to do. But not setting goals?? I know you're right about possibly setting myself up for disappoinments, though. It's happened several times but that's how goals work. In an effort to reach a goal, any goal, there are ups and downs along the way but the goal is still the goal. It's more motivating than anything else. Not sure I can toss out my goals!
 
I think its more helpful to set goals in terms of function. Saw a little woman at PT last year when she was rehabbing her knee and I was working on mine. She was almost beside herself trying to get more bend (she was already up in the 120s!) because someone had told her she HAD to get to 140(!) in order to climb stairs, and, get this, play GOLF! WTH? What part of golf requires 140?? Squatting down to get a worm's eye view of a tricky putt, maybe, but seriously 140???

Her therapist and I both told her she could find out if she could play golf better by going out and trying a few swings or playing a couple of short holes. Anyway, I'd suggest setting goals like 'walk my dogs without pain', 'ride a bike', etc.

I left PT last year with ROM in my left knee at around 120-something. At 5 weeks I could ride my horses, trim their feet, haul water for the chickens when the pipes froze, tote firewood for the stove.

Yesterday ROM in the right knee was 130 (I think that was a weasel number my therapist wanted to document, but no matter.) Call it 120-something, I could care less. I can ride my horses, trim their feet, climb stairs, walk the dogs... that's what's important.
 
@jeano. I agree with you. Goals based on function make sense. You say you don't care about ROM, I'm not at that point. Today in PT I was able to go up and down the stairs much better than last time (a goal: doing stairs in a normal fashion). But I was happy to hear that my ROM has gone up.
 
Ive been telling my PT that I'm good to go as long as I can get my foot over my ankle standing in the shower so as to be able to scrub the bottom of my foot. Demonstrated this move for him the other day and he commented 'Great, however you only need about 90 degrees in the knee to do that, the rest is from the hip... but your balance is good standing on one foot'. To which I retorted, ''always find something to praise, they teach you that in PT 101?'' to which he answered, ''sure did''.

Thing is, sure I care about my ROM, but i'll not make a big deal out of the actual number. If you pay attention and get measured by different people, you'll notice that number is all over the place. Its just a number and can change hour to hour. We made sure when we measured the other day to avoid those exercises that can mess up an optimum measurement, which is why I call that 130 a weasel number. Its sole function was to look pretty in my therapist's final report to my OS so he'll keep that PT facility in mind when he makes referrals. I'm happy to go along with this charade because they do great work. Not their fault they have to suck up to OS's to get business and that OSs are only impressed by numbers.
 
So true. I'm far enough out that I'm not measuring, but I do notice as things get easier to do.
 
True indeed, in fact it struck me the other day in the shower that now I just lift the left leg and put the ankle above the right knee. Whereas six months ago I had to carefully think about how much hip opening it was going to take and sometimes had to guide the foot with hand to get it up there. I have to go thru the same contortions now with the right leg. Also, its more than just ROM involved, its the proprioception, knowing just where the leg is in space and having it go where you want it to go without conscious thought. function involves a lot more than degrees of bend.
 
sunny-island said:
You say I shouldn't set gosls. Oh my, that's going to be nearly impossible! How to break a lifetlong habit?
Click to expand...
Oh that's okay, I was only half serious!
sunny-island said:
My goals are in steps: 130, 135, 140, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153....!
Click to expand...
However I'm a little disconcerted about your target numbers ... 5 degrees can differ quite a bit depending on who's doing the measuring. It's anything but an exact science - or do you have one of those app thingies?

Plus according to a study report in Physical Therapy Nolume 71, Number 9 in September 1991 the maximum range of flexion for knees is generally between 130-140 and on very rare occasions, 150. Just thought you'd like to know! :)
 
@Josephine There's an app thingie? I want it! Do you what it's called?

We do have a goniometer, though. My PT made sure my husband knew how to use it properly and we are getting the same numbers she gets so I believe we're doing it correctly. I know there are people on this forum who don't want to focus on the ROM numbers but I'm a numbers person and this is fun. The reason I set my goals the way I did is because I am sure I'll reach 135 without too much trouble now that things have improved for me. What I want is to get back to my pre-op bend which is over 150. You could be right - I might not reach that bend, but then again I might! I'll attach a picture of my non-surgery leg; both legs were about the same. I've been one of those very flexible people my whole life. But if I don't get back to that bend, fine! But I'd sure like to. It's okay - this does not upset me in the least. Don't worry about me. You're sweet to be so concerned.

[Bonesmart.org] Help! I've developed right hip pain 3 months after LTKR.
 
Why is the picture I posted so huge, I wonder? It wouldn't let me post the pic at first saying the file was too big so I changed it to black & white in order to make it a smaller file. When I posted it the pic looked 1/4 the size of what it ended up being.... Looks like I'm part of a race of giants!!
 
Back in the day (when I was a mere lass of 50) I could still do zazen/kneeling yoga poses that involved sitting with the tops of my feet resting flat on the floor and my butt on my heels...I was very loose-jointed too but i'll settle for whatever I get with my fake knees.
 
@tiredwife Do you have any guidance for how to best cut back on pain meds? I don't need it as much now but I do still need it. I'm taking Norco 10/325. I think it's okay to just take it at six hour intervals during the day, none in the middle of the night. But maybe I should cut them in half and take them closer together. I've read that some people have withdrawal symptoms when they stop abruptly. I don't want that to happen but when I've gone 8 hrs or longer without a dose I feel fine. What I want to do is just take it when I need it, probably once or twice a day and once at bedtime.
 
Where you get into trouble is stopping completely after you've been taking them throughout the day. It sounds like you're reducing very naturally. The last dose to go for most of us is the bedtime dose.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 868 (members: 2, guests: 866)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom