TKR Here I am with my new left knee

[AThom10731]

I drive 2 hours per day (1 hour ea way). Sorry for the confusion. 90 miles per day.. Sorry for the confusion


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[skigirl]

Well that is a little better---four hours would be so grueling!!! I listen to books on tape (which I get from the library) when I have to drive more than 20 min---I know, I am a real "country mouse". It helps to keep my ADHD brain from going everywhere!!

 

[cpd599]

When I go back to work, I have a 45 min drive each way. I'll have to do a loosening routine as soon as I get to work.
Everything is going well. ROM is improving. PT is a little bit of a challenge at times, but I like that.
The PT was watching me walk the other day and said I wasn't standind strait up. I felt I was, so she put me in front of a mirror and I was leaning a little toward my "good" leg. When she adjusted my stance, and had me put more weight on my new knee, I saw the difference in the mirror. So when I did that, she said it looked like my "good" leg was shorter than my repaired one.
I remember wondering early on if that would be the case, because my "good" knee doesn't have much cartilage left.
Anybody experience this ?

 

[skigirl]

leg length discrepancy is a tough thing to diagnose . You have to have full X-rays of your legs which are then measured. I think it is more likely that you have been "favoring" the one leg and have begun to lean to that side. I think that once you have a correct posture and your muscles are strong, you will not notice this type of thing.

 

[Slainte]

My "good leg" is a bit shorter because I have a fused ankle on that side. My OS recommended orthotics.

 

[cpd599]

@skigirl. That makes sense. I'm still early on with walking, and I'm trying to concentrate on equal weight distribution and all that. I am getting stronger, but I'm hoping I can put it all together soon.

@Slainte. PT gave me a heel lift to see if that helps, but I think I just have to get more comfortable and a little stronger.

The Dr. at PT facility said he wants me to use the cane until I'm "ready", because he doesn't want me to develop bad habits. Sometimes when I walk around the house without the cane, if I don't concentrate, my knee feels like it might buckle. Hoping that gets better soon also.

 

[Dearjr]

@cpd599 im like you...9 weeks out and have swelling on outside of knee and over knee cap. Even with just 10
Mins on my feet it happens. Os said it could take 6 months to disappear. Just make sure it doesn't impede
Your flexion

 

[cpd599]

@Dearjr, The problem I have, is walking normally, but I don't think that's all due to swelling. If I do some stretching exercises to get loose, I can walk ok until it tightens up again.
My flex is good once I'm loose. My extension has gotten worse since I've been walking/full weight bearing, but it does get better at PT.
Do you still ice a lot, or just after activity ? I don't want to spend more time in bed elevating and icing !

 

[skigirl]

Why not? what are you doing that is more important than healing your knee? my doc told me that I should rest (with ice and elevation) for two hours for every one hour up at one month. This is a long recovery and you hare still very early. Resting, icing and elevating are the key to shortening the recovery---not trying to walk on an unhealed knee.

 

[SarahJane]

Hi, @cpd599, just got caught up on your thread. You seem to be doing fine overall. I didn't go back through all of what you've posted, but if I remember correctly when you go back to work you'll be assigned to light duty, right? I hope your OS and HR department are closely tracking what you're able to do In Real Life, and that neither they nor you expect you to do more than what's good and safe for your knee. Remember that the commute to and from work is, effectively, also work, and pace yourself accordingly.

 

[cpd599]

I seemed to have developed some tendonitis on the bottom of my middle toe. It is very painful, and restricts my ability to walk. I'm very upset because I was really making progress toward getting back to work. Now limping again ! ugh ! Dr. thinks its from all the new PT exercises and stretches. Anyone else experience this ?
Also ; I seem to be feeling my new knee "klunking" at times. Is this normal ? No pain, and not all the time.
Anyone else ?

 

[Slainte]

I have heard the klunking a couple of times. Once I stopped to look up at a ceiling fan I thought had become unbalanced. When I stopped, the noise stopped! Sorry about your toe. Discouraging to have something so small slow you down.

 

[kneeper]

I didn't have any toe problems but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the exercises have helped irritate something. Maybe back off of the exercises a bit.

 

[cpd599]

Thanks guys. Still dealing with the toe issue, but told PT nothing to aggravate toe. Been walking without cane for couple days, and it's going well. Going back to work in a week, so I need test the knee.

 

[cairistiona60]

I get the clunking when I step forward with my replacement knee leg. It is three quick clunks very close together as I move the leg forward to take a step. It doesn't hurt but I worry that something isn't sitting correctly.

 

[AThom10731]

Best of luck as you head back to work. Hope the toe gets much better soon. Elevate and ice the knee so you won't be miserable. If I don't get up from my desk and move around my knee gets stiff and sore and mad.

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[cpd599]

Hey guys. Toe is better. not 100%, but better. I wish I were a little further along for my return to work, but I"m lucky that I'll be assigned as restricted duty for a while. That will give me a month or two to get stronger.
I've been walking unassisted for almost a week now. Other than getting fatigued kinda fast, I think I'm doing well. 10 weeks out.

 

[referee54]

Other than getting fatigued kinda fast,

Unfortunately, stamina is one of the last things to return after a TKR. Even at five months, when I was calling balls and strikes here in the northern part of the Buckeye state, I would be very, very tired after a game. It took me six to eight months before I could say that I was lose to normal" in terms of overall stamina.

 

[referee54]

I remember wondering early on if that would be the case, because my "good" knee doesn't have much cartilage left.
Anybody experience this ?

I had a BTKR, and after I was pretty much recovered and back in the classroom, I had to purchase quite a few new pairs of pants---I had gained close to an inch of height, as I was bow-legged before my surgery.

I don't want to spend more time in bed elevating and icing !

You have to be patient and do what works----it may not be a lot of fun---and it may not be exciting, but it will get the job done. PArt of recovery is having the patience to simply do nothing---ice and elevate and rest.

Also ; I seem to be feeling my new knee "klunking" at times. Is this normal ?

Yep---absolutely---what was once soft tissue and bone has been replaced by metal and plastic. My students could hear it in stereo after my BTKR when I would walk around the classroom.

Either we become desensitized to it or the muscle mass grows and muffles it, but it does seem to go away.

When I get down in my stance behind the catcher, one of my quadriceps tendons "thunks" over the knee---and several catchers have asked me if it was me and if it hurts. I am used to it and there i no pain at all.

 

[referee54]

leg length discrepancy is a tough thing to diagnose . You have to have full X-rays of your legs which are then measured. I think it is more likely that you have been "favoring" the one leg and have begun to lean to that side. I think that once you have a correct posture and your muscles are strong, you will not notice this type of thing.

:iagree: I am willing to bet that this is the issue---once you get the gait and the posture issues worked on, things will improve. I believe that your OS worked very careful to make sure that one leg was the same length as the other.