TKR Horrise's Recovery Thread

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Horrise

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Hello everyone. Im new to the site,and wanted to share my recovery with you. Dont feel frustrated you cant do something. As meansioned everyone heals at different speeds. I had a tkr done april 15 of this year. Its been 16 days since i got it done. The first few days/nights was not the greatest experience of a lifetime, but with my meds i pulled through. So im just 2 weeks fresh on my knee. With doing physio twice a week for an hour, and 2-3 times a day when not in physio. Im getting alot of strenght back in my leg muscles and still useing aids. I have taken about 15 or so steps unassisted with someone there just in case i cant. I find it easier to walk than to stretch, althoe both go together. So dont feel down, or depressed, time is your friend. Im amased hiw fast im healing from this. Im 40 this year. I forgot to meansion it was my left knee i had replaced.
 
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Hello @Horrise - and :welome:
Please will you tell us which knee was replaced, so we can make a complete signature for you? Thank you.:flwrysmile:

You posted in an old thread that no one has visited since July last year, so I've moved your post and started a recovery thread, which is where you should post comments, questions and updates about your TKR.

You're doing well now, but this is a year-long recovery, so don't be surprised if recovery starts to slow down.
Try to avoid too much exercise - your knee needs a little exercise, but it also needs time and gentle treatment, so it can heal from this major surgery.

Here is the recovery reading we give to everyone with a new nee:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs

Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling

Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery

Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Thank you, i added it to my post
 
Great to hear you're doing well. You're right that those first days can be tough. Don't worry about walking unassisted too soon. It's ok to use a cane for a while if you need it for stability/security. Even if you can walk without out it that doesn't mean you have to rush it.
Congrats on you're great start!
 
Hello again, I wanted to give everyone my 6 week update. It has been a trip to remember. No matter how mentally prepared you think you are, this procedure will knock you down to unexpected levels.

It has been a big struggle, but very doable. I have finished my physio a few sessions early, due to me being (functional). Although I will continue doing physio at home twice daily for about an hour each time.

My range of motion is nearly perfect, bend is at 120ish and extension is 0 or better. I did physio 2/3 times daily since day one, witch has helped immensely.

The (ROM board) and a stationary bike has worked best for me. I'm now walking fully unassisted almost anywhere I go. I still use my cane if I'm out and about more than a few hours or in crowds. My balance is near perfect and strength is great. I do have some muscle loss in my thigh due to the 8-10 years prior to surgery and not being able to use my leg much.

I'm not on any pain meds anymore. I have done a change in diet to help with swelling. I'm also getting almost full night sleep but wake up due to restless leg twitching lol.

Something else that has helped me mentally, is not looking at it as how far I have to go but how far I've come in such a short time. My scar is almost healed and is looking great and flat. All bruising has been gone since the 3rd week.

This has been something I will never forget, nor will I say it's been easy. But for everyone else, you'll be back on your feet in no time. Good luck!!

I will post another update at 3 months.
 
So, iwas doing great as of my last post. But since then, i was tripped while on an outing. Due to that trip, i have partially ripped my quad tendon above the knee cap. I have been advised to wear my immobilizer brace to help me not use the leg.

I do have a question. Since i just hit the 6 week mark from tkr, how long before i stiffin up my knee from not being able to use it or do physio, and does this mean i'll need more surgery for my knee.

I have an apt. with my sergon thus comming week to go over my images, to asses the extent of the damage done.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this. Get better soon.
 
@KarriB was in an immobilizer due to an infection/another surgery, I think when she was 4 weeks post op and she regained her ROM just fine.

Since it’s not exercising that gets our ROM back, but time to heal, the rest your knee will get at this time will be fine. Don’t worry. You need to rest that quad so it can heal. It should work out just fine. :console2:
 
With each of my kneecap removals I wore a full leg immobilizer for 6-8 weeks. Within a month of removing them, my bend was back on each knee. Don't sweat it, your bend will come back. Your muscle's healing is more important right now.
 
Thank you for the kind words and insite. I thought dealing with the tkr was bad enough, this takes it to another level lol.

I will get throught this as well, thoe i was a bit concerned about stiffening up.
 
I think you will have some stiffness, because I did after being in an immbolizer for 4-6 weeks immediately following infection/washout surgery that took place 4 weeks after TKR surgery. It was hard to change my thinking from bending to not bending and every time I saw my OS (2x a week for a month) I asked if my knee would bend again. He always replied, “your knee will bend when we tell it to bend”. He was right, now it was at a slower pace and with non-aggressive PT, (think heel slides with no aides moving 2 inches at first) but my TKR leg is my stronger leg. It can do stairs, ride a bike, and walk 10,000 steps a day.
 
Thats great to hear, it put my mind to rest alot more. Before this happened i was doing stairs up with the operated one, and on stationary bike. In time ill get back to it.
 
Hello again, i have a weird question. Is it ok and or safe to wear my compression stocking under my immobilizer brace?. With all the new swelling added to the old swelling my knee wants to patrude through the cutout for the knee area, and its painfull. I have been trying this method just for today,and its quite comfortable. Just hope its safe to do so. Has anyone else done this?
 
But since then, i was tripped while on an outing. Due to that trip, i have partially ripped my quad tendon above the knee cap. I have been advised to wear my immobilizer brace to help me not use the leg.
Please can you tell us the date this happened? I'll add it to your signature.
i have a weird question. Is it ok and or safe to wear my compression stocking under my immobilizer brace?. With all the new swelling added to the old swelling my knee wants to patrude through the cutout for the knee area, and its painfull. I have been trying this method just for today,and its quite comfortable. Just hope its safe to do so.
I think it's probably safe, as long as the compression stocking isn't applying any excessive constriction anywhere on your leg.
 
The fall happened on may 27 2019. Ill see the surgeon on june 6 for the results of my imaging
 
Thank you for that date. I've added it to your signature.
 
Be sure that you’re really elevating your leg if it’s swelling that much. The times my leg would swell like a sausage in casing I would lay flat on the sofa and prop my leg up on the sofa arm with pillows under to raise my leg above my heart. It was the only thing that gave me relief and I noticed a difference after an hour or so.
 
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