abunnybabe
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How often should one be icing their knee in the early weeks after TKR?
How many times to ice/day?
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Pat29627
post-grad
264 times a day. Actually, every time I'd get up and do a little bit in the kitchen or take a shower or other stuff like that that wore me out, I'd lie down and reconnect the Polar Care machine.
When using your wedge, you put it so that the highest point is below your heel, don't you? Remember not to put pillows or any support under the knee, you want the leg to be straight. Pt said being able to straighten it can be more difficult than obtaining flexion.
When using your wedge, you put it so that the highest point is below your heel, don't you? Remember not to put pillows or any support under the knee, you want the leg to be straight. Pt said being able to straighten it can be more difficult than obtaining flexion.
Texas
alpha
I did and do about every 1-2- hrs ice to me in better then meds sometimes...(when the pain isnt that bad).....the cold just feels good........
loggon
big-cheese
Different strokes for different folks. You should do it several times a day. esp. if you have been up doing things. But everyone does it different.
I did not like icing, but did it several times a day. Also, you can do it for a long period of time not just 10 or 20 mins., but I think you are a nurse, so I am sure you knew that.
I did not like icing, but did it several times a day. Also, you can do it for a long period of time not just 10 or 20 mins., but I think you are a nurse, so I am sure you knew that.
cindy88fan
supremo
I was told at the beginning to ice 30 minute on and 30 minutes off then I was corrected and did it for 1 - 2 hours at a time and the swelling started going down faster. But I used bags of frozen peas because I couldn't afford that ice machine thing and I wasn't sent home with one. If you use frozen peas use a zip lock baggie. I didn't at first and a bag split open and I had peas all over my bed
HyperZen
junior member
The princess and her peas, eh Cindy? ;-)
Bunny, I iced almost constantly the first couple of weeks. It was the only thing that kept me comfortable. I even slept with my machine by the bed the first week. I think it depends on how much you do. And I think as long as you do your exercises a couple times a day, you are doing all you can so you deserve to ice the rest of the time early on. You'll get to a point where you realize you don't need it as often. (She says typing with her Polar Care going full blast...)
Bunny, I iced almost constantly the first couple of weeks. It was the only thing that kept me comfortable. I even slept with my machine by the bed the first week. I think it depends on how much you do. And I think as long as you do your exercises a couple times a day, you are doing all you can so you deserve to ice the rest of the time early on. You'll get to a point where you realize you don't need it as often. (She says typing with her Polar Care going full blast...)
Clunker
post-grad
Bunnybaby?
You said you were pretty hot,,,not??
If your way hot ,you might have to ice a little more then normal.And in different spots.
I am talking knees and hips ,knees and hips,knees and hips
You said you were pretty hot,,,not??
If your way hot ,you might have to ice a little more then normal.And in different spots.
I am talking knees and hips ,knees and hips,knees and hips
OP
OP
abunnybabe
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I wish I had one of those ice machines.
Bunny, I iced almost constantly too....especially at night when it was difficult to sleep. It helped. I used the large gel packs...two at a time so that the whole knee was surrounded. Lots of people forget about icing the BACK of your knee, but swelling goes there too. Dear hubby would get up in the night and bring me two fresh ice packs whenever I woke him and whispered "ICE" in his ear. Not the kind of thing a guy dreams of hearing whispered in the dead of night, but he was sure understanding....
kimberlyann
member
I ice almost constantly. If i am seated for any period of time, I ice. It helps me so much.
Funny pea story. I have a polar care machine, so I haven't been using bags of peas lately. The week after I got home from the hospital, I started smelling something "funky" in my bedroom. I kept telling my husband, who kept trying to be tactful saying that maybe it was just that I was spending so much time in the bedroom it wasn't "fresh". NO, I would insist, the bedroom is spotless, the sheets are fresh, I am clean
and there is no food in there, but something is rotting. I carried on for about 3 weeks, with it getting worse and worse.
When I could not stand it any longer, I made him crawl around on his hands and look under the furniture. Back behind my dresser, wedged against a wall was a bloated bag of rotten peas ready to explode. :D
I must have been hopped up on pain meds right after I got home from the hospital and used them and placed them on top of my dresser and forgot about them and somehow they got pushed behind.
I cannot believe I just told that story on myself! I am a very good housekeeper and can't believe I had such a disgusting thing in my room!!
Moral of the story, is to inventory your pea bags, and make sure they are all accounted for! Stinky!!
Funny pea story. I have a polar care machine, so I haven't been using bags of peas lately. The week after I got home from the hospital, I started smelling something "funky" in my bedroom. I kept telling my husband, who kept trying to be tactful saying that maybe it was just that I was spending so much time in the bedroom it wasn't "fresh". NO, I would insist, the bedroom is spotless, the sheets are fresh, I am clean
and there is no food in there, but something is rotting. I carried on for about 3 weeks, with it getting worse and worse. When I could not stand it any longer, I made him crawl around on his hands and look under the furniture. Back behind my dresser, wedged against a wall was a bloated bag of rotten peas ready to explode. :D
I must have been hopped up on pain meds right after I got home from the hospital and used them and placed them on top of my dresser and forgot about them and somehow they got pushed behind.
I cannot believe I just told that story on myself! I am a very good housekeeper and can't believe I had such a disgusting thing in my room!!
Moral of the story, is to inventory your pea bags, and make sure they are all accounted for! Stinky!!
cotton1958
supremo
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I iced on and off all day. But if you are not sure if the temp. of what you are icing with, I think you are supposed to keep it at 30 minutes max at a time for safety reasons.
Btw, if it wasn't for this site, I would have not iced. No one ever told me to do so otherwise!!
Btw, if it wasn't for this site, I would have not iced. No one ever told me to do so otherwise!!
You obviously don't have cats! I have had that happen a few times but it's usually some poor creature who's been brought in to gasp it's last behind a cupboard somewhere!
I also iced constantly and often went to sleep with my cuff on, waking when it was body temp and needed refreshing! It was the bestest thing ever and anyone who's reading this, member or not, GET AN ICE MACHINE! They don't have to be state of the art - an Aircast CryCuff is fine - but the wrap around cuffs are way the best!
I also iced constantly and often went to sleep with my cuff on, waking when it was body temp and needed refreshing! It was the bestest thing ever and anyone who's reading this, member or not, GET AN ICE MACHINE! They don't have to be state of the art - an Aircast CryCuff is fine - but the wrap around cuffs are way the best!
Manesailfarms
junior member
Thanks for asking this question, I hope I'm not to late to start icing, I'm 4 weeks today.
Star727
junior member
I iced every time I thought about it. The therapist who came to my home gave me a tip on what to do with the "homemade" ice packs (cubes in a gallon ziplock bag).
He said to put ice cubes in the ziplock bag and pour 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol in it. When you are through with the ice pack and the ice has melted, put it back in the freezer. The water in the bag will freeze as "slush" due to the alcohol and is easy to break up and will form a really good "ice blanket" over the intended area.
I am 4 months out and I still do my ice packs that way.
He said to put ice cubes in the ziplock bag and pour 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol in it. When you are through with the ice pack and the ice has melted, put it back in the freezer. The water in the bag will freeze as "slush" due to the alcohol and is easy to break up and will form a really good "ice blanket" over the intended area.
I am 4 months out and I still do my ice packs that way.
:shk: However have you coped without friend Ice? I couldn't imagine how I'd have done without it! However, when my sister had her two knees done, she wasn't given ice either, or told to use it. And I knew nothing about it either. No wonder she had so much pain!
Pat29627
post-grad
That's just nuts! Even when daughter and I just had arthroscopic knee surgeries, they sent us home with an Aircast Cryo Cuff. I think an icing unit is the most important thing you can have, other than a walker, a cane, and an exercise bike.
For this surgery, I had a Polar Care hooked up immediately after surgery and it was kept going every minute when I wasn't up.
For this surgery, I had a Polar Care hooked up immediately after surgery and it was kept going every minute when I wasn't up.
Clunker
post-grad
Jamie,
whenever I woke him and whispered "ICE" in his ear. Not the kind of thing a guy dreams of hearing whispered in the dead of night,
And as your hubby whispered under his breath,,,I wish she would of kept hustling my brother!
whenever I woke him and whispered "ICE" in his ear. Not the kind of thing a guy dreams of hearing whispered in the dead of night,
And as your hubby whispered under his breath,,,I wish she would of kept hustling my brother!
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