TKR I’m baffled by this

[Needhope]

Sounds like you’re approaching the “hump” as I consider it. I’m sooo happy for you! Your OS is a god to have prescribed you pain meds. Some don’t believe it’s necessary after two weeks. Just don’t overdo it, take time to rest in between active days. Once again, I’m sooooo Happy for You!!! Relax now and enjoy your ice.

 

[Wilsomasan]

I have a question. Six weeks LTKR. I am having problems with my foot aching on the bottom of my left foot. My left leg feels shorter now too. Am I weird or what? I’ve been soaking my feet in hot water and rubbing various muscle rubs on them. Not sure why it hurts so much.

 

[Celle]

It will take time for your body to readjust to having had the knee replacement. Your gait will have altered.
It's not unusual to have aches and pains all over the place.

 

[SusieShoes]

You're at the point where you're walking more now, so your body is making all kinds of adjustments to its new proportions and gait. For a while when I started longer walks, my hips hurt. Then it was my lower back. Then my calves. My feet hurt for a while (first one, then the other). All of these things are fine now. But for a while it was "And now what?" every time I went for a stroll.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh yeah, I had aches and pain pop up here and there for a couple of months or more. Once my body got used to my new way of walking, the pop up pains lessened and then went away.

 

[Wilsomasan]

I’m going back to work on Monday. I am 8 wks out. Here is my question. It seems I have developed plantar fascitis on my surgery side. It’s very painful. Have you heard of this?

 

[Wilsomasan]

I went back to work this week. I am a mental health case manager and am going to be starting a new position which will include lots of driving. My doctor has tight restrictions on me right now. I’m not allowed to drive yet. I’m still on Tramadol and I still need them! I’m better but still have pain. At least at a 5-6 on some days. I use cold packs at work which helps but I’m usually hurting by 4:30. I’m going to pt 2x a week which helps a lot. My balance and gait are still wonky and pt wants me to use a cane until I get that straightened out. I know everyone is different but I’m just wondering if I’m expecting too much for 8 wks or when I’m gonna get to the point where there won’t be any pain. Also I’ve developed plantar fascitis in the foot on my surgery side which I’m trying to deal with. It’s gonna get better right?

 

[Cynrob]

With my first TKR, I went back to work at 8 weeks and still had pain that was directly related to how much I was on my feet. I wore a fitbit, and my pain was always worse with more steps. I was an educator/administrator so I was not on my feet a lot (4-6,000 steps in a typical day). I was able to do without the pain meds during the day but as soon as I got home, I had to take them. I don't think that lasted too long though?

 

[Pumpkin]

Wilsomasan,
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Pumpkin]

It’s gonna get better right?

Yes it will get better, your knee needs time to heal, lots of time.
We all think we should be further along than we actually are.
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)

Returning to work will be very stressful for your knee causing swelling, inflammation, and pain. Your knee will be happier if you spend your down time Resting, icing, elevating, and medicating on schedule as prescribed.
You will want to go back and read the recovery guidelines left for you earlier. You will always find something new.

When you choose to do more than your knee is ready for, you will have swelling and pain, it is a normal reaction of injured soft tissue until it heals.
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)

It can take a full year or more to fully heal, having plantar fascitis may slow your recovery.
Patience, have patience.

 

[Celle]

I went back to work this week. I am a mental health case manager and am going to be starting a new position which will include lots of driving. My doctor has tight restrictions on me right now. I’m not allowed to drive yet. I’m still on Tramadol and I still need them! I’m better but still have pain. At least at a 5-6 on some days. I use cold packs at work which helps but I’m usually hurting by 4:30. I’m going to pt 2x a week which helps a lot. My balance and gait are still wonky and pt wants me to use a cane until I get that straightened out. I know everyone is different but I’m just wondering if I’m expecting too much for 8 wks or when I’m gonna get to the point where there won’t be any pain.

IT sounds to me as if you've gone back to work too soon. We usually recommend taking about 12 weeks off and then doing a Phased return to work
Can you ask your surgeon for documentation to say you need to take more time off work?
8 weeks is still very early in this year-long recovery and yes, I do think you're expecting too much, too soon, from your knee.

Also I’ve developed plantar fascitis in the foot on my surgery side which I’m trying to deal with. It’s gonna get better right?

It should get better, but trying to do so much, so early, is putting a strain on all of your body and not just on your knee.

Have you bought new shoes since your surgery? Very often, the tread pattern you had worn before surgery is just not suitable for your new knee and gait - and that could have contributed to the plantar fasciitis.

 

[Wilsomasan]

Unfortunately I don’t get paid when I don’t work and my insurance is very expensive. Payments come out of my check each month. I can’t afford to take anymore time off. I am trying to take care of myself and get plenty of rest. Thanks for the heads-up about shoes! I change shoes daily but I will be mindful of your suggestion and buy some new ones! Thanks!

 

[Celle]

I have read that some people experience relief of plantar fasciitis by running their foot backwards and forwards across a bottle of frozen water.
That might be worth a try.

 

[Dzina]

I’ve had plantar fasciitis for 20 + Year’s and found the best wat way to keep it under control is with stretching and massage . You can find info on the stretches online and you can use a tennis ball, frozen water ball as suggested above, just massage with you hand/fist, use a roller (see image below) or whatever else will work. I control mine with the stretches and massage every morning after a shower and those actions help tremendously. The foot Drordered a boot to sleep in which was a waste of money & not at all helpful. Getting a pair of orthotics can also help though you’re probably not eager to be out there looking for those at this point.
Hopefully yours is temporary but typically it’s an issue that can come and go and being religious with the stretching/massage will help.

 

[Wilsomasan]

Thanks guys. I ordered the spiked balls to roll my feet on and the boot but the boot killed my knee so no more of that for now.
Yesterday I had pt and have been struggling ever since. Someone suggested taking Ibuprofen with Tramadol so I’m trying that while icing my knee. Geez my pain level is 6-7! Yikes!

 

[Celle]

That sounds like too much PT. Really, since you're back at work, you don't need PT as well. Your knee is getting plenty of exercise with working, and the journey to and from work. Give it a break, and cut out the PT.

 

[kneeper]

When I had plantar fasciitis (about 4 months after tkr) I used the frozen water bottle Celle mentioned & my PT also gave me something that looked like a toilet paper roll (but sturdy) to roll my foot on to stretch it. Spiked balls sound like they'd be kind of painful in the really sore stage. Maybe later when it's calmed down a bit?

 

[Wilsomasan]

I’m now ten weeks out and am still suffering with pain levels of 5-6 and sometimes 7 on the pain scale. I’m taking Tramadol and Aleve and it doesn’t seem to help. I’m walking and exercising and resting, icing, etc. Glad to be able to ice and elevate at work but that won’t last much longer. They want me to be able to drive which I’m not medically cleared to do yet. I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to go off pain pills and drive 4-6 hours at a time. I see my ortho doc tomorrow. My boss is hoping he’ll clear me to drive but I’m stii in so much pain daily. I don’t know what to do?

 

[Jockette]

I was still pretty uncomfortable at 10 weeks and I wasn’t near as active as you.

 

[Marguette]

I'm at 11 weeks and no where near ready to go back to work. Going back on June 18 at 14 weeks post-op on gradual return. It sounds like you are doing way too much too soon. Take care of yourself and your knee. Hope your OS supports you to slow down. Hugs!