TKR I’m cold!

[glidefloss]

Absolutely not. Weight training should not begin until 3-4 months. Your PT needs to go back for up-to-date training on rehabbing a joint replacement. You don't have a sports injury, you are recovering from a traumatic surgical procedure.

Hi @sistersinhim, from my own experience and the experience of other TKR'd gym goers I've met in recent months, strength/weight exercises started anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. Exercises included use of machines like the leg press, leg extension, hamstring curl, abductor/adductor machines. Stronger, more stable legs make a return to "normal" life a lot quicker and safer. Clearly, if one were to engage in such exercises, careful monitoring of its effects on the body is a must.

In my case, prior to my RTKR (Dec 2021), I worked hard on strengthening my legs. That allowed me to return to strengthening routines fairly quickly after my RTKR (day 13, starting with the leg press with the minimum machine weight). It took another 2 months to get back to pre-op leg strength. In the case of my left leg - it benefited greatly from the build-up to my RTKR as well as the rehabbing of my right leg - on day 8 post-LTKR I started with the leg press machine, also with the minimum machine weight. By the end of month 1, my left was back to pre-op strength ---- which is not to say it was back to normal --- as it clearly wasn't due to all the healing that was still ongoing.

My OS had no qualms giving me the okay to work my legs hard as soon as I could bear it ... as with my physio. That too seems to be true with most of the other "classmates" I've met (meet) at the gym.

But - again - it is important for one to know one's limitations and rehab accordingly.

All the best.

 

[Jockette]

@Cathyjbeck @sistersinhim @glidefloss

Your posts have been moved to Cathy’s thread to maintain Cathy’s recovery journal.

 

[sistersinhim]

from my own experience and the experience of other TKR'd gym goers

You are a minority, not a majority. This site has to take into consideration all members. Our experience, through years of experience with thousands of members, has been that for most patients starting weight training too early has negative results.

I'm really glad that you are having great results with your weight training. Not everyone will and we don't want them to feel that they are way behind just because they are different from you. This is a trial and error recovery and we staff just want to help everyone to have a less painful successful recovery that works for them.

 

[CricketHip]

Extremely well stated @sistersinhim .

Which takes us back to one of our favorite sayings "Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should.

But am thrilled for you @glidefloss , that is has worked so well for you.

 

[Tower6brkrs]

if you need pain meds taken them, everyone is different, but its better to be "in front of the pain" versus playing catchup. I really did not want to take the full prescribed dose of Oxy, but I should have at least at first. I took my last Oxy at 2 weeks, then was on Tylenol and naproxen for another 6-8 weeks. then Tylenol and Advil as needed after that. For me, the more the swelling went down and the ROM came back the less pain there was. That, however, took a lot of rehab and that may/ may not be appropriate for each individual. good luck.

 

[Jamie]

One of the major things we tell our BoneSmarties is to "listen to your body" when you're in recovery. This is more important than any timetable someone might dream up for you. No one knows your body better than you.

As glidefloss described, some members do fine with a more aggressive approach to therapy. But most people need to take things slow and gradually add both activity and strengthening exercises. Your body is speaking to you loud and clear by saying it's too soon to attempt exercises with weights and resistance. When this happens, it's not the end of the world. It just means you need to scale things back until the pain and swelling are gone, then more gradually increase any exercise or activity. In your case, it would have been much more prudent to only have tried one of those new exercises if you and your therapist wanted to see if you were ready. Remember that it takes up to a year or more to completely heal from this very major surgery. There is no hurry to regain your strength and flexibility. If your knee deteriorated gradually, it may take a while to truly get back to normal again.

Also remember that you are in charge of your therapy and don't feel at all bad telling your therapist you're not ready yet for something he suggests.

 

[shr]

You are a minority, not a majority.

I belong to the same minority as glidefloss. The tone of your response is a bit hostile and unwelcoming to this minority though I doubt that is intentional.

Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should.

True. I waited a full year after my first knee replacement before returning to throwing heavy implements in the Scottish Highland Games despite feeling like I could have sooner. The advisability of weight training soon after a TKR depends upon where you were beforehand. If you trained weights right up to surgery you likely can return in 2 to 4 weeks. If you haven't done any resistance training in a long time if ever, you should be much more cautious.

One of the major things we tell our BoneSmarties is to "listen to your body" when you're in recovery.

This!

 

[sistersinhim]

The tone of your response is a bit hostile and unwelcoming to this minority though I doubt that is intentional.

Oh no, it wasn't meant to be hostile at all. I'm so sorry it was taken that way. I was just afraid that harm would be done to Cathyjbeck if she started weight training too soon. Again, I apologize to all of you early weight-trainers! Everybody is different as is every knee.

 

[Susie-Q]

6 weeks is WAY TOO early to start thinking about strength training,
@Cathyjbeck . Your bones haven't healed yet! No wonder your knee is hurting, swollen and in pain. There is a time for strength training and a time for healing and this is time for healing. Strength training should not begin until at least 3 months post-op and only then very gradually and slowly. You are not weak because you are out of shape, you are recovering from major surgery. Please don't listen to this PT.

TKR recovery and an analogy to athletic training

When we begin recovery, most of us cannot wait to push ourselves to show the world that we can not only beat the odds, but also regain our lives as fast as possible. We must add many PT's into this equation, as well---many feel the need to push us to the point of pain and beyond---and many of us...

bonesmart.org

 

[Cathyjbeck]

I want to thank you all for your responses to my comment about PT and weights. The amount of pain I have, particularly behind the knee, when pain meds wear off tells me that I need to allow more healing before going to the next step of strength training. I’m going to listen to my body. Thank you again for helping me decide to listen to my body.

 

[sistersinhim]

No one knows your body's reaction any better than you do. This is definitely not a 'one-size-fits-all' recovery. Commonsense goes a long way in helping us all have a better recovery. Listening to your knee is the way that's right for most people.

 

[shr]

This is quite good and is consistent with the recovery from my first knee replacement. Did you or someone else on BoneSmart put this together?

 

[karenl]

I’m starting my 5th week. Is it normal to still need meds every 5 to 6 hours? I’m trying to extend the time between pills but I feel like it takes a while to catch back up. I’m fearful my doctor is going to quit giving me them. Do any of you still need pain meds on a regular basis at this time?

I’m a 64 year old woman who had been fairly active until I injured my knee 18 months ago. I had a TKR on my right knee 6/21/22. My flex number was 119 last Friday. I’m sure I’ll be at 120 at tomorrow’s PT appointment. I’m want full recovery. I do have back issues and has an injection in my L3/4 just weeks before my knee replacement. My right quad is very weak. Pain is a 6 by hour 6 after pain meds. I have significant numbness from above my knee down to my shin so much so that I feel like I have a bandage wrapped around my leg with a tight rubber band going straight through the back of my knee. I’m cold most of the time. But I’m going to get over this!

I am 62 and at end of six months. My quad is super tight so I am doing another round of physical therapy and it’s helping. I was on meds for about 5-6 weeks but you have to stop soon. Put your mind to it and do rehab and sleep and be patient. I also use a cbd oil for pain and it helps. I still love Some numbness, the tight rubber band feel is the tight quad, rehab will help. It will go away promise, I notice I am cold more than I normally am and think is just the trauma of body going thru this. Best wishes and remember it’s a year recovery at our age.

 

[Jamie]

the cortisone shots eat all and any bone and just makes thing worse.

@karenl Although cortisone steroids can cause problems with bone density, this is rarely the case with the type of steroids injected into joints. You are much more likely to see reductions in bone density with oral steroids taken over an extended period of time.

 

[Cathyjbeck]

TKR - 11 weeks post op - tightness and pain with walk<

Hello new to this group. I've read a lot of articles and a lot of people are experiencing symptoms that sound similar to mine. My surgical date June 27, 2017. Total right knee replacement. Progressed well, truly pain level wasn't bad, good ROM - 127 at 8 weeks. I had PT 3 week for 8 weeks...

bonesmart.org

Please tell me if your pain ever went away. I’m at a tact timing as you and I still have a lot of pain. I’m having a hard time dealing with it and I’m looking for hope.

 

[Jockette]

Hi, Cathy. I moved your post out of the above thread, since that member has not been back to Bonesmart since 2017. I did add a link to that thread to your post above, so you wouldn’t lose it.

It is not unusual to have pain at your stage of healing, however, there are things you can do to avoid additional pain.

What are your activities and what exercises are you doing? Are you still going to PT?

 

[Cathyjbeck]

I did PT twice a week for eight weeks but did moderate exercise daily. I saw my surgeon at eight weeks postop. He told me I did not need any more PT because I have ROM as high as 134 but 129 at my last PT. I told him about the numbness and pain I still had and how walking was awful and that I was depressed because of it. He told me to quit thinking about my pain and go have fun. It’s hard to have fun when your leg is hurting and the longer you walk the more it hurts and the more numb it gets down the leg into the foot! I have back issues and PT has really caused a flare up. I’m getting an epidural injection next week. Hopefully that will help some of the pain and numbness but the thick band feeling starts in the middle of the knee and extends down to my calf and hurts especially while walking. And my inner lower leg is numb as well as well as the entire area around my scar. The numbness is sensitive to touch and I don’t feel like pain has improved for numerous weeks. Behind my knee still hurts. Going down steps is hard but I try to force myself to to go down stairs properly. I have a second floor so I use the steps quite often. The outer section of my knee has been hurting more than usual lately and I get a pulsating stabbing pain about 2” below that outer knee section when I exercise my leg. I have it now. I do stretches throughout the day.

 

[sistersinhim]

I do stretches throughout the day.

This is so unnecessary and I think you are overworking your knee. That keeps it inflamed, swollen and very painful. Just forget about it and stop all exercises and do your normal daily activities. Your ROM is fine and there is no need to keep punishing your knee with these workouts. Just use it naturally and the pain will diminish and healing can continue without all the inflammation and pain.

 

[kneeper]

It may not feel like it's early days, but it sounds like you're doing a lot of stairs, which can be hard on your healing knee. Don't seek out extra trips up and down stairs, but if you have to do stairs it would be ok right now to just do one trip normally and take it easier on your other trips. Going down normally takes longer than going up.

 

[Cathyjbeck]

FYI, It’s a week after my L4 epidural steroid injection and I’ve had no improvement. It’s tight and painful from the center of my butt down the outside of my leg to my knee. The tip of my fibula is numb but also gets throbbing pains. I’m numb and tight from the middle of my knee to half way down my calf. The inside leg is numb and the numbness seems to be extending its way to the back of the knee. My Knee pain gets worse as the day goes along. Even though my knee only swells when I’ve been standing long or walking, it always feels thick and tight. I still have great ROM, but at 13 weeks post op I should be feeling much better. My doctor seems to have written me off my telling his staff to schedule me out a year. At this point, I don’t know if I’m doing too much or not enough, and I’m tired of complaining about pain to my family!