TKR I rode the roller coaster. Knee Replacement May 14.

[Freyagirl]

I’m an old gal who had both hips done this year. Hang in there. It will take a little more to bounce back but slowly but steadily we get there. It’s good that you found this site because you will get the support and encouragement it takes to get through the long haul of recovery. Good luck to you.

 

[Ziggy100]

Oops I meant 100 yards, not feet. I'm trying to do more today but it hurts. I'm so discouraged by these people who post online that they were "off all pain meds and running marathons" after a month. I think there is a big difference between people who do this when they are 50 or 60 vs 70-80. Also with those of us who let it go "too long." I am very very sorry I let it go so long. I just kept talking myself out of it and compartmentalizing the pain. "Oh, it's just because I did this or that. I'll be fine tomorrow." Until I wasn't.

 

[Jockette]

Also with those of us who let it go "too long." I am very very sorry I let it go so long.

I honestly think we each recover at our own speed, no matter what age we are, or how active we were before, or how long we let it go before we had our replacement. One of our past staff members, SusieShoes, said she waited way too long. She had a Bilateral and did great. I don’t remember how old she was. On the other hand, I was 61 when I had my partial. I was not bone on bone but was in, what I thought, was a lot of pain. I had a very tough entire first year.

You are you and your body will recover, on its own timeframe. Don’t compare your recovery to anyone else, as you can see it’s too easy to get discouraged if you can’t do what someone else can. I felt so pressured my first months by comparing myself to others, especially believing what I’d read beforehand, that partials are easier and faster to recover from. Mine certainly was not, and I‘ve read many threads here from members with partials who had tougher recoveries.

She seemed disappointed with my status at 2 weeks, even though I explained about my double fall history since surgery.

Try very hard to not let a PT discourage you, they are not all created equally, and most of them have not had a joint replacement, so they honestly don’t know what we’re going through. They have also all had different training, and also have different opinions about this rehab. You know your body better than they do, no matter how much training they have.

You are coming along fine and will heal fine in time. Time is the most important part of this recovery.

 

[Ziggy100]

Thanks Jockett. It's hard not to compare when it's literally all around you. Friends, neighbors (I live in a senior apartment building), medical people, online. The only person I know who recovered more slowly than me is my spouse and he is 7 years older. I'll try not to compare.....

 

[sistersinhim]

Do you think I would be judged if I asked for someone more experienced and who focuses on knees when I make more appointments?

You are the employer and what you say goes. You definitely can ask for anyone you want to. It's you who are paying the bills! As far as PT goes, less pain if a much better healing. No two knees are the same. What your doctor had to do inside your knee is not the same as what your neighbors' doctors had to do. That's why it makes so sense to compare. Even though they are both TKRs, the surgery is different for each one.

 

[Jockette]

(I live in a senior apartment building)

I also live in a 55+ community, so there had been many knee replacements before me. Oh my, everyone had something to advise, or look disapprovingly at me when I wasn’t doing well and still using my cane for balance. It was awful! Bonesmart, when I found it, was a life saver for me!

 

[Ziggy100]

Thanks. So true about the disapproving looks and comments. And so true that each surgery is different. If I could just get the surgeons PA and a PT with some insight I can handle the rest. I'm gonna fire the PT I think. Just too young.

 

[Jen53014]

@Ziggy100 it is SO hard not to compare…I get it! When I had my first TKR I was 53 and had a really, really hard recovery. I was very depressed when a family friend had a double TKR at 85 and was walking around pretty well within a week. I was quite depressed. So I’ll give you the same advice about not comparing, but will also tell you thats dang hard. I also do think the younger you are when you have it done the better the healing will go only because age is always a factor with surgical recovery. Health, fitness, and even mind all play a roll and all I can say is try, try, try not to compare.

At 72 (or any age) you’ve earned the right to determine your medical care. If you don’t like the PT get another. Honestly we’re too old to put up with mediocre care (or service). And while I don’t expect PT to be fun I do look forward to seeing my therapist to discuss progress (or lack thereof). When a PT tells you they don’t know what to do it’s definitely time to ditch them!

Carry on with the healing!

 

[Ziggy100]

Today I had the last scheduled session I had set up with the PT. She was totally different today. It might be because she had a student with her. She did a lot of massage, taping my calf for swelling reduction, and mild stretching of the knee. She also had me go on the Nustep at almost no resistance just to stretch things a bit for about 2 minutes. I'm totally satisfied now and feel bad that I judged her just because she was young. (Oh yes, she has a very dry sense of humor too, which is so helpful). More sessions scheduled.

I messaged the doctors PA about meds as I had two really bad leg muscle cramps that were awful for two nights. She had a few ideas.

Has anyone else had strong full leg cramps after surgery? What did you do?

 

[mendogal]

Yes re leg cramps - not uncommon!

Many of us find an evening oral magnesium supplement helpful, or quinine water (IF you can find the real deal, not just something flavored like it!).

I find when they happen that very gentle manual stretching is helpful. I also keep a topical magnesium spray at bedside to use on the rare occasion oral magnesium isn't enough.

 

[benne68]

She did a lot of massage, taping my calf for swelling reduction, and mild stretching of the knee. She also had me go on the Nustep at almost no resistance

That sounds much more like the kind of physical therapy you want. Let's hope it continues!

 

[Ziggy100]

Yes, a breath of fresh air. Gave me a bunch of exercises to do but I'm still kind of out of it. Does anyone else have history of being still kind of out of it after 3 weeks? I stopped opioids last week, now taking only Lyrica morning and night, Hydroxyzine at night, extra strength Tylenol, and my regular meds.

 

[mendogal]

Here's something several of us found:

If we did all the PT exercises as shown, it was straight into the OverDid It Club (ODIC) that evening with worse pain and swelling.

If we selected just a couple of the exercises that seemed most helpful, and instead of counting out repetitions and sets we just did them randomly throughout the day within our comfort level, no ODIC!

 

[benne68]

Does anyone else have history of being still kind of out of it after 3 weeks?

Yes! Brain fog is very common after surgery and can last for weeks. With my first TKR, I had it until about 5-6 weeks post-op. It does get better, though, with time.

 

[Ziggy100]

So glad to hear that. It's been 14 years since my heart surgery, but the mental fog seems to be very similar.

 

[Ziggy100]

I can't help reading about the things other people are doing, like climbing stairs at two weeks, mowing their lawns, etc. Here I sit in the recliner doing my exercises and walking down the hall in my apt building, still using a walker, icing, and dreaming of better times.

Can only extend about 100 degrees and flex about 80 degrees. When I try to extend more, it feels like my leg is ripping apart at the knee.

I don't have pain more than a 5 during the day most times, but I wish it was much less. Seems really slow to heal compared to other injuries/surgeries I have had.

Swelling is way down due to taping the PT did, and I'm sleeping through the night with minimal pain pills (Lyrica and ex strength Tylenol), which is very good I guess.

I am doing PT once per week, cannot afford more due to high copay. Trying to go at exercises myself, but flopping along.

I have a bump on the inside of my knee towards the back, which is not likely a bakers cyst per pt, or my family doc who I saw this week. They said it looked more like a clot remaining from the vein treatment I had in December. I dunno, but it hurts and I'm going in for ultrasound to be sure.

 

[mendogal]

What you're doing is completely normal at your stage of recovery!
PT once a week is plenty. What exercises are you doing?

 

[Ziggy100]

Heel slides--Leg flexion on the bed back and forth, like on a cookie sheet- 10 x each set, 5 times per day

Ankle flexion and extension- 5 times per hour

Ankle rolls- 5 times per hour

Walking up and down the hall 5 times per day- about 150 yards

Passive Knee Extension Stretch- Leg flat, thigh squeeze on the floor-2 times each set 5 sets per day

Then there are 3-4 more I can't remember right now

 

[Jockette]

Those are a lot of exercises for so early in recovery. You especially don’t need to do so many heel slides.

Passive Knee Extension Stretch- Leg flat, thigh squeeze on the floor-2 times each set 5 sets per day

Are you actually getting down I the floor do do this? If so, how hard is it to get up?

Can only extend about 100 degrees and flex about 80 degrees. When I try to extend more, it feels like my leg is ripping apart at the knee.

Never force anything. Extension can take quite a while, for many of us. It will come as your swelling goes down and as you heal.

I can't help reading about the things other people are doing, like climbing stairs at two weeks, mowing their lawns, etc. Here I sit in the recliner doing my exercises and walking down the hall in my apt building, still using a walker, icing, and dreaming of better times.

Most of us were not climbing stairs at 2 weeks, or mowing lawns until much later. You really need to stop comparing yourself to others.

 

[mendogal]

Heel slides are an excellent exercise; however, I believe you're doing too many at a time and aggravating the knee. Handy tip: doing them seated in an upright chair is less stressful on the knee and just as effective.

What you call leg extension exercises sound like "quad sets" because it's activating the quads - it's a good multipurpose exercise that I did starting day 1 literally to start waking up my quads, stimulate circulation, and help with range of motion. They can be done in a recliner, when you're sitting on the couch/chair with your leg up on pillow on a coffee table, wnen you're lying in bed.

I STILL do them randomly throughout the day on days I'm not at the gym or doing yardwork!

Heel slides and quad sets were the only formal exercises I did because they're effective and it's easy to control them to not overdo it.