TKR I year anniversary

[Celle]

Yes, it sometimes takes much longer to be able to go downstairs one foot at a time. That's because going down means you have to do a semi-squat on your operated leg, while also trying to maintain balance. That's a big ask for a new knee.
It's normal for going downstairs to be difficult for at least 4 months.

 

[Jamie]

Please be careful with aggressively trying to achieve some number of ROM this early in your recovery. You really should never allow "eye watering" pushes from anyone including your therapist. Only a week ago you were writing of considerable pain and swelling from PT and indicating you realized the need to take things a bit more slowly in these early days. You're a mere 3 weeks out from your surgery. Don't be in a rush. And please don't take pain medication before therapy. It will mask feelings of pain that make it much easier to overdo it. You need that natural pain sensation to tell you when you're reaching your limits of movement.

If you experience pain and/or swelling in the 24-48 hours after therapy or exercise, that means it's too much for you at this point. Your body will tell you when to scale things back and when to push a little harder if you just listen to it.

 

[Josephine]

I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[dmichael21]

Hi Josephine,no problem answering questions. Everyone has been a great help and I also have had help and encouragement on private messages. I’m a life time dirt bike competitor and the guys I’ve known in my sport are getting these TKR and I share with them what I learn from this fine forum . We are all now in our mid to late 50’s and we are paying for what we have done to our bodies with the most demanding sport on the planet.

 

[dmichael21]

Kinda crazy idea my daughter(RN) gave me a neck massager for s gift last year and she told me to try using it under my hamstrings and so I tried it for 15 minutes and it also heats up and it did wonders.

 

[dmichael21]

Today I have had a decent stretch of resting and elevating ice and light exercise and it appears that my swelling is starting to finally shrink a little. Jan 9th I’ll see my OS on the 10th I start out patient PT. I have home PT 5 days a week. Here is a pic from this morning. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[sistersinhim]

@dmichael21, you said you had a patellectomy. When was that? We'll add it to your signature.

 

[dmichael21]

Around 1987I had my patellectomy and before that I had 4 patella clean ups in the late 70’sand early 80 and before I was 20. I also had several arthroscopy just to kinda clean up knee after patellectomy.2014 and 2016 I had both rotator cuffs repaired.

 

[sistersinhim]

Thank you for your dates. Your history sounds a lot like mine, except mine was on both knees.

 

[dmichael21]

Just had my 1st visit to the OS and things look decent, not great and today I had my 1st outpatient PT and I scored a therapist that really knows the science of me having no patella and she’s not a ROM nut. She still measured and I reached 89 flex and 10 minutes later after she carefully stretched my leg I hit 102 degrees and 2 degrees extension. I’m on a 10 week program and 8 of those weeks I’ll be doing after work.

 

[Josephine]

I’m on a 10 week program and 8 of those weeks I’ll be doing after work.

I would say that you don't need to do PT AND work. It's inhuman and very likely to get you into trouble with aches and pains which is only likely to obstruct your ROM even more. So if it were me, I'd say thanks but no thanks!

If you are concerned about refusing to do therapy, you need to read this Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

 

[dmichael21]

I’m now at 5 weeks and a day and I’m learning new exercises each time I go to PT. Had a bad day on Monday, I did a real good work out and iced and elevated then decided to food shop (1st time) so I went up and down every isle even if I didn’t have to and by the time I walked out to my truck I could barely climb in, my knee ballooned horribley . I really bummed out and spent the rest of the day icing. The next morning I went to 8am PT and thought I would have a horrible morning but actually did well. I hit 102/0 degrees extension on my own and 107 degrees with help and Im also working on the rest of my core and trying to eat healthy and hydrate. I have not gained any extra weight even though I’m eating more often to keep my mind off of TKR blues.

 

[NavyGunns]

Even though I also ate more during those early weeks of recovery and wasn’t working out like I used to, I didn’t gain hardly any weight either. I’m guessing it’s because our bodies are using the extra fuel to drive the healing process.

 

[Jamie]

Exactly! Healing takes energy and this is why good healthy eating both before and after surgery is so critical.

 

[Larryhg3]

During my recovery in Feb I lost 45 lbs. During this one I lost another 25. I didn’t change my eating habits very much during that time and can definitely afford to lose those pounds. My GP explained that my body is taking everything it can to help me recover.

 

[dmichael21]

Being lighter make rehab a little easier, this morning at PT I had to step over these 12” high obstacles about 6 of them in 2 different ways for about 15 minutes and being lighter makes it easier.

 

[dmichael21]

Approaching 6 weeks now and the one thing I wish I could fix is just above my vacant patella spot and just below it the area is rock hard and causing most my pain and stiffness. The PT people use a large butterknife looking tool and this white substance and massage this area. I use a neck massager on it once a day and not doing much. Still icing and elevateing on and off 24 hours a day.

 

[Jockette]

Just leave it alone and it will sort itself out. 6 weeks is very early in this 52 week (one year) on average recovery.

My son had that butter knife type technique done on his arm after he had surgery after breaking it. It sounds like the Graston Technique.

You couldn’t pay me to allow that on my knee!

 

[Larryhg3]

They did the scraping technique on my left knee. While it was generally uncomfortable after about 4 applications it was effective.

 

[dmichael21]

That’s exactly what they do, the gentle scraping and they are easy on you for the most part.