TKR i'm new here

[clumsyknee]

Hello, I have just discovered this site a few days ago, so I registered. Looks like a lot of information is available. Let me know how or where to introduce myself, or if this is to just ask questions. My LTKR was about week and half ago.

 

[benne68]

Hello, @clumsyknee, and welcome to BoneSmart! I'm glad you found us! Your post here is just fine and you can continue to post on this thread so all of your information is in one place.

Please give us the exact date of your surgery so we can create a signature for you and add you to the appropriate team thread.

To get things rolling, I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery. Just keep in mind we are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

KNEE RECOVERY GUIDELINES

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.

If you want to use something to assist with healing and scar management, BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogel through BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.

2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for TKRs
The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[clumsyknee]

thank you, I will check out these articles. My LTKR was on 3/13. In July '21 I severely injured my knee. I believe I hyperextended it or something similar, anyway it was a dislocation. I had tears in acl pcl mcl lcl of varying severities, both meniscus, hamstrings, tibial plateau fracture. By the way, I was doing yard work and almost tripped, caught myself and then this happened. I should have just tripped. It has been a long, stressful and painful injury. I had a horrible experience with the first surgeon I was referred to, and it took several months to find another and get seen. The surgery and pt saying things look good, no complications. I'm not sure what to expect. My friends keep asking me if I'm feeling better and pain is gone and I can be my old self. My motto has been anything is an improvement unless I'm paralyzed. but I am wondering approx. how long I will be using the walker and then switch to the cane and how long using the cane? I have been in a brace and cane since the beginning of this.

 

[InkedMarie]

Welcome, @clumsyknee ! Let me say that everyone is different. What you should be doing: icing. Do you have an ice machine? Not a necessity but very helpful. Others here will chime in but you should be icing 45 minutes per hour. (Someone will correct me if I’m wrong). I iced just about continually. You should be elevating, toes above nose. I used a Lounge Doctor to elevate.
You should be keeping hydrated. When you get up to use the restroom, take a stroll around your house. Walker: again….we’re different. It depends. Some never use a walker, some weeks, some months. Same goes for a cane. Why are you in a brace?

You may find it takes quite a long time to feel like your old self. I was a month with my first knee before I went anywhere for fun.

Ask your questions & we can answer.

Marie

 

[beachy]

Welcome to Bonesmart! Wow! You've been dealing with a painful knee for awhile.
Read everything benne68 sent you. Everything is laid out in those articles. I found this forum prior to my first tkr and it is and was so helpful in my recoveries.
You're very early into a long recovery. Something docs don't tell you. Everyone recovers differently, but it takes time. Early weeks are ice, elevate, pain meds, rest.

 

[sistersinhim]

I iced and elevated the whole time I was sitting or laying down for the first 6 weeks or so. This helps to keep the pain and swelling down. A lot of pain actually comes from the tightness caused by the swelling, so you want to keep that down as much as you can. You can't over ice as long as you have a cloth between your leg and the ice source. I had a cold water circulating ice machine and froze water bottles to put in it along with the water and ice cubes. This would stay cold for 4 hours or more. That was heavy, especially at night while trying to sleep!

 

[Ayse]

thank you, I will check out these articles. My LTKR was on 3/13. In July '21 I severely injured my knee. I believe I hyperextended it or something similar, anyway it was a dislocation. I had tears in acl pcl mcl lcl of varying severities, both meniscus, hamstrings, tibial plateau fracture. By the way, I was doing yard work and almost tripped, caught myself and then this happened. I should have just tripped. It has been a long, stressful and painful injury. I had a horrible experience with the first surgeon I was referred to, and it took several months to find another and get seen. The surgery and pt saying things look good, no complications. I'm not sure what to expect. My friends keep asking me if I'm feeling better and pain is gone and I can be my old self. My motto has been anything is an improvement unless I'm paralyzed. but I am wondering approx. how long I will be using the walker and then switch to the cane and how long using the cane? I have been in a brace and cane since the beginning of this.

You poor thing. It sounds similar to my injuries and I can totally relate to how awful it is. I hope your knew knee sorts out your problems. I think you have to take your recovery at your own pace and don't compare yourself to others. It's a 12 month recovery for a standard knee replacement and I was told mine might be longer because of the other issues. Because of your other injuries you may have a longer recovery. Do what feels right for you. If you need a walker or cane, use it for as long as you need. Patience, which is not my forte, is really tested. Good luck with everything.

 

[EalingGran]

I think you have to take your recovery at your own pace and don't compare yourself to others.

Agree with @Ayse I made myself miserable by comparing myself to my daughter-in-law's father who was back golfing 6- 8 weeks after a medial pkr. But I had a more complicated lateral pkr with leg straightening surgery as well. Everyone is different and your knee may take a bit longer than someone else's.
Also try not to get irritated or upset when people ask if you are better, after just a few weeks. Most people have no clue that knee surgery is so complicated and takes months to recover from.

 

[Sara61]

@clumsyknee I've had both knees replaced within 3 years, both knees healed completely differently, I made the mistake at the beginning by comparing every step of the process, once I accepted that each knee is unique and each surgery is different my recovery went more smoothly, it has taken a good year for each knee to feel somewhat normal and to resume a fairly normal life, somethings, I know, I will no longer be able to do, but it is a small price to pay when before I lived with pain.
Make your new best friend, I iced several times a day using Ice packs, bags of peas for at least 45 minutes each session, rest as much as you can, elevate your knee and medicate, use this time to watch good films on the TV, seriously before you know it, normality will return.
Follow the advise benne68 laid out for you, read other posts and ask any questions, all of us on BoneSmart have been in your shoes literally, with time & patience the tortoise won the race xx

 

[clumsyknee]

Welcome, @clumsyknee ! Let me say that everyone is different. What you should be doing: icing. Do you have an ice machine? Not a necessity but very helpful. Others here will chime in but you should be icing 45 minutes per hour. (Someone will correct me if I’m wrong). I iced just about continually. You should be elevating, toes above nose. I used a Lounge Doctor to elevate.
You should be keeping hydrated. When you get up to use the restroom, take a stroll around your house. Walker: again….we’re different. It depends. Some never use a walker, some weeks, some months. Same goes for a cane. Why are you in a brace?

You may find it takes quite a long time to feel like your old self. I was a month with my first knee before I went anywhere for fun.

Ask your questions & we can answer.

Marie

I was in the brace to provide some stability, because of all the ligament injuries. At first it was immobilized, then a hinged knee brace. It was like walking on a weeble. I won't need the brace going forward though. I do ice it several times a day, I don't have the machine but they used one in the hospital and I liked it. I have several icepacks that I rotate. Thanks for the reminder about staying hydrated, I do notice being thirsty but didn't think anything of it.

 

[benne68]

I do ice it several times a day,

Icing just several times a day really isn't sufficient to reduce pain and inflammation for someone so early in recovery. I was instructed by my surgeon to elevate my leg and ice every hour for 30-40 minutes during the first 2-3 weeks post-op.

You might want to re-read this article about how and why to ice:

Ice (Cryotherapy) to control pain and swelling

Updated 22 November 2020 Please note that though this article primarily talks about knees and hips, the information applies equally to shoulders and other joints as well. Using ice (cryotherapy) is an excellent means of controlling pain and swelling after joint replacement surgery and it...

bonesmart.org

Take care of yourself!

 

[clumsyknee]

little update. Yesterday i got discharged from the home-PT. They said I'm making good progress, and to Keep working on bending/straightening and walking. A few days ago we walked outside, just in front of the house for a few minutes. I have been using the cane for the stairs, so they suggested I can use the walker or cane, according to how steady I feel. I will start outpatient PT on Monday. I'm eager to see what they say since they know me and my injury. Tomorrow I will have my post -op visit. I'll let you guys know.

 

[clumsyknee]

the post op appt went well. I had a substitute doc. She said the incision looks very good. I downgraded to just steristrips. She checked bending, looks good. She said to expect the swelling to go on for sometime. They took a new x-ray, looks great compared to the mess that it was before. Here's my before and after x-rays. She said shouldn't drive yet, meds and it will depend how long I can be in a car. I was surprised that I was so exhausted when I got home. Today it's quite swollen and painful, I'm guessing being out on my feet yesterday. It's a good reality check, since I was hoping to get to the store next week, But now I doubt it. Gonna have to send the kids or hubby I guess.

 

[Jaycey]

Very early days @clumsyknee ! Please baby that new knee. Short trips to start until you can build up your strength again. I found scheduling a rest day following any active day worked very well. Ice is your friend!

 

[sistersinhim]

Today it's quite swollen and painful, I'm guessing being out on my feet yesterday.

Yes, that is definitely why. Today, tomorrow and maybe even longer should be rest, ice, and elevation days.

It's a good reality check, since I was hoping to get to the store next week, But now I doubt it. Gonna have to send the kids or hubby I guess.

I waited till I was a month out and used the riding electric cart while shopping. My knee still blew up like a tight ballon and took several days to calm down. Just getting ready to go, and riding in the car was added activity before even starting to shop. Then I still had to get back in and out of the car again. Yep, all this angered my knee and probably will yours, too. It's best to let your family take care of this for you for at least a while longer.

 

[benne68]

I was surprised that I was so exhausted when I got home.

I was surprised by this, too!

In the first few weeks after surgery, our body has to work hard to repair itself from the trauma of surgery.
This article explains it: Energy drain for TKRs

Rest when you need to. It does get better with time.

 

[clumsyknee]

so I've been going to PT 2x week, I feel like they turned me into a pretzel! She says it looks good but we need to get full range of motion by about 6weeks. any thoughts? She said I am about 105 degree now @4weeks. She did tell me to keep icing, I did too much last few days. I did some light outside stuff and also took my kiddos shopping, since it's their vacation. on a very good note, I can stand balanced on both feet, They have me do a few standing excercises, mini squats, I couldn't do that before unless I had the brace on.

 

[benne68]

She says it looks good but we need to get full range of motion by about 6weeks.

Not true! Unfortunately, very few PTs are trained in how to help joint replacement patients. They try to use the same methods as if they were training an athlete -- and it doesn't work.

There is absolutely NO such this as a 6-week deadline for regaining ROM. For most of us it takes a full year -- if not longer.

As a reminder, here are a couple of articles we shared with you earlier that debunk two of the biggest PT myths:

Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: no pain, no gain

 

[Layla]

Hi and Happy Thursday clumsyknee!
I have to say that I agree with, benne68, above. Make it easy on yourself and take a more relaxed approach without the pressure PT is applying. I certainly hope maneuvering you into a pretzel didn't cause discomfort or pain. Please do not allow anyone to forcefully manipulate your leg. While your range of motion is currently limited, it will naturally increase as the swelling subsides and the pain eases. Give it time. You seem to be doing well. Happy One Month Anniversary!
@clumsyknee

 

[clumsyknee]

hi again, folks
I saw the dr. yesterday. It was a nice visit, she said I have met all of the 6week benchmarks. She said the bone healing is great. She said the muscles and soft tissue will take much longer. I had had a few bad days and was feeling like I was going backwards. I've been concerned about swelling and feeling warm, I know it's normal but never know how much is normal or when to be concerned. I asked her how do I know how much to push myself? She said increase activity in very small increments, but you'll know, swelling and pain and exhausted, then think back and it could be something small that puts it over the edge. she took x rays and compared to the mess that was prior, She said they had to shave a bit more of bone than usual to secure the implant because of the extent of damage. She said my tibia had kind of chipped off, i think a depression fracture. and the fibula had sunk down into it, leaving the meniscus virtually gone, she said it was like string cheese. So besides all the ligaments and hamstring tears, It was a very complicated injury. It was very reassuring, I'm so happy I have this new dr! Pt isn't fun but progress is coming along. I got out in the yard a few times this week, just for a little while. I used to stay out for a few hours at a time. i hope you all are recovering well.