TKR Incision opened when staples removed<

[Celle]

I finished my first leg of PT. I’m at 0-125. I go back to OS on Monday. PT wants me to come back for “strength” training. I still can’t walk up or down stairs, my quads are weak and PT thinks they can help with this. On Thursday PT had me try a leg press, ride the bike, try and climb steps, used a box to do “heal touches” (like stepping down with my left leg while pulling myself back up with my rtkr leg. It was extremely hard to do. Like I had to use my arms because my leg is so weak.

It's far too early in your recovery to start any strength training. We recommend waiting until at least 3 months after a knee replacement for that.
Let your knee heal first, before you start stressing it with strength training.

I suggest you tell your PT you are going to take a break from PT and will come back later - if at all!

You see, it's perfectly normal to still feel your leg lacks strength. It's been through major, traumatic surgery. It's wounded, needing gentle treatment, not lazy, needing hard exercises. As it heals, it will regain much of its strength with just the normal activities of daily use.

It usually takes a while before you can manage stairs - sometimes as long as 4 months. Your PT is expecting too much, too soon, from your knee. He should never have had you using a leg press or doing those toe touches. Leg presses are notorious for twisting your knee if you don't get things 100% right and that is dangerous for your knee. It's best not to use them during recovery.

Remember that it's your knee and you are the only one who has the right to say what will happen to it. You are in charge of your own recovery. The only person you have to please is yourself and your knee. In fact, your knee is the boss. It knows what it's doing and it's recovering on its own schedule, not anyone else's.
Right now, it's sore because it's telling you it didn't like those strength exercises. Listen to your knee. Don't do anything that hurts it.

You can say NO to PT at any time.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
CONSENT: what it means and how it can be used

 

[kneeper]

I have a question concerning exercise and PT.

I finished my first leg of PT. I’m at 0-125. I go back to OS on Monday. PT wants me to come back for “strength” training. I still can’t walk up or down stairs, my quads are weak and PT thinks they can help with this. On Thursday PT had me try a leg press, ride the bike, try and climb steps, used a box to do “heal touches” (like stepping down with my left leg while pulling myself back up with my rtkr leg. It was extremely hard to do. Like I had to use my arms because my leg is so weak.

Based on my own recovery here are a few thoughts. I'd say no to the leg press right now--pretty hard on a healing knee. That heel touch thing--I think they wanted me to do that with my first knee and it was hard. Too hard. I only did it once.
Riding the bike (limited time) I did. As far as steps, I just practiced at home. I'd go down my stairs one foot at at time. Then I'd try going up and/or down just 2 or three steps for practice. Then I'd go back up the recovery way. I'd do that once a day. As I got stronger I'd add steps.

 

[Jockette]

I agree with the others, your whole leg will gain strength with just your everyday activities as you heal. Mine did.

 

[fours2many]

Thank you. I discussed it with my husband and I won’t be returning to PT. We have a full gym in the clubhouse where we live. I can ride a bike or anything else, when I’m up to it. For now, I think I just want to heal. I know my leg can bend. I still have moderate swelling everyday, ever since I had this tkr. It is always stiff. I’m hoping just doing normal living and regular massages from my husband, will help.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yes, you have the right idea there. The stiffness will diminish as time goes on. As well as the swelling will go down. You will find that swelling, pain and stiffness all go together. If you do too much, your knee will rebel, then you'll have a more inflamed knee. That will cause the above symptoms. Just let your knee be your guide.

 

[fours2many]

I had my appointment with OS. I really don’t like him. His bedside manner is awful. He was happy about my range of motion. Then preceded to lecture me on knowing for future reference what happens to me when I have surgery and what to watch out for, like blood sugar, healing, self care... totally blaming me for my 11 weeks of slow recovery...

Hum! Before I signed up for this surgery, I tried talking in depth about lupus and my use of steroids. You continued to interrupt and tell me, “you knew how to care for lupus patients”.
I’m sorry Dr sir, I’ve lived in pain for 30 years, lived with my body attacking itself. I was very apprehensive getting this surgery to begin with. It was I, that told you lupus patients react differently, we don’t heal right, our medications make it easier for us to get infections, have sugar issues, have rejection. You Dr told me that I shouldn’t worry about those things. That you’ve dealt with people like me. Well, you were the one that screwed up, by taking my staples out too early, didn’t check my incision after it opened, left it ooze and fester getting infected, slowed my recovery... did I mention I really don’t like his bedside manner? Ugh! Luckily my husband was with me. He keeps me calmer.

Anyway, I don’t have to see him for 2 months, yay! I can also start going in the pool. He agreed there is no need for PT now that my ROM is good. He does want me to keep riding the stationary bike, walking in the pool, and when I’m up to it, weight lifting exercises.

Oh, he wouldn’t cut off the sutures that came through my skin either. So, I just cut 6 of them out myself. They were irritating me to no end. They were also making my skin sore. I even asked if it would hurt to swim with them there, he said no, but I could pull them or cut them. So I did!

 

[Jockette]

Wow. I don’t like him either.

Deep breath. You’re out of his office.

They promise us the world before surgery then blame us if we don’t have text book recoveries.

 

[SusieShoes]

Count me among those who aren’t in his fan club. I’m so glad you have healthy self-esteem, and a calming husband.

After taking out those stitches, you have some holes in your skin, so... no going in the pool just yet. Wait until those tiny holes are well-healed. You don’t want to run the risk of introducing any infection. The pool will still be there when your knees are waterproof again.

 

[fours2many]

Count me among those who aren’t in his fan club. I’m so glad you have healthy self-esteem, and a calming husband.

After taking out those stitches, you have some holes in your skin, so... no going in the pool just yet. Wait until those tiny holes are well-healed. You don’t want to run the risk of introducing any infection. The pool will still be there when your knees are waterproof again.

Thank you, I won’t go in the pool just yet. I’ll definitely wait for the holes to close all the way. I do not want any more issues or problems. Sigh...

 

[fours2many]

Wow

They promise us the world before surgery then blame us if we don’t have text book recoveries.

This is one of the truest statements I’ve read in a long time.

 

[Jockette]

I have my one year check up a 2 weeks. I had a partial. My partial has not fallen in with all the promises about how much better it is than a total.

 

[fours2many]

@Jockette
I read most your thread. I’m sorry that you too have not had a “typical” healing process. I hope that at a year, they can find out what is causing your pain. I don’t know Too much about partials, I’m assuming they still use metals. Is that true? If so, did you have a metal allergy test?
I already knew I had a nickel allergy, so before surgery we called, had it posted everywhere from the OR to my chart, every nurse, even pre op, post op, the entire hospital knew. I didn’t want a replacement with nickel somehow slipping passed and jumping into my leg...

I hope every day finds you feeling better and better. I’m nervous about trying the pool after reading you had trouble. There are a lot of people here right now and the pool is full. I’ll try and go at off times. I don’t like pain.

 

[Jockette]

Thanks for reading my thread. It’s been a long year.

I didn’t have a choice about the pool time, it was part of my PT so it was an actual appointment. But I only had to go once. Several days later I called the office and spoke to the pool instructor and she agreed it might have been too much for me, so they canceled the rest of my pool appointments. 50 minutes was seriously too long for 4 weeks. And the locket room was jr. high all over again!

 

[GingerP]

@fours2many count me in on the list of 'no fan' of your OS. It is so irritating when you do all you can to be proactive to 'help' your situation and then those who are supposed to be there to help you, dont!
I had an OS on #1 that was pompous enough to think that if I kept a bandaid over my hole on the incision line, it would heal. He was supposed to fix it when he took the date for my #2 surgery date, well, I guess you can say he did fix that hole, but created a second hole down the line. Come to find out after it was opened up there was a tunnel 4 inche's long - how can that just heal up under a bandaid? Then, came the 'I've done thousands of knee surgeries, and I've seen a lot'. But when I went to the wound dr, had no idea what I was getting into and what to expect -nor did he communicate with the wound dr about my progress. Sadly those kinds of surgeons are too prevalent.
My number 2 surgery wouldn't have been the best without the new surgeon I had. He is kind, caring, listens, asks questions, and seriously wants the very best for his patients. Yippee - a great guy!
Praying those suture holes heal up and you will be on the 'swim' again......

 

[Celle]

I'm also not a fan of your surgeon. I hope you feel better now you've vented about him. We understand how you feel.

Never mind. With any luck, you won't have to see him again.

 

[Jockette]

It is so irritating when you do all you can to be proactive to 'help' your situation and then those who are supposed to be there to help you, dont!

I agree! Several years ago my foot Dr sent me in to a neurologist, thinking it was a nerve issue from my lower back. I took test results as well as a written out paper about all my symptoms. The neurologist told me I’d had the problem for almost 2 years, so it wasn’t serious, if it was it would have become serious by then. Then the kicker—he told me I was overthinking it.

 

[fours2many]

I forgot to mention. My husband asked my OS why I was having pain in the spot I marked in blue. It is very painful and tender. My OS completely shrugged off his question.
So, I’ll ask here, is it normal to have this? Will it go away? It’s tender to the touch. Even a leg massage (my husband is pretty good at it) will send me to near tears.

 

[Celle]

Let's ask @Josephine - she has a bigger picture where you can identify the position of your pain, and then she might be able to suggest something.

 

[Pumpkin]

fours2many,
Your pain may be caused by this: ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and treatments
Josephine will be able to narrow down what is causing your pain.

 

[sistersinhim]

he told me I was overthinking it.

That's just another way of saying it's all in our heads! Remember when our monthly cramps were all in our heads?! I hate being talked down to!

My husband asked my OS why I was having pain in the spot I marked in blue. It is very painful and tender. My OS completely shrugged off his question.

I guess if they don't know, they just shrug it off instead of saying that they don't know! I can't really tell if your spot is directly on the side of the knee or further to the front or bad. I had discomfort near your spot except towards the front a little bit. The skin is still numb but is tender inside. It has gotten a lot better through time.