Just an update. Some of this might be a repeat.
I'm doing ok, but have had some setbacks. I finished PT in November 2018, but continued with strengthening exercises at a gym in the rehab/wellness facility of a hospital very close to my house. Around January-February 2019, I started feeling like I was losing ROM. I called my surgeon's nurse and got a prescription to go back to PT in April to see what was going on. For convenience, I went to PT at the hospital rehab/wellness center instead of going back to either of the two groups I'd been to after my TKRs.
At my first PT visit, I found that my ROM had gone from 0-135 left/0-128 right down to about 0-118 left/0-108 right!!! I went to PT 8 times in April. My left got to 0-120 after one visit so they pretty much ignored it even though it was still regressed by about 15 degrees. They could easily push my right to 120+ without causing pain (discomfort but not pain), but I don't think I was getting it to 120 by myself even after the 8 visits. They attributed my regression to IT Band problems, which I've had since I was a young child. They spent most of my PT time massaging big lumps in my right leg IT Band. I could feel the lumps myself, and when using a roller for self massage, I'd get bruises over those lumps. I quit PT at the end of April in favor of doing gentle IT Band stretching exercises at home. I'm still doing those....
I had my 1-year checkup for both knees with my surgeon in June. He said everything looked great on the X-rays. I told him about my losing a good bit of flexibility after finishing PT. He also thinks my problems are due to IT Band issues. My doctor said it's uncommon, but not unheard of, to have this regression after getting good ROM and making it through the post-surgery "battle." He wasn't real concerned, but told me to come back if it got ANY worse. Otherwise, I'll go back in a year.
I can still get up from the floor fine, go up and down stairs fine, get in and out of the car fine, etc. I am aware of stiffness in my right leg when going downstairs, but I do fine going down. My quad muscle just above my right knee feels stiff like something is binding it. With some movements, I have mild pain on the outside edge of my right leg just above and below my knee. The surgeon and PT said the stiffness and pain are both likely IT Band issues. Since I've had IT Band issues my entire life, even though I didn't have a name for that demon until about 15 years ago, my surgeon said it was probably a developmental issue from birth and I might never get completely rid of it.
On the bright side, my knees don't hurt when I stand or walk. That's when they feel the best. I went for a 2.5 mile walk today with no problems.
I have zero regrets about having these TKRs. I'm 1000 times better than before. Still, I'm disappointed with my regression and hope I can slowly turn that back around.
United States
