TKR James's recovery (knee #2)

[Celle]

Welcome to recovery again, @JamesN .

Here are our recovery guidelines again, as a refresher:
Knee Recovery: The 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
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. Try to follow this

Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Care In Hospital​

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 the 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 the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Jockette]

My flexion is not good.

Don’t worry about your flexion, it will return as you heal.

 

[sistersinhim]

You can't expect a good ROM this early in your recovery. That comes later after the swelling goes down and the healing is further along. Your #1 concern for the next few months will be to let your knee heal. As it heals your ROM will improve naturally without extra exercises, just everyday activities.

 

[DEL2021Feb-17]

Hate to say this but its going to take time as in months. Ask me how I know?? As others have said flexion and extension will come back the key is not to over do it!! PT is fine but if it causes lots of pain then instead of moving forward your going in reverse. As others promote daily activities will suffice and yes PT is okay but you have to keep in mind no one knows exactly how you feel except you!! Based on my experience if the therapist pushes too hard all that does causes lots of pain and swelling and instead of moving forward its almost like taking steps backwards. Not that I have had both knees done ( thankfully just the one the left ) but even so no two surgeries are exactly the same recovery wise. Yes they all hurt pain stinks but recovery times have varied.
If nothing else this may make some sense? You can go to PT and the therapist will say by now you should be at so many degrees unfortunately none of us are exactly the same we all heal at different rates some faster some slower. I use to think the more I pushed the faster it would heal trust me big mistake. Now I am at the mindset with my next replacement take it slow and not over do it. So what if it takes longer end result will still be the same except now I will not add to the pain by pushing myself.

 

[JamesN]

Quick status update: one week post surgery, and I have hit a milestone where not every waking hour is looking forward to my next pain medication. ROM is slowly improving, taken a couple of showers, my dear wife changed the dressing, and there is no pain above 8 (mostly only 5-7).

Have a home PT who is near useless “well, what exercises do you think you need to work on?” Me: “huh? Isn’t that literally what you are here for?”

it helps to have been through this before. Looking forward to unaided walking, even for short distances.

 

[Jockette]

Don’t worry about the exercises. All you need are short walks and gentle stretches.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[kneeper]

You are very right that being through it once already gives you an idea what to expect (though no two knees are quite the same). Sounds like the home PT is taking the idea of "involve the patient" to an extreme.

 

[JamesN]

Don’t worry about the exercises. All you need are short walks and gentle stretches.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

This is probably the most significant statement of all. Normal activity will get me there. Thanks for the reminder - excellent advice.