Bilateral TKR Jeaniesknees. Bilateral

[Jeaniesknees]

Week 6 and having conflicts with my PT. He is quite aggressive and I pay with swelling and stiffness for a couple days after. I am only 90* +- ROM but straighten well.
I am thinking about going it on my own. Using my massage therapist and a local hotel pool. My home has lots of stairs and a big yard so I am going to do bits of gardening and keep moving as I can. Is this a dumb idea?

 

[Jockette]

Hi and Welcome!

90 degrees at 6 weeks is just fine. We all heal at different rates, so there is no set number by any set date by which we must recover our ROM.

Many of us can’t handle aggressive PT, I sure couldn’t, and we do have members who just do their own rehab at home and recover their ROM just fine. So, your idea is not dumb at all.

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.

 

[Jockette]

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.

People 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 here to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

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. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

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]

Please tell us the exact date of your surgery and which knee it is and we’ll make a signature for you.

 

[Jeaniesknees]

3/2/2021

 

[Celle]

Thank you for your surgery date.

I've made your signature and added your name to the March Musketeers Surgery group.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I am 6 weeks post surgery with bilateral and my PT is doom and gloom about my ROM

Oh great, just what you need.

He is quite aggressive and I pay with swelling and stiffness for a couple days after

He, in the BoneSmart view, is damaging you, not helping. We think that pushing and shoving and pain in PT are all counterproductive.

I am thinking about going it on my own. Using my massage therapist and a local hotel pool. My home has lots of stairs and a big yard so I am going to do bits of gardening and keep moving as I can. Is this a dumb idea?

No it's not. The key, overriding thing is what works for YOU. Gentle stretching, normal movement, rest, ice, elevation - try them all.

 

[Jeaniesknees]

Went and had a 60 minute leg massage today. My massage therapist said she thought my legs felt much better than before surgery. Muscles are more relaxed. Now my knees have a nice "glowing" feeling like blood is actually getting through all the inflammation. This is the first kind thing they have had done to them in weeks.

 

[Celle]

Hi @Jeaniesknees ,
I moved a post of yours from the March Musketeers thread, because it isn't the right place for chatting.

As I wrote in my post to you in the March Musketeers,,
Please remember that the team thread is primarily to allow you to see who has had surgery the same month as you. Discussion of issues, comments, and questions regarding recovery must be kept in your individual recovery threads.

The monthly team surgery threads are essentially just a list where you can see who else had surgery in the same month as you. They aren't chat threads.

I see you also made the same post in your own thread. That was fine, and that's all you need to do. You don't need to post it anywhere else.

I hope this makes sense to you.
Best wishes,
Celle

 

[sistersinhim]

At your early stage I would have thought a massage would have hurt. What a nice surprise that it didn't. I'm glad you were able to find it enjoyable.

 

[Jeaniesknees]

She did thighs, calves and feet and gently around the knees.

 

[sistersinhim]

OK, now that sounds better!

 

[Sisterpat]

I had a full body massage last Wednesday, just 1 week post-op! It was great. It helps that my massage therapist is also my physical therapist! She was very gentle and the massage did me a world of good!

 

[Jeaniesknees]

Felt really good today after the massage. I cancelled my PT for tomorrow and don't have another spot until next Thursday, if I am doing well I will cancel the rest.

 

[Jockette]

I’m glad the massage was good for you! I wish our surgeons would send us for these, rather than PT!

 

[Jeaniesknees]

It was interesting yesterday. She was very gentle but warned me she had move a lot of fluid. I was achy and tired yesterday afternoon but feel so much better today.

 

[Jeaniesknees]

6 weeks out and I have not been to PT in a week. I am not missing it at all. I started driving and walk without assistance. Going up stairs is not bad but I still go sideways down stairs. Without the PT forcibly bedding my knee the swelling is better, that locked feeling is going away.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yay! What a super report. You are doing great for less than 2 months out!

 

[Jeaniesknees]

Yay! What a super report. You are doing great for less than 2 months out!

Thank you for the encouragement. I am feeling better about my recovery, it is so easy to become discouraged!

 

[sistersinhim]

it is so easy to become discouraged!

Oh, yes it is, especially since this is such a rollercoaster recovery.