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TKR Jennszoo Staged TKR, working on running again

Oh yes! I remember this happening a lot that first week. I'd be drifting off to sleep and bam, the leg would jerk straight and pain and..I'm awake now! Thanks for the reminder, bc that has gotten so much better already. Funny how quickly we forgot. Hopefully this forgetting will serve me well when I go back under the knife in less than 2m.
 
Maybe it's like childbirth. You forget how painful it was just in time to do it again.
 
You do know you were in pain, but forget about the actual feeling of it. When you see how much better the knee is, you know it was worth it!
 
My leg locks up too while walking. PT says it's normal at this stage and that it's due to the internal swelling causing the quads to not be able to engage properly. I've been using a cane since about week 4. Tried walking around the house last week for most of the day. I could do it but my leg sure didn't appreciate it that night :-( Back to the cane for now.
 
So at PT on wed, they used the estim to get my quad firing. I was able to lift it that afternoon/evening (I did just a few small,lifts bc the kneecap was sore from the work), then a couple yesterday morning. But by yesterday afternoon, the quad was dead again. Nothing.

So I suspect they'll hit it again with the estim today. I can't seem to find good answers on Google about when the quad should wake up after TKR. Is this something I should let the PT keep at? I mean, it hurt my kneecap when I was raising the leg, but I haven't had any lingering effects with my normal rest/ice routine and I'm still tapering off narcotics (1 every 6 hrs during the day, 1.5 at night).

But maybe this is still in the range of normal and my quad will wake up in a couple weeks on its own without the estim and hard work? I dunno. Any feedback from the experts?
 
Mine took almost 2 weeks, but I used my leg lifter to "train" or help my quad remember what it should do. A few times a day I used my leg lifter (you could try a towel, sheet, belt) to do straight leg lifts. For about a week or more my arms were doing all the work, but as the days passed I was using less arm power and more leg power. At around 2 weeks I realized I wasn't using any arm power at all.

For some reason this was very emotional to me (seriously what wasn't emotional) and when I was finally able to lift my leg I cried! If I could've called my rehab therapist to let her know I would have! It was such a struggle for me.

Just as every knee is different, the quad waking up is the same. But this was a challenge for me that I was going to overcome! Then a month later when I was in an imbolizer brace I could do straight leg lifts with the heavy brace on!
 
Yes, it was emotional when I was able to lift it with the estim support. And then when it went dead again yesterday I was so sad. I've tried w support, nada. I'm at 2.5 weeks. So not too far off. I guess I'll endure the "shock trmt" again. Lol.
 
My quads took 24days to kick in, it was so frustrating that my brain and quad just wouldn't work together but once they did...bang!

My pt actually only wanted me doing short arc exercises not straight leg lifts until my quad had better control as it was putting too much pressure on my knee cap (geez it hurt) and hip.

[Bonesmart.org] Jennszoo Staged TKR, working on running again




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Yeah that's what we were doing. She was even supporting it and still...nothing!

But I was just laying here in bed and I got it up again. I only did two bc it does hurt the patella. But this is just so weird. One day nothing, the next day...bam. Fits and starts, this recovery. I'll just stop over thinking it. Or at least try to. lol
 
I think you have the right idea, just go with the flow and it'll happen! What's even better, is when you do it and don't even realize it until after you have! Truly, a wonderful surprise!
 
Those leg lifts are killer on the incision part of the knee. I can do the leg lifts fine now but I still often use my opposite leg to lift my surgical leg to move from couch to floor etc.

Your quads take a beating during this surgery. I have all sorts of aches and pains in my thighs, now that seems to hurt more than the knee itself. And now my hamstrings are giving me fits. PT has been working on them and I have to keep stretching them out. It's always something to work through!
 
I used a scarf with the Arc lift too, got my foot to a point and then would gradually drop the scarf and get the foot to stay up, first time achieved in lifting on my own I only lifted 2 inches lol
Used the scarf for hamstring and calf stretches too.
Always had a scarf around my neck early days so it was close by if I needed help with lifting the leg up on to something or some heel slides or stretching etc


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I'll move my driving discussion here to not derail someone else's thread. I know it's early, but I'm running out of options (or favors to call in) for getting my special needs son to his school. I'm trialing Tylenol during the day for pain this weekend. I have found myself going longer hours between percoset doses, feeling a bit achy and looking at the clock...oh, no wonder I'm hurting, it's been 6.5/7 hrs! All while slowly increasing my ADLs. So I think I'm good to trial getting off the narcotics for daytime. I've also ridden to PT twice in the front seat with my leg down, 20 min drive each way and done ok. His school is 30 mins each way.

So the plan, assuming the Tylenol trial goes well, is to have my husband drive our son to school and I pick him up. If Monday is a disaster, I'll have to come up with a plan B. I know it's early, but sometimes life forces our hands.

As for the rest, I'm icing, elevating, resting about 80% of my day (and I ice overnight). I'm doing short 5-10 min "chores" like prepping easy meals, unloading the dishwasher, switching the laundry, all with no noticeable increase in pain. Other than that miserable day when my MIL was "helping", I seem to be getting better each day. Fingers crossed it keeps up!

Anyone else with a straightforward recovery still feel dread that something is bound to go sideways?
 
Jennszoo said:
Anyone else with a straightforward recovery still feel dread that something is bound to go sideways?
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Yes, I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop the first year.

Before you drive your son, you should have your husband ride with you to and from the school, you might want to try it this weekend. Be sure to take the maximum allowed amount of tylenol, allowing for all sources of tylenol.
When you have your right knee done, I assume your son will be out of school so transportation for him will not be an issue?
 
Yes, I'll have 5 weeks of summer to recover after the right knee and then maybe will only need a week or two of transportation help.

We are going to the movies tomorrow, I was thinking of driving there as a trial. It's about 20 mins.
 
Good luck on the driving. I really want to drive too and I am taking just tylenol during the day (hydrocodone at night) but it is my right leg and I know I am not ready. My mom said after she had her knee done five years ago that she'd even get tired of holding the brake in at stoplights.

I'm like you too in waiting for something to go wrong. I try not to be but I do worry.

I agree you should practice your drive first and get a plan B just in case. Good luck!!!
 
Yeah, no way would I even be considering it if it was my right leg. I trust this leg to just sit there. But I couldn't use it to brake right now at all.
 
Since it's your left leg it may be doable to drive. You just have to feel comfortable with the unexpected that may occur. Sure wish you had other options and didn't feel pressured into driving too soon. My doctor gave me the okay for when I felt I was ready, but I don't feel comfortable yet. Mine is my right leg.

And yes, I too worry about what may happen during the course of my recovery to derail any progress made. .....right now at 6 weeks I feel great and my energy level is pretty much back to normal and I want to get out and do things, but my knee has other plans :-( It's still so stiff and then my hamstrings tightenen up and it's back to couch for ice and stretching.
 
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