TKR Jodingers recovery thread<

[Jodingers]

Thanks guys, the moist heat thing has come but whether I use it in future is debatable. I think the advice was for many weeks/months away. As always I'm jumping ahead, trying to walk before I can run :-/ Ice feels so good, I have no intention of using anything else at the moment!

Slept well again on x1 Tramadol, seems I've found my level
I'm so grateful for this forum, I would have really struggled and done the wrong things without everyone's help

 

[Spex10]

You're absolutely spot on with the regular wee walks about the house rather than bouts of exercise. Legs were meant for walking and knees to bend. Using them naturally really works.
Sounds like you're on the way to a great recovery!

 

[Lizziebeth]

I read something about wrapping the knee in cling film. Can anyone enlighten me? I had the staples out today and wondered if cling film would give some wound protection in bed. I have also heard that ice is good and heat bad.
Henrietta - I still have numbness 10 months on from first tkr.

 

[Jodingers]

I've found the advice, look in library under josephine and night pain solutions using moist heat and cling film

 

[helenium]

hope this works -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/night-pain-solutions-using-moist-heat-and-clingfilm.12794/

 

[Jodingers]

Perfect, thank you

 

[helenium]

But let this be a warning to you!!!

As my wound was weeping a bit after the staples removal I haven't wanted to go to bed without a dressing in case it rubbed. So for the first few nights I used the last of the dressings I was given by the hospital and then removed it the following morning.
On Thursday night I decided to use the cling/plastic film method instead. Friday morning I got up and dressed, intending to have a shower later, but the knee was a problem all day. I haven't got a good range of movement but even that was far less than usual. I could get little bend when doing the heel slides and I was very discouraged. Fast forward to bed time. I got undressed last night only to find that I had left the cling wrap on all day. No wonder the bend wasn't good

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[Jodingers]

Oh no!!! :-D I have plenty of film dressings so will keep mine covered a little longer before I reach for cling film!!

 

[Bionic]

I haven't used the cling film for a while but did go back to it last night because I have a couple of small scabs that are near to dropping off which I didn't want rubbed by the duvet cover.
I did remember to take the cling film off again this morning though.

 

[Josephine]

I used it for quite a while. Don't be scared of it. And please note that cling film and heat are two completely separate things. Do read that article carefully.

 

[Jodingers]

I ice all the time, in between my short walks, I have 3 reusable gel packs + rotate them, I find the relief feels great.
I wish my physio had hydrotherapy, I heard it it's really effective.
Josephine- made me smile, DON'T heat the clingfilm!! :-D

 

[Lindylee]

I used the cling film, but took the advice of the video and wrapped a piece of kitchen paper round my knee first. It worked brilliantly, first time without night time aches and pains.

 

[Jodingers]

I'm flying without a dressing now, so may try cling film tonight. So far slept well with tramadol/ ice pack.

 

[Jodingers]

Well, day 19, first physio session. Went really well, told me to continue doing what I'm doing, walking 5-10 mins several times daily, no pushing + pulling or painful practice, told to listen to my body. Shown how to massage my hamstring to aid extension, flexion is 105° . Put me on the exercise bike, with raised seat and no resistance for 1 minute.
Have come away really positive. I was wondering whether I'd get the hard sell but my physio was great!

 

[Jockette]

That was an awesome PT session!

 

[Jodingers]

It really was, inspiring!

 

[Jockette]

You are blessed, many of us didn’t get PTs like that. I sure didn’t.

 

[Jodingers]

Ok, day 21. Just did same 2 x 5 min walk, 1 x 10 min walk + pottering about just as I have few past few days. Why oh why is my knee so flippin painful tonight :-( it's tight and stiff despite ice, elevation and massage. There's still a bruise on the inside of my knee that's particularly sensitive. I know I can expect good and bad days but isn't it a roller coaster? You get lulled into thinking you're over the worst + then bam, brings you right back down to earth.

I'll be gentle with it tomorrow and hopefully it'll settle down again.

 

[Jockette]

I’ve named my knee the Drama Queen.

 

[Jodingers]

I'd better not write here what I've named mine. ....