Become an Insider

Revision TKR Jolease's knee saga part 3<^

Had my ultra sound and no blood clot! I didn’t think I did, but they were checking because of all the swelling and pain. The worst part of the whole thing was how far I had to walk to get the exam- no wheel chairs to be found! So me and my crutches hobbled slowly. Got to the waiting area and a empty one! Yes! So didn’t have to hobble back on crutches. I feel so relieved. Now back to ice and elevation.It’s a beautiful day here, im counting my blessings . ..Happy St Patrick’s day everyone!
 
Great news, hopefully that will lift your spirits and propel you forward. Happy St.Patrick’s to you too
 
This may sound like a stupid question but does anyone’s leg feel very heavy while walking? My leg feels heavy in thigh and just not right.I know the muscles are very slack but trying to relax into a walk has been tough for me. The past 2 surgeries I couldn’t without pain so it’s like my brain is trained to walk stiff legged and my calf pays for it to. I really want to start this recovery with my gait proper. I think because my muscles are all so weak around knee and still have pain it’s hard to do this early. I hear all about the knee but just wondered about the leg how people’s felt? If yours feels normal and it’s just the knee that has trauma?
 
@Jolease, from my own experience, I don’t know that I would call the sensation as “heavy” but I do notice (even at 11 months) a different sensation in my left knee that my non operated right. It’s right in the front and across the knee cap where my numb patch is. That’s what I believe the sensation is from. The surface nerves are still not functioning quite right (if at all), so the effect of gravity when standing and walking gives it a weird feeling. No pain, no stiffness, just different. Maybe it the same for you?
 
I think a lot of people feel their leg is heavy initially.
I've even heard it described as "log leg".
That feeling will pass, as you continue to improve.
 
@NavyGunns Thanks for responding. It’s more my thigh that feels “ weird “ like doesn’t match the other side. My knee itself has never felt like a knee I could forget about since the first surgery as I had issues from the get go. Hoping down the line it will get to feeling more normal. It was like that with the other surgeries as I couldn’t relax into a step. I’m hoping if I get my knee sturdy and more healed that the whole leg will feel more natural. My calf has been tightening up lots so I’m stretching it everyday and thinking about my gait as I walk hoping that will help. Just wondered if anyone’s leg gave them issues to besides the knee.
 
I remember feeling my calf was very tight and sometimes my hip hurts. I put it down to muscles, tendons and ligaments adjusting to a different gait. My knee still feels slightly alien at present. I'm looking forward to the day I can walk without being aware of it - probably just in time to get the next one done :rotfl:
 
Celle said:
I think a lot of people feel their leg is heavy initially.
I've even heard it described as "log leg".
That feeling will pass, as you continue to improve.
Click to expand...
I agree, and I would think the swelling is causing that feeling. As you heal and the swelling goes down it will feel more normal. My whole leg continued to relax more in my second year post op, in spite of my other issues.
 
@Jolease, that helps me understand a bit better, that it’s your thigh and not your knee. When I do leg exercises these days or do a lot of walking (especially fast like through the airport), I notice my left quads are still not quite up to par with the rights. I read someplace (wish I remembered where) that for every month you don’t exercise due to an injury recovery, it takes at least twice that time to recover the lost muscle strength and tone to get back to where you were before hand. So far, that seems to hold true for me, both for this knee and for a previous abdominal surgery. I didn’t do any leg exercises for at least 6 months, so that means it will take me about a year to recover leg strength and tone to where I was presurgery. It was definitely the case with my abdominal muscles. A full 18 months before I could do the same number of sit ups as prior to surgery.
 
Today the 31 staples come out! :yes!: Tomorrow is my first or day of PT and will find out where I’m at ROM wise . I’m feeling much better than that first week that’s for sure.

Whew, scary. The swelling is better, still swollen and after doing exercises it swells lots. My shin is still very warm and gets itchy, going to ask about that. Still trying to get that darn thigh to relax . Not sure what’s going on,but it’s been like this since second surgery and drives me crazy!

My IT band and calf are sore and tight so working on a better gait and stretching calf muscles.The burning nerve pain is still there and it gets worse the more I do. It’s like a flare up. I ice it and that helps a bit. I’m going to try and go every 4 hours instead of 3 hours with my pain meds. I couldn’t make it 4 hours last week. So I defiantly have improved in areas. My last blood thinner is tomorrow to! It’s the little things:)

Questions: I know we are all different but does everyone put full weight on operated leg while walking with crutches?
Is two weeks ok to do this?

I want this recovery to be the best and don’t want to jump into things to quickly if it will set me back. I hear just walking is all you need to do.. So how much walking should I be doing at this stage? Full weight? Partial weight?
 
@Jolease, I put full weight on my knee within a week following surgery. Was actually using only one crutch, more like a cane. Then quit completely. Now, I didn’t have a full TKR, but, from a procedure and recovery perspective, pretty much the same.
 
I was able to put full weight on my leg right away, you pretty much have to with a walker. But it was a first surgery for me. This being your third, your surgeon may want something different.
Jolease said:
The swelling is better, still swollen and after doing exercises it swells lots
Click to expand...
Jolease said:
My IT band and calf are sore and tight so working on a better gait and stretching calf muscles.The burning nerve pain is still there and it gets worse the more I do. It’s like a flare up.
Click to expand...
I’ll tag @Josephine for you.
 
@Jolease I am 14 days post-op and I put full weight on my operated leg when I walk with a cane or walker. I try to walk as normally as possible. We are all different in our recovery but just wanted to give you some feedback since our surgery date is only one day apart.

All the best!
 
Thanks everyone, I’ll be working on not limping or babying my surgically leg while walking. Staples came out! Happy dance lol.
 
@Jockette After talking to my surgeon today I asked him if he saw anything that would have explained the pain I was in. I really didn’t expect him to “ admit” if it was a surgical error but he said my patella was bone on bone. Remember the X-rays looked good.Also said that some times the partials don’t function as well in some knees.Ya think? Grr. Tells me this after the full is done. He’s hoping the tkr will resolve the issues I had. My leg issue and nerve pain are still there. I’m hoping the leg gets sorted,it feels like a cement block and has since second surgery,drives me nuts! I’m always aware of it as the thigh doesn’t seem to relax.Anyways I know you don’t have a good partial and I know how that feels especially when X-ray looks good. I was put on gabapenton for the nerve pain, but am stopping it as I really don’t find it helps. My nerve pain is the burning kind. I had all that irritation in my knee before wich so far hasn’t returned, so hoping it was the partial causing it. Time will tell. I am so much better this week than last. I know from experience that can change week to week, but I’ll take it. I know we both wish we never had the partial. Don’t give up on finding a surgeon that will help you. I know partials work for some ,but if I could give advice to anyone I’d say go straight to the tkr!!
 
I did save one person recently from a partial. This acquaintance recently had a total and he knows my situation. Since his total he had a minor surgery on his other knee and hid doctor told him he could do a partial on that one, and he thought of me and said no thanks, I’ll wait.
 
Jolease said:
but he said my patella was bone on bone.
Click to expand...
Did he mean it was bone on bone before or after your Patellofemoral? I thought the Patellofemoral was supposed to fix that.
Jolease said:
Also said that some times the partials don’t function as well in some knees.
Click to expand...
I also think part of it is the surgeon’s skill level. I was talking recently with an acquaintance who’s had 2 totals by my surgeon, and she told me she asked him about a partial, and...are you ready for this...he said, “oh I don’t do many of those “. :hairpulling: I asked my recent second opinion if he did Patellofemorals and he said no. some surgeons think they are good and some don’t. So, my conclusion is, my surgeon did a controversial procedure with little experience. Surprise, surprise, my outcome is poor.
 
@Jockette I had the medial partial done. But remember I wasn’t a candidate for a full because of my age and only one compartment was bone on bone. Fast forward 16 months later my patella indeed was bone on bone or very close to it he said . So whether that was part of my issue or not I don’t know. What I do know is I’m angry that he didn’t just do a full second time! I agree partials do work for some, but when a patient is in pain and they can’t seem to figure it out or at least try it’s beyond frustrating. Like I’ve said before I’m fortunate my surgeon did do the tkr to try and help me but if I wasn’t in there constantly complaining I’m sure he would of been happy to just look at his x-rays and say it looks good. Grrr. I know the procedure you had done is much more rare than the other two compartment partials. Just don’t give up, I know I had to at least try and be out of my misery with the full and I was stuck with same surgeon. It’s only been 2 weeks today so I’m still in the surgery pain phase but I am being hopeful this time I’ll be back to my favourite thing- walking!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 814 (members: 2, guests: 812)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom