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Revision TKR Jolease's knee saga part 3<^

@NavyGunns Hi, could you tell me a bit about your IT band issue and what you did to help it. I believe that’s what’s going on with me. I’ve been doing the clamshells and bridges to try and strengthen glutes and hip abductors. Thanks:)
 
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5 Months ago when I had my TKR, going down the stairs is one of the things that scared me. I didn’t have any trouble going up but I always felt like I was going to fall my weight didn’t seem like it it’s settled properly and I will start like I was going to tumble down the steps
 
@winemama .. yes it definitely is harder and doesn’t feel smooth at all. I’ve stopped even trying for now until my it band and back of knee issues are resolved. I’m sure in time I will be able to go down normally though. Do you go down the stairs now foot over foot?
 
Jolease said:
I’ve been doing the clamshells and bridges to try and strengthen glutes and hip abductors.
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@Josephine does not recommend clam shells and bridges this early in recovery.

You're only 9 weeks after your third major surgery on this same knee within a year and a half. Don’t rush this recovery. Your body still has lots of healing to do.
 
@Jolease, I really didn’t do anything specific other than to avoid the exercises that aggravated it and focused on gentle stretching activities for the ITB. I can tell you that clamshells, especially the ones involving lifting your leg, are not good to do as this stresses the ITB along the outside of the knee.

My issues finally resolved itself (for the most part) around 5-6 months post op. I still have it flare up if I do something new that really stresses it. Those occasions are quite seldom though as I’ve been gradually working to strengthen that area.
 
@NavyGunns @Jockette . Why would clamshells be hurtful? These are just small movements to strengthen the hips. I’m not doing anything than everyday stuff that bothers it. It’s worse as the day goes on. I am told that because my hips, quads and glutes are so weak the itband is inflamed as it’s taking the brunt of things. The back of my knee towards the outside also has a pulling sensation. It’s not constant but it hurts when it’s flared. All these new issues and so unsure what is causing them. Guess I should be thankful the medial pain from last time is gone.. sigh I hope it’s just a time thing for the it band but it’s nice to know it’s not just me... thank-you
 
Your knee/entire leg has “taken a beating” over the last year and a half. PTs want us to fix everything right away. They don’t take into account that there has to be time for healing first. Your areas will improve over time as you heal. You can do some strengthening later on when you’ve healed more.

Here’s something @Mojo333 posted a while ago:

“I was given some great advice by another staff member as I struggled with the PT question and it helped me tremendously as I recovered from bilateral THR. It went something like this:

Many members think PT is needed to alleviate tightness. Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue is healing...and full healing takes a full year or more.

Your body is in charge of healing, not your mind. You can't will yourself to heal faster. But you can stay out of your own way to let the healing happen.”

I thought this was excellent advice that Mojo received.
 
@Jolease, in my nonprofessional opinion, the only hurtful thing about doing clamshells is you are barely two months from surgery AND your ITB is apparently inflamed. Doing those exercises will just aggravate it more, at least it did for me. As with any kind of tendinitis, you don’t continue to work the injured area, but instead give it rest, ice when needed, etc. I actually found that soaking in a hot tub followed by gentle stretches and then ice really helped to get the ITB settled down. Then, once I restarted exercises, I paid close attention to anything that seemed to bother it and quickly backed off for a few days. Haven’t had issues in many months (knock on wood).
 
Thank - you both. It really does make sense. Just frustrating how I got one issue resolved with surgery only to have to deal with a couple others. That word again... TIME.
 
@cell thank-you for the article .I have just started rolling it.

@Josephine . I have also a sharp pain on the side of knee that usually shows itself after I’ve walked or been on feet to long. Do you think it’s a pocket of fluid? Then right on outside of knee and back of knee pulls and is painful. Also I get a sharp pain down my calf to toward the outer edge that takes my breath away periodically. My knee still swells quite s bit after being on it. I’m just feeling frustrated with it all. Have others had these complaints? I just want to be able to walk with out pain ugh
 
Jolease said:
Do you think it’s a pocket of fluid? Then right on outside of knee and back of knee pulls and is painful. Also I get a sharp pain down my calf to toward the outer edge that takes my breath away periodically.
Click to expand...
Then show me where this 'pocket' is and where the pain is using this chart

[Bonesmart.org] Jolease's knee saga part 3<^


Jolease said:
Have others had these complaints?
Click to expand...
Heaps and heaps of us!
Jolease said:
I just want to be able to walk with out pain
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You and everyone else! But do bear in mind that you are only 9 weeks out yet and this recovery can take around 14-18 weeks at least to become anything like normal.

So I'm going to ask you again to let me ask you my questions.
 
@Josephine The pain I was talking about is D LF4. The other pain in calf is E LB4 down to F.
Yes you can ask any questions. Thank- you :)
 
@Jolease I suffered IT band problems after my 5th surgery June of 2018. I know what pain you are in. My PT worked with me for 4 months to sort it out. The only thing that made it feel any better was to not do the things that made it angry. Once my OS decided that I needed a revision, he said he would do a IT band release while he was inside my knee for the other work. IT has been 3 weeks and no IT band issues other than healing up with the rest of the knee. Most people can heal their IT band issues naturally with lots of time. I did not want to have IT band problems while trying to heal up from the TKR and he agreed. Be patient, it takes a long time for the IT band to get back to where it is happy.
 
@tylermit ohhhh I’m glad you got relief! This actually didn’t start until I was 6 weeks post op. I think as I started walking more, it get very aggravated easy it seems. Then a domino affect with the tightness at back of knee, sometimes side knee so tight then a sharp pain in my calf in one area. Well I guess it’s more time for me as I’m not letting him near me any time soon with the scalpel. Thanks for chiming in, its super painful and is hard to carry on when you can’t walk far before the pain sets in:( Did you try acupuncture or massage to help it? I hope this recovery is smooth sailing for you!
 
My IT band problem was on the outside of the knee right at the bend of the knee. The pain area was about the size of a nickel. Mine would actually act like a locked up knee. I could not bend or straighten it and the pain was intense for about 15 minutes before it would relax. It happened once on the PT table during a stretching exercise. I hobbled my way downstairs to the OS office and that is when they diagnosed it as IT band syndrome. My PT did lots of massage and stretches to try to work it out. After PT ended, I just quit doing the things that made it hurt. I never tried to work back into any of those activities because I was scheduled for the revision.
 
@tylermit That's where I get the awful pain right at the bend in one spot, but I have other issues also. I haven’t had the lock up problem , my knee does swell lots and then of course the bend isn’t great. I see my os for 3 month check up beginning of June so I’ll ask him about it. Thanks again!
 
@Jolease My pain is in exactly in the same spot (without the calf pain you're having), but it is getting easier. I've been doing the massage and stretches that Josephine recommends in the article on the IT band and they are helping. Both my Pilates teacher and gym instructor suggested the massage too. It is frustrating when we want to get back to doing things without any pain. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a long recovery. I hope you get some relief soon. Hang on in there, it will get better.
 
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