TKR June 10th is in the rear view mirror
- Thread starter sf-slim
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sf-slim
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@Josephine, Thanks, I knew I was just winging it. Hope to do it right next time.
My PT, who I just met yesterday and like very much, seemed to know right away that the pain I was experiencing came from the peroneal nerve. He said that because of my valgus deformity the nerve had been contracted and now was being stretched out with the leg having regained proper alignment. He showed me a 3D app of the nerve and it made sense to me. He is giving me some exercises to stretch (he called it "floss") the nerve. He also said that nerve recovery is slow, as in six to eight weeks. I was afraid he was going to say six to eight months.
Now I just have to work out how I'm going to get a correct gait going if my leg is frozen in "pain fear" and is pretty ridged. Not a normal walk.
I'm glad to know what's going on and to have someone to work through it with. He is also taking a very gentle approach to the strengthening exercises. I'll be seeing him twice a week.
So onward, and thank you again for your support.
My PT, who I just met yesterday and like very much, seemed to know right away that the pain I was experiencing came from the peroneal nerve. He said that because of my valgus deformity the nerve had been contracted and now was being stretched out with the leg having regained proper alignment. He showed me a 3D app of the nerve and it made sense to me. He is giving me some exercises to stretch (he called it "floss") the nerve. He also said that nerve recovery is slow, as in six to eight weeks. I was afraid he was going to say six to eight months.
Now I just have to work out how I'm going to get a correct gait going if my leg is frozen in "pain fear" and is pretty ridged. Not a normal walk.
I'm glad to know what's going on and to have someone to work through it with. He is also taking a very gentle approach to the strengthening exercises. I'll be seeing him twice a week.
So onward, and thank you again for your support.
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
For a nerve, six to eight weeks is fast! I certainly would say six to eight months. In my experience, nothing related to nerves goes much more quickly than that though that doesn't necessarily mean it will be this painful all that time.
And if he was trying to be 'kind' and not depress you, I think it's the wrong approach. You'd be much more depressed expecting it to be all better by late August when it's probably going to take until around Christmas.
I had a ham handed lab tech once who nicked a nerve when drawing blood and it probably took a month to heal. That was probably minor compared to what you had so yours may take longer, but it did finally get back to normal.
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sf-slim
junior member
Thanks @kneeper, I'm going with two months max since that's what my PT said, having my actual leg in his hands and testing my various responses and giving me exercises specific to this specific nerve issue. I'm also going with optimism and a positive spirit, they've served me well in my recovery.
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sf-slim
junior member
14 weeks tomorrow!...and I'm very grateful.
The nerve pain subsided in about six weeks. I credit gabapentine and my PT knowing what to do.
I saw my surgeon last Thursday for my three month check-up, he is very pleased, as am I.
I'm going up and down stairs normally, though once in a while I'll still go down one at a time. My ROM is 0-135, I haven't had to give up activities I had worried so about, and am doing things that feel new and great again.
I got some hiking poles and went three miles on a rough'ish terrain (dirt, rocks, up, down narrow trails). It was such a thrill, I hadn't been able to do that on my very unstable knee for quite some time. Yesterday I went for a five mile round trip city walk.
I am so glad that I did this!!!! though there were some tough times.
I am very happy that my Valgus deformity could have been dealt with so well. I definitely have more hardware than the usual (I tried to upload an image, but got an error message) although maybe nothing is totally routine/usual about these surgeries.
Some people now have commented, "Oh, your legs are straight", yet had never mentioned that they noticed otherwise. Kind of like saying. "oh, your fly is finally zipped up".
If you are in the thick of the early recovery side of things, keep the faith. There really is light and life at the end of the tunnel.
The nerve pain subsided in about six weeks. I credit gabapentine and my PT knowing what to do.
I saw my surgeon last Thursday for my three month check-up, he is very pleased, as am I.
I'm going up and down stairs normally, though once in a while I'll still go down one at a time. My ROM is 0-135, I haven't had to give up activities I had worried so about, and am doing things that feel new and great again.
I got some hiking poles and went three miles on a rough'ish terrain (dirt, rocks, up, down narrow trails). It was such a thrill, I hadn't been able to do that on my very unstable knee for quite some time. Yesterday I went for a five mile round trip city walk.
I am so glad that I did this!!!! though there were some tough times.
I am very happy that my Valgus deformity could have been dealt with so well. I definitely have more hardware than the usual (I tried to upload an image, but got an error message) although maybe nothing is totally routine/usual about these surgeries.
Some people now have commented, "Oh, your legs are straight", yet had never mentioned that they noticed otherwise. Kind of like saying. "oh, your fly is finally zipped up".
If you are in the thick of the early recovery side of things, keep the faith. There really is light and life at the end of the tunnel.
tiredwife
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