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TKR Karena71's recovery....

IMO it seems that we all have questions with trying to balance what is the right amount of exercise to recuperate the fastest. While I'm older than you are I was (and in my mind still am) an athlete and thought that I could work my way back to full strength faster than the norm because I could work harder. All I can say is that your knee is in charge. It will let you know when to ice and elevate and to take it easy. You have to listen to it. No matter what you do you can't change that. I will just tell you what my OS told me 'if it hurts, don't do it'. You can do things to discomfort only and wait a few months before weights and squats. I now have 130 degree flexion after my revision which is better than my OS predicted by doing exactly that. Walking is the best exercise for most especially in the beginning.
 
It's ok to push yourself to recover. Instead of pushing yourself with painful bending and exercises, push yourself to rest, ice, and elevate. Look at it as working hard for your recovery.

I also had it stuck in my head that since I was younger and active that I would recover faster. I think being younger can actually make recovery more difficult. The expectations are higher. While I did get back to normal activity and exercise fairly fast I prepared myself mentally the best I could before surgery that this would be a long recovery.
 
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Is elevating always toes above nose?


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I don't think you always have to do toes above the nose, but if your leg is really swollen that's the best way to get the swelling down.
 
I go today to get staples out, I hope. Could they be the reason for discomfort around kneecap and the continued swelling just to the side of the incision?


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You're going to have swelling for a while. Since you're not even a month out swelling g is normal. Are you keeping your leg propped up and icing for at least 40 minutes at a time? I had very little swelling after my infection surgery, however I did nothing. No bending, no pt, nothing and as soon as I got the ok to bend guess what? It swelled, even 8 weeks after TKR and 5 weeks after infection surgery. Relax, rest, elevate, ice that is the best thing you can do to diminish swelling and pain. Do all those things as if it's you're job, work hard at it. :chillpill:
 
@karena71 hope all went well with the staple removal. I have read toes above nose when elevating.
 
Staples are out! I was ready to faint on the very last one. She said my color was gone and I felt my head tip back and room go black. The last three hurt coming out but my knee does feel so much better. Still a little stinging where a few of the staples were. Glad to be back home in recliner under ice!

Dr was very happy with the way my knee looked. He showed me how to message my quad near my knee to help loosen the muscles and to pull my toes up at same time. It helped getting it to bend.

I go back in 3 weeks.



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So glad your staples are out. Great to hear the Dr was happy with your knee. I will have to ask my PT therapist tomorrow about how to massage the quad to help loosen muscles, at this point I will try anything to get my knee bending. Exciting milestones in this recovery journey.
 
I'm happy that you've made it through that step and the OS was happy with your progress.
 
Once your staples come out you will feel much better and the mindset will change. Now it will be easier to move and bend. But remember take it easy it's only the begining
 
@thecoll thanks so much for checking in on me. I'm doing well. Only issue I still have is limited ROM. Knee is very stiff and it's extremely frustrating. Hope things are improving for you!


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Your ROM will improve as the swelling goes down, we all have the same fears and concerns with the lack of ROM, just concentrate on icing, elevating and medicating, it will happen for you!
 
Not sure how much more sitting around I can take. I'm in tears everyday from it! Ready to get back to life!

Other than that, I'm doing pretty well. Two weeks ago the PT lady I don't care for, from the day of surgery, pushed my knee to get ROM 77. I told her to stop. I only got it to 56 on my own. Last week I talked to the guy PT that I like before we started. Told him I do not want her again. If he couldn't guarantee me that, I already had another appointment scheduled at a different pt place that I had used before. He was more gentle and I got my ROM to 77 on my own that day.

I've been reading everyone's pages and really glad that we are all doing fairly well for the most part.

Hope everyone's having a good day today!

Karen



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Check out the activity chart in the readings left for you. If you can follow that and balance activity with elevating you'll be ok. I went cabin crazy with my TKR and subsequent infection, nearly three months with nothing but hospital, Drs., and pt. But in the 2nd month we started stopping at restaurants after my appts (saw my OS twice a week) and as long as I propped my knee up on the booth I was sitting in or an extra chair the knee was ok, plus I got out a little bit. Also, if you have a theater with recliners take an ice pack and head to the movies. It's not an "active" lifestyle, but it's better than sitting at home day after day.
 
I am right there with you Karen. I was feeling the same way today that I just want to get back to living. Then I reminded myself that in a couple months from now it will be worth it and I will be able to do more since there is no more severe arthritic pain. Good job on standing your ground with PT! Looks like we may be in the same boat with ROM. It was stressing me out but last week I decided to let it go. Since I still having swelling it makes it difficult to bend. Do you still have swelling or tightness? What do you do st home to work on bend?

@KarriB great idea to try eating out or a movie, the small things that make us feel we are active and a change of scenery. I am 5 weeks out and have not tried either. I just leave the house for PT and trust me it is getting old. Not sure what I am afraid of but pretty sure once I do it I would feel better.
 
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