TKR kmak's TKR recovery thread

[kmak81230]

I haven't yet determined if the cold or if weather changes affect the knee @Jockette - probably because until a couple of weeks ago I felt the knee all the time, with just about every step (not pain, but stretching or a bit of stiffness). I think as I feel it less on a regular basis I'll probably be able to determine if weather changes or the cold affect it.

 

[jaschembra]

What a great 6 month report/visit! You are a rock-star! And...finally...they admit the truth. I agree - that needs to be in bold print. My OS was pretty honest, but still sugar coated the truth.

 

[kmak81230]

I don't know if I should be afforded Rock Star status @jaschembra but it does feel really good to still be making progress after such a slow start. I don't think my surgeon was intentionally misleading about the length of recovery but they certainly don't talk much about it and seem to be more focused on those mythical "windows" of opportunity to achieve particular milestones in the early weeks and months of recovery. I'm glad I found BS, even if it was a bit late, so that I could quit torturing myself with exercises and have a more informed and supported recovery.

 

[kmak81230]

Watching a little figure skating on TV tonight- lots of ouchy falls that I am hoping to avoid when I put my skates on in the next few weeks - and they don't wear any padding! Anyway, I was stretching my legs, sitting on the floor and I am getting very close to zero extension. Much better than my nonop leg and usually not this good without a little PT warming up. The swelling must be lessening as well. My PT will be so pleased at my next appt - not as pleased as me though . And my knee feels pretty good today after an hour of cycling and two hours of pickleball yesterday.

 

[liam2015]

pickle ball ~ wow, lucky you ~ i remember we discussed that sport a few months ago. that's great your swelling is lessening and your extension has improved. i used to keep up to date on all the figure skating years ago when my daughter was in competitive figure skating. back then, the figure skaters never wore helmets or padding, girls in their little skating skirts and tights. hope your legs hold you up when you try on those skates ~ let us know how it goes.

 

[kmak81230]

Thanks @lism2015. I had tried pickleball a couple months ago but was limping too much so stopped. This time it was much better. You must've spent a lot of time sitting in cold ice rinks. My niece did some figure skating when she was younger. I'm glad they wear helmets now.

 

[liam2015]

yes i did spend a lot of time sitting in ice rinks with daughter in figure skating and son in hockey at the same time, but hockey was always at night. i'm interested to know how you make out getting back to skating.

 

[kmak81230]

When I give skating a try, I'll let you know . . .I hope to try sometime in the next month.

 

[kmak81230]

Celebrated my 8 month kneeversary yesterday. At 8 months I still notice my knee every day, if not every hour. I think part of the reason is that I exercise in the morning so then I feel it for the most of the rest of the day. I still use a little pillow at night as it is a spoiled diva that only likes to be in certain positions while sleeping. I have no idea what my ROM is except that flexion is not as good as my nonop leg and extension is better than nonop leg (though not yet 0). I have been experiencing some inflammation in the soft tissues in the medial area - not in the joint or prosthetic but one of the tendons or ligaments - I had this issue prior to surgery and thought the surgery would fix it, but alas not. It's not inhibiting my activity but at some point I'd like to get it figured out as it is annoying. My quad is still quite weak (and probably hamstring too). I read a couple of depressing research studies that someone posted recently on BS and it seems we might not get back our full strength in those areas. I average somewhere between 8000-8500 steps a day and have no issues with walking. I also have no issues with stairs though feel my knee doing them. Still have the clicking but I don't really pay attention to it. I take an anti-inflammatory occasionally for the inflammation but otherwise am off pain meds. I still have a large numb area on the lateral side. I guess I'm doing pretty well for 8 months as I can do most things that I was doing prior to surgery but at a lower intensity. I skated for about an hour last weekend and will attempt to play some pick-up hockey on Friday night. I go to spin class twice a week and try to throw in a few balance and strength exercises as I can. I'd like to not notice the knee but I keep reminding myself that a year is a long time and I'm only 2/3 of the way there. We are starting to finally get some snow out here in Colorado so hopefully snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are soon to be attempted. For those of you in the first months of recovery it does get better .

 

[SusieShoes]

I dearly love that picture of you in hockey gear! We’re knee twins and I too still feel my knees much of the time. Less and less as the weeks go by. Today, for example, hardly at all. Going down the stairs, hardly at all, but I do become aware of them going up, even though going up is easy enough. When out and about running errands, I don’t really notice... but I do notice when swimming, somewhat, and I’m conscious of them when doing yoga. Self-conscious of them more than anything. A part of my mind still acts as watchdog over them.

I read that study, too, though am not sure how far to believe it. So many people get back full quad strength I’m more inclined to say let’s wait and see. You’re an active person, so maybe are more aware of any shortcoming in a muscle group than, say, someone who only needs quad strength for doing a desk job. I hope you can soon say you’re happy with your quads and consider your TKR a complete and resounding success.

You would be welcome to some of our snow. Sounds like folks in Colorado would appreciate it more!

 

[Jockette]

Great to hear from you! Yes, I love the hockey gear picture, also!

That’s great that you are able to do what you want, and try to put aside the awareness of the knee that you still have. Onward and upwards!

I am gradually getting better at 10 months, still feel it anytime I’m not sitting with my leg up, but I hope in time I will be able to forget about it.

 

[KarriB]

It took over a year for some of the numbness to go away. I was supposed it took that long, but realized when it did. Looks like you’re enjoying life!

 

[liam2015]

@kmak81230 ~ you are an inspiration. i would love to try skating again. last time i did was a few months before my TKR and it was difficult, but mostly because i bought 2nd hand hockey skates, when i've only skated in figure skates before. there is definitely a difference. it takes a lot of guts to get out their on the ice ~ congratulations.

 

[kmak81230]

@liam2015 - hockey skates are so different from figure skates - that's why I am not a great skater. Like most girls I grew up using figure skates so got really used to that toe pick and the longer blade. I fell all the time when first using hockey skates about 15 years ago. I think they make something called "comfort skates" - more support like a hockey skate but I think a blade more like figure skates. You might try figure skates -- I think it would come back to you like riding a bike with the right skates -- but wear some padding, especially a helmet . I was tentative for the first 15 or 20 minutes then I felt right at home.

 

[Polkadot]

Great update, my friend!

 

[kmak81230]

9 month Kneeversary on Friday! Still noticing the knee most days, particularly if standing in one place for a length of time. But I'm used to noticing it so it's not really an issue. No problems or issues with most things. Trying to get rid of the tendonitis in the medial area -- I have returned to doing more stretching and I made an adjustment to the cleats on my cycling shoes (based on doing a little research on the tendonitis) both of which seems to be helping. I am skating weekly, and hoping for more snow out here in CO so that I can try skiing at least once this winter. I'm trying to lose some weight and get motivated for #2 knee in July - definitely not there yet.

 

[KarriB]

It definitely took me a year to feel a lot better and even longer to walk longer periods without pain. I found building up my walking slowly helped the most in building muscle.

 

[kmak81230]

Today is my 10 month kneeversary and I think I am doing pretty well. Not 100% but still making small improvements every month - particularly in noticing my knee less often. I am able to do all the things that I was doing prior to surgery without arthritis pain. That is a big improvement. I went skiing for the first time in about three years last weekend, which was another milestone. For you newbies, I was very slow to gain flexion and still my flexion is not as good as it was prior to surgery and not as good as the flexion in my non-op leg. I think there is about a 10 degree difference in the two. I took my goniometer to the gym today and my best estimate is that my TKR knee maxes out at about 130 and the non TKR at 140 though I probably am at 125 degrees flexion most of the time which is sufficient to do anything I want (I have no desire to sit on my heels or become a gymnast ). My extension on the TKR leg is not 0 but better than it was prior to surgery and better than the non TKR leg. My gait is good, I still have clicking in the joint, my quad remains much weaker on that side, I still have internal swelling after heavy activity (I was more swollen and sore after skiing and I also have swelling after playing hockey), I still swell or get stiff if I stand in one place for more than a few minutes, still have a big numb patch on the medial side, and still feel the knee at some point every day. My cardiovascular stamina has also been very slow to return. I use a little pillow between my legs most nights when sleeping as it feels more comfortable. I am not one of those people who wishes they had done this sooner or am so glad to have had it done. I'm not complaining though as I think it was successful for me in that I did not have complications, tremendous pain or need to be on heavy drugs for a long period of time, and I had a great experience with PT (two tremendous PTs who were gentle and who helped me to re-gain my functional mobility). I am also grateful for the support and friendships I made on Bonesmart. I found this site a few weeks after my surgery - those dark days when many of us are questioning why we did this or if we would ever get better. I'm trying to motivate myself for #2 which I plan to do in July.

 

[Jockette]

Good to hear from you!

I’m glad you feel you had a successful experience, even though you still have some ups and downs. I have not reached that point yet. I will be one year next week.

I bet it felt great to ski! My little grandchildren are learning to ski and they love it. They are 8, 6 and 4. My daughter sent a video of each of the kids skiing. So cute!

Take care!

 

[liam2015]

fantastic 10 month report kmak81230. it must feel great to get back to the sports you love and without the arthritic pain. enjoy while you can getting ready for second TKR.