TKR 5 months out

Hi, everyone
Just had a quick question. What dors it mean when your new knee feels warm? My left knee feels normal. Am I over doing it?
 
How new is it? Mine was warm for weeks and still is a bit on occasion at 14 weeks. Ice is nice!
 
The others are right. Your knee is warm because it's still healing.

You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as it's best if members in recovery only have one thread.
This is because:
  • That way, you have all your information in one place. This makes it easier for others to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you start new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. We won't miss your new question as, between us, the staff read all new posts each day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?

A helpful hint - Many members have found it useful to bookmark their thread so they don't lose it.

Best wishes,
Celle
 
As the others have said, it lasts a while. At 14 weeks mine are still warm, and red hot when I have overdone it. Yesterday evening, I spent a while searching for posts on “knees still warm after....” There’s always that niggle in the back of my mind of infection, so it’s good to know that it’s normal.
 
Hi smokey1: I'm 8 weeks post-op and my knee is still warm to the touch. There's lots of healing going on in there. I took Oxy for 23 days post-op. At first, it was around the clock, then I weaned off during the daytime and saved it for that one dose at bedtime. You are about a month behind me in your healing journey. It will get better!
 
My first knee was warm for what felt like ages. After several weeks it would seem to be worse with activity. All part of the healing process and your knee "speaking" to you. :wink:
 
I use a magnesium gel for these specific sorts of nervy pain: tingly, zingers, twitchiness, there are a number of ways to describe it. The magnesium gel really helps quite often.
I’m baffled why your surgeon won’t let you make use of ice to help alleviate pain!! That just seems mean!
I wonder if it has something to do with speed of healing.
I read a study on Google, where it showed constriction of blood vessels, supplying knee.Constriction of blood vessels, means less blood supply, less oxygenation, less healing...
That's the reason I am not using a cryocuff.
 
Interesting… I’m glad you’ve done okay without ice, then! The first few weeks I iced an awful lot, so am thankful my OS was okay with that I guess. Does he have research that shows faster healing, less pain?
 
Yes, my surgeon does. Actually it’s from the author of the book RICE (Rest,Ice, Compress and Elevate) by Dr. Gabe Mirkin (1978). Dr. Mirkin recanted his original position on the protocol in 2015. The new findings through an abundance of research collectively supports the notion that ice and rest does not enhance the recovery process, but often delays recovery, tissue healing and may result in further damage to the tissue. You can read the articles from his Sports Medicine Book. After six weeks , I can start to use ice, if I want to . My PT , also agrees with these findings. I am 5 weeks out now, and my swelling (I am told) is moderate) . My ROM is 120 and I have full extension in my operated leg. Hopefully, I can keep that and continue improving my ROM. Time will tell , if this theory has worked for me.
 
How interesting… I’ve read some of Mirkin’s writing and didn’t know he had rethought his earlier premise… does the elevation aspect of more tradition style recovery still hold? It sounds like it’s working well for you, at least, so that’s great! (If my husband were needing a knee he would like it, as I can never get him to ice anything painful!)
 
Hi,
I am 5 weeks out from my RTKR and up until yesterday, my pain has gotten better, but yesterday afternoon my knee, calf and shin started to become very painful, I not sure why. I had PT in the morning but I didn’t do anything new and I went in the pool but I only walked and did a little kicking for about 15 minutes. I started to take Tramadol again , after being off it for 3 weeks . I am so frustrated. Do you think I could have an infection?
 
Hi Smokey1, at “only” 5 weeks post op your knee gets upset very easily. Even if we think we haven’t overdone, pain tells us the knee disagrees. PT and the pool the same day might have been too much, but my bet is the kicking in the pool finished the triple combination.

Rest up, elevate and ice, until things settle down again.

By the way, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you. You can always bookmark this thread so you can find it easily.

Best wishes on your continuing recovery! :flwrysmile:
 
Thank you , Jockette,
I keep thinking I am posting in the recovery thread. I will figure this out eventually, lol! I hope your right about the pain. It’s just so frustrating. You get hopeful one day and then shut down the next!
 
Have you bookmarked your thread? That might help you find it easier.

I know it’s frustrating to feel better for a bit, only to get more pain again. But, that’s the nature of this recovery. Sometimes we don’t do anything and it still happens. We call it a rollercoaster! Eventually things will even out and get easier. :console2:
 
Maybe this tutorial will help:
 
recovery-chart-drawn-jpg.74621
 
@smokey1 I am sorry to hear about your pain. That can be frustrating. Today is my 5 week anniversary. I have not gone to the pool yet, but when I had a partial 5 years ago, I would tread water gently. Perhaps try that instead of kicking. I do my own gentle PT at home now, so I can’t comment on the role of your PT n your pain. I am really sorry you had to take a Tramadol again. Not a fan of the side effects. Rest and take it easy for a few days. :console2:
 
Hi, Flutter,
It’s nice to hear from you. Congrats, on your 5 week anniversary! How are you doing? How is your pain level? That’s interesting that you are doing your own PT at home. May I ask you why you came to that decision? I was doing my Surgeon’s Hospital App for exercises but they were based on how many weeks out from surgery not customized for each person, I knew they wouldn’t work for me in the long run . Just curious , you mentioned you had a partial knee replacement, five years ago, was your recent TKR on the same knee? Thank you for your positive feedback and support. It really does help
sharing our stories. Take care!
 
I had PT in the morning but I didn’t do anything new and I went in the pool but I only walked and did a little kicking for about 15 minutes.
It is very easy to over-do in a pool. Sounds like 15 min was too much for your knee. You can stop pool therapy for now, or cut your pool time in half and see what helps.
 

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