MUA knee so stiff<<

[SusieShoes]

Most people seem to be able to return to work at 3 months. You're doing the best way of returning, which is phased part-time at first, then resuming a full-time schedule. That gives you some leeway for if your knee swells more and you need to do extra icing, etc., and also to work with any remaining energy drain. I'd say you're on the right track.

I hope some of the Smarties who went back to work more demanding jobs (I work from home, so my experience isn't typical) will pop up to share their insights.

 

[bland9]

@SusieShoes your very words have gave me the information and encouragement I needed ,I did wonder if doing right. but its true I am been given a softer return than many others have so cannot complain to much

 

[Celle]

I'm glad we've been able to help.
When I had my knee replacements, I received so much help and support from BoneSmart that I stayed on, to try and help other people.

 

[bland9]

today after helping brother again clean a kitchen. plenty of sitting down, now my leg is twice the size of other knee very stiff and painful and my Un op knee is very painful and I do mean painful. you think after 11weeks post op things would be a bit better, must admit its getting me down and I not overdoing things, and to think back to work next week, surely all this swelling pain is not natural if I over done it I could understand

 

[Polkadot]

I think you probably DID overdo it. At least, that is what your knees seem to be knee-municating to you. Even your un-operated-on knee is shouting out, so they must be serious, eh? I feel for you. It's such a hard lesson to learn: swelling + pain = icing/elevation + road bump in forward progress = "Darn! I can't do as much as I thought I could!" Your brain is telling you that this should be over already. Your knees are saying something different.

 

[bland9]

@Polkadot Yes you maybe right though I believed Ive not done to much but what is to much, like you say my knee telling me but I'm not listening , feeling rather sick at moment due to pain, so I do need to calm down

 

[Polkadot]

If it helps you any, I am 2 weeks further along than you are. Yesterday I got a burst of energy and spent an hour in a store, clothes-shopping, trying on things without any pain--and with plenty of perching on the bench in the changing room. I drove home, had dinner (DH made BLTs while I lounged with feet up), went for a 3/4-mile walk with him, and sat down to watch a bit of TV. Suddenly--I say "suddenly" because I wasn't paying attention to the warning signs earlier!--"Rosebud" started twanging; her patella gave out shooting pains; and her hip ached something fierce! I thought, just like you, "What the heck--I haven't overdone it!" But the knee doesn't lie!

This morning after a fairly good night of sleeping, my back was also complaining. I guess my body parts didn't think I was paying them enough heed. They know that when my back talks (lots of injury history), I listen. I'm taking it easy today.

 

[bland9]

@Polkadot really love your reply and made me laugh *Rosebud *lovely name for knee . you are so right when you put it down in writing we can see even when we think we doing very little we are doing so very much , I to will take the next few days resting

 

[sistersinhim]

Knees are like that. They like to make you think they are doing fine while you're doing something they don't like, then they make you pay for it later. It's the same for everyone. You are not unusual. The knee is in total control for about 6 months. Even after then, it'll let you know when it's not happy. Just not as badly. Please try and cut down your activities. Listen to that poor knee. It's yelling at you telling you it's too early to be doing all this! You know the guidelines. Your knee needs them until it settles down and quits yelling at you! Mine got so bad at yelling at me, I named it The Brat! Cause it was a brat. Not now though. You will get to that stage, too. You know what you need...patience!

 

[bland9]

@sistersinshin , I do agree what all has been said, but must confess really worried about returning to work even though got a two week phased return, I going to have to walk to work a 30 min walk, cannot ride my bicycle yet leg is far too stiff and swollen, I got no car, so having to walk to work, and will be on my leg all day well after two weeks, I do elevate my legs but have very little effect on swollen leg, today my leg even after resting is twice the size of other leg, makes me so miserable has seeing no change , while I read others returning with less trouble than I got

 

[bland9]

just to add to above is that I called my surgeon private secretary to arrange appointment though she not got back to me yet, made up my mind after resting today and when getting up my un op knee which is bone on bone is extremely painful, giving way when standing on it, I'm will be getting that one done too feel got NO CHOICE,

 

[Polkadot]

I'm sorry you are at the point where there is 'no choice' but to investigate getting the second knee done. It sounds like a positive step, however. You're taking control and doing what you can.

One question: are you icing/elevating for 45 minutes to an hour at a time? I found that I wasn't doing it long enough at 20-30 minutes, and I wasn't doing it frequently enough. Are you doing a bit of short walking? Be sure to ice and elevate right afterwards.

Regarding your bicycle, many of us have had a long period of not being able to rotate a "real" bicycle. Are you able to get on it and rock back and forth? You would need a stand of some kind.

 

[Polkadot]

@bland9, If you can make your bike "stationary," here are some thoughts from @Roy Gardiner about using the bike. It sounds as though walking and biking are two primary ways of getting around for you, and that you are going to have to use one of those means to get to work in a few weeks. So my thinking is that if you can get your swelling down to a manageable level, and can use your bike to find your way back to riding it a ways down the road, life might improve! Quickly, I hope.

12 weeks in and little movement<

 

[bland9]

@Polkadot many thanks again for your advice and encouragement and many thanks for the lead on Roy gardiners and Tynesider post very helpful and no it does not seems I'm icing anywhere enough just twice daily and that's when I'm in pain so will have to change this , I do lots of elevation of legs though. the swelling certainly is what holding me back and making me feel miserable .has for short 20 min walks i do every day sometimes its just around the block which takes 10 mins no more I certainly will try to do something with a bike stand , biking is my passion,

 

[Polkadot]

I hate the icing part and tried a lot of elevation without. It didn't take my swelling down nearly as much as w I used the ice.

 

[bland9]

spent the last day and a half resting elevation etc , woke up this morning the swelling had gone down thought that's great its me overdoing it etc, got out of bed and then walk down stairs the knee suddenly swelled up again and very stiff and pain and thought NO not again this cannot be normal really getting frustrated after 12 weeks I cannot keep laying down with leg up, got to get back to work this week,

 

[bland9]

Been for very short 5 min walk got home and how my leg hurt so much and back plus sweating excessively and feeling sick I'm at the end of my tether I just don't know what to do anymore, hope I not got a late infection in knee. will call dr or go to hospital if gets worse

 

[OJ2]

Let us know. Hoping for good results.

 

[bland9]

@OJ2 thankyou for your kind thoughts . it seems to have calmed down and feeling a little better so holding off calling DR but got a phone call today to have the other knee done, its perhaps that knee whats causing so much grief, the UN op knee is very painful so much so cannot stand or walk on it, see how the rest of day goes

 

[sistersinhim]

I would still call your OS. I don't think your knee should swell up and be that painful so quickly. You probably should get it checked out.

You should be icing for much longer than you have been. Ice is a pain-reliever plus it helps to reduce that inflammation. Inflammation causes swelling, so it's like a domino effect. Get down that inflammation and the swelling will start to decrease.