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TKR kneeper's done!

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Bummer!!! It does happen that way sometimes, but maybe you are just having pain as a result of everything being realigned. That's possible too. Only an xray will tell you for sure.
 
Thanks. That could be. It does seem to be intermittent.

I had a short vacation this past week and did lots of walking--including part of the way up a hiking trail so we could get to an overlook on a bluff. I never would have attempted as much as we did wind up doing if this were a few years ago. It was really the rest of my body, not the new knee that held me back from doing more.
 
Hi Kneeper

Isn't it a pain that we have all these joints to keep happy!! Thinking on a positive note - at least you could do the trail with your new knee. I think of my new knee as my super good knee now and my old knee as my not so good knee - funny how things change!
 
Well, I've been having some Astym treatments on my quad area which has been stubborn and doing lots of stretching. I think I've got a little bit more bend--if not, at least it's more comfortable. It makes me think I should have been more insistent with the PA a few months ago--I probably could have been sent for this specific PT earlier.:sad: I'll probably get measured at my appointment next week. Wish me luck.
 
Ok, so I've gained just a little bit of bend with the PT, but the knee is much more comfortable on bending. So I'm pretty happy with the results. I think if i keep up with the stretching and strengthening exercises I'll maintain good motion.
 
kneeper--I always enjoy your posts--I was downloading smileys and such to use when I post and ran across two penguins that glitter--going to put it here for you. You can just click on the image and save picture in a file and use it for your avatar if you like--
[Bonesmart.org] kneeper's done!
I thought of you immediately when I saw this. Hope you enjoy it. Judy
 
Well, I still have that soreness just above the knee--not as much as before this last round of PT, but still there. It's not inside the knee itself. I feel it on stairs or getting up from a low chair. Not sure if it is scar tissue or maybe some tendonitis? It's right along the scar line and maybe a little bit to the outside of the knee. I've been doing the NuStep (recumbent stepper) for about 20 mins a couple days a week--I can feel it a bit with that too, but I don't seem to suffer afterwards.
My guess is there's not too much to do but to just keep the knee moving and to continue to strengthen the quads--without overdoing?
Anyone else have this issue?
Orthodoc Josephine
 
Your description is somewhat lacking in detail but from what little you've said, it's possible your wound scar has healed up a little tight. Or it could be tendonitits or just some local 'itis' in that area! (itis = inflammation)

Have you tried massaging it?
 
kneeper said:
My guess is there's not too much to do but to just keep the knee moving and to continue to strengthen the quads--without overdoing?
Orthodoc Josephine
Click to expand...


Just like Jo, I am not sure based on your description. At least it doesn't sound like it is too painful. I would be concerned if this was associated with significant pain or swelling... BTW Jo I like your new AVATAR.

Orthodoc
 
^thanks, Jo and Orthodoc. It's sort of hard to describe but yes, it's not too painful and it doesn't feel like it's in the knee itself. The discomfort is just above the kneecap, right around the scar. I feel it trying to do wall squats, for example. I told the PA at my year checkup and she sent me for PT. They did Astym on me and gave me stretches & strengthening exercises. I was released from PT a few weeks ago and it does feel much better, but the issue isn't totally gone. Perhaps it will just take more time and diligence on my part for it to go away. I will also do more massaging of the area.

I don't think it's a major issue but it is pesky and keeps me from feeling as happy with the knee results as I could be.
 
kneeper said:
^thanks, Jo and Orthodoc. It's sort of hard to describe but yes, it's not too painful and it doesn't feel like it's in the knee itself. The discomfort is just above the kneecap, right around the scar. I feel it trying to do wall squats, for example. I told the PA at my year checkup and she sent me for PT. They did Astym on me and gave me stretches & strengthening exercises. I was released from PT a few weeks ago and it does feel much better, but the issue isn't totally gone. Perhaps it will just take more time and diligence on my part for it to go away. I will also do more massaging of the area.

I don't think it's a major issue but it is pesky and keeps me from feeling as happy with the knee results as I could be.
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Based on what you are saying, it sounds like you are on the right track.

Orthodoc
 
^thanks, that is reassuring.
 
Well, I'm still having some soreness in the tissues above the knee to the right of the scar (toward the outside of the knee). And my knee is a little achy at times during most days. It's not intense pain, and I can walk without pain so I don't think it's the joint itself-- but I sure was hoping to not have this by now. (I have about 110 in bend and 0 for extension and the knee moves fine in that range).
Should I just keep massaging it, stretching & working on strengthening? Maybe I've been slacking off on the stretching? Do you think this is just the way it's going to be? I don't want to go running to call the doc if this is just the way it is. Maybe the fibro is having an effect on the soreness? When I have an idea what something is I find it easier to deal with even if the answer is just "that's the way it is." The wondering what it is and if anything can be done is frustrating. Any thoughts? Josephine Orthodoc
 
Kneeper,

To give us some idea of the level of symptoms you are feeling, I was wondering how your knee feels in comparison to before the knee replacement.

Orthodoc
 
I'd try giving it a rest for a change. Seems to me that knee needs some chill time!
 
Thanks, Orthodoc. The knee is so much better than before the surgery. I have no pain from walking around. Even if it stays like this I'd be glad I had the tkr. I'd say the discomfort gets to an annoyance level but it's not like before the surgery or how my unoperated knee gets. The ache isn't constant or every day but some days, like I said, it gets to annoyance level and the ache seems to feel like it's in the knee--but not in a given spot--more generalized. the character of the pain is more like the RA ache (but not that bad) than the grinding OA/meniscus tear pain. A lot of times, though, it's just the soreness in the tissue above the knee.
.

I use 1,000 mg of acetaminophen 3 times a day and voltaren cream 1-2 times a day for all my other pain (RA, rotator cuff, etc). I do put some of the voltaren cream on my knee area when it is achy and it does seem to help.

Maybe Josephine's right and I've been doing too many stairs or something? I'm on my feet a good chunk of the day for teaching and I stairs between classes. I've been exercising at least a couple of times a week on a seated stepper (for about 1/2 hour). I've mostly been off my feet today and no achyness, though that tissue area is sensitive if I massage it.
I expect the unoperated knee to hurt but thought I wouldn't be having this lingering issue by this time with the tkr knee.
Does any of this make sense?
Thanks.
 
Josephine said:
I'd try giving it a rest for a change. Seems to me that knee needs some chill time!
Click to expand...
Josephine So I should still take it easier on the knee even after more than a year? (see the post above for my description of symptoms) The last several days there's no ache but I do have that tissue soreness. I sometimes still feel it on stairs.
 
A state of inflammation is not necessarily connected with your surgery. Rest is a good treatment for any situation involving pain, soreness or swelling.
 
Thanks. I'll go on the assumption that it's related to the fibro or maybe something related to the RA. I remember once on a report it said myositis (sp) which when I looked it up indicated muscle inflammation.
 
Requesting some Bonesmartie thoughts and prayers for my mom. We had quite a scare over the weekend and she's in the hospital getting heart failure & atrial fibrillation issues dealt with. The good news is she's responding well to treatment so far.
 
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