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TKR Lindylee's RTKR 20 January 2020

My first knee wasn't keen on bending both before and after the surgery. Neither of them were happy when bent to be honest, so maybe that's why it's taking so long for the first. On the other hand it could be having a hissy fit and just out for attention!

I remember that dressage horse feeling when first learning to bend my knee and pick the foot up - did make me laugh though.
 
Was your first knee is worse shape before surgery than the second knee? Maybe your surgeon had to do some different things with it and that’s why it’s taking longer to recover.

My little partial didn’t really improve all that much until closer to my second anniversary. I’m at 3 years post op now, and while overall I have not had a good outcome, it has improved even more this past year.
 
@Jockette Historically the right knee has been a problem for longer until I was knocked off my bike 21 years ago and had to have a therapeutic arthroscopy on the left. I saw the Consultant for the first time 3 years ago when he said both needed doing, but I didn't feel quite ready then to proceed so he just said to let him know when I was. I thought the left knee was worse because it used to lock and always felt it could give way which was why I opted to have it done first.

The Consultant's registrar when I saw him, when I went back to say it was time, seemed to suggest it would be easier than the right as the right was always swollen and yet the right had never locked until last year when it started to feel unstable which was why I decided to go ahead with it now.

The registrar I saw last week did say it might be down to the amount of work done and when I think back to my pain levels last year I think it likely. I still think the issue is the IT band as did the surgeon who thought it should settle in the next 6 months. It is something I can live with if it doesn't improve, but I do wonder if I need to do more squats etc to help that band stretch over the knee. It does feel as if there is something coming across the lower outer quadrant of the knee that is causing the discomfort, but then the knee swells and feels odd when I walk if I do the squats. I'll see what the physios say when I go on Wednesday.

It's good to know that your knee is still improving after all this time Jockette.
 
Lindylee said:
but then the knee swells and feels odd when I walk if I do the squats.
Click to expand...
I think this is your answer that this is not the way to go. How can something be beneficial if it causes this result?

Try to continue to be patient and let time do it’s thing. My whole first year was so bad l’m really surprised my leg feels as good as it does now. It proves to me that all the mental pushing early on from our medical teams is not necessary, and it makes me mad that we are expected to recover everything in a short time. It sounds like your doctor is more on target in telling you another 6 months. And you could very likely have even more improvement 6 months after that.
 
That's been my thought so far Jockette and why I've avoided them for a while, but another part of me wonders whether the IT band will ever stretch if I don't work it in some way. The physio I had at the end of last year, who was very good, did say it is very hard to stretch it. At the moment I'm just collecting as much information as I can. It's frustrating when they don't bother the new knee at all.

Thanks for your help and insight though, much appreciated.
 
Hey @Lindylee been a long time since I posted on the knee side. Sorry to hear you are having issues with knee number 1. I ended up needing a hip replacement due to the 30 years of a bad knee. The hip replacement actually helped the knee that was not healing to my expectations a lot. My thoughts and healing vibes are with you my kneesie friend.
 
@FCBayern Hi! Great to hear from you. Sorry you've had to join the hip brigade. How's that going? Didn't you have an arm or wrist problem too?

Knee 1 could be worse, it's just frustrating when Knee 2 is so good, but not the end of the world. I dare say my hip and back issues aren't helping and maybe that alongside the new knee and another alteration to gait is just putting added pressure on it . I'm sure things will improve. Maybe I need to be more patient! It's just that not knowing what to do for the best. Thanks for the good vibes.
 
@Lindylee good to hear from you too. I did have a compressed nerve issue in my elbow. That surgery went well just waiting for nerves to heal which takes forever but I'm seeing improvement, just have to be patient. Finding out I needed my hip replaced was a shock, but 30 years of compensating for a bad knee wore it out. Hip replacement is a walk in the park compared to the knee and I'm doing really well. Pain free movement for the first time in more years than I can count. My retirement is just 81 days away (not that I'm counting :heehee: ) and I can't wait to move on to the next stage of life with my wonderful wife and be pain free to do the things we have planned for years.
 
Let your knee be your guide. If you do something and it swells and/or is painful afterwards, then your knee isn't ready for it. You can try it again after a week or so and if your knee doesn't fuss anymore, then If it stays your boss then you'll do just fine.
 
@FCBayern So good to hear you're now pain free. Enjoy your retirement. I've been retired 8 years now and there's not been one day that I've wished I was still working!
 
Oh well, I won't have to concern myself whether to do physio or not as it's all been cancelled due to Corona virus. A shame really, as I had my first class Wednesday and really enjoyed it.
 
That's a shame when you enjoyed it so much last week. It is difficult to know what the right thing to do is. It is tempting to self isolate and not go out anywhere or to carry on life as normal. The guidelines seem to be to carry on as normal at the moment but take sensible precautions-ss we may need to go into lock down in a few weeks. Seems as if we are in for a difficult time over the next few weeks.
 
You are perfectly able to do everything you need to do at home. I'm sorry you can't go there anymore. I know it's good to get out, but all those exercises don't have to be done only there. Everything you do physically is exercise and will rehab your knee right there at home.
 
My french class has been cancelled, but Kine is still going. He isn’t shaking hands though!
and we’re not coming back to England as planned. It is difficult to know what to do....
 
@sistersinhim Yes, I know you're right, but it was good to get out and see some different faces, although I met up with some friends for lunch today so that was nice.

@henrietta That's a shame about your French class and that your trip to
England has been postponed. I know so many people who have imminent holidays and don't know what to do for the best. They worry they might get there ok, but not get back home again. It's a difficult situation. I'm quite glad I don't have those decisions to make as we decided not to book anythi until I recovered.
 
Yes, very difficult to know what to do. Basically stay at home for now I think.
we have a holiday planned in Crete in July. That seems unlikely now. I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.
as someone else said, a bit difficult to self isolate when you’ve already been isolated for weeks!
 
We have a holiday booked in July in Spain. I think that it is highly unlikely that we will be going. It sounds as if this problem is going to be around for a while.
Saw physio today and he is happy with the way things are progressing. One concern I have is a medial pain which comes and goes, usually after exercise. He said that it is all part of the healing process and there more positives than negatives so don't worry too much about it.He said that I am only 6 weeks into a 3 month healing process and I need to give it more time.
Have another appointment in another 3 weeks, but by then I think that it may just be a telephone appointment if things continue as they are.
He wants me to build up the distances I can walk now without using a crutch.
 
@aries That's good news. After today's announcement it doesn't seem as if we'll be doing anything soon,

@henrietta It does seem rather ironic that events have conspired against us as we're now more able and looking forward to socialising again. We thought we'd go to Richmond Park for,a walk this morning, but all the car parks were full and cars queuing. It was as busy as a weekend so we came home. I don't know if everyone thought they'd get out before being confined to home or whether it was full of people 'working from home!'

8 weeks for me today and I celebrated with my first bath, shaved my legs, put the walking stick aside and packed away the paracetemol. :rotfl:

My new knee is brilliant, it feels so normal walking, the odd niggle sometimes after exercise but nothing to speak of. By contrast the first knee feels really odd after walking whether I've done any other exercise or not and I'm wondering whether it's the further alteration in gait that's causing it or whether this IT band is stretching, as the pain coming downstairs is lessening, so maybe the other tissues are adjusting to cope with it? Time will tell!
 
Lindylee, sounds as if you have made good progress. I keep thinking about getting into the bath, but think that I will probably wait another couple of weeks. Still have a little bit of swelling and I think that I need a little bit more flexibility.
Were you able to get in and out OK ?
 
@aries I had no problem. I had practised using my arms to lower myself to the floor and back up to the sofa a couple of times first and made sure I could lift my leg high enough to get it over the bath. I also make sure my feet are right at the end of the bath as I lower and lift myself so that I don't slip.
 
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