Guest viewing is limited

MUA LTKR, 8 weeks out; MUA at week 5; worried about ROM

For the "Super Swellers" Among Us
We've probably all wondered whether the swelling we experience will ever go away; whether we did something to aggravate it permanently; or how long the swelling will continue to plague us. Ha! Now I have hard evidence that the edema will subside! (We all know this intellectually, right? However, it's hard to trust when we're in the middle of it.)

After my TKR surgery, I had problems twice with IVs that stopped working. My hand swelled up like a balloon, and I went home on the third day with a site on the back of my wrist that featured what looked like a large, raised knot of veins that was extremely tender to the touch. Also, several fingers were numb. I had carpal/ulnar tunnel surgery a year ago, and this was not good news--I wondered whether I had sustained permanent damage that would have to be re-corrected. I couldn't operate a clip on a skirt hanger; I couldn't snap my fingers. I couldn't button a shirt. I debated consulting with my hand surgeon but decided to wait it out.

18 weeks after the surgery
The knot in my wrist has finally gone down (it was still raised last week); the bruising is almost gone; and there is just a shadow of numbness in my pinky. I can play my guitar again; I can cup my hand to catch water from the faucet; and I can hold my iPad in the affected hand without finger cramping. 18 weeks! Almost 5 months! Can you believe it took that long? I was beginning to think it would never be okay, and I was dreading more surgery.

So Super Swellers, rejoice! Evidence suggests that we won't be in this particular swell spot forever. (Of course, knees are not wrists, so the worriers among us can still worry). :eyebrows:


 
that is encouraging Polkadot but i'm impressed that not only do you paint, you also play guitar! that's awful about your hand swelling up so much after the i.v. stopped working and for so long. glad it's back to normal.:tennis2:
 
Polkadot said:
We've probably all wondered whether the swelling we experience will ever go away; whether we did something to aggravate it permanently; or how long the swelling will continue to plague us.
Click to expand...
Polkadot said:
So Super Swellers, rejoice! Evidence suggests that we won't be in this particular swell spot forever. (Of course, knees are not wrists, so the worriers among us can still worry). :eyebrows:
Click to expand...
I know some of you like to think of yourselves as Super Swellers, but actually you're pretty normal. Almost everyone experiences continued swelling for at least 9 months post-TKR or PKR. It may not be constant swelling, but it will be swelling at any time you do too much for your new knee.
If you undertake more ambitious exercise (such as the leg press, step machine, or using weights) the constant swelling will persist longer than it does for some others - that's cause and effect.
 
@Celle, you're right, of course. Some of us appear to deal with more swelling than others, but it is part of everyone's game. We're a bit silly about it because it helps us deal with the constant irritation and second-guessing of whether or not we will have a date with the ice pack or not. And believe it or not, sometimes it really does feel as though the swelling will never subside!

I'm happy to be considered "normal" in this respect.
 
Sometimes it doesn't seem logical. Maybe there is less internal swelling and what swelling you see is all in the tissues surrounding the joint.
However, it's about as illogical as thinking about why some knees click and clunk, and some don't. My right TKR clicked for 5 years, while my left TKR never made any noise.
 
i agree @Celle ~ it's one of those mysteries. i keep wishing i would clink and clunk because it seems to me everyone that does, has a good r.o.m. and can pedal a full rotation.
 
So glad that your wrist swelling has gone down @Polkadot. That does provide a glimmer of hope for this knee swelling and I'm sure it is great to be able to get back to the guitar. Perhaps you can strum a few tunes for us at the 9 month party. I have noticed that the hard lump on the top of my knee on the lateral side seems to have dissipated quite a bit. It doesn't seem to have helped my ROM but is part of what seems to be a little less obvious external swelling. PS: I found that my carpal tunnel surgery was one of the best things I ever did . . . I was miserable.
 
@Polkadot, thanks for reporting your swollen wrist success! Every bit of news regarding swelling reduction is a joy, regardless of the joint affected; huzzah!

Like @liam2015, I am extremely impressed you've been able to paint with that swollen wrist! Since you can now strum the guitar, I will book you for the entertainment section at the 9 month soiree!

Have you tried the pool as yet? If so, all the details please!
 
@Pheebs52 and @liam2015, I didn't say I could play the guitar well. I'd better practice up if I have to provide entertainment!

@kmak81230, it sounds as though you have concrete evidence about less swelling, too. In these Phase 2 days, where milestones don't come as often, we need some of this evidence to keep our spirits up. I agree about the carpal tunnel surgery. I had both carpal and ulnar at the same time; was quite scared about it. If I'd known what a difference it made, I would have done it sooner.

@liam2015, you and I both kneed patience. I can pedal a full rotation, but my ROM is lagging. Plus I still have pain going up stairs, and quite a bit of difficulty going down (foot over foot). I think that's why I thought reporting on my wrist was important: a reminder that good things will come to those who wait.
 
@Polkadot, today was my best stair day yet, up and down. I couldn't help but notice that when I lowered the bike seat on Sunday night, the stretch from just one notch down was significant. I didn't pedal for any great length of time, just slowly for about 7 minutes, forwards and backwards. It's just my pet-theory, but I think the increased stretch has really helped me with the stairs.

Let's see, I think you and I will be at 5 months post-op on Monday, so that gives you 4 solid months of guitar practice for our soiree. Of course, if you're not up for the challenge, we can hire a DJ.:heehee:
 
@Pheebs52, I'll practice my fingers off, but you will have to sing.

Hmm, that's interesting about you moving the bike down and then noticing improved performance on the stairs. I'm going to test that out--unfortunately our bike seat moves forward and back rather than up and down. The "notches" are quite large.
 
Oh, the group will be very sorry when I belt out my Janis Joplin imitation of "Summertime," hahahaha!

It sounds as though you have a recumbent bike then? The notches on my bike (upright) are only about an inch apart and I'm not sure I'd ever really want it lower than this because I think it would put both legs into an unnatural position. I haven't seen Gary for two weeks, but when I see him next week, I'll have to ask him about that.

For me, the stair challenge is not the actual knee, not pain, or my balance, it's the still stiff quad, and of course, my remaining wonky, natural knee. Anything that can give my quad a good, non-painful stretch seems to make a difference. The only thing that seems to stretch it just right is the bike, but that may just be me. I've taken to using 2x a day, morning and late day, just for 7-8 minutes or so.
 
@liam2015, I'd never considered that my clunking would be connected to good ROM - I have that darn percussion section in my knee, but I do have good ROM and have since the day after surgery. I had my first time on the bike at outpatient PT at two weeks and round and round she went. I did and do have pain when walking and climbing stairs and getting out of a chair, though. No rhyme, no reason.

@Polkadot , so glad your wrist is better. I can't wait to hear you strum your guitar while @Pheebs52, belts out some Joplin. :heehee:
 
I'll hafta see if I can rustle up some velvet or satin bell-bottoms @phrog! The great thing about those is they hide lumpy knees.:snork:
 
I used to be a DJ in my 20s and still have lots of 70s and 80s albums - yes, vinyl! So if @Polkadot gets tired, we can alternate sets . . . I agree @Pheebs52 , once I started moving the bike seat down, the stairs got easier. I have no issues with stairs now - except that I was feeling good on Friday and forgot something at work so ran up the stairs in a hurry to get to my office -- then of course was a little more sore and swollen. Thankfully, all better today - yeah! I think the stairs are also less bothersome as the glutes and quads are stronger as they take the pressure off the knee.
 
@kmak81230, being able to run up the stairs is worth a little ODIC!

@Pheebs52, I'm guessing my quads are the problem with pain going up the stairs. Most of the pain is above the knee. Going down, it's just the knee stiffness and the psychological aversion to bending it too far and maybe tumbling! I'm working on it.
 
I agree about the psychological aspect of sort of trusting your knees especially going downstairs! My new one bends absolutely fine and is strong etc but still...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 754 (members: 1, guests: 753)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom