TKR LTKR on June 23

[Jo Wo]

thanks @Flutter. feeling a bit of impatience, would like to be more active soon. Glad to hear you are doing well!

 

[Jo Wo]

DAY24. I feel mentally restless from sitting around so much! And my hips and back are starting to complain. I managed a few small art projects yesterday, which helped.

ROM holding at 105/0. might try to be up and about a bit more today, maybe on a 15/30 up/ rest ratio, using a timer on my phone.

I am hoping that I can start taking advil in a week when I am done with the aspirin therapy. tylenol helps for pain but tylenol plus ice plus rest plus el is not getting rid of the medial soreness to the point where I can walk well. I think an anti inflammatory would be helpful.

Went lighter on the pt yesterday at my last home visit. There was no pushback from the home pt.

 

[Arrangrl]

DAY23. my last in home pt is today, on monday I start outpatient. my biggest complaint is the medial pain at the back of my knee. my ice cuffs don't go all the way around, so I tucked a small gel pack in this morning. also the pain is searing when I walk with the compression stocking on, so I just switched to a compression knee high for the final week of wearing these. I had a dvt scare during my years of heavy business travel that turned out not to be a dvt, so I have some graduated compression knee highs on hand.

Hi Jo
Could you try a small bag of frozen peas in a pillow slip and put them at the back of your knee? As they defrost they are so malleable x

 

[Jo Wo]

Thanks Jan, I have heard the peas work well too.I have so many freezable gel packs, I even made a few with alcohol, water, and water absorbing beads....

 

[Jo Wo]

DAY25: the good news:
I am sleeping better.
The hamstring pain is resolved.
The burning pain is pretty much gone.
I was able to sit and work on some quilt blocks yesterday, then iced and elevated.
I am able to cook most nights unless it involves moving anything heavy from the stove or oven to the counter.
I did my bike, my pt exercises except sit to stand, easily on my own yesterday. I also did 5 step ups on the bottom stair of the staircase. Early last week the home pt had me do 15, then up a full flight on alternating legs but that set me back a few days so I am going to approach that slowly.

I am a bit frustrated that my rom is at a plateau, but I felt like it was easier getting in and out of the car this week, and I only just started pedalling the bike yesterday to loosen it.

I do my heel slides on my bed which has a soft mattress topper, would rather do them on a hard surface, like a yoga mat on the floor. How does one get down to the floor and more importantly, get back up?

 

[Sisterpat]

Have never - even after all these weeks - even attempted getting down on the floor . They do sell special boards for heel slides which you can use either on your bed or while sitting in a chair. Glad your pain is resolving.

 

[Jo Wo]

I guess I am months away from floor exercises @Sisterpat.

Weeding is also going to be difficult.

 

[FourCats]

You asked a great question about getting up and down off the floor … let me know what you figure out!!!

 

[Jo Wo]

@FourCats. Check back with me in a year, I might have it figured out.

I have a small plastic art board, I just used that. Couple of tips I figured out....
I wake up dehydrated so no stretches before I get a good amount of water in my system. Also warm up by a bit of walking or light bending before getting any way near the end of your range. Don't want to stretch a dry joint.

 

[Jo Wo]

DAY26 : Did two 5 minute sessions on the recumbent yesterday (morning and evening) all my pt exercises once, increased my step ups from 5 to 6 and began moving less frequently needed items out of the upstairs nest. My rationale was that it would promote more short walkabouts throughout the day. l was a bit restless with pain in the wee hours but made it through to my 5 am tylenol dose.

Even when I have a layer of sweatpants fleece under my ice pack, I get zingers on the super sensitive medial side of my leg after 15 minutes, even after I take the ice off.

Overall the knee feels less warm to the touch than it did the first two weeks so maybe the inflammation is calming down.

Outpatient pt starts today, hopefully just an eval.

 

[Jo Wo]

Question: How long should your elevation sessions be? I am doing 30 minutes of good toes above nose, is that long enough?

 

[Sisterpat]

My evaluation was about an hour but the therapist was a yakker, and running his mouth off in between things, so maybe a straight eval would be 30-45 minutes. They say to elevate twice as long as you are up and around.
Good luck with PT.

 

[Jo Wo]

My evaluation was about an hour but the therapist was a yakker, and running his mouth off in between things, so maybe a straight eval would be 30-45 minutes. They say to elevate twice as long as you are up and around.
Good luck with PT.

thanks @Sisterpat. She loosened my leg up with some massage, and got me to 112/0. then I did the bike, the mini stairs and walked without my cane for her.

 

[Arrangrl]

All going well Jo x

 

[Jo Wo]

thanks Jan. took a nice nap after such a busy morning.

 

[Arrangrl]

DAY25: the good news:
I am sleeping better.
The hamstring pain is resolved.
The burning pain is pretty much gone.
I was able to sit and work on some quilt blocks yesterday, then iced and elevated.
I am able to cook most nights unless it involves moving anything heavy from the stove or oven to the counter.
I did my bike, my pt exercises except sit to stand, easily on my own yesterday. I also did 5 step ups on the bottom stair of the staircase. Early last week the home pt had me do 15, then up a full flight on alternating legs but that set me back a few days so I am going to approach that slowly.

I am a bit frustrated that my rom is at a plateau, but I felt like it was easier getting in and out of the car this week, and I only just started pedalling the bike yesterday to loosen it.

I do my heel slides on my bed which has a soft mattress topper, would rather do them on a hard surface, like a yoga mat on the floor. How does one get down to the floor and more importantly, get back up?

I do my knee slides with a make up brushes bad over my foot lol..it’s very easy to slide as it’s slippy on the bed , or sitting up on my poufee( where I prefer to do them)

 

[Jo Wo]

DAY27: Slept well! Not feeling like yesterday's pt was too aggressive. I used alternating legs and railing/cane to get down the stairs for the first time, even without warming up the joint first.

Today's challenge will be to not get overconfident and do too much.

 

[Jaycey]

How long should your elevation sessions be?

At least 45-60 minutes per session, several times per day. The 30 minute sessions target healing an injury. Longer sessions address trauma.

 

[Jo Wo]

thanks @Jaycey

I did a slow 10 minute walk outside then iced, we vacuumed and swiffered the kitchen, I took a shower and am elevating now. I have central vacuum so it is easy to use with a cane. nothing else on my agenda for today except gentle mobility until it's time to cook dinner.

 

[Sisterpat]

Great plan, Jo. You certainly have a handle on this recovery the BoneSmart way!