TKR LTKR on June 23

Best wishes for tomorrow!

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​


4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
And just a reminder, ( to everyone )

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
Jo Wo, prayers on the way for a successful surgery! See you on the other side!
 
@Jo Wo Sending up prayers for your surgery tomorrow! You've prepared well and I'm confident we'll get a great report!
 
surgery was at 7. all is well. a little queasiness after lunch but none after dinner oxy, celebrex, lyrica,tylenol, aspirin for anti clotting, senna, ancef in the iv.the oxy I ask for for breakthrough pain. so I had one after lunch. took two good walks, can lift my leg onto the bed, and straight leg raises. it bent to near 90 when I got up to sit in a chair but it is more swollen tonight so I doubt it will get that far. hospital pt did not push it.

all in all day 1 has gone better than expected. I am sure it will get harder in a few days when the nerve block wears off.
 
glad to hear all went well. Sounds like you have as many drugs as i did! My nerve block wearing off was not too bad as I was on the Norco too. Now on day 7, been off Norco for 3 days and doing ok. Nites seem to be toughest when laying down. Hoping you have a great first week!
 
Great to hear that your surgery went well. I had to use alarms on my iPad to take various medications (same as the ones you’re taking) around the clock. My raised anxiety pre-op was relieved by finally getting it done, and now on to recovery. I’ll be following your progress, cheering along.
 
Great first report! Glad you are doing well. All of the exercises paid off if you can already lift your leg.
 
JoWo, welcome to the other side and congratulations on your new knee. You know the BoneSmart guidelines, so you’re setting off on the right track. Yes, the nerve block surely helps the first few days. Keep us posted.
 
have a bit of seepage but they say it's safe to go home. I passed the pt tests easily. someone from home health services will arrive tomorrow. I have a zero degree knee heel rest foam block coming home with me. need to use for a total of 5 hours a day. meds are tylenol celebrex iron and oxy for breakthrough pain. aspirin for anti clotting
 
Great that you passed the PT easily and that you’re going home!

When you get a chance, post a photo of the zero degree foam block, with your foot in it.
 
@Jo Wo Congratulations!! You did it. Just go slowly and you will heal. One thing: some of the meds you are taking can cause constipation. My doctor advised taking Colace for that. You might ask yours.
keep us posted on your recovery.
 
I have a zero degree knee heel rest foam block coming home with me. need to use for a total of 5 hours a day.
@Jo Wo , I think you'll find that zero degree heel rest very uncomfortable. It really isn't necessary to keep your knee completely straight while you're in bed and your final degree of extension won't be compromised if you allow your knee to bend a little, especially while you're elevating your leg.

Have another look at this article about elevating"
Elevation: Doing It the Right Way
 
I was able to keep it on for an hour at a time as suggested, they said to do it 5 times a day.
 
@Celle my surgeon was also concerned about my toe out gait on this leg, and spending time with my toes up straight in this device will help with that
 

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