TKR Update on Slower Recovery

I’ve had some groin pain also on and off. Plus I think my butt is just plain tired of being in the same position night and day, lol. Just trying to remember this will all come to an end hopefully sooner then later :umm:
 
I’m 3 weeks post op now. So after my last PT session on May 6th I wasn’t happy with how it went so I cancelled last weeks PT. When i got my Zip Closure removed I told my OS but he wants me to still go but told me to tell them I didn’t want to over flex my knee, just to where I was comfortable. So I went today. But kind of upset because my flexion which was 87 is now only 70. Extension is 0. What’s with that? I thought by not over doing things I would gain a little at a time gradually. Anyone else have this happen initially but then it turned around? Now I’m worried:shrug:
 
Perhaps you're knee is still complaining from your last physio session. Did your therapist have to push your knee to get to 87 degrees flexion or were you able to get there easily without forcing it? How did your p.t. session go today?

Honestly, 70 degrees flexion at 3 weeks post op is not bad at all, in my opinion. Remember everyone is different ~ I think I was around 70 degrees when I went for my first physio appt. at 6 weeks post op. Is your pain less than it was? If so, then I would continue to be gentle with your knee, mild exercising, lots of rest, ice and elevate and some walking around plus whatever meds that are appropriate.
 
I agree, 70 at 3 weeks post op, after an aggressive time at PT, is par for the course. Your knee/leg in general is still upset from the onslaught of this surgery. It is way to early to worry about your ROM. Sometimes it can take a long while to recover from aggressive treatment.
 
They never really pushed me. They have always let me be in charge. They just made a suggestion that made me think they were going to get more aggressive. So I cancelled last week. Today I just went as far as I could till it felt really tight but not painful. I guess I’m just worried because I’ve been really treating it with care. Pretty much just elevating and icing and walking. So I thought I would have at least been the same. So do I push as far as I can till there is slight pain? I have a hard time figuring out what’s too much or not enough. It’s all very confusing. Just kind of depressed now!
 
There is no need to push, to any degree, it only upsets your knee that Is trying to heal. There is no set timeframe, and no goal of x ROM number by x date. Your knee will heal, which will allow your ROM to improve. You can’t speed up that healing time, but you can slow it down, by upsetting the knee.

Try to relax. Walking is the best thing for a new knee, though not to excess. It encourages ROM in a gentle way, just using that slight bend when you walk.

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.
 
I am continuing to have stomach issues since the surgery. If this continues I will see my GI doc -OS said to stop pain med and asprin so I’ll see how stomach goes after this . Have. It eaten a healthy meal since this surgery and have lost 10 lbs . Just nauseous and stomach issues ugh !
Did stopping the narcotics and aspirin help your stomach issues? If you did stop were you able to tolerate the pain if you still have knee pain? I’m kind of shocked I haven’t had any tummy issues since the surgery, because for the last 7 months it has been a problem for me. I actually think a lot was due to stress about having the surgery as well as all the covid and all the craziness going on. But that is lessening as I hardly watch the news anymore, the surgery is over, and I’ve had my vaccines:rotfl:
Hi -I think stopping the asprin helped but since seeing the OS last week I’m encountering a new issue . Two days later I ended up with severe groin ,thigh and rt buttocks cramping and pain -pain scale 10 -I went back to OS who took X-rays and said he thought it was coming from discs in my back and possibly gait is different -he referred me to spine doc who said discs look ok but bad arthritis and change in gait . So now I’m on a worth’s weeks of steroids . I am still taking 1/2 of pain pill when I need it because I can’t take Advil with the steroids . I am getting really down over all of this . Friday was 7 weeks and I feel like I’m going backwards . I wish I could feel optimistic but just got done with a pity party. I return to PT tomorrow as OS didn’t want me to go last week and spine doc wants them to work on that part now .I’m praying nothing else goes wrong !
 
Well praying this works and your spine and knee get in proper coordination with each other. Set backs sure can be frustrating.
 
So yesterday I really needed to go grocery shopping. My husband is great but if I ate what he would fix everyday I would be so over weight. I keep us on a fairly low carb diet for the most part to keep things under control. Unfortunately he is not very handy in the kitchen, lol. So I bought mostly frozen easy things for him to cook till I was able. So I guess I should have ordered and had him pick it up but I also wanted to go look at a recumbent bike someone had for sale. I literally walked in the store for probably 30 min. Then went and sat in the pharmacy while he finished checking out. Took a bit as store was really crowded. I really didn’t think that should be too much, I am 4 wks out. I have been on my feet for 30 min many times and did ok. But of course it was too much apparently for this knee. Pain all night, took lots of meds. Icing and elevating today. Leg really swollen. This just seems crazy to me. I’m confused?
 
So do I push as far as I can till there is slight pain? I have a hard time figuring out what’s too much or not enough. It’s all very confusing. Just kind of depressed now!
There is a lot of trial and error. Everyone is a bit different regarding pain. Generally people run into more trouble by trying to exercise their way into what they think will be a "quick recovery." Just listen to the knee. It will tell you when you've done too much. If you do, just scale back a bit the next day. If you feel good, then maybe try a little bit more and see how it goes.
 
@Mar ,
I've moved your post (#49, above) from your pre-op thread and put it in your recovery thread, which is where it belongs..
 
It gets confusing sometimes because I can’t always find the box to write in, sorry.
 
Hope your knee is not acting up as much now. Even at 4 weeks, there is still a lot of swelling from all the construction work they did in that very small area. It doesn't take much to trigger more inflammation. Keep with the mantra - rest, ice, and elevate. If your scar is really healed, at this point in my journey, I was getting some lymphatic massages, where my therapist was working from my feet up to help push (gently) some of the fluids up and through the knee joint so the lymph system could naturally release them. May not work for everyone, but it was very effective for me. Less swelling = less pain = more movement = more ROM. Just a thought.
 
It’s still kind of scabby and very sore so I suppose too early. Is it PT that does that or someone else? It’s still really hurting all I’ve done today is ice and elevate it. Didn’t even do any exercises just a bit of walking. It wasn’t even this swollen after I had the surgery. I guess I’m just really tired of not being able to figure out what’s too much. I think if I look a these 4 walls or the TV anymore I’ll go crazy. Seems if I do anything but the mantra it flares up. This is the worst it’s acted up though so a bit confused. Thought PT was harder on it then just walking too much. So thankful this is my last knee because I
 
Accidentally sent that but basically I don’t think I could do this again.
 
You do sound exasperated Mar and we understand the frustrations, especially after a year of Covid. As many on here will tell you, it takes time and no one recovers the same as someone else. I spent days on my couch with my feet up on the wall! (true story!) reading. I actually had a friend who was a trained masseuse, so no, it was not done in PT. My OS was so impressed with how my swelling decreased, he had his wife, who owed a PT practice, start to introduce it. I actually started about 2 weeks after, at which point Reeca worked around the incision on the sides and back so as not to interfere with the stitches.
 
Well I’ve spent a month now, lol. Just doing the mantra and walking. If I change course it’s too much. If I do PT it’s too much. I’ve only had 4 sessions and I quit going so I’m sure praying this resolves soon. I thought this was going better at first then my first knee but I think by this time I could do more. I just feel really bad for my my husband. I guess this is the depression people talk about. Your right though about Covid. Everyone being at home. Now we have our vaccines and still at home, lol. I should have done this last year :groan:
 
You will see many here did no PT...just ADL...activities of daily living, and healed to live very active lives. I can affirm that each knee recovers at it's own pace. Moreover, you are a couple years older than you were with your first knee (no offense intended :heehee:) and we change dramatically. We'll be here to support you on this journey.
 
So I bought a recumbent bike. I have it set to no resistance. I’m only rocking with it. After my setback my flexion is probably only 75-80, just guessing. Obviously I need to start off slow. How long and often would you suggest I start off with, so I just keep it mobile but no too much stress. When I tried it this morning just rocking just for like 30 seconds there was no pain. I’m not very good at figuring out what is too much so maybe someone that’s had a problem knee and has tried this method could give me some suggestions? Also was it successful in helping progression, or did it make things worse?
 
I used and am still using my recumbent bike!
I was able to go all the way around in the first 2 weeks. The first time was at PT, and there was a pop...scared me, but he said it was scar tissue.
I am 12 weeks post op and I ride daily for 20 min.
Walking is still not great. This is mainly because my R knee needs to be replaced!
Go slowly, listen to your body, and best wishes!
 

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