A friend had a BTKR August of 2015. He was doing deep water running with me before his surgery and came back to the pool about 3 months post operative. He has remarked that this has been and still is a good exercise that you can make as strenuous as you want. Joan Benoit used deep water training for this: "In March 1984, Benoit injured her knee severely during a 20-mile training run, forcing her to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery just 17 days before the United States Olympic Women's Marathon Trials were scheduled. However, she recovered from the surgery much quicker than expected, and showed up at the trials as the woman to beat. She beat runner-up Julie Brown by 30 seconds, winning in 2:31:04. Three months later, she competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and won the first Olympic Women's Marathon in 2:24:52, several hundred meters ahead of Grete Waitz, Rosa Mota, and Ingrid Kristiansen, all considered legends in their own rights.[5]" (from Wiki)
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Exercising in a pool is good therapy, as long as you don't start it too early and as long as you don't do too much. It's very easy to overdo things when in the water, because the water bears much of your weight and you don't realise how tired you are until you get back on land.
lmb
junior member
Ankle pumps, leg lifts, walking, you will find plenty of ways to keep the blood moving. Wow I could not got through this with out narcotics. The post op pain is the worst I have ever felt. The therapy is painful. I agree about getting a ice therapy machine it comes with a knee pad. Its a pain saver for sure. The first 2 weeks are the hardest.
The therapy should never be painful. If it goes beyond discomfort into pain, say "STOP!"
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
[URL='http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/bonesmart-philosophy-for-post-op-therapy.37103/']BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy[/URL]
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mg5457
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Question about pre TKR ROM. My left was at 7 degree extension due to major spur. That was 2 months ago during OS appointment. My OS told be to keep cycling and stay as active as possible.
I have read that what you go in with you come out with. As such I have been doing the post op exercises to help improve extension. By my cabinet makers protractor I have been able to get to a consistent 5 degrees. I have not forced it, just sit in chair with heel on another chair and relax as much as possible. No pain just feeling of pressure. I do this 4-5 times / day for 10 min. each time.
I start pre op PT on Wednesday to develop muscle memory.
Question is can full extension be regained after TKR over time and with patience?
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
I have read that what you go in with you come out with. As such I have been doing the post op exercises to help improve extension. By my cabinet makers protractor I have been able to get to a consistent 5 degrees. I have not forced it, just sit in chair with heel on another chair and relax as much as possible. No pain just feeling of pressure. I do this 4-5 times / day for 10 min. each time.
I start pre op PT on Wednesday to develop muscle memory.
Question is can full extension be regained after TKR over time and with patience?
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
No. Not always true. There's every chance that you will improve on your pre-op ROM (Range of Motion).
Yes, it can - the operative words are "over time". If your knee is slightly bent for a long time before surgery, the tendons and muscles at the back of your leg will have shortened a bit. It takes time, gentle treatment and lots of patience for them to lengthen again, but it is possible.
zzevi
graduate
I've always used Advil for pain, but was unable to after surgery because of bleeding and clotting risk, was on warfarin so Advil or any generic form was out of question.
I did rely on my pain meds much of the first month, but started asap on Extra strength tylenol. I am still using that on a daily basis and find the most success with it.
Wish you well, you seem very determined to get thru this w/o Rx pain meds.
I did rely on my pain meds much of the first month, but started asap on Extra strength tylenol. I am still using that on a daily basis and find the most success with it.
Wish you well, you seem very determined to get thru this w/o Rx pain meds.
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It's definitely not true that what you go into your surgery is what you aill come out with. Prior to my revision I could only flex my knee to about 95 degrees. I eventually wound out at 130! I didn't even work hard at it at all either! My extension has been limited for many years so I'm still slowly getting better there. I concentrate on long full strides. I can do anything I want to do with that knee now.
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mg5457
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Has anyone else experienced the "Hot Poker" in their knees before replacement?
I have 10 - 20 minute episodes that feel like a hot poker is driven into my knees.
I have tracked them and can't seem to identify any specific motion to set them afire. The only thing I have found is they occur when I get less than 100 miles a week on my bike.
My OS told me to ride as much as I want pre surgery.
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
I have 10 - 20 minute episodes that feel like a hot poker is driven into my knees.
I have tracked them and can't seem to identify any specific motion to set them afire. The only thing I have found is they occur when I get less than 100 miles a week on my bike.
My OS told me to ride as much as I want pre surgery.
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
mbrown
senior
@mg5457 good luck with your upcoming surgeries. I'm currently 7 days in so hopefully I will be able to give you some guidance based on my experiences. I think we have quite a bit in common from activity level, etc.
On the ROM, I had the same concerns. Although my joint was trashed I still had good ROM so one of my major concerns was that I would lose some ROM that I currently had. I became comfortable that worst case scenario was that I would at least get back what I had (with time, patience and some discipline of course) but that there is a very real possibility that I could get more than what I had.
Look forward to following your progress........
Right Knee Arthroscopic Meniscectomy 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
On the ROM, I had the same concerns. Although my joint was trashed I still had good ROM so one of my major concerns was that I would lose some ROM that I currently had. I became comfortable that worst case scenario was that I would at least get back what I had (with time, patience and some discipline of course) but that there is a very real possibility that I could get more than what I had.
Look forward to following your progress........
Right Knee Arthroscopic Meniscectomy 27 December 2016
Right TKR 27 December 2016
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mg5457
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So I had couple of happenings today. Had a scheduled preop PT to begin mind and nerve system training. I appreciated my PT's repeated advise, "Don't Make It Angry" plus his honest straight forward approach. Explained very clearly that I will be relearning / teaching the muscles how to move again. He also explained that progress is measured by the jagged line moving up. Highs n lows. Then again "Don't Make it Angry".
Just before PT appointment my OS called re my preop labs yesterday. I have low CBC and asked if have a problem with general anesthesia asked me to stop herbs for pain control as of today minus endorphins from exercise. I guess I am going to get the beginning training for mental pain control as I have utilized anti inflammatory herbs for about a year. They all tend to thin the blood.
@ mbrown - How are you doing 9?? days on the other side?
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
Just before PT appointment my OS called re my preop labs yesterday. I have low CBC and asked if have a problem with general anesthesia asked me to stop herbs for pain control as of today minus endorphins from exercise. I guess I am going to get the beginning training for mental pain control as I have utilized anti inflammatory herbs for about a year. They all tend to thin the blood.
@ mbrown - How are you doing 9?? days on the other side?
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
mbrown
senior
@mg5457 overall I think I'm doing pretty well. Might be easier to check my thread in the recovery forum. I'm kind of using that as a log to myself for the future
ROM is right at 90 but I'm actually getting around worse and have a little more swelling than I had a few days ago. I've learned that this recovery is all about ups and downs. I've had so many and it's only been 8 full days now. Mid day today I probably hit the low of my recovery and right now I'm probably at or near a high of my recovery
ROM is right at 90 but I'm actually getting around worse and have a little more swelling than I had a few days ago. I've learned that this recovery is all about ups and downs. I've had so many and it's only been 8 full days now. Mid day today I probably hit the low of my recovery and right now I'm probably at or near a high of my recovery
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mg5457
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@ wilsonma- Bet it felt good to get back into the endorphins. I'm still trying to get my head around going without the dorphs for an extended period. Will probably get my last good workout tomorrow. It's been my best pain killer for several years.
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
01/24/17 LTKR, then RTKR
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