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Revised PKR to TKR Makoplasty: ongoing pain<

Unfortunately finding another surgeon is close to impossible that deals with makoplasty in my area. Is this uncommon 4 months post op to still be having this much pain? I am in more pain now then before I had it done. Just looking for hope here. I am calling today to go in and talk to the surgeon about it.
 
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So can you now tell me what exercises you were doing? The type, how many reps and how many times per day? Both at home and at PT
 
Josephine said:
So can you now tell me what exercises you were doing? The type, how many reps and how many times per day? Both at home and at PT
Click to expand...

I posted it yesterday...it was on page one...not sure if I posted it right but here it is again.
Pt consist of me riding bike for 10 minutes, 20 clams, heal lifts, leg lifts with 2 pound weights on ankles, marching, going up and down a step...all of this is about 20 times a piece...putting a ball between my knees while laying on my back and lifting my pelvis, she also has me lie on my stomach and bends my legs up towards my butt one at a time. (That is terribly painful) I would describe the pain I have on a daily basis like a toothache in my knees...I am just spent from all this...I had a failed bilateral Arthroscopy done to go in and clean up my knees in December 2015...it failed..made my knees worse. Then I opted for the PKR. She also puts me on some kind of machine where I lay on my back and push with my feet a platform that has a set tension...20 of those also. I am not doing any exercises at home as just moving around in the house wears me slick. Pt is twice a week. I want to mention also...there is a fat type pad for lack of a better term on the lower part of my kneecaps towards the outside of my leg. It seems swollen or filled with fluid?
 
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Didn't see it, sorry

My comments in bold
Pt
riding bike for 10 minutes - okay
20 clams - never do clamshells, worst thing possible
heel lifts - heel lifts are also far too punishing
leg lifts with 2 pound weights on ankles - you should never, ever use weights
marching - no marching
going up and down a step 20 times a piece - steps okay but just 5 at the most
putting a ball between my knees while laying on my back and lifting my pelvis - very punishing, not recommended
lie on my stomach and bends my legs up towards my butt one at a time - also very punishing
push with my feet a platform 20 - if you mean a machine like this, it's a knee press and you should never use one of those in the first 12-18 months after surgery

[Bonesmart.org] Makoplasty: ongoing pain<


I suggest you stop doing all exercising and allow your legs to rest. I know you're 19 weeks out but if you've been doing all this since the early days, I'm not in the least surprised you are having pain.
 
OOOmgosh I thought it was a bit much but had no idea I was possibly delaying my healing and causing pain. I so appreciate your response and I also have an appt with the surgeon just to be checked out on this Friday I will update afterwards
 
Per the surgeon. I'm rushing it. Doing too much. No more aggressive PT. Wants me using heat, tylenol, diclofenic topical gel. Told to quit pushing it or it would not heal and could fail. So I guess he told me. I am stopping all PT.
 
PkrJune15 said:
Per the surgeon. I'm rushing it. Doing too much. No more aggressive PT. Wants me using heat, tylenol, diclofenic topical gel. Told to quit pushing it or it would not heal and could fail. So I guess he told me. I am stopping all PT.
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A TKR recovery forces us to re-assess what we have been taught---"hard work will bring success."

A TKR (or, in this case, a PKR) recovery is not about attacking your knee with PT or working harder---it is all about allowing the surgical knee to dictate the schedule and taking it easy and gently. The harder one works during this type of recovery, the slower and more painful (not to mention more frustrating) the recovery will be.

It is almost a vicious cycle---we work hard and do not get the results that we want, so we work even harder.

It is contrary to everything that we have been taught, but "less is more" in a TKR or a PKR recovery. It is not "No pain, no gain"< but rather, "no pain, more gain" that really brings the recovery to a forward movement.
 
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I sure wish I would have know this before I attacked PT like a taco on Tuesday. Praying for healing now. It's all I can do at this point. What is done is done.
 
PkrJune15 said:
Praying for healing now. It's all I can do at this point. What is done is done.
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Do not worry---rest, ice, and elevate---and repeat. Things will calm down and your recovery will move forward. You can ice for long periods of time if you put a towel between your ice and your skin. I would ice for hours after my BTKR.

Take your pain meds on the clock and let the surgical knee relax and get over the "angry knee phase." Once it calms down, simply take things slowly, gently, and carefully.

Everything will be fine.
 
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Relax this weekend---do nothing but ice, elevate, and rest---here is the correct way to elevate. Get your ice on it and let the knee calm down. Take the pain meds on time.

[Bonesmart.org] Makoplasty: ongoing pain<
 
referee54 said:
Relax this weekend---do nothing but ice, elevate, and rest---here is the correct way to elevate:
[Bonesmart.org] Makoplasty: ongoing pain<
Get your ice on it and let the knee calm down. Take the pain meds on time.
Click to expand...

I will do.....I am only taking tylenol at this point but staying on it. He also prescribed a topical Diclofenac gel to use that actually seems to be helping a bit.
 
Just to add something to the excellent advice you have already had: it took four months to get your knees to the painful condition they are in now. It could take a while for them to settle down again.
Don't expect instant results from resting, icing and elevating. This could take a matter of weeks, not days. Your patience will be tested, so, if you can, find a hobby that you can do quietly, while you are resting.
 
I know I've felt that I goofed on my recovery also, but as I started to live more by doing less, equal more in good results I've seen improvements.
So many of us have really had some bad results and setbacks for a time after trying to follow p/t directions on pushing for increasing the ROM, think if you follow this you will begin to feel better but like the others said it may take some time. ( also after I gave up the pain medication I wasn't able to take advil because of being on warfarin, I found for this recovery tylenol works nicely, even now when I could take advil, I see better results with the tylenol.)
 
The hardest part of this for me is of course the pain in both knees but a close second is the isolation, loneliness and endless tv watching for the last 4 months I live alone and it's depressing to me not to be able to get out and socialize with friends. I sure hope it eases up soon. Ice only..Promise
 
I'm sorry you're feeling lonely. Can you talk to your friends on the phone, or Skype? Perhaps they would be willing to come in turns to visit you?

There's always someone here to talk to, as well. :friends:
 
I agree with Celle, friends coming to visit helped me (I live alone also) and I would visit close friends as well to watch a movie or dinner. I was careful to elevate and ice while visiting.

The isolation was very difficult for me as well, even with friends visiting, I felt everyone was experiencing life except me. But a few months later I began working again and enjoying life.

Are you back to work yet or still off?
 
I am still off work. I appreciate all the suggestions. Just seems like people get tired of dealing with me since this has went on so long. I try to stay in contact with everyone online. I sure think they should be more forthcoming and educating with people who are having this done. I had no idea there was meal train sites that could help with meals. That would have been awesome to have
 
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