TKR March 9th RTKR

[Jockette]

It’s very easy to be impatient in this recovery. I’ve never had a hip replacement, but through reading these forums, it seems hips can be a bit “easier” to recover from, than a knee.

At 2 weeks post op I hadn’t even gotten to the impatient stage yet, I was still just trying to get through the day, after the onslaught of this surgery. I had a partial, and all the reading I’d done before surgery made partials seem like a piece of cake. Reality was a shock!

 

[danelady]

Hi jtrahan! It IS a pain, isn't it (pun intended)? Waiting for our bones to grow back ever so slowly, waiting to be able to sleep, waiting to stop hurting....waiting to just forget we even did this to ourselves!
After years of suffering on a bad knee, I remember when I finally took the first step and had a Dr look at my knee....a 440 mile round trip because I couldn't get one of the local large animal veterinarians to take a look at me, lol. The new Dr said it looked like a dog had chewed on the end of my bone. I had several great danes at the time that were chewing on everything but I assure you....not one of them got to my knee, lol.
My future ex husband got me a brand new recliner, not for my knee but to keep the dogs off me! I remember taking vicodin and it was wonderful, until 2 weeks later when I found out I had no more refills! ACK!
Now it was bite the bullet time and I found myself barking back at the dogs even louder than they barked at me. But a couple of weeks later I woke up and all pain was gone!
UM, I was a bad girl and didn't do ANY PT, so I paid for that later.
I watched my sister go through 2 TKR. She was sent to a rehab for a week because her husband worked long hours. Then they got some sort of contraption that she placed under her knees that raised her knees up then down for the prescribed amount of time. Yup, she could just lay on the hospital bed they rented, sip on a latte (or a margarita) and do her PT! Her knees are fine...didn't take forever either.
The pain really does pass, your body is like a well oiled machine, just let it do it's thing.
Best of luck, see ya on the other side.

 

[jtrahan]

Thanks danelady. I just hit my third week mark and I feel like I’m not getting very far. I see more flexion and extension with each pt session but the stiffness and intermittent pain is starting to get me down. I started driving on day 16. I know people will probably say I’m crazy for doing that but I don’t have anyone to drive me to pt. Luckily it’s not very far from my house and I have mastered the two foot driving system. Walking is painful at times , especially in the front of the knee under the knee cap. I haven’t taken any pain medication since day four and have only been using Tylenol and ice. I spend the majority of my day sitting on the recliner and I can’t stand it. I keep telling myself to be patient. I had both my hips replaced and they were a piece of cake compared to the knee. It is similar to when I had my acl reconstruction done thirty years ago. Hopefully next week will be better.

 

[sistersinhim]

I know people will probably say I’m crazy for doing that but I don’t have anyone to drive me to pt.

I didn't have anyone take me either. That's why I didn't go and did my own PT. I recovered just fine without formal PT.

 

[jtrahan]

I’m four weeks post op. My swelling has gone down fairly well with the icing and elevating. I go to pt three times a week and for the most part it has been tolerable. I do admit when they stretch my leg it does hurt but I have noticed my range of motion increase. I was just wondering if it is normal to still experience pain in the front of the knee when you start to walk after sitting? I am also one stepping up and down the stairs. I’m hoping it is part of the healing process.

 

[Jockette]

Yes, that’s all part of the process. You can/will have some amount of pain and swelling for months, and both will depend on your activity.

 

[jtrahan]

Thanks.

 

[jtrahan]

Good Afternoon,
I‘m six weeks post op today and I’m wondering if I am where I should be. I still have mild pain and swelling, especially after a lot of walking or pt. My flexion is 115 and my extension is around 0. I’m still one stepping up the stairs and finding it difficult to sleep through the night. I go back to the surgeon on Friday, so I’m a little concerned what he will say. My therapist seems concerned about my extension because I am unable to maintain that degree of extension without stretchiest prior to measuring. I’m just wondering if I should be concerned.

 

[FourCats]

There is no timeline for where you should be. Everyone’s recovery is unique. It sounds like you’re doing really good for six weeks out. I’m at ten weeks and steps are still hard for me as is sleeping through the night. Keep icing and elevating to help with the swelling. I still ice my almost one year old knee if I’ve been on my feet for any length of time. Keep your chin up!

 

[sistersinhim]

I’m just wondering if I should be concerned.

No, everything you are experiencing is normal. Each knee is different and you can not compare your timeline with everyone else's. No two knees going into surgery are the same so no two recoveries are the same. You are worrying way too much. Just enjoy the things that are improving, even if they are small.

 

[Gorhop]

It sounds like you’re doing great I can’t believe all the different things I’m reading here it is really helping me out.I am seven weeks out my extension is where it should be but I am only flexing at 85°. I have a lot of swelling. A lot of it is due to not enough information from my doctor when I left. I have not elevated nor iced as much as I should’ve been doing. I am so full of anxiety and get sick and tired of being sick and tired! I do work My knee, I do exercise at home and I’ll give it everything I have. I think about the manipulation surgery and it makes me very anxious. I question my progress but I have to keep telling myself I am progressing it’s not stuck. And husband is retired and he has been wonderful I go to PT three times a week. I just need confirmation that 85° Is truly still progress at seven weeks!

 

[jtrahan]

I totally agree. I guess I shouldn’t complain because I have been independent since day one. I‘m just really frustrated. The improvements have been so minuscule. Sometimes I feel like I’m going in the wrong direction.

 

[FCBayern]

Unfortunately you will find this is a much longer recovery that THR @jtrahan. Six weeks is still very early in a 12-18 month recovery, and yes, things move forward much slower than we'd like.

Prior to my TKR I was aware of the BoneSmart gentle approach to recovery as opposed to rigorous PT. I was lucky enough to find the site before my TKR. Even though I knew about the BoneSmart approach my OS was all about PT and "whatever ROM you have when your scar turns silver is all the ROM you will ever have." He was the trained surgeon that has done many, many replacements, he must know what he's talking about right? So off I went to my first visit to PT, about 2 weeks out from TKR. The next day when my knee was more swollen and I was in much more pain I opted for a BoneSmart recovery. I never went to another PT session. That was one of the best decisions of my life. Not only did I suffer less pain, but my ROM has continued to improve over two years. It took me a full year to reach 120 degrees of flexion, and I was still 4 degrees from straight. By the end of the second year I was over 140 and past straight. I've been hiking over rough terrain for miles, scuba diving, and just living a happy active pain free life with more ROM than I ever thought I would have again after many painful years. I've now had a hip replacement with equal success following a BoneSmart approach. You don't have to suffer needlessly to have an amazing recovery.

 

[jtrahan]

Thank you for your replies. I have a lot of things going on in my head. I’m a physical education teacher in a pre k to 8 school and I was hoping to get back before the end of the year. I’m starting to realize that I may be looking at September as a more realistic goal. During the last few weeks I have actually thought more about retirement more than ever before. I guess that what makes this recovery so difficult. I spend the majority of the day on my feet chasing little kids around. Now I can’t even walk up the stairs without pain. I will definitely take your advice and focus on the little improvements I see each day or week. I realize this isn’t a sprint, instead I should look at it as a marathon. Sorry, I’m a sports guy and those analogies always pertain to something in life. Thanks again for your replies and listening to me.

 

[Jockette]

It’s really sad that our medical teams don’t give us more realistic expectations for this recovery, it truly is a disservice to us. Even though we all recover at different rates, we should have more information about what to expect, and how many temporary limitations we will have in the early healing weeks.

I would say September would be a good back to work goal for you. This will give you plenty of time for good healing. Granted, September will still be at the halfway healed mark, in this year long recovery, but you’ll be feeling much better by then, especially if you give yourself the time between now and then to heal in a relaxed manner. (Relaxed, as in not pushing through pain to go back to work before your knee is ready to do all your job entails.)

While not back to work this year, why not go to some of the extra events the school has, and see your students and colleagues. That way you might not feel so left out.

Now I can’t even walk up the stairs without pain.

Try to remember this is temporary. Where you are now is not where you will end up.

 

[glidefloss]

I realize this isn’t a sprint, instead I should look at it as a marathon. Sorry, I’m a sports guy and those analogies always pertain to something in life.

Hi @jtrahan , I truly understand how frustrating a long, slow recovery can be. And like you, I decided to view it as a marathon (or even better still, a long ultra marathon) which I split up into many shorter distances which allows me to aim for the next short distance ahead and then on to the next. Slowly, incrementally I'll chip away towards the end goal without really dwelling on the distance remaining to get there. (I actually used to do this on the many ultra and multi day ultra marathons I used to do.)

Another tool I've found very helpful has been keeping a daily log. You can always look at prior entries to gauge where you are now vis-a-vis back then. I found this approach very effective at taking away the guess work so that I never mis-remember that, for example, two weeks ago I was feeling so good and now I'm not. A quick look at the logs might show that, maybe two weeks ago I really was worse off than now.

Hopefully you'll find things that'll help you manage expectations and impatience as you travel down this rehab road.

All the best!!

 

[jtrahan]

Hello,
Does anyone know if the knee replacement parts are designed to go further than 0 degree extension? I noticed on my pt script that it says flexion to 130 and extension 0. I’m just curious because I still get pain when I extend my knee. I’m eight weeks post op and my flexion has improved but I am still unable to lay my leg flat on any surface. When it is suspended it hurts on the outside. My other leg naturally hyperextends but I am unable to straighten the operated one. It’s an issue because I’m still limping. I try to walk properly but after awhile I find myself bending it again which causes pain. Thanks

 

[Claire56]

@jtrahan Extension seems to take the longest. My first knee is straight and maybe able to hyper extend. I don't know when it happened but I suspect it was around 6 months. Knee 2 is still bent, maybe 5 degrees at 4 months.

The pain on straightening the knee is common. Keep doing the leg straightening exercises and the pain will lessen as your knee heals and straightens.

 

[Jockette]

Yes, straightening does take longer for most of us. It will come. Don‘t ever force it, though, or puts weights on your knee, as that will cause pain and swelling, which will be counterproductive.

I’m not sure if the implants are designed to go further than 0, though, like to hyperextend. Do you want it to?

 

[jtrahan]

I just want it to move like my other knee. It’s funny you mention not putting weights on your knee. I was considering hanging some ankle weights from my lower thigh allowing my leg to straighten more. I guess I will reconsider that one. Thank you for the information.