Bilateral TKR Marcy's bilateral TKR

[kneeper]

A full rotation on the bike is a major milestone! Just take it slowly but surely.

 

[MCS1267]

Quick question, so, I will be three weeks out of surgery this coming Tuesday. I am noticing something that feels like a slight clicking on the interior sides of my knees. Has anyone else felt or dealt with anything like this? Nothing hurts in association with this slight feeling of clicking, just wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with this?

 

[KarriB]

Noise are common. Some go away, some stay. Celle has one noisy knee and one quiet knee!

 

[Celle]

KarriB is correct. My 5-year-old knee still makes noises, while my 2-year-old knee never has done. Since it doesn't hurt, I ignore it.

The noise happens because you now have hard metal and plastic moving over each other, instead of the relatively softer bone and cartilage.
Clicking/clunking knee joint after surgery

 

[MCS1267]

Checking in...

Hello everyone...

I'm now 3.5 weeks out of surgery. I'm walking in my house without crutches (use them always when I'm iutsude of house going to the few places I actually go to!).

Had PT yesterday...my range of motion is now 102 and 104 and I'm at zero in one leg and at 2 in the other. So that's all fine. My exercises/stretches are going fine. I can do my PT exercises without struggle.

Question...whether it's a pt day or not, my tightness around my knees (all the way around) is still pretty extreme. I loosen it up by stretching and getting on my recumbent bike, but it stiffens up pretty quickly again once I'm up and around or sitting for a while...anyone know how long this tightness is present? My steri strips are still in place and starting to lift up. I know I'm still early in my recovery...but, the tightness makes me crazy!!! I ice/elevste, but my knees aren't crazy swollen. I know there is a lot of stuff going on inside concerning healing...the stiffness is hard to take. It will get better, right!???

Hope you all are having a good and comfortable day.

 

[Want2hike]

Question...whether it's a pt day or not, my tightness around my knees (all the way around) is still pretty extreme. I loosen it up by stretching and getting on my recumbent bike, but it stiffens up pretty quickly again once I'm up and around or sitting for a while...anyone know how long this tightness is present?

I think that varies for everyone. By week 6 that tightness was mostly gone in my right knee, but persisted until week 12 in my left. At 5 months, I still get it in both for a few moments when I first get up in the morning or after sitting for a long time, but it goes away after a few steps of walking.

 

[KarriB]

At 3.5 weeks that tightness is probably due to swelling. Many knees tend to swell whenever they aren't elevated, especially in the first month. Have you tried elevating toes above nose? Usually I just elevated at hip level, but if the tightnesss/swelling really got bad I went toes above nose with ice until I felt it dissipate.

 

[MCS1267]

Will continue elevating/icing.

Thank you.

 

[DebM]

I am 7 weeks out and still get that tightness when i have been up and about and when I first get up after sitting. I ice and elevate when i am sitting But it makes no real difference. I figure it is just part of the process and will improve with time (as it has slowly improved already)

 

[KarriB]

At 2.5 months after TKR surgery I went to the theater. Wicked tickets has been a Christmas gift because we all thought I'd be nearly recovered at that point and I wasn't missing the show. After the drive into town, dinner (where I could not prop my leg up and over 2 hours of Wicked, my leg was so swollen I had to peel my trousers off like a banana! I laid flat on my sofa with my legs up on the sofa arms, ice atop my knee at midnight. My leg was super swollen.

Another type of tightness can come along later which may be what @DebM is experiencing.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/tight-band-feeling-across-the-front-of-my-knee.11734/

 

[MCS1267]

Been a busy girl (well, not really, ha!...just doing...)

I am about 4 1/2 weeks out of surgery now. Other than stiffness and tightness around my knees, I am feeling quite well. I am currently off Coumadin, still wearing Ted stockings until told otherwise. I have been off of all pain medications for about a week now. ROM is coming along. 108 and 112. Straight leg is 0 and 2. Love stretching out the stiffness...can't wait for the stiffness to start to subside. My sleep us still compromised. Last night I got on my stomach ( which is my preferred position to sleep) and slept much better. Not solid, but slept about 6 hours. I'm so tired...my sleep has been about 3 hours a night since surgery...just can't get comfy in my back and pillows between my knees while sleeping on side just makes me feel crazy. So, I will try my stomach again tonight and see if I can get it to work out.

My knees click when I walk. I've read this is 'normal'. I can't wait for my 6 week f/up to hear from surgeon office all is ok. My PT and I have discussed, and she thinks everything seems quite normal. She tells me I am doing great and says I'm beyond where she'd expect me to be...happy! Still have slight post surgery discomfort...but nothing crazy in terms of pain. Feeling grateful.

Hope you are all feeling well. One day at a time!!!

 

[KarriB]

Sounds like you are moving through recovery nicely! Great report!

 

[kneeper]

6 hours of sleep at one go is pretty good at your stage. Are you still taking pain meds? I found that they helped for that achy stiffness.

 

[MCS1267]

5 weeks since surgery...

Haven't taken pain meds in over a week (9 days). Taking Tylenol and Celebrex as my anti-inflammatory. I am not experiencing what I would call pain, the stiffness is not painful, I can actually stretch through it pretty comfortably. I just wish it would start to calm down.

I go to outpatient physical therapy twice a week. I am able to work with the physical therapist on strengthening exercises at this point comfortably and she is showing me lots of things to engage my core while working on different exercises. It is not easy, but not painful. Also working on balance, I had both of my knees done and I am walking independently without crutches in my house. She is having me do all sorts of obstacle courses and things to help get my head and body connected again.

Started taking melatonin last night for sleep. That is the only major complaint I have now is my sleep. I can't sleep for more than a few hours at a time but then I get interrupted by needing to reposition myself.

I ice a few times a day...do exercises a couple of times a day and rest.

Seeing my surgeon next Tuesday.

 

[MCS1267]

My knee bend is up to 122 (r) and 124 (l). Both legs are at zero at full extension. PT is going well...practiced stairs today without crutches and was able to go up the stairs one put over the other. It felt so amazing. Coming down, we will start practicing that next time. but I can go downstairs without crutches.

Tired...icing/nap time.

 

[Celle]

You're doing very well.
Do be careful, though, that you don't expect too much of your wonderful knees. You are still very early in this year-long recovery and just because you can do something doesn't always mean that you should.
For example, doing the stairs one foot at a time. Going up the stairs is easier, but it's quite normal for it to take 3 or 4 months before your knees are ready to do the same thing going down the stairs.

Go easy on the strengthening exercises, too. Some of them are best left until you are about 3+ months out of surgery.

 

[MCS1267]

Thank you, Celle. Appreciate your kind feedback.

 

[MCS1267]

 

[MCS1267]

The above post is from today (6 weeks out from surgery)...my sexy new knees! Cleared to drive. Have been off of pain meds for 2 weeks...working on deciding when to go back to work. Thinking 4-5 more weeks. I work in a school in the admin office...(I'm the admin asst for an elementary school)...

Will continue PT outpatient...have 125 bend in each knee...wishing I could sleep better, but in due time. Off all meds now...can take Tylenol/Advil for discomfort as needed going forward.

So relieved to know all is good with my new knees.

 

[KarriB]

With a ROM of 125 why are you continuing with PT? They could possibly help with any gait issues you have, but if you are paying or only get a certain amount I'd save the PT sessions. You never know when you'll need them.