TKR Marguette’s Full Recovery
- Thread starter Marguette
- Start date
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
A pug is the perfect dog for post-TKR walking. They're not known for being rambunctious on the leash. 
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Here y'go then!
It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....
1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).
2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?
3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?
![[Bonesmart.org] Marguette’s Full Recovery](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/ai63-tinypic-com_eta39s-jpg.66871/ "[Bonesmart.org] Marguette’s Full Recovery")
4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)
5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?
6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?
7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and
8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)
Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....
1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).
2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?
3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?
4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)
5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?
6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?
7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and
8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)
Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
OP
OP
Marguette
senior
1. Pain level:
Stiffness 1- 3 during the day: 3 - 4 at night
At rest, 0 - 2 aches/pain/stiffness
When active pain 1- 4
2. Hydromorphone 3- 4 mg not taken since April 8 due to complications.
Tylenol 500 mg - 1000 four times a day
Taking 1000 mg at bed time
Taking 500 mg one or two times a day as needed.
3. Swelling Moderate most of the time.
4. ROM was 106/0 At 5 weeks - 95/ 3 at 6 weeks. Flex 100 one week ago, ext not measured
5 icing 2 times a day 20 mi, icing at bed time 30-40 min.
6 elevating when ever icing. When ever sitting if possible
7. ADL: Shower, make my own meals, laundry 1 load once a week, general chores once a week. Shopping once a week 1/2 hour.
Exercise done at home:
Walk around the block, 5 min/400 steps once or twice a day.
Pool exercise 4 times a week
Walk heal to toe 1- 2 min
Walk sideways 1- 2 min
March with high knee bend 20 reps
Squats 5 reps
Lunge 5- 10 reps
Alternating leg stretch 5-10 reps
Back float flutter kick 1 - 2 min
Balance on one foot 1 - 2 min
PT - hydrotherapy once a week ended last week - same exercises as those in the pool listed above.
cycle: could not complete a rotation. Not forced.
PT - first 7 weeks were hospital based twice a week, same exercise at home...
12 exercises 20 reps three times a day.
I was doing 10 - 20 reps at home once or twice a day.
Stopped when I discovered Bonesmart at seven weeks post-op.
I think that covers it.
Marguette
Stiffness 1- 3 during the day: 3 - 4 at night
At rest, 0 - 2 aches/pain/stiffness
When active pain 1- 4
2. Hydromorphone 3- 4 mg not taken since April 8 due to complications.
Tylenol 500 mg - 1000 four times a day
Taking 1000 mg at bed time
Taking 500 mg one or two times a day as needed.
3. Swelling Moderate most of the time.
4. ROM was 106/0 At 5 weeks - 95/ 3 at 6 weeks. Flex 100 one week ago, ext not measured
5 icing 2 times a day 20 mi, icing at bed time 30-40 min.
6 elevating when ever icing. When ever sitting if possible
7. ADL: Shower, make my own meals, laundry 1 load once a week, general chores once a week. Shopping once a week 1/2 hour.
Exercise done at home:
Walk around the block, 5 min/400 steps once or twice a day.
Pool exercise 4 times a week
Walk heal to toe 1- 2 min
Walk sideways 1- 2 min
March with high knee bend 20 reps
Squats 5 reps
Lunge 5- 10 reps
Alternating leg stretch 5-10 reps
Back float flutter kick 1 - 2 min
Balance on one foot 1 - 2 min
PT - hydrotherapy once a week ended last week - same exercises as those in the pool listed above.
cycle: could not complete a rotation. Not forced.
PT - first 7 weeks were hospital based twice a week, same exercise at home...
12 exercises 20 reps three times a day.
I was doing 10 - 20 reps at home once or twice a day.
Stopped when I discovered Bonesmart at seven weeks post-op.
I think that covers it.
Marguette
OP
OP
Marguette
senior
HI Josephine
A couple of clarifications...
Home exercise... walk around the block or go to the pool, not both and neither if the knee is angry.
Also, ADL.. just returned to work this past week. Mostly sitting, talking to clients on the phone and working from home.
A couple of clarifications...
Home exercise... walk around the block or go to the pool, not both and neither if the knee is angry.
Also, ADL.. just returned to work this past week. Mostly sitting, talking to clients on the phone and working from home.
OP
OP
Marguette
senior
So after weeks of searching for a stationary bike, I found one that I thought was perfect. Got it home and stared reading the manual to find out A. It did not peddle backward and b. People with orthopedic prosthetics should not use it. Needless to say, it was promptly returned. What a disappointment! Where to go now? Any recommendations?
Last edited:
What a disappointment!And hassle returning it.
I live in a 55+ community that has a Clubhouse with an exercise room. There are 3 exercise bikes there but not one that can be set to no resistance.
It’s really ok if you don’t use one. You will improve without it.
I live in a 55+ community that has a Clubhouse with an exercise room. There are 3 exercise bikes there but not one that can be set to no resistance.
It’s really ok if you don’t use one. You will improve without it.
What kind of prosthesis is that? Most gym type stationary bike can’t be pedaled backward. When I went to,the gym there would be sign on all stationary bikes no pedaling backwards.
Walking is a great form of exercise! Cheap, and easily available!
Walking is a great form of exercise! Cheap, and easily available!
mom2fencers
member
- Joined
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My stationary bike here at home is a Spinner Startrac PRO. It pedals backward and forward. I’ve used it with both knee replacements.
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
How strange - I had a cheap bike that my nephew gave me before I had my first knee done. It went forward and backwards with no trouble at all! I also cannot conceive why the manufacturer would say not to be used with implants! That's just daft!
But, from what I've read here on BoneSmart, almost everyone who uses a bike at PT reports that they were able to do a backwards rotation (pedal backwards) before they could pedal forwards.
So maybe your gym was the exception, Mutti?
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Best set of answers construction-wise I've ever had! Thank you!
That's actually quite high for 14 weeks.
Given your high pain scores, I would suggest you approach your GP to see if s/he will prescribe you some Tramadol. It could be that 50mgs twice or three times a day would be very helpful to you.
I trust you factored this into you your overall pain score?
Not bad. Not excellent but not bad either!
You accomplish little or nothing in 20-30 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
But are you elevating properly? Read this Elevation: the do's and dont's
Okay. But do note this Pain: Movie sign in TKR
Very good!
I don't think you should be doing any of those at this late stage. They're probably what's causing the pain and swelling and holding back your ROM. At 14 weeks, you shouldn't need to do any exercising at all.
Woo hoo! Then daylight dawned!
OP
OP
Marguette
senior
Same thing at my local gym. I called the manufacture and checked on another model... Same idea but recumbent vs upright. It has no such warning and it's basically the same bike. I did read in knee guru that recumbants are preferred for arthritic knees or for rehab.
OP
OP
Marguette
senior
Josephine, thank you for your feedback. Based on your answers, I think I probably don't need Tramadol as I feel Tylenol is working well enough. What I probably should do is ease off the exercise for a while and that will reduce the pain considerably. I noticed that on days that I don't do pool exercise, I have less pain.
Pain is very localised (knee cap) and only when exerting (standing too long, getting up the wrong way, going down stairs, etc.). Also, I'm still unable to get in/out of the tub and the pool is my way of coping with that.
I'm almost in tears at the thought of giving that up. So maybe I don't have to give it up but not use it for structure exercise, and maybe 2- 3 times a week instead of 4 or more. I think I will hold off to the fall to get that stationary bike.
Pain is very localised (knee cap) and only when exerting (standing too long, getting up the wrong way, going down stairs, etc.). Also, I'm still unable to get in/out of the tub and the pool is my way of coping with that.
I'm almost in tears at the thought of giving that up. So maybe I don't have to give it up but not use it for structure exercise, and maybe 2- 3 times a week instead of 4 or more. I think I will hold off to the fall to get that stationary bike.
