TKR Maulia's TKR Recovery

[Jockette]

It sounds like you are coming along well. Surprisingly, 9 weeks is early days, in this year long recovery.

 

[EalingGran]

am trying to do something outside my home everyday- weather permitting. Went to movies with hubby Friday. Found not quite ready to do that anytime soon again.

I think getting out of the house is a good plan.
Is there any cinema nearby with foot rest seats? If so it is worth paying a bit extra to elevate the leg.
If there aren't cafes you can walk to- is there a shopping mall to walk around or a gallery you can visit? You want places that are enjoyable but flat and with parking- so you can leave easily if it gets painful.
I found my Fitbit useful for measuring steps and progress. For me walking was the best exercise. I didn't like water exercises as I couldn't judge when I overdid it.
I have only tried a treadmill a couple of times and didn't like it. Walking in the fresh air was my pleasure- but I appreciate that is difficult in some places in the Winter.

 

[Layla]

What other activities do folks do besides cooking, and taking a bath

Walking is a good one. If you're able to get outdoors for some short walks on flat ground, or go to an indoor mall and walk, gradually increasing distance as tolerated. The aqua classes and treadmill sound like good options for you also, or at least on the dates you're unable to comfortably walk outdoors, weather permitting, otherwise walk indoors. It's best to listen to your body and it's alright to be challenged a little by activity, but not pushing through pain. Coffee dates with family or friends, or meals away from home is another way to get out into the world each week.
I hope you enjoy the week!

 

[mendogal]

Walking was my new knees’ favorite activity (and sitting pretty much their least favorite for a good three months each!).
In the winter I basically walked laps within the house (fortunately there’s a long hallway!) or get driven to a very large home improvement store. In better weather, progressively longer walks. I measured walks by time until I was doing 1/2 mile or more nonstop then computed distances by map.

At three months I was doing more household stuff: food prep (alternating sitting on a tallish stool and standing), putting up laundry and folding it (not carrying it around), scooping out the cat litterbox (semi squats) and started doing very short sessions of gardening (10 minutes max to start, with a few short periods of semi squats) - at three months tendons and ligaments are just healed enough to try that.

Let your knees tell you what they are ready for. If we pay attention, their feedback is quite direct and accurate!!!

 

[ouchie!]

Hi @Maulia, I’m at 5 months, almost, and what a difference to 2 months! I’m still aware of my knee, but pain greatly reduced in comparison, I tried driving at 11 weeks and the quad did not like it! Left it another 2 weeks and I was fine, and now I jump into the car and off without a thought. I could never have driven a car comfortably at 6 weeks, but we’re all different. Sitting with the knee bent for more than 10-20 was a no no until 3 months, it just hurt for hours afterwards, but now I can go to dinner, sit as long as I want without a thought. I do stretch my leg across the sofa when watching tv or reading.

Chores I could do was cooking, tidying up, loading and unloading washer, little bit of hoovering. I have cleaners who are a godsend. I did PT with the hospital for about 4 wks until an awful experience at a group session, so I never went back! I just do some out of the book most days, and I do have a day off once a week, and I’m still recovering well, so there! I would say, try not to overdo the PT, doing too much too early often means more swelling and pain. The pain creeps up later not whilst you are doing it. I still have a small numb area on the top and outside of the knee but that is slowly coming back. I still take pain meds as needed (bedtime or before going out) as I have another knee that needs replacing and it is pretty sore. Hope your recovering goes well, and I would say a month at a time is a milestone, rather than daily or weekly.

 

[Maulia]

Thanks so much for the response ouchie!.

 

[beralc]

Hi @Maulia I’m responding here to your post on Andypandy’s thread so it doesn’t take up her thread. It sounds like you got some great advice there from @Andypandy. I think you actually already know what the problem is at present. You’ve described not being able to use the stairs properly for 10yrs!!!
That’s going to require some work and some very gently handling. Just imagine how your body has changed to accommodate this over that time. So don’t worry if things don’t click straightaway. We almost have to learn to walk again correctly.
Doesn’t sound like you’re quite ready for the left/right on the stairs? I really believe after listening to the great advice from the BS team and having some experience now to fall back on myself that less is definitely more when it comes to recovering.
As you mentioned the aggressive PT (presumably because you’d missed out while being unwell) in the beginning may have set you back. I will be 6 wks on Friday and similarly to you because of other health issues I’ve not been to one PT session out of house. I don’t feel I’ve missed out and I’m doing things in my own time and have my own plan of exercise and walking and reviewing. I’m sure it’s helped. Hopefully following advice here from the BS team will help you feel more confident about making choices about your recovery. Best of luck. Keep going we’ll get there.

 

[Maulia]

Thanks beralc. After reading many posts I thought more about my short term and long term goals.

When I went to PT today I asked my therapist about his goals he had for me. I also mentioned I was going to extend my expectations for stairs for many more months (like 5 or 6 out). I realized I was pushing myself to hard since almost constant tendon pain behind my knee for over 1 month. So I let him know I was changing my focus and I feel more empowered. I was able to walk a little over .27 miles in 10 minutes. Felt great but now I will work on amount of time walked not distance in the future. I was going to stop PT next week but I think I will continue PT one more month and go from there - but I won’t push past my exertion point.

I used to equate pain with sharpness/dull aching that doesn’t go away and not extreme exertion where I grunted because of effort. I quess I really have to learn my new body part and its signals. I hurt some now. Kind of sore/achy in my knee but not the pulling/stinging of the hamstring tendons in back. It makes me more positive about moving forward.

At least now I am somewhat looking forward to walking on treadmill at my health club. I’m not much for walking outside because of winter weather (I live in Colorado) and am allergic to grass to it hasn’t really been a pleasure to take a stroll outside. I even take allergy shots for it. So treadmill seems the best for me.

You know I was really surprised about my level of fear about doing things with my new knee. The first time going up/down stairs at the hospital. The first time driving - I did that at 6 weeks post op and moving my leg into car was really, really hard and painful! At least for you in the UK you get in the drivers side from the right so I think it would be easier - or at least I hope so. I was afraid of falling - haven’t fallen yet - don’t intend to but this has also kept me from walking and getting on the treadmill this first time what 1 1/2 weeks ago had my heart racing. Lucky for me it wasn’t as bad as I thought and my pain level for this stuff was nothing to compare to before surgery.

Point here is you don’t know until you try but try really slow and easy. No pain - EVERY gain.

 

[mendogal]

I think it’s normal and natural to experience that fear with first time experiences on the new knee.

On my first TKA I used my shower bench lots longer than with my second. And community walking was very scary. I was sure I would break my implant if I misstepped! (tip: they are meant to be walked on!!!)

It truly is, for probably the first six months, very much trial and error on what is our improved capability vs. what puts us straight into the OverDid It Club (ODIC).

 

[EalingGran]

was going to extend my expectations for stairs for many more months (like 5 or 6 out). I realized I was pushing myself to hard

This sounds good.
I could walk really well early on. I first did 10,000 steps a day at around 6 weeks but I hated standing and I couldn't do stairs normally until at least 6-7 months.
A lot depends on previous damage to structures around the knee. I had a very overstretched MCL from the lateral compartment collapse and twisted valgus leg. This took months of quad strengthening once I was healed enough to do the exercises.

 

[beralc]

@Maulia sounds like you’ve had a shift in your perspective on your recovery and that can only be a positive thing. As others have said I think it’s natural to have that fear of doing things, will the implant work, break or not be strong enough etc.
Recovery is so much more than simply a physical issue. Our mental approach and perspective are so important too.

Hopefully this is a new start for you and one where you feel more in control.

 

[Maulia]

11+ weeks and had a momentary (lasted at least 5 minutes!) breakthrough. I got up from my recliner and walked to my kitchen. After a few steps, I went “Whoa”. Except for a little tightness around knee, I DIDN’T feel any pain.not saying I don’t have some pain now, but it was like there really will be a time when I’m not in pain. It was so unexpected. About 2 hours later I stepped up one of my stairs (only doing one on operated knee) just to see how that might be. All the pain, which was quite a bit was now only located in my knee area and not in my quad. Of course I know I have more work to do only strengthening now but I can see daylight in my future. Just wanted to share. - this totally took me by surprise.

Regarding stairs - I haven’t been focusing on it for the past 2 weeks and will work on strengthening and then try again in two weeks. I am finally learning to slow down and let my healing go as my body dictates.

 

[mendogal]

@Maulia
WONDERFUL!
Doing ANYthing, even for a few steps or a half a minute, without hyperawareness of The Knee is definitely a milestone to note.

I remember very clearly the time, after my second TKR, that I got down on the floor carefully as always, and then two minutes later realized I had stood back up without parsing out each movement or even thinking about it. What a pleasant shock! (and yes it was considerably further along in my recovery.... point being, slowly these little things add up to being recovered).

Re stairs.... Yes it's not uncommon for our knee folks to start obsessing over stairs. Unnecessary stress!

Stairs are incredibly complex maneuvers. The nerves, muscles, brain, inner ear all have to coordinate a ton of sensory and motor info. Our healing muscles and nerves need to relearn good communication in addition to gaining strength. It can't be rushed or worked at.

I'm glad you're letting it go for a while.

 

[Jamie]

This is wonderful to hear!!! We love these milestones and they are a cause to celebrate. All your BoneSmart family understands what a Big Deal something like this is. Congratulations too on relaxing a bit and allowing your body to heal itself. It really doesn’t need a lot of extra help to do this as long as you are getting some motion to your knee throughout each day. The strength stuff comes later.

 

[Layla]

I have more work to do only strengthening now but I can see daylight in my future.

The door's been cracked and you've finally caught a glimpse of the light!
You've pushed through some of the toughest days and facing a future with more strength, mobility...and freedom.
Keep at it, even brighter days ahead!

 

[beralc]

@Maulia that’s great news. It’s such a boost the little wins and moments of success. I managed 6 alternating stairs today ascending (not even trying descent cos I know I’m not ready for that). Really managed so well no pain as such and the knee feels so strong.
It just makes you feel this isn’t forever.

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary, Maulia!
Hope you're having a good week so far. Keep us posted on your progress. We enjoy updates.
Happy Wednesday!
@Maulia