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TKR Michele's RTKR recovery journey

Cheleigh, please don’t feel bad about responding later! I just figure you’re off living your best life with your new knee and that makes me happy! Love hearing how you’re doing though, always :)
 
Hi BoneSmart friends! Just wanted to share that we just returned from a week at the Outer Banks NC. It was wonderful. My knee didn't give me any trouble on the almost 5 hr long drive and I was intentional to go easy in the sand. The house we rented had lots of steps (4 flights) and by mid week I had climbed and descended so many stairs I weaned myself off the side rail. So now I can carry things up and down the steps AND not hold the rail. This is a big deal in this recovery for me. Before my knee got bad I averaged ten flights a day at my house and a bum knee has made it hard to go up and down. Up has been way easier than down. The steps have been tough and still are not normal feeling on the descent. I know with time it will get back to normal. Another biggie was getting in and out of the bathtub. I haven't tried a bath at my house in about a year and it was so nice to figure out a way to do it in the tub on vacation. So I took a soak every night. It was wonderful.

Question- What have your experiences been or what is your advice on kneeling? I'm still afraid to get on my knee. I saw on a Facebook thread this question asked and so many said their OS told them never, to never kneel or put weight on their knee because it wasn't meant to hold that much weight (or something like that). It was pretty discouraging to see so many say that. What do ya'll think?

Ok, just wanted to share. I hope you all are well!
 
@Cheleigh my surgeon said that I can kneel…..I can’t! My first knee is going on five years this summer and I can kneel for less than a minute. My other knee is almost a year old and nope, not happening. Hurts too much! Luckily, kneeling or not being able to, is not a big deal to me.

Marie
 
My PT left me with 3 exercises to do most days after my 3 months ended. One was to get on all fours on a soft surface like a bed and try to sit back on my heels to flex the knee using my own body weight. I have been doing it but can’t lean back much. I can’t imagine kneeling on a hard surface. Will ask my surgeon at the one year visit (in September) about kneeling. I really want to be able to do it!
Good job on stairs! No matter how many times I go up and down (around 10x/day) it is still hard especially going down. I almost always hold on to a railing. So sad bc it was never a problem for me before TKR.
 
Cheleigh said:
what is your advice on kneeling? I'm still afraid to get on my knee. I saw on a Facebook thread this question asked and so many said their OS told them never, to never kneel or put weight on their knee because it wasn't meant to hold that much weight (or something like that). It was pretty discouraging to see so many say that. What do ya'll think?
Click to expand...
I had my pkr in October 22. My surgeon told me I was OK to kneel on my implant from my 6 week check. He said research showed that a lot more people could kneel after knee implants- but most were just frightened to try. He was happy my Oxford fixed lateral would be OK.
I tried it initially on my bed and it felt very weird ( due to the numb patch) and also rather painful. ( this was at about 8 weeks)
I bought some foam kneeler pads ( used for pilates). They are quite thin but supportive.
I really wanted to be able to kneel because I have pretty severe back issues ( lumbar arthritis and spinal stenosis) and although my sciatica improved with having my leg straightened- I still have lower back pain.
I can now kneel on the foam pads for between 5- 10 minutes to do cat stretch exercises and other back work. I can now briefly kneel on that knee alone with my good leg extended and lifted. It doesn't hurt but I am careful and don't push it. I am only using kneeling once a day to work my back. I am going back to group pilates sessions next week but will only stay on my knees so long as it doesn't hurt.
I can bend back into a sort of child's pose but I don't put my weight back on my haunches.
Check with your surgeon maybe?
Then buy some foam pads and try it very gently for short periods?
 
Cheleigh said:
I saw on a Facebook thread this question asked and so many said their OS told them never, to never kneel or put weight on their knee
Click to expand...
I've never heard this. How strange.

My surgeons at Hospital for Special Surgery (I don't usually name drop, but I'm including it here since HSS is considered the experts on joint replacement) told me kneeling is fine.

I kneel every day for yoga practice, but It took quite a while to get comfortable with it. I started using a pillow under my surgical knee, then to a smaller pillow and finally just my yoga mat.

Admittedly the surgical knee doesn't feel the same as my other knee, but I couldn't get down on that knee at all before my TKR, so this is a big win.
 
My OS told me to never kneel, but it might be because I have no kneecaps. I have to do it occasionally and do not like the feeling at all. Mostly, I just bend from the waist.
 
Thank you everyone! I never got any bending warnings from my OS or PT but honestly don't recall asking my original OS (remember he was so horrible and the new one I didn't think to ask about kneeling at my 6 mo check). I need to leave that Facebook group. hahaha!
 
@benne68 Thank you for this information and Cheleigh for the topic. I was wondering about this as well and forgot to ask my OS. I want to start working in the garden and be able to kneel and paint my bathroom. I will start practicing!
 
I read a few studies at one point regarding kneeling after TKR’s and the conclusion was that most people can kneel after TKR if they are taught to do it by a knowledgeable PT. Presumably one can teach themselves as long as they know it’s possible. Sounds like many (like benne68!) have done just that. I wish I could provide a link or title but it was a while ago. I’ve been curious as to how it applies to patellofemoral replacements and others who have had their patellas resurfaced. Personally, I have only knelt on my bed so far. That feels ok but I haven’t tried it on any firmer surface yet. Partly because I don’t think about it. I haven’t been able to kneel in about 20 years so it usually doesn’t occur to me. Cheleigh and Flashlight, I would love to hear how it goes if you start working on kneeling!
 
It seems that some people can kneel and others can’t.

I inadvertently kneeled last week. I was at a friend‘s house for Easter dinner and I dropped my fork. I got up to get it and had trouble reaching it, it was kind of under the chair next to me, and all of a sudden I was squatting more than I wanted to, and then momentum took me down to my knees! :yikes: Thankfully the floor was carpeted. I don’t even know how I managed to get up, but I did. My knee was a bit sore for a couple of days, but I’m not sure if it was the kneeling or the extreme bend, or both!
 
JusticeRider said:
wish I could provide a link or title but it was a while ago. I’ve been curious as to how it applies to patellofemoral replacements and others
Click to expand...
I think this is the review paper you are thinking of:

Kneeling ability after total knee replacement​

Vikki Wylde,1,2 Neil Artz,3 Nick Howells,4 and Ashley W. Blom1,2,4
You can get the full article if you copy that title into Google, from PubMed library.
You are right it suggests that a lot more people can kneel than think they can. But many do find it difficult and painful and it is the poorest rated outcome of knee replacement surgery.
 
@EalingGran yes, I think that was one that I read! I thought it was very interesting because it sounds like the main barrier to kneeling is the discomfort and strange feeling on the implant. But we can (usually) get used to the feeling gradually and eventually learn to feel comfortable kneeling. I keep meaning to actually try it but have put it off so far.
 
The really weird feeling initially was when my knee was still quite numb. At that point when I tried kneeling on my bed it felt as though I was kneeling on nothing! But then it became painful.
Now it actually feels fine so long as I am careful and don't do it for too long.
 
Good morning, BoneSmart friends! Just checking in to say hello! I continue to be so thankful for this forum and the amazing information you all have and the support during knee recovery.

My ROM has improved so much. It's still not exactly like it was before, but I can get up out of low pool deck lounge chairs and was able to put the bike seat on it's lowest level - just about doing almost everything like before now. I still don't have full strength and going down some stairs are scary but doing very well over all.

I hope you all are well and ready to start summer with new knees! haha!

Our summer started off super sour. My husband tore his Achilles tendon 3 weeks ago and he is having surgery Friday. We've basically reversed roles entirely in our household as far as doing heavy things and I'm struggling with that to be honest because I still need to go slow at a lot of things and am still fearful of falling but what do ya do? I wish there were support groups for him like there are for knees. hahah!
 
Cheleigh said:
I still need to go slow at a lot of things and am still fearful of falling but what do ya do?
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear you now have to take over the caring role. Hope your husband improves soon.
I am also scared of falling- as I had a few falls in the years before my surgery.
I am actually probably steadier than I was then as my leg is now straight.
I don't use my stick much but do take it if I am traveling on the train or bus to just give me some reassurance getting off if there is a big gap. I would go slow and consider using a stick if you are in any potentially risky manoeuvres.
I have also started wearing a thin neoprene knee sleeve outside now as it is too hot for tights/ leggings and my legs are uncovered. I don't need it for support but I am worried about grazing my knee and getting an infection if I fell.
 
@Cheleigh Thanks for checking in here! Glad you are doing well. Yes, it's good the be cautious as you gain more mobility.

So sorry your husband had his accident. He is welcome to hang out in our Other Joints forum. There is a foot section. Granted it's not as busy as knees and hips. But we will support him through this if he joins.
 
Hi Cheleigh! :wave:
It is a always a pleasure to read your cheerful updates. I am sorry to read the news about hubby. I've heard that achilles tendon repair can be a long recovery. My brother in-law experienced the same. I hope your husbands surgery and recovery go well and you're able to effortlessly pick up the slack around the home.
Thanks for your kind words in regard to the forum. Much appreciated!
It's great to read your recovery is going well. I wish you a happy Summer 2023!
@Cheleigh
 
Hi Bonesmart friends!! Okeee ROM question. I did a floor workout this morning and was surprised by some things. Have you found that some positions you have better ROM than others? For example, 1.) I can stand with my back to a counter and put the top of my foot back up on the counter and dip down and I have great ROM to stretch my quad, but I can't do it if I don't have the counter to put my foot on (I hope ya'll can visulize what I'm saying). If I stand and just try to grab my foot and bend I can't without pain in my knee. 2.) If I lay on my side and bend my knee back behind me I can grab my foot and bend my left knee back to my butt, but my right new new - I can't even grab my shoe and the bend isn't good at all. 2.) However, I can lay on my belly and reach back and grab my shoe to bend my knee and almost bend back to my butt to get a good quad stretch and have great ROM in this position too. Also, I can't entirely sit cross legged because of ROM. I can, but it's not as good as before. Do ya'll think I have scar tissue at this point that's preventing better ROM or do you think I still need more time? It will be a year 8/31.
 
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