TKR Montecresto’s Recovery

[benne68]

Please be careful not to overdo it now, @Montecresto. The steroids may well have been masking pain so you may now find yourself unable to do as much without hurting yourself. Listen to your body.

 

[Montecresto]

Please be careful not to overdo it now, @Montecresto. The steroids may well have been masking pain so you may now find yourself unable to do as much without hurting yourself. Listen to your body.

Yes ma’am, good point, thank you!!!

 

[Montecresto]

Please be careful not to overdo it now, @Montecresto. The steroids may well have been masking pain so you may now find yourself unable to do as much without hurting yourself. Listen to your body.

Btw, the gait instructions you provided me are still giving me benefit. I consciously step it out properly when I’m in longer walks. It feels real good to do so. Thanks again for sharing….

 

[Montecresto]

Tomorrow I see the doctor again so at PT today they will be taking measurements and preparing another progress report for him. I’ve asked the PT to include notes for the doctor concerning the problems I’m having in a couple areas and the two various stretching exercises that I’m not able to do, or at least am doing poorly on. It’s not what he normally sees with patients and finds it perplexing, and it’s really frustrating me…..Perhaps the surgeon can have a better understanding and come up with a solution for me…

 

[Layla]

.Perhaps the surgeon can have a better understanding and come up with a solution for me…

Perhaps he'll say - No worries, you're only six weeks post op and your traumatized leg is still healing.

Recovery can take a full year and even longer for some. Many notice improvement in the second and even third year post op. You're making strides so please be gentle on yourself.
Enjoy the rest of the week and good luck with your appointment tomorrow!

 

[Montecresto]

.Perhaps the surgeon can have a better understanding and come up with a solution for me…

Perhaps he'll say - No worries, you're only six weeks post op and your traumatized leg is still healing.

Recovery can take a full year and even longer for some. Many notice improvement in the second and even third year post op. You're making strides so please be gentle on yourself.
Enjoy the rest of the week and good luck with your appointment tomorrow!

Layla, it would be very cool if Martin says that. Discussing the problem with my PT however about 25 years of lower back/disc problems, which caused all these years of sciatica and muscle atrophy in my thigh and calf is what he believes is preventing me from doing the extension stretches and getting my leg straight. Apparently, and in his opinion my quads lack the strength to do so. And so I’ve been reading about this and it’s a problem that should have been treated long ago…muscle atrophy caused from lack of exercise is reparable but not so easily when caused by nerve damage…

As I’ve mentioned many times before in this thread, my entire career has been in construction. Heavy lifting, climbing ladders with loads. Pick, shovel, hoe, sledge hammer. I spent 4 months remodeling one of our billing offices prior to this surgery and barely finished it in time for the staff to move back in and me to go have my knee chopped off. That 4 months was spent in pain and suffering, due to my lower back, swollen/bulging discs and of course my bone on bone knee. May as well get it all out while I’m at it. I’ve also had cervical fusion in my neck, with a titanium metal plate that requires me to get steroid injections every couple of years or suffer insatiable itching and tingling down my right arm…..

So I’m not sure what the surgeon will say. But hopefully what you predicted….

 

[Montecresto]

Todays ROM measurements were 121* flexion which I’m really really happy about. But extension a dismal -7 and really really frustrating me……

 

[benne68]

Hi @Montecresto. That's pretty common; for most of us, flexion comes back sooner than extension. But your ROM of 7 to 121 is really good for just six weeks post-op.

You are still early days in this year long recovery and your leg is still healing from the trauma of surgery. This chart is really helpful in understanding why it takes so long:

I know you are impatient to regain full extension, but please remember that ROM comes with time, not exercise!

 

[FCBayern]

Todays ROM measurements were 121* flexion which I’m really really happy about. But extension a dismal -7 and really really frustrating me……

Hang in there @Montecresto, extension definitely takes longer that flexion. In my own case I was still 4 degrees from zero extension at the one year mark, but during the course of my second year of recovery my extension slightly exceeded zero. Extending the length of my stride when walking helped me stretch it slowly over time without pain.

 

[Montecresto]

Todays ROM measurements were 121* flexion which I’m really really happy about. But extension a dismal -7 and really really frustrating me……

Hang in there @Montecresto, extension definitely takes longer that flexion. In my own case I was still 4 degrees from zero extension at the one year mark, but during the course of my second year of recovery my extension slightly exceeded zero. Extending the length of my stride when walking helped me stretch it slowly over time without pain.

Wow, that’s incredible, and great to hear. Thank you….

 

[Montecresto]

Hi @Montecresto. That's pretty common; for most of us, flexion comes back sooner than extension. But your ROM of 7 to 121 is really good for just six weeks post-op.

You are still early days in this year long recovery and your leg is still healing from the trauma of surgery. This chart is really helpful in understanding why it takes so long:

I know you are impatient to regain full extension, but please remember that ROM comes with time, not exercise!

Thanks for the admonishment and encouragement!!!!

 

[Montecresto]

Perhaps he'll say - No worries, you're only six weeks post op and your traumatized leg is still healing.

Yep, that’s pretty much what he said. He see’s no problems and doesn’t have the sense of urgency that I do. He’s laid back, looks at my X-rays, physically examine my knee, listens to my complaints and concerns and says it’s all ok. I’ll be fine…….‍

He did however order me to be delivered and adjusted to my size a Chinese torture device otherwise known as a postoperative knee orthosis that I apparently will get into three times a day and crank it down to stretch the hamstring and straighten my leg out……

 

[Montecresto]

but please remember that ROM comes with time, not exercise!

I think, because I’m experiencing it, that ROM does come with exercise. It may be true that it would come in time anyway, even if one was not to exercise, but I won’t be finding that out because I’m too impatient for that and want it now. That’s why I’m going to PT 3 times a week and pushing it, and doing my home exercises in between. And as several have commented here, yourself included I believe, -7/121 is very good for 6 weeks out. I’m there because of my exercise not despite it….

 

[Layla]

He see’s no problems and doesn’t have the sense of urgency that I do

I won’t be finding that out because I’m too impatient for that and want it now. That’s why I’m going to PT 3 times a week and pushing it, and doing my home exercises in between. And as several have commented here, yourself included I believe, -7/121 is very good for 6 weeks out. I’m there because of my exercise not despite it….

Why do you have this sense of urgency I wonder?

You could be where you are currently on your own without PT also, but we'll never know now. However, if your progress is suddenly stalled due to discomfort or pain, we'll likely assume it's from PT that's too aggressive which could set you back weeks. We've seen it many times. You won't run the risk of this happening if you allow your body to heal at its own pace without the push.
I do wish you the best as its your choice and if you fall, we promise not to say "we warned you."

 

[Montecresto]

Why do you have this sense of urgency I wonder?

Because I’m watching projects piling up at all 3 of my properties and I’m doing little to nothing to address that. Setting idle is not my shtick, and I’m impatient to get back to work while balancing all that with the reality of the situation and the need for caution and slow but steady progress….

 

[Montecresto]

You could be where you are currently on your own without PT also, but we'll never know now. However, if your progress is suddenly stalled due to discomfort or pain, we'll likely assume it's from PT that's too aggressive which could set you back weeks. We've seen it many times. You won't run the risk of this happening if you allow your body to heal at its own pace without the push.
I do wish you the best as its your choice and if you fall, we promise not to say "we warned you."

Well that’s certainly fair enough and hopefully genuine….

 

[Montecresto]

I’m hopping that the postoperative knee orthosis shows up soon. I’m eager to get using it. I’m probably more concerned about extension than some TKR recipients are because I went to surgery, already with a -5 extension because of an 18 month previous laparoscopic on my knee, and I’m sure many out there would blame on my failure to go to PT following it…

It’s also odd to me that we have I don’t know, hundreds or thousands of members and I get primarily just staff members responding and interacting with me. Where’s all the regular folks….no disrespect to all you great staff…

 

[Jaycey]

It’s also odd to me that we have I don’t know, hundreds or thousands of members and I get primarily just staff members responding and interacting with me.

It's our mission to ensure we communicate with every member as soon as possible. BoneSmart staff want everyone to feel they are heard and that their concerns are addressed.

Members who are in recovery don't necessarily engage in the early days. But you can check the June recovery group to find out who had surgery around the same time and find their threads to chat.

 

[benne68]

It’s also odd to me that we have I don’t know, hundreds or thousands of members and I get primarily just staff members responding and interacting with me.

Are you posting in other members' threads? It makes it easier for others to find you if you do so.

When I first joined BoneSmart, I didn't have many replies in my thread until I started to interacting on other folks' pages. Within a couple of weeks, I had quite a few friends visiting my thread.

 

[Layla]

t’s also odd to me that we have I don’t know, hundreds or thousands of members and I get primarily just staff members responding and interacting with me. Where’s all the regular folks….no disrespect to all you great staff…

WELL, I'm offended...you don't like our company?!! Take that!!
Of course I am only kidding. .

There are no fences here, you're allowed to play in others yards. Best way to get people to your thread is to reach out. You could start by checking out and adding something to the threads of those that have reached out to you on yours. I'm guessing your popularity will grow if you do so. In the meantime, we'll keep a lookout here and make sure you're not misbehaving. Happy Friday and weekend to you!