TKR Muscle spasm?

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Hi,
I am reaching out to anyone who has had or is at the moment coming out of knee replacement surgery..I had mine last Thursday 28th October.
I have been trying so hard to do all exercises, icing moving round but today ... Well today I just feel b......d!
Last night I was up and down the bed so many times I think I did a full days exercise just trying to get comfortable to go to sleep.
Oh Blimey if anyone can support me through this ongoing saga I would be so grateful.
I feel a bit Mardy today and need a kick up the prervevial really.
All help gratefully received.
Thanks for listening to me moan
Dawn

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Well it's nearly lunch time already. I have got up done abloutions ( with help from my wonderful husband who now truly has seen every part of my body.. i have lost all shame and don't expect to see it for a good while yet!)
I have exercised in bed/ iced come down stairs had a potter on crutches, exercises on chair and against work surface ( hopefully one day I may be dancing on that blinking work top instead)
Iced again and am now sat in chair with legs up on stool! ( Is it bed time yet?)
Gosh certainly keeps my days filled this excercising and icing.
I had a freak out yesterday as was so worried about the height I could only get my surgical knee foot to lift up to.. think I expected too much but the leaflet from hospital don't help all I can see is a person who is able to do all these exercises and I am no where no way as good as this yet.
Also how many repetition s of each exercise do I do? I ain't got a scooby!
Anyway I am determined to get through this because I was fed up with not being able to go anywhere without sitting down every few minutes as leg was so bad.
Anyone in a similar position I'd love to hear from you.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

I had a spinal for surgery but no sedation. I was only then told of the noises I may hear from behind the surgical curtain! Oh my! I am just so pleased my surgical team were talking about what meals they were having later which deveated my thoughts thankfully!
I've a ever been a big punch and Judy show fan but in retrospect that's what it must have looked like was going on behind the curtain.
My surgeon is a lovely man and I'm sure he has done a great job but I do wish I had said yes to the sedation and had more time to think this decision through before I was actually due to go through the theatre doors.
More Nd you at least I got to ask for the heater blower to warm me up as I knew I was feeling a bit cold.
Well anyway looking foreward not back now I am hoping others will keep in contact with me who have had this surgery recently - especially in the UK and on the NHS.
Bye for now.
Take care everyone

 

[Jockette]

@BEWITCHED Charm , Hi and Welcome!

I moved your posts and started a Recovery Thread for you. This is where you can discuss your recovery and converse with others about it. Keeping all your updates and questions here in this thread makes a nice journal for you, and helps the staff as we often read back to see what you’ve been through before commenting.


I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

​

the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Jockette]

I had a freak out yesterday as was so worried about the height I could only get my surgical knee foot to lift up to.. think I expected too much but the leaflet from hospital don't help all I can see is a person who is able to do all these exercises and I am no where no way as good as this yet.
Also how many repetition s of each exercise do I do?

Not being able to lift your leg up is very common, so don’t worry about it. It took me a couple of weeks to do that by myself.

For the exercises, just do a few at a time, and only do the ones that are easy. Don’t ever do any that cause pain at the time you do them, or additional pain later on.

Often we are told to do a list of exercises, but right now it’s too soon. This early in recovery, you really only need to give your knee mobility, you are not training for the Olympics! Gentle bends and short walks around the house are all your knee needs.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Thank you for this.. I am as new to posting threads ( needles and cotton are only threads I had in my life up to now!)
Well I am on day 6 had op 7 days ago.
It's funny because I think I am frightened of the knee healing and it having not being exercised enough and thinking it's going to heal inside but not work as I haven't been able to do all the exercises.
It's such a strange concept wanting something to heal and yet having to keep moving it at the same time.
I really want it to work ( as does everyone I'm sure you don't put yourself through this for nothing!)
I am feeling tired at the min and am aware of having another two lots of exercise before bedtime!
Think it keeps me awake worrying how much am going to fit it all in!
Did anyone else on here have a total knee done Around same time as me? If so how is it going?

 

[patriciad]

@BEWITCHED Charm - Congratulations on a successful surgery albeit a noisy one! I can’t even imagine being conscious but at least you don’t have any effects from a general. You sound like you are doing really well - many of us can’t do stairs for a week yet here you are getting washed, dressed and pottering about. The first weeks are the most challenging and it’s very easy to overdo the exercises as we think we have to in order to get bend and flexibility. Read through all the articles you’ve been given. They are really Informative and the most comprehensive advice I’ve seen anywhere.
Then there are all of us here to answer questions and give tips. We’ve all been where you are today. You have a great attitude and sense of humour which will carry you through the sometimes roller coaster ride of this recovery from a major surgery.
Here are a few of my tips.
Take your pain meds on time even if you don’t feel the need to as you have to stay ahead of pain.
Start with a stool softener to avoid the dreaded constipation.
Ice, ice, baby and keep the knee elevated for most of the day and night. Ice was the best pain med for me.
Nights are the worse and some end up sleeping in a recliner as just can’t get comfortable in bed. Then even if you get to sleep you have to get up to take your meds! Keep a bedside snack on hand to take with your meds.
Be prepared for bad days and blue moods - they will pass.
Dont overdo the exercises. I did about 5 of eac ankle pumps , leg raises, heel slides morning and evening plus short walks around the house.
If it hurts don’t do it. That’s for now and in future months.
Find something to distract you - if you have a craft or hobby you can do while sitting that’s good. I couldn’t concentrate to read but binge watched silly TV and didn’t feel guilty.
Remember the pain and limitations of your knee prior to surgery. That is gone and you will be so happy to be more mobile once healed.
Good luck and look forward to hearing your progress.

 

[hawk2go]

Hi @BEWITCHED Charm! Welcome to the fray.

At less than 1 week from surgery, I was focused on becoming less dependent on others for my daily care (washing, eating, toileting, etc.). I did some of the hospital pamphlet exercises when I felt like it (or felt up to it) but I know that movement is important, not necessarily the movement of exercise, so I did walking laps in my houses. This is my 2nd TKR and my experience on the first knee was that pushing myself is counterproductive to my recovery, though it's counterintuitive to what we've been told. The knee is going to do what the knee is going to do regarding healing. Take it easy these first weeks, be patient with yourself, ice/elevate frequently and stay on your meds schedule to manage pain. You'll be able to do those exercises soon and often!

 

[Booger]

Hi Bewitched,
Definitely stay on the meds if you can if you need them. Im down to 2 percaset before sleep if it comes. And 1 before therapy just in case. Lots of ice machine love and some home exercise's if i feel like it. But I do move around the house with daily duties. Been and did some laps at the grocery store a few times. Outpatient pt 3 times a week. Ice machine all the time.
Im 5 weeks today. The 1st couple of weeks really sucked pain wise for me. But I'm a guy. You know how we are its always worse for us.
I hope you keep doing as well as you are. Sounds like your doing Great.

Booger

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Thanks for the support everyone I was beginning to feel a bit alone with it all I have to say so glad to hear from others at this time.
I am wondering if the leaflet we are given in the UK on exercise isn't just a bit too much too soon really. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the exercises and trying to fit them in a day it seems an awful lot. I am walking around the house in between as well trying to keep moving .
In the UK we don't have a personal physio it's just literally us being given a book of exercise and then that's that it's down to you.
I was thinking n a complete panic the other day as I had seen some American physical Therapist putting a woman in a recliner with her leg up almost wrapped around her neck... Well perhaps a slight exaggeration on my part but it was all about raise legs above heart.
Luckily I managed to find out this was unnecessary .. but i was worrying for a day after I had seen it.
Can I just ask please next week I am due to have my stitches removed ( what a banana I am I honestly don't know what's underneath the dressing!) I live in a house with a very steep driveway. I did manage to get down this when I came out of hospital but now I'm wondering if I will be able to get up the thing to get to my doctor's appointment?
Blimey let's just hope we don't get snow or ice thrown into the mix.. we never know in this country.
Bless you all for replying it's appreciated.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

If we do it might be a sledge and a couple of huskys .. or my husband and next door neighbour s son pulling me up!
Oh my gosh these things are all sent to try us.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

You see I had no idea that some were unable to get upstairs yet. I was of the impression that you were made to do this task in the UK at least before leaving hospital?
I know they took me to go up and then down some concrete staircase actually part of the hospital building.
So I thought this was just the norm.
I'm glad we are doing things at different times makes me feel less robotic and more human... But without talking on here I wouldn't have known this. So thanks.

 

[hawk2go]

I have stairs to get to my front door and then inside to get to the bathroom on the 2nd floor. They would not let me leave hospital until I could safely navigate steps. Last knee I used the hospital stairs, this knee I used a stair stepper (that exercise equipment).

 

[Sara61]

@BEWITCHED Charm - you have a wonderful sense of humour this will hold you in good stead along this rocky road to recovery, your post about your driveway reminded me of my first replacement in 2019 whereby I was contemplating using a wheelbarrow to get up our drive way haha, fortunately prior to leaving the hospital they made sure several flights of stairs were manageable.
Here in Portugal they have pretty much the same protocol as in the UK, they load you with books on exercises, I only did a few reps of each twice a day and I only started physio 2 weeks after my surgery and fast forward 2 years my knee is great, no problem with the bend or the extension. I'm due to have my right knee replaced in December x

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Gosh it really does amaze me that so many people are now on about their second knee and surgery on that! At the moment I couldn't even contemplate having the other one done ( although in all honesty I am sure it is in as bad a state as number one was as it blinking don't half hurt at the moment it's either as bad or its like husband's getting back pain during partners pregnancy and come out in sympathy with Nelly.
But for now just having Nelly done ( don't ask re- name I think you it was morphine derived that's all I can come up with as to why i chose it)
Be interesting to see if I change heart but for now I'll stick with getting our Nelly back round the shops at the same pace as my brain and not miles behind it as she has been of late.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Good luck with having your other knee done in December by the way.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Ah so it is the " norm " to use the hospital steps. You see I just thought maybe they were cost cutting or all others were in use already.
( I have seen the ones they use in hospital before)
Actually great idea though utilise what you already have and concrete give good firm non slip surface... I get it now it makes perfect sense.
Crikey yes well we don't all have bungalows to go back to and it's important we are safe on stairs/ steps if we are having to use them daily.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

I have about 14 stairs to get up/ down with a bend in the middle .
It's hard to sleep on my back though. I am very much a side sleeper and having to keep on my back at night is really very hard I'm finding.
I do tend to wriggle a lot anyway so sleeping on my back is a bit of a nightmare for me... But I am going to have to put up and shut up on that one I'm afraid.
Does anyone else find this an issue?

 

[Sara61]

Yes I found sleeping on my back ghastly and could not get comfortable spent most nights fidgeting so much so my hubby moved into the spare bedroom, which by the way is all set up for round 2. I spoke to my surgeon about it today and he basically said I can sleep on my side from time to time but to and make sure I use large pillows between my knees, a little bend won't hurt from time to time- Strangely a year after my tkr, I've started sleeping on my back and now it isn't an issue, but then I'm not having to constantly keep my leg straight, the only trouble now is I tend to snore if I sleep on my back which results in getting prodded by my husband

 

[Cass1e]

Hi just spotted your first posts.
I"m in the uk and an NHS patient of roughly the same age. I had my surgery on tues 26th, just 2 days before you and was discharged on that thursday. The main difference is that this was my 2nd knee and I was well aware of what to expect.
I didn't find this site until well into my 3rd week the first time round, so the early days were very painful with a lot of conflicting advice.
Read as much of the Bonesmart pages as you can and let your poor body do its own recovering.
I called my GP this morning to say the pain same as last time, but severe nausea is making me miserable. He was very understanding, and quick to rearrange my meds.
I'm supposed to be going for physio friday morning but am going to cancel as it is far too much for me at the moment, but am going to get my clips out next Tuesday.
Hope all is going well for you and you find lots of reassurance here