TKR Muscle spasm?

[MARYCOOL]

I am 4 weeks post op and today at PT, she wanted me to try stepping down with my other knee(tkr 10 months ago). I just couldn't do it. I told her not to worry, it will come along eventually...she gave a little laugh and moved on!

 

[eaglemom]

That seems awfully early to be trying to do steps, IMO. Prior to the surgery were you able to do steps? It's best to let the knee be in charge and follow along, it will know when its ready to attempt steps.

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Oh thank you everyone for your replies re- the steps/ stairs. I have found it very interesting to read what you have all said about this.
It's difficult in the UK as I am under the NHS and as such only get to see a physiotherapist once a fortnight. I have only been in the stationary bike once two weeks ago.
I am given exercise to do at home in between visits.
I was concerned last week as my back was in a pickle ( that goes out more than I do!)
So I phoned the physio unit. I got the reassurance I needed about it and told my back was probably kicking up a fuss to protect itself. But the more I do a bit of exercise the more it will realise it's ok .
The physio told me all the exercises help backs as well as our knees.
Everyone on bonesmart helps me so much with this though I am naturally an anxiety prone person and I just go into " silly mode" sometimes worrying about things that others might not think twice about.
Thank again everyone.

 

[djklaugh]

@BEWITCHED Charm I haven't had knee replacement but for my hips and each shoulder I also saw a PT only every other week. Did the exercises they gave me diligently between visits. IMO that worked very well to gently ease the new joints into full functioning (ROM and strength). With any weight bearing joint replacement one's body is majorly shuffled! Muscles and tendons get "told" they need to do things differently than they'd been doing when the replaced joint was getting worse and worse over time. So it is going to take time and gentle encouragement for them to learn the "new normal". You are doing quite well and it is still early on in your recovery process!

 

[Susie-Q]

Everyone is right. Going up and down the stairs reciprocally takes TIME. I'm able to go up normally now but going down is still hit and miss. Our quads are not ready for going down yet, they need to be stronger. Going up you use your butt so that's why that comes easier at first. Part of it is muscle memory and I can't seem to get my brain to cooperate and the other part is a little bit of pain when going down. As @benne68 said, it's easier if I've done the bike and my knee and quad are stretched out and warm. I use the railings on both sides to help take some of my weight to make it easier and to try and remember that rhythm of going down the stairs normally. Practice and patience!

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

@Cass1e
Hi I just wondered how you were going on? As you had told me your surgery was just a couple of days before mine.
I am doing ok not sleeping in bed so good still at nights but today I overdid it and after going to see the consultant for my check up and
Walking a fair hill to get to the hospital then back down again, I stupidly decided to go to a supermarket afterwards.
I had put make up on to see consultant so knew I wasn't looking too good when hubby asked if I was ok as had gone very pale!
He was right. I wasn't ready for the task I had set myself. Anyway got home and after a drink and some lunch I fell fast asleep for four hours!
Now of course it's bedtime and I am wide awake! Oh well live and learn.
Anyway I do hope you are doing ok in your recovery.
Take care

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

Today I went to see my consultant. He was quite happy with how my knee is doing . It is still warm to touch and swollen but it is doing the things I never thought at the beginning of this journey it would ever manage to do.
Surgeon said a stationary bike would be good but if not going up and down stairs is good for it too.
He wasn't bothered that I had accidentally missed my physio appointment yesterday ( I was cross with myself for this as hubby and I got dates muddled I hate missing appointments) said it didn't matter.
I told him I was rather proud of myset for managing to get up and down stairs normally ( I can't always do this but sometimes) he said he was proud of me too! Bless him he is such a lovely man I really couldn't believe he said that to me it was really nice of him.
Anyway take care everyone on bonesmart and wishing you all a happy Christmas

 

[2chains]

Sounds like things are going in a positive direction and you are less than 2 months after surgery as well! What would you say is the key to your progress?

 

[BEWITCHED Charm]

@2chains Do you know what I am going to put any success I am having down to the support and advice from others on bonesmart. Without the information I would have tried pushing myself and probably ended up laid up!
I know that one of my Physio appointments put me back as they pushed my knee to far and on reflection and from the other members also having gone through similar I now tell them I don't want it to be done again. And I know that there really is no need for it.. where as before I reached out on this site I would just have let it be done and then panicked myself afterwards when I couldn't exercise due to the process. I thought it was sooo necessary to do the exercises given everyday or I would have a knee that wouldn't work.. and yet I know now the healing is important and everyday tasks are very good exercise in themselves.
I don't know whether all I am or not doing is going to lead to a completely successful outcome because I still have so long to go, but I do know I am not so frightened or worried about it all now ( the fear of the unknown) and I am just proud of myself for having reached this point . I probably haven't achieved nearly as much as some people who have had this operation at exactly the same time as myself but that doesn't matter no one person is the same as another we are all unique.

 

[2chains]

Sounds like a familiar story I've heard on here, thanks for posting. Hearing on the forum about the pain the first few weeks is daunting but gives one a sense of reality and being prepared. Is there anything you did pre op you feel helped?

 

[Scaredycat10]

@2chains
I put my TKR op off for years, partly because of the pain issue and partly because other issues [utter fear/eczema/Covid] got in the way.

I can, hand on heart say, I haven't had any serious pain as such. Discomfort, yes but dreadful pain? No. Yes I have a high pain threshold but pain meds helped initially.

Don't be frightened. Make sure your surgeon has a good pain management put in place and go for it. Get a great physio on your side and don't let them push you to a pain level. Huge difference between encouragement and over pushing.
I am 9 weeks post op. I am 'getting there'. I still use my crutches out of the house but inside, no problem. I drove a manual car at four weeks, did the weekly shop at three weeks [slowly] ...we're all different but it is possible to assume a fragile partial normality within 6 weeks.

 

[FCBayern]

Sounds like you are doing fantastic @BEWITCHED Charm! I'm glad you've found BoneSmart a valuable tool in your recovery. I know it helped me tremendously.

 

[Catalien45]

Wow. Just wow. Thankyou so much for this post, @ Bewitched Charm! I think you expressed so well, what many of us feel. Folks on this forum have given many of us the courage to speak up, & when needed, to say “ No.”. And listen to our bodies. And take our Own journey to the illusive, “ magic” “0” extension. My PT seems a little concerned about that, but, she does not push me to pain. My Rom is great, but, the extension wants to hang around 5, no matter what I do. But I see plenty of people who take months, so I feel it will get there. I’m getting stronger, & feeling more normal. Even coffee is finally tasting good! You sound like you are doing great, & meeting challenges as they come. I do hope your back is doing better. ( backs can sure get grouchy, can’t they.). Have a lovely Christmas!

 

[FCBayern]

I was at 4 at the one year mark @Catalien45, but I'm now somewhere beyond zero. Extension can take a while especially if you compensated for a bad knee for years as I did.

 

[hikinggoal]

I have noticed so much being written on bone smart about the awful pain some of us get once the nerve block wears off after surgery. I had a bad experience myself with this and I just wish the transition from the no pain to some pain was just that and not the "no pain to then excruciating pain!"
I realise I have a low pain threshold and so did mention this at my consultation prior to surgery but the pain management was not good enough and my body reacted really badly when it kicked in leaving me with a very concerned doctor who was trying everything he could to find out why I had become faint, lost colour and was clammy.
It was just the pain and I did still spend a full first night in terrible pain and discomfort .
I was on a antacid medication and knew I couldn't take anti inflammatory meds ..but I was in so much pain I would have tried anything to get rid! I ended up then with really bad gastric acid and had to refuse the ibruprofen myself.
If the pain part could be better controlled I personally feel I would have coped sooo much better with my total knee replacement recovery I am convinced of it. We are all individuals and what seems like a small pain to some can feel so much more to others..

Did they give you and Oxycontin or any pain reliever?

 

[Catalien45]

Hi @BEWITCHED Charm ... I’m m so very sorry to see that you are having such a hard time with pain. I’m like you, with the OTC pain relievers like Advil & such, they give me gastric problems, and a number of years ago, I had a scary experience with 2 bleeding ulcers, so I avoid them. The opioids seem to make me faint. Tramadol, with the aid of anti nausea medication seemed to work best for me. Also, I remember a while back, someone on here made reference to a prescription medication containing Advil, I believe, combined with Pepcid. I researched a little on Google, evidently, it is a Prescription, you can’t combine the 2 separately, so it must be a prescription. You might ask your Dr about that. I’m past the need of anything at this point, but to me, that option sounded very good, for those times when you need more than the Tylenol ( I believe in UK it is called Something else, I believe Paracetamol ).
I hope you are able to find some relief soon, and am so sorry to see you suffering. I’ll be keeping you in my prayers for some relief soon. I was just thinking about you the other day, wondering how you were doing. I just read a quote I plan to keep & remind myself of, when I am faced with a struggle..it referred to “ wrapping the loving energy of friendship around yourself like a blanket of warmth & security “. Looking back, that has been my experience so often, through the years. So remind yourself that your friends here are a part of that blanket. I just noticed, I began this yesterday, and, as is often the case, just finishing it today.... timely, in that I just saw that thought today. Take care, & know you are in my thoughts..