TKR My 8 week post operation setback

[Tkrrecovery2022]

At the 14 week mark now. ROM probably 120 and can now ride the stationary bike and doing stretching in the spa pool daily. Still quite stiff and painful when I walk and can’t seem to loose the limp. Also still quite painful at night. Is stretching and bending daily in your opinion too much or should I switch to day on & day off?

 

[sistersinhim]

I think a day on then a day off is a good idea. I pretty still do that today for my whole body! The day off will give your knee the time to calm down and get ready for the next day for the exercising. I believe everyone needs this day off in between.

 

[Jockette]

At 14 weeks you are about 25% healed.

If Tylenol agrees with you, you might consider taking it for a while. I did for months after my PKR.

The most effective way to take Tylenol is 2 x 500 mg tablets every 6 hours, to a total of 4,000 mg (4 doses) in 24 hours. You need to take it regularly, to keep up the levels in your bloodstream. If you just take the odd dose now and then, it's far less effective.

Check all other medications you're taking, to make sure there is no Tylenol/Acetaminophen/Paracetamol in them. If there is, scale back one or two of your regular Tylenol doses, so you stay within that safe 24 hour limit of 4,000 mg.

 

[MovnAlong]

...pardon the interruption but is the 25% at 14 weeks the same for THR?

thank you

 

[Jockette]

Yes, a joint replacement takes an average of a year for full recovery. You’ll feel better long before that, but will still feel the effects of healing for about a year.

 

[benne68]

Our Nurse Director Emeritus created a couple of charts that provide a visual timeline for recovery.

You'll find the Knee Recovery chart here:

Chart representation of TKR recovery

These are just a graphic representations of the scale of recovery after joint replacement. It’s not scientifically produced, just to give you a general idea of how the pain and disability is higher in the first few weeks and how it then gradually tapers off over months.

bonesmart.org

...and the Hip Recovery chart here:

Chart representation of THR recovery

These are just a graphic representations of the scale of recovery after joint replacement. It’s not scientifically produced, just to give you a general idea of how the pain and disability is higher in the first few weeks and how it then gradually tapers off over months.

bonesmart.org

 

[Tkrrecovery2022]

Only thing I take is Advil or Alieve. Both do not seem to do a whole lot.

 

[Susie-Q]

Advil or Aleve alone might not be enough. I alternated Advil and Tylenol every 3 hours. Tylenol: 2 x 500 mg tablets every 6 hours and Advil: 2 x 200mg tablets every 6 hours. Every 3 hours I would take one or the other so I had continuous coverage. Here's an example:

12:00pm 2 x 500 mg of Tylenol
3:00pm 2 x 200 mg of Advil
6:00pm 2 x 500 mg of Tylenol
9:00pm 2 x 200 mg of Advil
12:00am 2 x 500 mg of Tylenol
3:00am 2 x 200 mg of Advil
6:00am 2 x 500 mg of Tylenol
9:00am 2 x 200 mg of Advil

Make sure you check with your doctor that this is ok. As @Jockette said, do not exceed 4000mg of Tylenol in a 24 hr period and do not exceed 1600 mg of Advil in a 24 hr period.

 

[Tkrrecovery2022]

Thanks and I will take your advice. Moved house over the weekend and although we had a removal company do the heavy stuff I have been on my feet for the last 3 days carting light boxes and clothes etc. and am now sore and swollen from mainly excess walking (limping). I will try the Advil & Tylenol schedule

 

[sistersinhim]

Don't forget the ice and elevation. They help quite a lot.

 

[Jockette]

That’s a lot of activity for a 3 month old knee. Moving house can be brutal, been there, done that! I’m sure you still have lots to do, but do try to take time to rest, ice and elevate, to recuperate from this extra activity. Don’t look at it as doing nothing, look at it as giving your knee the best opportunity in which to heal.

 

[Tkrrecovery2022]

My daily routine now is 20 minutes in the hot tub walking, bending etc & 10 minutes on the exercise bike. ROM 120 degrees. When I exercise I feel good & knee feels a lot less stiff. All other times during daily activity such as sitting and walking ect it feels quite stiff and slightly painful when I walk & therefore I walk with a slight limp. Knee still looks swollen &is sometimes warm which is very frustrating. Visit the OS next for 16 week checkup. Hopefully no issues as we are planning to return home to Australia from the US for Christmas. I will be glad when the pain and stiffness subsides and I can think about more than just the state on my knee

 

[Susie-Q]

Don't forget to ice occasionally. That does wonders for inflammation. Time and patience.... remember, recovery takes on average a year. You will get to that point eventually, where you won't be thinking about your knee all the time.

 

[Tkrrecovery2022]

Use the ice machine daily after my morning pool and 10 m bike session and usually apply an ice pack again at night. Generally things seem to be improving slowly particularly ROM. Swelling has improved slightly but it is still quite a bit larger than my non surgical knee and slightly warmer. Gets quite warm after a lot of walking or standing and cools back down when rested. Hopefully this all sounds normal and familiar

 

[Jockette]

Hopefully this all sounds normal and familiar

Yes, it’s normal.

 

[Tkrrecovery2022]

16 week post operation check up with OS last Friday. Knee still swollen and ROM 110 degrees & he was concerned that it should be at least 120 degrees. My concern was that it is painful when I walk and I can’t seem to get rid of the limp. He suggested that is normal and wants me back for a check up in 3 months.

 

[Jaycey]

ROM 110 degrees & he was concerned that it should be at least 120 degrees.

Rubbish! That knee will get to 120 degrees when it is ready. There is no time scale for gaining ROM. Many of our members keep seeing an increase in ROM well into their second year out of surgery. Just stick to the gentle approach. You will get there!

 

[sistersinhim]

Knee still swollen and ROM 110 degrees & he was concerned that it should be at least 120 degrees.

You can't bend a swollen knee as well as a non-swollen knee. You will get there when your swelling goes away. Ice and elevation help with that.

 

[kneeper]

Once I was in the 90s at 6 weeks, my OS pretty much said just keep doing what you're doing and you will get more bend naturally. (He didn't expect me to get to any arbitrary number.) I did continue to gain as the swelling came down even more. About 10 degrees in the next few weeks.

 

[Tkrrecovery2022]

Quite happy with the ROM now and not stressed anymore after all of your comments. Frustrating piece is the pain when walking and finding the right level of exercise and stretching. Currently 15 minutes on the exercise bike followed by 20 minutes in the hot tub stretching and bending. Minimal walking as this causes the most discomfort. Very painful today & decided to take a day off today and see if things settle down. In your opinion is my daily routine still too much? At the time of exercise it feels good it’s after exercise the discomfort sets in. Discomfort still wakes me up at night