1. Level 1-2 when drugs are good and at rest. If I've missed a dose for some reason or have been walking or exercising a level 6.
Okay, that sounds about normal!
2. Percocet 10/325 q 4 hrs
What's the 'q' for? No speaka da lingo!
3. My swelling is moderate
Okay
4. My extension is 0 and flexion is 80. 80 at PT.
When you say "80 at PT" do you mean that the PT 'helps' you to get there by pushing on your leg? You do know this is a big no-no! Having 'help' with flexion will only procure you more pain and swelling. Plus, the only number that counts is the one you get under your own power.
I haven't succeeded in that in my home therapy.
Well good!
I do have the CPM up to 83 this weekend.
3 degrees is nothing!
5. I am icing 4-5 times a day. I have a machine the Dr ordered that keeps a constant temp 30 min on and 30 min off. I keep that on 4 cycles.
You accomplish little or nothing in 30 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
6. I try to elevate as much as possible. I sit only minutes with legs totally down. I use the pillow stack in the recliner.
Very good.
I am careful to have no bend so extension stays good.
Never have your leg totally straight whilst resting and elevating. It's not normal and will cause you a lot of pain. Besides which your leg is already at 0 extension so it's perfectly okay to have a bit of a bend. Read this
Elevation is the key to controlling pain and swelling
7. My activity level is low, at least it feels low to me. I get up and walk around the house and stay up for about 15 min at least every 3-4 hours. I have folded one load of laundry and heated food in microwave. I've been able to take showers with help of shower chair. I washed my hair today it blew it out to straighten it. I had to sit down about half way in because I was so exhausted. I've only been out to PT so no shopping or anything. However tomorrow my granddaughter has a program at school that I want to try and do. I have PT in the morning at her program is at noon.
Obviously you never read the recovery articles that were left for you earlier. Please read this again
Activity progression for TKRs
My comments in
bold
Exercises at home:
- toe points and circles - numerous times a day -
these are only anti-clot exercises and unnecessary to do once you are fairly active. And you are fairly active!
do no exercises more than once a day and none at all at the weekends
- leg lifts 10 lifts 3 times a day -
a tip about SLRs, once you can do them you don't need to do them any more!
- heel slides
4-5 slides 4 times a day -
heel slides are very easy to do badly and this is badly! Read this Heel slides and how to do them properly.
- recumbent bike, not every day, no more than 2 minutes. Can't make full revolution - just go back and forth -
good! The less the better!
- walk to the end of block and back (we live on the end so a block down and back) I try to daily, but on days like today with shower and hair I did not -
this is a very BIG no-no! Read the activity progression article I just left you. You shouldn't be doing this until at least week 5. You are too much in the throes of the Energy Drain to be doing this yet.
Exercises at PT - I go 3 times a week for a one hour session
- Recumbent bike - rocking back and forth 5 minutes -
okay
- standing up with no support from hands 10 times- 2 reps -
no! Right now you need the support of your hands to get to your feet. Doing without that will cause you excessive pain in your thigh muscles.
- working on flexion at least 5-8 minutes -
however you are doing this, don't do it. And if the PT is 'helping' you with your flexion, stop that too. This is the BEST way to end up with poor flexion.
- leg lifts 10 times 3 reps -
30 reps are a time is far too much so stop doing this too
- lifting my weight off table on hands (using something I hold on to) 10 times 2 reps -
I've never heard of this particular exercise before and I really don't see how it benefits your knee at all!
- I'm sorry, I don't official names and I can't think of everything we do -
that's a shame because I cannot therefore advise you properly. And I wasn't after 'official' names anyway. Instead, I suggest you read this and take note BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy.
You may be thinking that you
have to obey instructions from the PTs but in my experience, their protocols are far too aggressive and harsh. But you have the right to refuse to do things are that too much and that cause you pain. Read this also
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
Because it's not the exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. One thing that seems to be missing from all the PT's protocols is that all your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself. In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and in the early weeks does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.
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