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TKR My post-op thread

5 weeks today.. had PT today, my regular therapist is out, but I really like the girl I got this time. She picked up on some things that were going on with me, that she believes are causing me a lot of problems. My hamstring is terribly tight, which is why I've been having so much hip pain, and the knee won't straighten all the way. She spent some time massaging the hamstring, and we worked a lot on stretches for the hamstring. This of course has it all fired up this evening, and I'm having a lot of hip pain. So getting that hamstring stretched out his a main goal right now. I also learned that I am walking not properly, she says I have obviously walked like this for many years. So a lot of time was spent on extending that leg out straight and striking with the heel first and rolling through the toe. Also my hips are very weak, and my quads are nonexistent. Boy do I have a lot of work to do. Gained quite a bit of extension I was up to 113 from 107... so I was very happy about that. Still don't feel will secure with doing much walking, I was really hoping I'd be able to get out and do some road walking buy now, but there's no way
 
My PT put me on a very slow treadmill to work on my gait, it was terrible from years of limping.
 
They have me walking on a treadmill slowly and backwards concentrating on a very wide stride to help with the extension. First time I kept thinking I was going to fall, someone stood there the entire time. Much more comfortable with it now.

sent from my Galaxy 4
 
KarriB said:
My PT put me on a very slow treadmill to work on my gait, it was terrible from years of limping.
Click to expand...
You have to remember that, for years, your gait, which was abnormal, became "normal"---and mechanics is muscle memory.

You now have to undo those years of a dysfunctional gait---and, for a while what should be normal will feel abnormal, until your muscle mechanics get used to it.

It will feel weird and it will take work, but, down the road, your gait will be normal again.
 
That treadmill exercise was a killer for my non-TKR knee. It hurt while I was doing it, and my non-TKR knee swelled later that night, and I was uncomfortable for two days afterward. I went to my next PT appointment, and when my PT asked how I was doing, I said, "My old knee doesn't like that treadmill exercise, and it complained for two days afterward." He said, "We won't be doing that one again!"


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Okay, so I told you guys that I'm suffering from really tight hamstrings on my surgical leg which is affecting my extension. Well I took on a internet search, with the intent of finding some way to alleviate this. And this is what I came across, I just finished it, and it really helped with my extension. Now when I was done it took me a couple minutes to get my knee bent back up, but that's pretty typical anytime I have it straight for a while I have a hard time bending it anytime have a bent for a while I have a hard time straightening it, you guys understand that. A little weird, but if you have a tight hamstring, I would definitely recommend trying this. Of course could only do it on the one leg with the surgical leg straight, because I couldn't bend the surgical leg in the way that I needed to do the other side. Well it won't let me attach the link, but if you google search"John Loupos hamstring video" you will get it
 
kmann said:
"John Loupos hamstring video"
Click to expand...

At almost twelve weeks I have a passive extension of 5. The PTs can always get me to 0 by the end of the session. I don't know if this helped me out, but it certainly gave me a great stretch! I've done it yesterday and today.

My extension was ~15 pre-surgery so I consider 5 a major improvement. LOL
 
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My hammies were really tight after my BTKR. I used weights on ankle belts---I would use a heating pad on my hamstring prior to and during the stretch. I would lie face down on the bed and would hang the leg with the ankle weights over the edge---from the knee down.

It took some time, but it really got me some nice results.
 
@referee54 I do that at PT with weights with heat on the back of my leg. I never feel the stretch until I stand up!

sent from my Galaxy 4
 
I also have not had 0 extension for over 20 years, not really sure what I was preop...but it was far from 0...I would say 8 maybe. So my hamstring is just in shock I think, its screaming, "I dont stretch that far, this is wrong" And boy if I do alot of hamstring stretches, when Im done, my knee doesnt want to bend, its very painful...I have to spend alot of time, and sweat to get it bent again.
 
I always start with heel slides to get it to bend after I've worked on the extension. I'm not sure how long ago my extension "went south", but my LTKR is related to surgery I had on that knee when I was 15.

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6 week update, had OS appointment today, he was very pleased I am measuring 2 and 112. Don't have to go back to see him for 3 months, he wants me to stay off work until the full 12 weeks. Had a really good day, we have about a 2 hour car ride to go to the doctor. Had my first venture into a store, we were in there for probably 15 minutes. Then of course have a little bit of a decent walk into the doctors office and out. Stopped and had some lunch, and then ran into another store for about 10 minutes, and then of course the two hour drive home. I am very impressed with how my knee held up today. A little bit swollen, but all in all not too bad right now, but we just got home. I did take my polar ice in the van with me and iced the whole way home. I think I'm kind of starting to turn a corner with this knee, it's still stiff, but I noticed after I sit for a while when I get up it doesn't take me nearly as long to get going as it did even a week ago. Maybe there is light at the end of this tunnel! Lol
 
Great report. Glad you're doing so well. Enjoy and recover properly over the next few weeks.
 
OK!!!THATS IT!! I think Im done posting when I have a good day, I swear every time I do, it's followed by bad ones. I had a great day Wednesday, then a not so great Thursday, and today was really bad! !! Increased swelling, stiffness, knee and hip pain, lord will this cycle ever end? ?? Increased pain meds again. Im not gonna lie, Im beyond ready for this to end!!
 
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LOL!!! So true!!! It does get better, though. Just think how far you have come from that first week!! Hang in there @kmann...soon you will have more good days than bad.
 
I think we get too anxious and when good days come along, think it's ok to just keep going and forget to ice and elevate. Your bad day Thursday followed Wednesday when you may have ventured into the ODIC. Sometimes it takes a few days to recover from one day of overdoing. This experience is all about patience.
 
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