Bilateral TKR My recovery thread.

[Josephine]

@ scaredinCA I merged your threads. Please read this One thread for your recovery please?
Please keep your posts about your recovery in this one thread. Thank you

 

[Josephine]

Are the muscles and nerves cut during surgery or are they just moved out of the way when getting to the knee/leg bones? My cousin insists the muscles are not cut during surgery, but I on the other hand, believe they are cut as are the nerves. Who's right?

Both of you! You are correct about A nerve being cut - see here Numb area after TKR: how long will it last?

But your cousin is correct about the rest. The usual practice during surgery is to go in-between the natural planes of muscles and other structures (see blue line). This is known as blunt dissection meaning scalpels or scissors are not used to cut through tissues but that they are teased apart with instruments or even fingers. When scissors are used, the closed tips are used to explore those natural planes which are then prised apart by the simple act of opening the scissor points. There, you never knew that scissors were used not to cut, did you?!


Next time you roast a chicken, just notice how the leg meat (muscles) naturally fall apart in pieces. These are the muscle bodies I was talking about.

 

[scaredinCA]

Josephine if the nerves are cut, wouldn't it take hours to stitch them back together? Of if they are left as is, then can they retract clear down to your ankle like my cousin thinks? It doesn't sound right to me that they would fall down to your ankles.

 

[Nomorepain67]

Hi ScaredinCA
How did your OS visit go today? Mine went exceptionally well - all of my fears were unfounded and he was pleased with my progress. Way too much walking today so will probably will be sore tomorrow. Kids go back to school on Tuesday so looking forward to the quiet time.
Stacie

 

[new knee in June]

Good morning Debbie,
Just popping over to see how you are doing boy, you have some really good questions for Josephine.
Always informative. I hope you are doing well. Tell your daughter I said " job well done" for taking care
Of you.
Thinking of you always,
Diana

 

[scaredinCA]

Stacie did we see the same doctor? My visit went just like yours! My doctor thinks I'm making good progress too even though I still can't straighten my legs out yet. He said I was 30 before surgery and now I'm at 5 in extension. I almost fainted when he said I was at 5 in both knees because the physical therapist said I was at 12 in one knee. And he said I was at 110 in both knees which also surprised me because at therapy I was 105 and 94.. Hey I'm going to listen to my surgeon not the therapists. I like his numbers much better. And like you Stacie, I walked too much yesterday and my knees are sore now, but we will both be okay very soon.
Hi Diana, I see you are doing very well in your recovery too.

 

[Nomorepain67]

Glad yours went well too. My new PT told me yesterday that ROM measurements can vary by +/- 8 degrees depending on who is measuring - another reason to take the numbers with a grain of salt. I was pleased that his measurements were similar to the home PT, give or take a couple degrees.
Stacie

 

[scaredinCA]

I just can't get over how experienced these surgeons are! Like I said, my surgeon told me my extension was 5 in both legs and I believed him even though he came to that conclussion by eyeballing them, not actually measuring them. Well I went to physical therapy yesterday and they measured me at 5 extension just like he said!! Amazing. I had been hanging my legs over the edge of the bed for a week and it worked, I went from 12 extension to 5. Now I have to hang over the edge with weights on my ankles. ugh. I almost forgot to tell you all that the physical therapist used biofeedback on my knee and its a great way to teach you how to flex a muscle and keep it flexed for the count of 15. I loved it and wish I had one of those little machines at home!

 

[scaredinCA]

I have a question.

Does anyone know about Rockers, not the musical kind, but the shoes? I have sciatica and it hurts to walk a block, but I found the rockers a few years ago and they take the pressure off my back when walking. When my knees got really bad I quit wearing them.

Right now I'm having a hard time with extension and keeping my left foot flat on the floor when walking. Without realizing it, I sometimes walk on the ball of my left foot which isn't good for extension or good for anything. I'm wondering about the rockers again. Those shoes keep your heel down because the shoe built like a rocking chair.(thats why they take pressure off the back)..... I want to try them, but I'm wondering if they might be bad for the implants or bones, etc? I'm sure the shoes would keep my heels down, but I sure don't want to do anything that might be bad for healing.
Anyone have any idea's about this?

 

[scaredinCA]

So hard not to get discouraged sometimes. In the middle of my living room I have a stationary bike and another exercise machine and I can't use either of them because they make my left knee bend too far and its too painful. My right knee can bend more.. Its so frustrating to look at those machines and not be able to use them yet! I'm at 12 weeks and I don't feel I'm doing as well as I should be. These machines could help me strenghten my leg muscles so much and thats exactly what I need. Today my daughter told me I'm walking bent again. Its such a habit to break because I walked that way for several years before surgery.

When will my knees be normal again! Everyone will say to have patience, etc, but its so hard to believe that I'll ever walk normally again. <<< thats what I want to do right now!!

 

[scaredinCA]

z z z z zZ Z Z Z

 

[scaredinCA]

I guess everyone is asleep or I need a better deordorant. Not that anyone cares, I feel better because I can go up or down stairs the normal way, one foot then the other foot. I can walk up and down a large ramp that I used to be pushed in a wheelchair to get up and down. So even though I have rough days, I am improving at a snails pace. Sorry if I woke anyone, just go back to sleep now.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you are doing better. Way to go on the stairs! Can you adjust the seat on the bike at all?

 

[scaredinCA]

Thanks Keeper for replying to my post. I was starting to think either nobody could see my thread or everyone was asleep when I post. I haven't felt like I was getting anyplace lately, but today showed me that I am indeed improving without even realizing it. Actually I feel afraid of the bike because the thing seems to take off without much effort on my part. We will raise the seat even higher if we can and see what happens.

 

[twirler]

Scared, I am not sure when you had BTKRI think about 4 months ago, but I had mine 10 months ago. My recovery is slow. Some call us turtles. I have good periods and then seem to regress a bit. I , like many, had no idea how long this recovery can be, but have tried to accept that I will get much better with more time. At night, my legs stiffen up and feel tight. But I am trying to be patient and I still do my exercises, ice a few times a day, some days take pain meds, and increase my walking. I am with you in this long slow process and trying to remain positive. Regards.
PS. My OS saw me last in May and thought I was doing quite well and said he did not need to see me again unless I wanted to see him. He hugged me and sent me on my way.

 

[Nomorepain67]

Hey scaredinCA - I can appreciate how it seems posts can sometimes be far and few between. Today at PT I did my first full flight of steps up and down. Very slow, but got them done. I asked him to take me out in the hall to a real set of steps, not the 4 they have for practice in the PT gym. I'm lucky because I don't need to do them for home, but wanted to be sure I could do it for when the need arises.

I also just started with my bike, also in my living room. I had been just rocking back and forth and also had that feeling that it was just going to suddenly go too far. I was rocking slow and steady and it seemed like I was so close to being able to bend for the full rotation, I gave it a try. I've only done it twice so far, but I find by rocking first I get loosened up and after a few minutes I can begin very slow steady rotations.

Hang in there, you sure are an inspiration to me because even at your age you weren't willing to sit by and let life pass you by. Sometimes it helps me to make lists of what I can do better, no matter how small so I can see something tangible. Like "today I could lift my leg on the bed unassisted" or things like that. I have been keeping everything in a small note book so it really is a pick me up to look back and see all of the progress no matter how small

Take care,
Stacie

 

[new knee in June]

Hello Debbie,
I just got out of work, but wanted to tell you how well you are doing you know this recovery is a long haul.
Like you we all get discouraged. We have good days & not so good days. Are you still doing therapy ?
If so, they can help you with your walking.
You have helped so many people on these forums.....we are here for you remember......
You were one of the first "bone smartie" that I met.....we have been through a lot....We can do this
Thinking of you always,
Diana....June sunbeams

 

[scaredinCA]

Thanks peeps for the replies. Twirler I am at month three but thought I was at four and got all irritable because I wasn't futher along in recovery. Can you imagine that!! I mean I was all upset over being at the 4th month mark and still can't ride the bike, etc. That went on all weekend until I stopped and thought it over and realized I'm only at three months, not four.. Numbers, numbers, numbers. If it isn't this number its that number until you are nuts.

Stacie congrats on being able to ride that bike, even if its a slow ride. There is no way I can make the pedals go round when I'm afraid its going to run away with my left knee. My right knee could make the full rotation, but not the left one! In therapy I can ride the recumbant (is that how you spell it?) bike but I have to hold on to the back of my left leg to do it. Stacie you are doing well to keep notes so you can go back and see your progress. I had a friend put my bike in the garage for now. And we brought in another machine to exercise on. Its hard to explain it but you pull the handles forward while you push with your feet, which should help strenghten my leg muscles alot faster than pt will. The only problem is my left knee, so someone has to be standing in front of the machine so that I can't accidently go too far and wreck that darn knee.

Hi Diana, thanks for stopping by to say hello, especially since you had to leave the cowboys, cabana boys, warriors, and hot firemen behind for a few minutes. You are really whooping it up in the birthday social room.

I'm still in therapy and probably will be for the rest of my life. I've watched 80 yr olds progress onto the next level while I'm still at the starting gate. At the present they are having us do deep knee bends and it hurts like h***. The pt wants us to do 5 sets of 20 bends. NO WAY!! I refused and sat down. Tonight I am going to print out the Bone Smart Mantra and take it with me to therapy in the morning. I dread going there anyhow.

Okay have to go look up the knee rules.. You are all doing so well now. Stacie you are the star tonight, I can see you shining. Keep in touch and I wish you all a speedy recovery.

 

[new knee in June]

Dear Debbie,
I had to laugh when you thought your were at 4 months. Talk about rushing progress...you are doing great
For where you are now the bike will come in due time.
How's your daughter, did she ever get that job ?
My way has a frying pan you can borrow for pushy P.T folks
Love you,
Diana

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

Oh, those numbers - they seem to cause so much worry. It doesn't matter what month you're on or how anyone else is doing, you know! Your recovery will take how long it takes. Do you think you've progressed from day one? Then that's all that matters.

I know that's easy for me to say and I know you want to be fully recovered by tomorrow and hope it does get better for you soon, but I think you're doing great and you inspire me as I prep for my BTKR.