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Revised PKR to TKR My Revision Journey<

Let us know if you notice a difference with elevating more often.
 
you might read Minstrel 's post on "Five weeks out and Need reassuring". She also is struggling with swelling and how to take it down a notch.
 
Looks like my questions might now be superfluous! But I'll post them anyway

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine)

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?
[Bonesmart.org] My Revision Journey<


4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
 
@Josephine

1. Sitting no movement 2 / with movement walking etc 6/7

2. Prescribed both Norco 7.5-325 and Oxy 5mg. Can use either but I prefer the oxy. Norco makes me feel weird for while after taking. Oxy works with no side effects. Was taking 1-2 every 4 hours. Now find myself taking 1 every 6-8 hours unless going to PT. Also take 1 at bedtime and sometimes another in the middle of the night if needed.

3. Slight swelling. Never even had moderate after surgery. But it still feels very tight around the knee area. Tightens more with movement.

4. ROM flex 89' at last PT after stretching. 0' extension.

5. Icing often throughout the day. 4 to 5 times for hour or so each time.

6. That I have been doing occasional. Realize now I need more of that so concentrating on elevating whole icing now.

7. No shopping or outside trips other than to PT and back. No driving yet. Can get dressed and shower with no help. Go up one flight of stairs to bed each night and back down in morning. Do a load of laundry or empty dishwasher when needed (husband usually does these things). Replace ice packs as needed
throughout day. Walk around house with use of a cane throughout the day.

8. Seated hamstring stretch 1-2 times a day.
Seated flexion stretch - I do this whenever I am seated in a chair and gently stretch for about 30 seconds 2-3 times.
Standing march - 20 times once or twice a day.
Standing heel raise - 20 times once or twice day
Heel sides if I haven't done the seated flexion stretches during day. I feel like the flexion stretches are more effective and hurt less.
PT twice a week. They have been doing the same as above plus have added some parallel bar exercises with walking, standing and balancing. The PT does very gentle stretches on my knee each time. I'm usually sore that evening but don't feel like they are over doing it. Told me they are taking it slow because of the revision aspect. I've been told no weight bearing exercises for 6-8 weeks.

Let me know if you need any other info!


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[Bonesmart.org] My Revision Journey<
@skygirl. I've got this recliner elevation thing down. This has been me most of the day except for trips to the bathroom. I do notice I have to keep repositioning since my lower back and hips start hurting but I've got a power recliner to that really helps. Going to try and keep this up and see if it makes a difference in my tightness. Watching Grey's Anatomy :)


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So yesterday I pretty much iced and elevated all day long with just occasional trips around the house and by the time I went to bed my knee was very tight and would hardly bend at all. Go figure.

This morning it seems somewhat better and I did some light stretching and bending. I'm elevated and icing again now.

I have PT this afternoon. Will be interesting to see how that goes ......


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Your knee will get stiff if you don't move it, so take a little walk every hour or so. Keeping it in one position while you're elevating can make it feel stiff, so move it a bit now and then.
 
PT went well today. They did some light stretching and are starting to add in some strengthening exercises without putting pressure on my knee. Felt good about it all. ROM around 92'.

I need to just keep up with the stretching at home along with my icing and elevation.

Today I was able to lift up my foot and slide it into my shoe all by myself while standing! That was an achievement for me. Baby steps :-)


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It's too early for strengthening exercises. They are best left until at least 3 months after surgery. Your muscles with gradually strengthen naturally until then, just with daily use.
 
I didn't feel like they were too early at all. Maybe strengthening was the wrong word. Walking toe to toe and side steps etc.


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What do you think PT should entail at this point and why?


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Defintely nothing with resistance bands or weights. No one pushing or pulling on your knee/leg. No squats or anything that hurts. I did do strength training for my leg, but not until month 4-5. At 2-3 weeks a PT told me to do squats holding onto a bar, I looked at her and said I couldn't do squats before surgery. I did one and it hurt, turned to the PT and said never again. I just don't like pain and with a TKR pain in or after therapy means you've pushed your knee too hard. I did heel slides, rode a recumbent bike and a lot of stretches.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/tkr-work-“smarter”-and-not-“harder”.11205/
 
@flyaway79 I also posted this on Minstrels thread but wanted to offer my support to you as well. I hope you don't rebound into swelling and pain post PT. Pay careful attention to what happens 24-72 hours post PT
 
@Red's Mom Thank you! I know now it's a marathon and not a sprint.

My PT is not overly aggressive. I don't feel any different the day or two after my PT than I did before. I'm just impatient for the internal swelling to go down. By looking at my knee you would think I should be over the swelling and have great ROM, but that's not the case. I can feel the fluid inside and that's what seems to be what's slowing down the movement progress.

I do gentle stretching exercises at home each day, occasional walks around the house to keep everything moving and the rest of the time I'm resting, elevating and icing.


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I'm going to leave you the activity progression chart just as a reminder that this recovery takes a while. Stiffness at 4 weeks is very typical and will lessen as your recovery moves along. My OS said 3 months before I'd feel well enough to work and a whole year before I'd feel normal. You're just 4 weeks into a year long recovery. Patience is as important as the ice. :yes:
 
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@KarriB No way would I have been able to work at 3 weeks, even if it had been a desk job which it isn't. I'm shooting for 6 months to be able to go back to work.


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