TKR New knee newbie<<

[kneeper]

It's early days.
Lots of my improvement came between week 6-12. So I bet you'll be fine to go back to work in mid to late August, particularly if you have the option to start with shorter days.

 

[chicklet]

Hi @MJ61 It really is best to not compare your progress to others, but it’s one of those “easier said than done” kind of things. Something that has helped me not do that as much is reading the threads here of people who have had both knees done at the same time - they all say that their knees did not recover at the same rate, ROM was different in both knees, pain and swelling was different, etc. Once I let that sink in, then it made me feel a little silly to feel so bad about myself when I would hear of someone who was off pain meds at 2 weeks or went back to work at 4 weeks or had 120 degrees of flexion five minutes after surgery. I mean, yay, good for them, but those things did not happen for me. Oh well! It just means I’m different. Nothing else, just different.

I encourage you to read all the articles you’ve been given. There’s a ton of good information here on this site and a lot of support - and that support comes from people who’ve “been there, done that.” They know what they’re talking about.

Good luck in your recovery!

 

[NightQuilter]

Hi MJ61! I'm one of those who's knees were "Made in the USA." I was not pressured by OS or PT to reach certain "benchmarks" by a certain time. (Well, the one they sent to my house kept pushing me to do more but, oddly enough, even though I did not do as much as she expected, she was always surprised at how much I had progressed. All goes to support Josephine's and everyone's suggestion to relax and let your knee be your guide to recovery!) Each of my knees recovered very differently, even though they were done just 7 weeks apart.

Those first few weeks we need to just let the healing begin and the swelling to go down … that is the cause of so much of the pain. There was major construction done in a very tight area. When the swelling goes down, your knee will be able to do so much more because it has more space to work with! Like others have said, the movement is just waiting to come out.

The hubs will be just fine doing what he can to take care of things. a. He will have a new appreciation of how much you really do do to maintain your home - a very important lesson!! and b. He will really appreciate having you healthy and able to do things with him again! The house gets messy - forget about it! Find a good adventure book you've always wanted to read, put your feet up on a couple pillows and get lost in the book for awhile! I used to put mine up on the wall! And when you want, come talk to folks here.

 

[MJ61]

Thanks everyone.
Resting and relaxing is something I find hard to do. Always have. That’s just something I need to work through. Along with my wonderful hubby I also have my daughter who is cheering me along with texts and phone calls. She know just what to say.
But I still hear the voices of my Dr and Pt “you need to get your ROM up so you can prevent scar tissue and adhesions. If those form it will be hard to break up. Those are hard to ignore. Because I want so bad to be normal again

 

[kneeper]

I think they have in their heads if they don't tell us to exercise we will sit around completely immobile eating bon bons. No one I've met here has ever had that problem.

 

[MJ61]

Lol.
I told my husband the other day when PT told me the reason my leg wouldn’t lift was because I had a mental block.
“ Oh yea I want to sit and do nothing for the rest of my life and be a burden on my family, who actually says something like that”. I have things I want to do places I want to go. I want to travel to see my family.
My husband is a sailplane pilot with his own plane I want to go help him in the summer. This summer he put his flying on hold to help me.
How long does it take for the scar tissue that they keep scaring me with to form ??

 

[Celle]

How long does it take for the scar tissue that they keep scaring me with to form ??

In spite of what they say, that sort of scar tissue - which is more accurately called adhesions - is quite rare. It's not just waiting to pounce if you don't exercise enough. That's just scare tactics.
You don't have to work hard at PT and exercises to keep it at bay. And it's not a race to get good ROM (Range of Motion) before the theoretical "scar tissue" grabs your knee.

There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

 

[Josephine]

It’s interesting how different the US handles knee replacement compared to the rest of the world. Here it’s push push push.

It's not the US. We have PTs in the UK who are like that and conversely, you have PTs who are committed to the "BoneSmart" way!

I’ve read different articles on where I should be at 5wks and I’m nowhere close. Though the PT told me to stop reading all that stuff everyone is different.

Your PT is correct. And you never read that on BoneSmart because I won't allow such posts! Everyone and, indeed, every knee is totally different! My first and second knees were as different as chalk and cheese!

I met a man at PT the other day whose surgery was the day before mine and he’s walking without and aids.

That's another thing to turn a deaf ear to. You never had his surgery and he never had yours. He might even have just had an arthroscopy!

I need to be able to go back to work by Aug 15.

That will be 12 weeks and you might well just make it! Hope springs eternal!

Resting and relaxing is something I find hard to do. Always have. That’s just something I need to work through.

Well look at it this way - you're 5 weeks out which means you probably only have another 3-4 weeks of enforced rest to tolerate. It's not a forever thing and will be worth it to get a good outcome, surely?

But I still hear the voices of my Dr and Pt “you need to get your ROM up so you can prevent scar tissue and adhesions. If those form it will be hard to break up. Those are hard to ignore.

Ignore them! They're really talking nonsense. And like kneeper said, it's probably their psychology to make sure you're not just sitting around doing nothing! (as if you would!)

 

[MJ61]

Ok. This is something new??
First off let me say I’m doing a bit better. 5wks I still have a 70 ROM but I’m gradually graduating to the cane. I have permission to use it in the house just not outside. Still have my”blue” days.
Now I’ve noticed that several times a day it feels like my knee gives out or buckles when I’m walking. I know the new knee is stable. But could it be because of my “Dead Leg , Dead Quad” or what ever it’s called. The leg will move from side to side, if I’m standing I can match, but if I’m laying on the bed with straight leg it won’t lift. PT puts those muscles stimulates on them but even they are confused as to why.

 

[SusieShoes]

Weak quad muscles can lead to feelings of the knee giving out, or even to it buckling in some cases. So yes, the “dead quad” you mention is most likely the reason.

As you walk more and further you will strengthen the quad. More still when you do the stairs. Just be patient and stay active as your knee allows; it will get stronger!

 

[Josephine]

This is something new??

Not here it's not! We've been recommending this for years!

 

[sistersinhim]

I met a man at PT the other day whose surgery was the day before mine and he’s walking without and aids.

What was the condition of that man's knee before his surgery? What did his knee look like inside? What all did the OS have to do to him. Now, look at what has happened to your knee through your life. You know what that is, but you don't have any idea what his knee went through. That's why we say to never compare your knee to anyone else's. Each knee is different so each recovery is different, even knees on the same body! Just read some bilateral threads. Try not to compare!

 

[Celle]

Ok. This is something new??

No, it's not something new. It's just a matter of how your surgeon and PT were trained.
I had my first knee replacement back in 2000 and my surgeon then had the same policy as my current surgeon.

My surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.

First off let me say I’m doing a bit better. 5wks I still have a 70 ROM but I’m gradually graduating to the cane. I have permission to use it in the house just not outside. Still have my”blue” days.
Now I’ve noticed that several times a day it feels like my knee gives out or buckles when I’m walking. I know the new knee is stable. But could it be because of my “Dead Leg , Dead Quad” or what ever it’s called.

I'm glad you're doing better.

I must say though that while you still feel as if your leg is going to buckle, it may be too soon to graduate to the cane. There's no set time when you should change from one walking aid to another. It's a matter of safety. Use what you need to, to prevent a fall. And you don't need permission to move from one walking aid to another. You do it when you feel that both you and your knee are ready and will feel safe.

 

[MJ61]

I guess I should have put the “This is something new” after the I’m doing better comment.
The feeling like the knee is going to buckle when I walk is new. I use to get it before the surgery too. I’m not an active person so I’m out of shape and over weight. So I’m sure that factors into how well I’m bouncing back. The cane I’m taking really slow, but I’d like to use it more I feel it will give me more independence. I really lean on my walker. So much so I’ve now have blisters on both my palms.

 

[MJ61]

Argh...
I’m sure this is a minor setback. I was doing really well with pain that I hadn’t taken any pain meds in several weeks. But Thursday it really started hurting. So I’m taking them again. And icing more. I was really hoping I didn’t have to go back on them. And I felt so good earlier in the week. Hopefully it will pass soon. Looking at 6 wks on Monday.

 

[Jockette]

Because you were feeling so good did you increase your activity? That could very well be the reason your pain is back. Slow and steady is the name of this game/recovery.

 

[Josephine]

I was doing really well with pain that I hadn’t taken any pain meds in several weeks. But Thursday it really started hurting. So I’m taking them again. And icing more. I was really hoping I didn’t have to go back on them.

6 weeks is actually slap-bang in the middle of the "angry tissue" stage so all that you said here is normal. Get that? NORMAL!!

I suggest you go back to post #18 and read my advice to you again. It seems to me you never read them at all! Do correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[Laurenkate]

One of the things I wish i'd done after my first tkr was to just make short notes every couple of days about how the knee looked, felt, what I could do, etc. Then I could have read back over it when discouraged and feeling like nothing was changing to realize progress was being made. Hopefully will remember to do this on my next go around!

 

[Jockette]

Hopefully will remember to do this on my next go around!

Hopefully you won’t need those notes again!

 

[MJ61]

I went back an re read #18 post. Thanks.
Just thinking maybe I should take pictures of my knee daily that way I could compare the swelling. Because today it really feels swollen so much so I’ve gone back to limping when I walk. I know it will pass & ice is my friend today.