new pain

[jacques1]

I have posted before but I will refresh for you. I am 4 weeks TKR and for the most part doing okay. My ROM was 100 as of Monday. I am having a little trouble with my flexion but working at it. I have this horrible shooting pain on the inside of my knee. This is strange but I broke the tybia years ago and
had a pin put in and taken out one year later. It hurts right where my incision was. I have heard other people compaining of a feeling of a rubber band around their knee. I also experience this. I don't find the pain unbearable and I haven't since day one. I can't explain how the pain is. I try walking heel to toe but some days I just can't and I end up with a limp. I cannot get my swelling down at all. I ice several times a day. The PT suggested I use heat under my leg and ice on top. It feels good but I don't see a difference.
The pain medication I have, as mentioned before is tylenol 3's. I onlyt take advil for the inflamation and tylenol at night.
I do my vacuming now and I go shopping, not for long but maybe one hour or so. I excercise 3x's per day. Do you think everything is okat

 

[Jamie]

Jacques....you're only a month out of surgery. You may be pushing a little hard on the activity and have not quite enough pain medication. If this bothers you, talk with your surgeon or his/her nurse. If they won't give you additional pain meds, you might discuss your problem with your family doctor, as they are sometimes better equipped for pain management issued. Bottom line is that you are new in recovery and it may hurt for a while. When I was 4 weeks out, I hadn't even left the house yet and was certainly not even considering any vacuuming. Be kind to yourself!!!

 

[aussie]

Same here, the only time I'd left the house at that time was PT or Doctor's appointments, then I had a driver.

I have to say I probably milked the need for assistance with the vacuuming a bit longer than needed but hey it's vacuuming! Can you blame me?????

Doesn't take long and you are right back in the swing of everything, so be kind to yourself and take the time needed.

Chris

 

[execk2]

Salut Jacques, it takes time. I had 2 major reconstructions in the last 4 years involving a plate and 7 screws each. I swear I can feel pain where the plate was. Slowly it's getting better. I think the best advice my PT gave me was to take a week or 2 off exercising... I took a week and gained more movement and things are getting better.

Now if only I can control the inflammation. It's not that bad but enough to make me walk with a limp. Tabarna.....

 

[calling_all_angels]

Deb,
Now I get to tell you SLOW down!!!! Gosh I thought I was too gung ho!! It sounds
to me that you are really trying to heal in record breaking time. Let your wonderful Grandchildren help with the house work. You need to take care of yourself. Did you
ask your GP about some pain meds?? And dang girl your ROM sounds good, is there anything special that you have been doing to get to a 100 at 4 weeks? I am at 3
weeks and feel lucky if I get 90. I think that that is all you need to do right now is
to work on getting your knee to were you feel comfortable with it.
^i^

 

[RickB]

Jacques,
The anatomy of your knee has been altered and you could have scar tissue around your knee that could be causing the pain. Also the lining in your knee called the synovium can get pinched by the prosthetic, which can cause pain. At four weeks you can take anti-inflammatory meds, if your prosthetic is cemented. If it is cement less, you should not take nsaids at only four weeks, because they can cause the bone to take more time to heal. I believe if you rest for a couple of days and ice your knee, you should be fine. If after 4 days you still have the pain, I would consult your doctor.

God Bless,
Rick

 

[Josephine]

Well, I shan't be doing any vacuuming for the first 6 weeks and that's for sure! I doubt very much that the old tibial injury is connected - more likely, as the others have so eloquently said!, that you are doing far too much far too soon.

You mentioned icing your knee but no mention of elevating it. Do you elevate when you are icing? Or even just sitting down? How do you define elevation? I had a friend speaking to me of a relative that had swelling. I asked this question and was told she 'puts her foot on a foot stool'! I told her 'that's just putting your foot on a foot stool!' To be effective, elevation has to have your foot higher than your hip, the higher the better.

Look at this very excellent site called "broken link removed: https://www.loungedoctor.com/q3.php". It give the most superb explanations and illustrations about leg elevation I have ever seen.

 

[Josephine]

At four weeks you can take anti-inflammatory meds, if your prosthetic is cemented. If it is cement less, you should not take nsaids at only four weeks, because they can cause the bone to take more time to heal.

Rick, can you tell me where you got this info from? I've been researching like mad and can find no reference to it anywhere, neither online nor from my books or contacts. Would be most interested to know ....

 

[RickB]

Jo,
I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night. Just kidding but I do like that commercial. I get most of my information from this forum, then the web and in this case, from the book “ Total Knee Replacement & Rehabilitation”. Jo, if you have the book, the discussion on pain is on page 238.

God Bless,
Rick

 

[calling_all_angels]

Dang it Rick I better check myself in to a Holiday Inn.
^i^

 

[Josephine]

Yes - I have that one

brb


**scoots upstairs to get it**


('scoot' - that's a laugh!)

 

[jacques1]

Thanks everyone

I do elevate my leg when icing it. I do my excercises 3x per day and ice right after.
I also ice in between. I find I am good in the morning, afternoon and before dinner is when I start to get more sore. But it is not a pain I can't handle, just very annoying.
I have become okay with tylenol 3 for pain. I tke Advil for inflamation. In the day, if pain is not too bad I take regular tylenol.

I have another question. Scar Tisssue. I have been massaging my knee twice daily.
Does anything else happen if you have scar tissue?

Deb

 

[Josephine]

Not to my knowledge - pain, soreness, stiffness - that's about it.