Become an Insider

TKR New Year, New Knee - Jan. 3, 2017<

You know we — well, at least I — will want a full report on your experience with the Graston technique. Here’s hoping it helps you!

You have really good ROM now and that’s a big plus. It will continue to get better, most likely, as your leg continues to get stronger. Now if you can just get the pain to go away!
 
jaschembra said:
she put on to help with any swelling or bruising - I have none right now.
Click to expand...
That sounds way more aggressive than I want. It won’t be in my future. I hope it gives you the results you want. :console2:
 
So glad to hear of your progress! Well done. Even being a fan of massage therapy, that does sound like a bit more than I could handle, and wise of you to wait until this point in your recovery. Yes, the kinesio tape is fun - after my lumbar fusion, as well as after the knees, it was always fun to see what new designs they would come up with! I particularly liked the teal color - better matched my wardrobe! lol :rotfl:
 
Wow!!! 6 months since my last post. I'm still alive and kicking (no soccer balls :heehee:)
Happy New Year everyone!
I'll post a 2 year update on my anniversary of 1/3/19...not too exciting, and not much different, so don't get too anxious waiting for it.
:flwrysmile:

And yes... this little guy (my new avatar) is 3 weeks old tomorrow. Beau Mathew. He is our 1st grandchild and we are "over the moon excited"! He is a super good baby. Mommy is having a tough go with baby blues/postpartum so we hope & pray that goes away soon.
 
Last edited:
Happy New Year! Good to hear from you, I think of you often.

What a cutie Beau is!!!!!! I hope his mommy comes along well. We had a relative who had that problem, and I had the baby for a week when she was 2 months old. What fun we had with a baby in the house. Of course it’s helpful that there were 5 of us to take care of her, my kids loved it.

Best wishes for you and your family for 2919!
 
What a wonderful Christmas gift in that new little baby boy! He's also a good way to welcome in the New Year! I look forward to reading about your update.
 
:spin::dancy:Guess what today is - It's my 2 year anniversary!! :dancy::spin:

The good:
I no longer hear or feel my bones pop into place, or rub against each other like I still do with my right knee, the bone pain is gone.
My joint feels strong and secure.
I have absolutely no pain while sitting or sleeping (well, sometimes after a long day on my legs, I take 1 Gabapentin to get a good night sleep as it knocks me out for the night :heehee:)
My leg is much stronger than it was a year ago. Especially, my hamstrings.
I no longer have any popping sensation in the tendons/ligaments.
My leg is fully flat/extended.
I can ride my bike, my horse, attend water class 3 x/week, swim laps if I want to and shop.
I can kneel on a pad, but I need to work on that - it still feels a bit weird to me (my OS said it's okay to do, just most people don't because of all the nerve endings in the area - it feels uncomfortable)

The bad:
I, my OS, and the last PT I saw, think I have scar tissue inside that is bothersome.
I believe the scar tissue creates the inflammation I feel daily (hourly), even after just being up 5-10 min., standing is worse than walking.
I have less range of motion than with my right, natural knee
I don't have 100% of my strength (as in, equal to my right) but I believe that will get even better, as it has over this past year.

The take:
I walk completely normal, I go up and down stairs normal (unless it's a steep step, my natural knee goes last as it flexes better) and if you didn't know it, you would not know I have a TKR and a bad right knee so life goes on. :egypdance:
I will continue to strengthen both legs and knees with daily activity and I will deal with the pain of my right knee until I am cripple because I don't heal well from surgical procedures, period!
My OS doesn't like to remove scar tissue as he feels it tends to grow back (his opinion - I know others on this site have had the surgery performed and it has done wonders for them)
And...this year, I do still plan on seeing another OS that I know about, just to get another OS's opinion on my situation and to have another OS in my back pocket should my right knee need the TKR sooner than later.

I can't say my TKR feels better than my natural knee all the time, but there are definitely times when it does!
 
It's so good to hear from you! All in all it sounds like you are doing well! Someone who knows more about this scar tissue, or adhesions, will get back with you.
 
Thanks @sistersinhim I remember @skigirl I think had the scar tissue removed if I remember correctly.
I'm still hoping my body just "gets used to it" eventually, as I'm not all too excited about anything going surgically into that joint. :) And...it's pretty amazing how I can get up and down from the couch holding that little bundle of joy!! :) He is only 8 lbs or so. :loveshwr:
 
I think it was Skigirl. You have a really good memory!
 
Happy Anniversary!!:wave:I hope when you consult with another surgeon that he/she can give you additional info about knee #1 - and that you can go a long time before knee #2 needs a fix. I'm about 4 months behind you. My TKR #1 has been more bothersome lately as it takes the load for #2 -- I have intermittent burning sensation in the hamstring where it attaches to the knee, tightness and occasional discomfort on the lateral side where the numbness is and nagging tendonitis on the medial side -- but it's so much less painful than it was prior to TKR. I was hoping for perfection by my two year anniversary but I guess I'll have to settle for the aches and pains that go with ANK (almost normal knee). That Beau is such a cutie --- irresistable!! Sending good energy for "mom" to improve from the post-partum depression.
 
After two years, I began to have pain under the kneecap. My doc did an "open lysis of adhesions" and removed extensive adhesions which had scarred down over the knee cap, pushing it against the metal of the prosthesis.
 
You sound like you are doing wonderfully! Congrats on your 2 year anniversary. Hopefully the adhesions will not create an issue needing surgical intervention. Enjoy that fabulous little fellow!
 
Well, hello there! Thought I would get back on here and post any updates since my 2 yr Anniversary.

~ In March, I took my records and saw a 2nd opinion OS. He is the person who I figure will do my next knee when I’m crippled and need it done (performs about 700/year and I know a couple people who used him). He didn’t look at my records and took a new full set of X-rays of both knees (interesting what he said about my right knee). Anyway, he felt my prosthetic size, placement and positioning of my leg were all good. He said the bone growth looked great. He felt I had excellent ROM. He said, if anything, I might be a little “loosy-goosey” in there (his words) :heehee: He said, if he went in surgically to place a larger spacer, 90% of people would not be any better and possibly worse from additional scar tissue/trauma. He feels the majority of my issue is soft tissue and that I should continue to build strength to “tighten” everything up in there.
So, my right knee - he didn’t see bone on bone and said to continue with injections...level 4 OA. I said I’ve had OA in that knee for 15+ years and 4 years ago, an MRI showed level 5 and exposed bone (I didn’t mention my OS saw it when he scoped it) - he said MRI’s tend to report worse conditions than they are - I wondered about that statement. He doesn’t use MRIs (my OS uses them all the time). To each their own I suppose.

~ Since that visit, I have added a couple of senior strength exercise classes to my water class schedule and I’ve just made it a point to get more activity. When I don’t go to the gym, I ride my horse, or stationary bike or bike at a park if it’s nice. I feel like my leg is getting stronger and it must be getting better - I’m doing more and taking less medicine. Just 1 acetaminophen at night to help me sleep. But the best thing - I have complete faith in this joint! I know it’s strong and secure and it’s not going anywhere. It does more for me all the time. I still have pain when standing still or walking. I guess it’s a strong discomfort rather than pain. :chinstroke: I’m still hoping the day will come when my mind doesn’t think about it. I still deal with daily stiffness and doubt that will ever go away. What I don’t like is, I think I have less flex now than I did at 1-1 1/2 years - if that is from scar tissue growing (?) I hope it has stopped. Hasn’t seemed to be any worse during these last 6-8 months.

~ Having the grandson is a great workout on the knees! Getting up and down while holding him are great squats lol. He’s probably 17 lbs or so. He’s such a cutie and melts our hearts.

I need to do some reading and catch up on some of you Bonesmarties! :) :-) (:
 
I’m glad you have good things to report 2 years out. Great that the bone has grown well and as planned!

I have seen an improvement in ROM in my second year, but no change in the nerve issue. Thankfully it’s warm enough now to wear shorts all the time, my knee will be happier for a few months.

I had another second opinion in February. Very nice doctor this time, he discussed my list of concerns. But he would not order a bone scan, as once again, my new X-rays that day look fine.

So I am adapting my “since surgery limitations” as my new normal.
 
Oh, what a gorgeous little boy! Give him a hug and kiss for me.
It sounds like your knee is doing really well and you're able to do all the things you'd like to do. What a blessing you don't have to worry about the knee cement giving up like a lot of us do. Enjoy that new baby and new knee!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 561 (members: 0, guests: 561)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom