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TKR October24TKR right leg

Ruby57

new member
Joined
Jan 11, 2025
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67
Gender
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Country
Ireland Ireland
Hi there
I had TKR on my right leg 18th October 2024. I had been misdiagnosed in may '24 after MRI.. consultants secretary sent me an email to say he (the consultant) couldn't find anything seriously wrong with my knee. As a result of this I continued to be in pain.. & deteriorated rapidly. Seen new consultant in October.
He said I had grade 4 breakdown in the knee joint, meniscus tear, worn cartilage, & pinched Sciatic nerve. Basically a wreck! The new consultant scheduled my surgery for the following week! I was so happy at last someone was listening to me & I'd finally get relief. Just to mention I Had knee replacement on my left knee in 2017.. & recovered really well from it.
So I wasn't at all anxious about this operation.
Well, this knee made up for it!
I'm now 12 weeks post op.. and still need a cane for support.. stiffness & swelling are the main issues. I've been attending my PT weekly and doing my exercises.. but it's hard as my muscles are just so weak (quads) she says rehab takes time..
And in my case because it had taken so long before surgery (first presented with knee problems Nov 22) I need to be gentle with my body.
I felt I was getting very down, because I was comparing this recovery with my last knee replacement..and felt I wasn't progressing enough. Would like to hear anyone with similar experiences.. & advice on what I can do, or not do to help my recovery..
Sorry for long winded thread.
P.S. I also was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020.. I had 6 months chemo & 20 radiotherapy. So far so good on that!
 
Welcome to BoneSmart, @Ruby57 :wave: I'm so glad you found us.

As you've discovered, every knee is different -- even two knees in the same person! (I've had both knees done and experienced this too.) So please don't get down about your recovery -- and try not to compare it with your first.

Stiffness and swelling are very common at 12 weeks post-op. This is a year-long recovery, so you are still in the early months. Try to be patient. It will get better with time and we are here to help and support you in the process
 
Even though you are 12 weeks post-op, I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines.

There is lots of information here that will help you put your recovery into perspective. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind we are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

KNEE RECOVERY GUIDELINES

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.

If you want to use something to assist with healing and scar management, BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogel through BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.

2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for TKRs
The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

Good nutrition is very important during recovery:
Dietary Tips for Recovery
Nutrition Basics

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Hello and Welcome to recovery, Ruby!
It is good to read that you've been healthy since your treatment for breast cancer in 2020. You're coming up on five years…great milestone! I am sorry this TKR recovery may be a bit more slow paced than your first, but it sounds like this knee was in worse shape than your left knee was.

Thanks for joining us. I look forward to following your progress over the next months. Wishing you complete healing in 2025!
@Ruby57
 
Hi Ruby

I understand your journey all too well

I had a RTKR in July 2015 and a LTKR in September 2024

I also thought since my first knee went great and had no pain at all post op I would have the same recovery

Well I found out what they say here even on the same person each knew is unique .

Don't get down it will get better. Steps forward and steps backwards .but overall forward

Some days better than others

I have and am living thru it right now

Just concentrate on what new things you could do better each week and look forward not backwards
 
Hi @Ruby57 !
Just want to add that at 12 weeks many of us have very weak quads - partly a process that started preop as we reduced activity and partly the trauma of surgery. The surgery affected both the muscle fibers and the teeny nerves that trigger them and sometimes it takes this long for them to communicate effectively.

So you're just at the point where very light strengthening can start - walking is great of course. It's too early for physio to be putting on ankle weights or asking for lots of repetition or multiple sets of exercise. Keep it light, spread small doses of exercises throughout a day, don't do anything that causes pain or increased swelling, and alternate exercise days with just walking days.
 
Welcome to BoneSmart, @Ruby57 :wave: I'm so glad you found us.

As you've discovered, every knee is different -- even two knees in the same person! (I've had both knees done and experienced this too.) So please don't get down about your recovery -- and try not to compare it with your first.

Stiffness and swelling are very common at 12 weeks post-op. This is a year-long recovery, so you are still in the early months. Try to be patient. It will get better with time and we are here to help and support you in the process
Thank you, I appreciate that.. you can get very down when you don't have anyone to compare with.. I know you shouldn't compare, but it's human nature..
 
Hello and Welcome to recovery, Ruby!
It is good to read that you've been healthy since your treatment for breast cancer in 2020. You're coming up on five years…great milestone! I am sorry this TKR recovery may be a bit more slow paced than your first, but it sounds like this knee was in worse shape than your left knee was.

Thanks for joining us. I look forward to following your progress over the next months. Wishing you complete healing in 2025!
@Ruby57
Thank you Layla
 
Hi Ruby

I understand your journey all too well

I had a RTKR in July 2015 and a LTKR in September 2024

I also thought since my first knee went great and had no pain at all post op I would have the same recovery

Well I found out what they say here even on the same person each knew is unique .

Don't get down it will get better. Steps forward and steps backwards .but overall forward

Some days better than others

I have and am living thru it right now

Just concentrate on what new things you could do better each week and look forward not backwards
That's how I feel right now, one step forward, & two steps back.. so frustrating.. I'm not very good with asking for help. I went grocery shopping the other day with my husband.. hadn't been out for weeks. Thought I was great, paid for it the last two days lots of pain & swelling.
 
Hi @Ruby57 !
Just want to add that at 12 weeks many of us have very weak quads - partly a process that started preop as we reduced activity and partly the trauma of surgery. The surgery affected both the muscle fibers and the teeny nerves that trigger them and sometimes it takes this long for them to communicate effectively.

So you're just at the point where very light strengthening can start - walking is great of course. It's too early for physio to be putting on ankle weights or asking for lots of repetition or multiple sets of exercise. Keep it light, spread small doses of exercises throughout a day, don't do anything that causes pain or increased swelling, and alternate exercise days with just walking days.
 
Thank you, appreciate your response. My PT added very light weights to my exercise just this week.. do you think I should stop this?
 
@Ruby57
You mention stiffness and swelling.

It's totally expected to have stiffness at your stage and for a while beyond, particularly after prolonged sitting, standing, or certain sleeping positions.

Overall swelling can be considerably reduced for many - by no means all - of us. If it increases, it generally indicates that we have demanded too much of the new knee, aggravating soft tissues.

If a one or two pound weight results in pain or increased swelling that evening or the following morning, it's a clear sign that it's not yet appropriate. I would definitely not advance past that for several weeks. At 12 weeks our tendons and ligaments have just barely done their initial healing. It's too easy to push past their limits.

The other and in many ways more serious issue is that our healing leg is not ready for a standard PT session (which is based on healthy people strength training norms: multiple sets of six to twelve repetitions (reps), followed by another exercise done that way).

At 12 weeks, our body needs shorter exercise sessions - a single set of one exercise, a break, a single set of another. If you're going to do three different exercises during PT, do fewer reps of each. It's perfectly acceptable to set this limit, saying you've fatigued the muscle and had enough.

The next couple of days after a session should be for resting, walking, light stretching.

I say this as someone who loves the gym. I resumed targeted strength training at the gym many months post op and am now leg pressing 200#, doing curls and extensions at 90#. Slow and steady wins this race!
 
@Ruby57
You mention stiffness and swelling.

It's totally expected to have stiffness at your stage and for a while beyond, particularly after prolonged sitting, standing, or certain sleeping positions.

Overall swelling can be considerably reduced for many - by no means all - of us. If it increases, it generally indicates that we have demanded too much of the new knee, aggravating soft tissues.

If a one or two pound weight results in pain or increased swelling that evening or the following morning, it's a clear sign that it's not yet appropriate. I would definitely not advance past that for several weeks. At 12 weeks our tendons and ligaments have just barely done their initial healing. It's too easy to push past their limits.

The other and in many ways more serious issue is that our healing leg is not ready for a standard PT session (which is based on healthy people strength training norms: multiple sets of six to twelve repetitions (reps), followed by another exercise done that way).

At 12 weeks, our body needs shorter exercise sessions - a single set of one exercise, a break, a single set of another. If you're going to do three different exercises during PT, do fewer reps of each. It's perfectly acceptable to set this limit, saying you've fatigued the muscle and had enough.

The next couple of days after a session should be for resting, walking, light stretching.

I say this as someone who loves the gym. I resumed targeted strength training at the gym many months post op and am now leg pressing 200#, doing curls and extensions at 90#. Slow and steady wins this race!
 
Thank you
Hi Ruby

I understand your journey all too well

I had a RTKR in July 2015 and a LTKR in September 2024

I also thought since my first knee went great and had no pain at all post op I would have the same recovery

Well I found out what they say here even on the same person each knew is unique .

Don't get down it will get better. Steps forward and steps backwards .but overall forward

Some days better than others

I have and am living thru it right now

Just concentrate on what new things you could do better each week and look forward not backwards
Thank you
 
Hi @Ruby57 :wave:

Just wanted to share a tip about using quotes.

It's really not necessary to quote the whole message when you want to reply to someone. Not quoting whole messages saves a lot of space on the page, and also saves duplicate reading.

There are several options:

1. There is no need to quote if you are replying to the post directly above your reply. Just go down to the reply box and type your reply.

2. If you are replying to an earlier post, just name the member you want to address and add the @ sign in front of their username (no space) and type your reply. (Just like I did above to reply to you.)

3. If you want to quote a specific line in the other member's post just highlight that line:
- When you do, you will see the words Like/ +Quote/ Quote this message. Click +Quote
- Then, when you go to the reply box, click “insert quotes” and it will put the highlighted area into your reply.

Happy Posting!
 
Happy Three Month Anniversary Ruby!
I hope you are doing well and I am wishing you a wonderful weekend. Take care!
@Ruby57
 
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