Bilateral TKR Ok, I've had my bilateral!

[KarriB]

The majority of my time in the first month was spent elevating and icing. Don't worry about anything else until a few weeks post op.

 

[MCS1267]

Glad to hear you are doing well. Icing and elevating is so crucial at this point. It is one day at a time...while your recovery will progress, it may feel slow at times. I found it amazing at about four weeks when I looked back and compared my progress at that point to what it felt like it two weeks I really started to feel a difference in lots of ways. My bend was coming along, while stiff, I was still able to do some of the exercises to keep me moving and walking around. I know that at two weeks out my stiffness was intense. I had a bilateral knee replacement 2/21/17...was in hospital 3 days...went to inpatient PT for 9 days. The stiffness and the discomfort of surgery were present during it all. It made everything at physical therapy very difficult as it was hard to imagine moving beyond getting in and out of bed. They loosened me up and I did gentle things, but I have to be honest, it was hard. Fast forward to now, I'm walking independently...driving...but, stiffness sets in after like 10 minutes up on my feet.

Hope your red bumps resolve and it's good you have some great help.

Hang out here and let us know how you're doing.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are doing really well for just two weeks after a bilateral! Be sure and not overdo or your knees will rebel and you'll be very sorry!

 

[amydmvp]

I am now 4 weeks post op. I started outpatient pt this past week. Now I know what everyone is talking about when these pt's want to push and bend, etc. I hate it. I feel so sore and stiff and now feel as if I am going backwards. Plus, I have over done it on some of my activities- had to go to daughter's orchestra concert- 2 hours of grueling sitting on middle school auditorium chair. Also just think I've been up and around too much. I can drive, I walk without an aid but I think I need to slow down, so I'm gonna. Back to ice, elevation and not being so worried about pushing so hard with exercises.

 

[Celle]

Now I know what everyone is talking about when these pt's want to push and bend, etc. I hate it. I feel so sore and stiff and now feel as if I am going backwards.

Remember that you are the only one who can say what happens to your knees. You can set the rules at PT, so tell your therapists to back off. Don't allow them to pull or push your knees - that can do harm - or to set so many exercises that you feel sore or stiff afterwards. Your knees don't need therapy like that.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

There's no need to worry or rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even longer, after a TKR.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

In any case, it's not exercising that gets you your ROM, - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

You're correct that you have probably been overdoing your activity, and also right to cut it back. This recovery is more like a marathon than a sprint, so you need to pace yourself. That will take all the patience you can muster, but it will be worth it.

 

[sistersinhim]

You have visited the Over Did It Club, (ODIC). You learn by experience. Now, you know what not to do and what to not let pt do! Stick to your guns. It's your knee. You and your knee are the bosses and the therapists are your employees. Don't let them bully you. Now, help yourself out and do the guidelines that Bonesmart suggests for your activity. You'll be glad you did!
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-tkrs.14334/

 

[flyaway79]

Wow! You are driving one month after bilateral TKR? That's amazing!

 

[amydmvp]

I was actually ok'd to drive at 3 weeks. I can drive okay, it's getting in and out of the car that is a pain. I really did not expect to be driving already though, to tell the truth.

 

[becticu]

I'm also amazed you are driving with bilateral! I am 6 weeks out and haven't because my sweet husband insists and I haven't had to. I really wanted bilateral but my OS doesn't do them. I have nothing but admiration for those that do this, I am not sure I could have done it!


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[sistersinhim]

Wow! Driving at 3 weeks with a bi done! It was seven weeks before I drove. It was my right knee and I just didn't feel secure enough until then.

 

[dsteff22]

Wow! Driving at 3 weeks! I'm just finishing up week 2 after BTKR and can't even imagine!!
Take care of yourself and good luck on your recovery! Hopefully we'll both be living pain-free before we know it!!



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[flyaway79]

Wow! Driving at 3 weeks with a bi done! It was seven weeks before I drove. It was my right knee and I just didn't feel secure enough until then.

I'm 7 weeks tomorrow and have not yet driven since my RTKR. My doctor gave me the okay but I don't feel comfortable with it yet. Maybe after I get more ROM and strength back in my leg muscles.....

 

[KarriB]

Wow! Driving and off pain meds at 3 weeks! Good for you!

 

[amydmvp]

I am not off pain meds yet. I have been instructed not to drive within 4 hours of taking any pain meds. I have to plan accordingly. Still need my meds!

 

[amydmvp]

It has been officially 8 weeks from my surgery date. I am feeling a bit upset about my therapy. I do my exercises. Once I get warmed up, I can get pretty good flexion. I have full extension. After I am done with my exercises,though, both knees go back to being very stiff. I feel like everything I am doing isn't sticking. It's like I have to start over every time. I saw the PA at a follow up visit and he preached about "the race against time" for scar tissue to form and I have to work hard, etc. Then, yesterday, the therapist was bending away at my knees and telling me that if I don't get a greater bend, they might have to do the Manipulation under anaesthesia thing. Plus, on top of it all of this, I am now having another health issue that is not related to my knees that is causing great anxiety as I have had to undergo various diagnostic tests this week. I am super stressed about all of this and I just want to crawl under a rock. Bleh.

 

[sistersinhim]

Don't let anyone push your knee. And don't listen to the threats. It's like a lot of the pts are trained to say that! Your ROM will increase as time goes on. But, first you have to get your swelling down. To get that down, you need to get the inflammation down. The PT you've been getting is causing inflammation, which is causing swelling, which is causing lower ROM. It's a cause and effect thing you have going. There is no time frame for getting a MUA. https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/myth-busting-window-of-opportunity-in-tkr.6895/

Many of us on here never took pt. I am one of them. I've had 11 knee surgeries, including the tkr without taking any pt. I used my knee in my daily living. As I got better, a did more. If something made me swell, I backed off of it and tried it later. I suggest you just stop pt and use your knee in your daily life. That's all you need!

 

[KarriB]

Since you get stiff after exercises I'd bet it's the exercises bringing on the swelling/stiffness. Let go of the exercises and live your life, continuing to ice, elevate and rest your knees. What you're doing now doesn't seem to be working, so give the BS way a try. It's not exercising that gives you ROM, all you need is to get rid of the swelling that pushing your knee brings.

 

[DavidNC]

Great news on your recovery! I'm at day 10,pushed way too hard on pt so backing off a bit. We'll get through this bilateral!

 

[Celle]

I saw the PA at a follow up visit and he preached about "the race against time" for scar tissue to form and I have to work hard, etc. Then, yesterday, the therapist was bending away at my knees and telling me that if I don't get a greater bend, they might have to do the Manipulation under anaesthesia thing.

That's all upsetting and worrying for you, for no good reason. There's no such thing as a window of opportunity. It's an old myth that should've died long ago.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

Take a holiday from PT and let your knees settle down. Just with everyday use, they will continue to improve.

Deal with the other things that are concerning you and forget about the knees for a while. They will continue to heal.

I hope your tests work out OK.