TKR On the other side of surgery

[Celle]

So after being so up beat yesterday it all came crashing down thanks to PT today. Had a therapist that lectured me AGAIN about needing to have ROM at 90 by this Friday or the Dr will need to do MUA. When measured today it was only at 73. Still having large amount of tightness and same two areas she really massaged. I am soon to be 6 weeks out and she is right my ROM should be better by now. I am beyond frustrated and this afternoon went mentally to a dark place. Tonight my husband helped with heel slides. I will refuse a MUA but tired of not making ROM gains!!

@thecoll - Colleen, I'm sorry your therapist has got you upset. She's wrong and I think it's unforgivable and unprofessional of her to lecture and worry you like that.
If your surgeon talks about a MUA, just say that you would like more time before considering it. He can't do anything without your consent.

You can do something to help your knee, though. Stop all the exercising and take a rest.
You are doing too much exercise. People keep advising you to stop doing so much PT and exercising, and yet you still keep on doing it. We're advising you from our own experience. We don't want to see you keep on making the same mistake that some of us made.

The more you work at trying to get ROM and the harder you work at it, the less your ROM will improve. What all this exercise is doing is just irritating and inflaming your poor knee, when all it's doing is trying to heal. The exercise is slowing down your recovery.

Stop going to PT for at least 3 weeks, and let your poor knee settle down. Stop getting your husband to help you with bending your knee. I know he wants to help, but it isn't helping.

It isn't exercise that increases your ROM. It's time and the reduction of swelling - time for you knee to heal, time for the irritation caused by major surgery to settle down, time for the swelling to go down.

Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”
TKR: Evidence shows that less really is more when it comes to exercising!
TKRs and our fast food society
Life in the slow lane
Knee recovery - Lose the Work Ethic!!
Post-operative exercise – the BoneSmart view

Instead of exercising, spend as much time as you can doing this:
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock

Since what you have been doing up to now hasn't worked, you have nothing to lose by trying something different.

And remember this - In spite of what your therapists and your surgeon may tell you, there is no set deadline, by which time you have to achieve a certain ROM. There's no need to rush. ROM can continue to improve for a year, or even longer, after a TKR.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

I did no exercising at all after my last knee replacement, and very little exercise after the previous one. Both my knees are strong and reliable. They bend and straighten well. I can do anything I want to with them.

 

[Doggiemom]

I agree with everyone. PT was so rough on me and always a different therapist I decided I wasn't going to suffer from their treatment anymore. I know all the exercises they taught me and I bought a recumbent bike. I can do all this at home. I'm following the Bonesmart way. I have better ROM and getting stronger everyday without suffering the after effects of PT. I'm convinced less is more. Less swelling and I feel good about what I accomplish doing my own PT myself. You should stop PT for awhile and give the Bonesmart way a chance. I think you'll be happy you did. I'm sure your knees will thank-you.

 

[DodgyKnee]

tired of not making ROM gains!!

Hi Coleen, I haven't any advice for you, just wanted to show support and empathy.

I am a couple of weeks ahead of you at just over 7 weeks out. I too am tired of not making any inroads on my ROM.

Here wishing for a jump forward for both of us.

 

[Floridagal]

I agree with all of the above and please when you do your heal slides don't force them. Do them just to the point of discomfort. You may be pushing to hard in your anxiety. I hope that you can relax and follow the Bonesmart way. It worked for me too - I had very non-aggressive PTs.

 

[sheliac]

Thinking about you. I know it's a leap of faith to stop the PT-- but we've got so much evidence here that that will work. Forcing it and hurting yourself hasn't worked. I hope you take the leap and rest you knee so that it can heal.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016

 

[sistersinhim]

I am living proof that no PT works! I've had 11 knee surgeries all without taking PT. I did my heel pumps until I got active. And did the heel slides just to discomfort. I rehabbed my knees by living and doing the things I had to do. Your body knows what your knee needs and that is NOT aggressive therapy. So many of us have proven the Bonesmart way works! Please try it for a month. You will not be disappointed. And, again, you are in control of your knee and you don't have to have a MUA! Time and healing will take care of that ROM!

 

[birdwatchr]

I was originally scheduled for pt 3 times a week and I put it down to twice, then once a week. I did a lot better on the once a week schedule. And when the holiday rolled around, I told them I would just skip that week rather than change the day. They were good with that.

I was also told the Dr would push on my knee, but he didn't. He just asked me to show him what I could do and he was happy.

 

[thecoll]

@uva55 I value your advice and no you did not upset me!
I really appreciate everyone's support, encouragement, advice and I apologize for sounding like a broken record. I know the BS mantra has worked for so many of you all. But I struggle between it and the no pain no gain being barked at me by friends, family and PT. Like my parents use to say to me all the time when I was younger, "when are you ever going to start listening". It does not help that I work with my OS and PT dept so I feel obligated. Yet I know I need to do what's best for me.

@KarriB At 5.5 weeks I had not really considered it as still early in recovery, thank you for the reminder and the tips.

My OS wanted PT 3x's week and since they are so busy I get a different therapist each time as well as back to back appts. I see my OS on Friday for my 6 week follow up and I will let him know I am stopping PT for couple weeks then see how ROM is. My husband agrees and will be in the exam room with me. I guess I am confused as I get up throughout the day and do daily activities without issues the elevate and ice so why would my ROM not increase?

@Suz I read your recovery thread and my journey is following same track as yours.

Question... when you saw the Dr and asked for 2 more weeks how many times during those weeks did you go to PT? After reading your thread and a couple others I see achieving ROM is different for everyone and there is no set time frame. Also I am praying for your sister and family.

Again from the bottom of my heart I thank you all for the support. I am so appreciative for my BS family!!!

 

[dianehelen]

I so understand that struggle between believing the BS way from reading so many success stories, and the constant barrage of well meaning friends, family, etc, telling me how vital and painful but necessary aggressive pt is along with threats of not having a successful recovery if I dont. Some are even people that have had tkr's and let the torturous pt bring them to tears. Even my husband. But even my husband has now come into the "light" of BS WAY. I'd agree with others about just stopping for a month and see what happens. The other option, maybe go once a week, but like I did, explain "your way" and make it clear that if anyone starts the threats & pressures you, you just cut them off and remind them of your wishes. If they cannot comply, just stop all together. I really believe my pt is well aware of my directive on my pt and does make sure they comply.

I hope you find that right balance that starts working for you, and stops stressing you both physically and maybe more important, mentally/emotionally

 

[KarriB]

Going against norm is always difficult. But I can tell you this, a good friend of mother's went to the Mayo Clinic to have a TKR done. She only trusts them due to other medical issues she's had. After the TKR her OS there did not write a script for pt, he said just live your life. At the time (2 1-2 years ago) I was recovering from my TKR/infection and my OS (mayo trained) prescribed non-aggressive pt for me. So there are Drs out there that embrace this philosophy, but change comes slowly. Think of yourself as a pioneer in your workplace.

 

[sistersinhim]

When I tell my well meaning friends that I haven't done any painful therapy or that I'm doing a painfree therapy, it's almost like they are disappointed that I'm not experiencing that awful pain of aggressive therapy. I don't understand it. It's like they want me to be in pain from it. They can see that I'm advancing well without it so maybe eventually they'll agree that the no pain way is the best way!

 

[Suz]

@Suz I read your recovery thread and my journey is following same track as yours. Question... when you saw the Dr and asked for 2 more weeks how many times during those weeks did you go to PT? After reading your thread and a couple others I see achieving ROM is different for everyone and there is no set time frame. Also I am praying for your sister and family.

Thank your for your prayers for my sister Colleen. That means so much to me!

Two PT visits the first week, (the first was just a massage and my discussing what they were not going to do to me), haha!, & two visits the second week. 45 minutes each visit with a 15 minute ice treat at the end of each visit! My flexion on the first visit was in the mid-50's. My last visit it measured 92*s.

I read countless threads here about ROM and accepted that at wks 7 & 8 it is ok to feel tight discomfort when doing stretching exercises. Which is what mine was. The raw pain subsided at about the 5th wk. Roy Gardiner has excellent reads on this if you search them out via his profile!

Haven't been back to PT since my 8th wk. I'm almost at 5 months with 7 more recovery months to go!

I do 'farm-therapy' now and hiked all the way down to our lower pasture where the tree line is yesterday to bring the goats in! Felt a little fatigue an hour or so later- but I had also been walking around the farm, up and down hills a good part of the day!



Our knees will recover themselves if we'll just get out of the way!

 

[sistersinhim]

Our knees will recover themselves if we'll just get out of the way!

@Suz, I completely agree with you! @thecoll, let all our experience help you in your recovery!

 

[Floridagal]

My friends will say I did well because I am such a hard worker and I have to speak up and say NO. I recovered because I let the knee heal and didn't force it. I don't think they believe me but I know that this is not a case of pain makes gain but the opposite.

 

[sheliac]

What a gorgeous place you have!! Being outdoors and in the sunshine is so good. Amazing that you are herding goats, already!! Wow


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 10/11/16

 

[julesm86]

@thecoll I fully understand your feelings! I'm 13 weeks & only at 105 bend. I did PT that put me behind, then thru the help of many here, I quit PT two weeks ago. I still have a long way to go! I tend to swell very quickly, which is frustrating, but that's just my body.
Today, my first day back to work, got me discouraged by comments about not being back to normal, did I not work hard enough at PT, ect. But I need to concentrate on all I've learned here, that it will come, I will be normal again~~it's just gonna take me longer. Don't lose heart!

 

[sistersinhim]

I had a 'friend' stop by after her coming from the Y and was telling me about a lady in her 80s that had a bilateral and the day after she got out the hospital she was at the Y and worked on all the machines. How stupid does this 'friend' think I am. She's making a comment about my not being well by giving me this example. I know it's no way possible anyone can do that after having this surgery, much less a bilateral. This statement left me depressed and angry the rest of the day. I know it was a fib and wonder why someone would tell me that.

 

[julesm86]

@sistersinhim People "think" they mean well, but it's just so insulting!
So thankful we have each other!!!

 

[birdwatchr]

@sistersinhim
Did the "friend" happen to mention how the 80 year old got to the Y? I'd be interested in knowing if she drove or ran! Being facetious here!

 

[sistersinhim]

No, I didn't think to ask her that. I was too shocked she handed me this bunch of poo poo and thought that I would believe her! And I don't think she meant well. She was putting me down in her own way. What's funny is that she had a tkr about 2 years ago and she's still going down steps the baby way, but I didn't bring that up to her!