One month and 18 days after TKR

[Pauline G]

I am working very hard with my PT. I go twice a week and repeat my exercises at home twice a day and do work in the pool. My stationary bike also helps. I am very proud to say that my ROM is 125 degrees!:yes 4: I do have pain, don't get me wrong. I still take my Norco for pain and Ice and rest. If I am on my feet too long, my knee and ankle swell. I can go out now without my cane IF I am with my husband in case I need some balance.Otherwise, the cane is a safety thing.
Is anyone experiencing:?: I have a tightness on the outer back of my knee. The tendon is very tight. It is causing a lot of pain when doing the exercise to increase my bend. The pain is excruciating but I work thru it.
I can't wait till I can get up from a chair and just walk away! Now, as most of you, I have to slowly place weight on my leg and ease into walking.

 

[Tykey]

Hi Pauline, I think you'll find many of us have a tight spot somewhere. But I don't think it's possible to "work through it". Mostly, the harder you try, the worse it gets. It just needs time so try to be patient and only do gentle exercises as the knee continues to heal.

You are doing well and are absolutely normal in recovery progress

 

[tk29]

Hi I too had my partial knee replacement 5 weeks ago. I start out patient next week. My only problem is the tighness in back of my knee. and calf. very frustated about it. after 15 minutes of walking ... really hurts.
Has anyone heard of Rolfin structural and Intergration and massage? you can look it up onlline...it sounds so tempting. They have places everywhere.

 

[Randall T]

Pauline,
I am four months post-op in two days and still have some lingering soreness in both knees - Bilateral TKR. You are going to receive a lot of suggestions and advice from other joint replacement patients and the most common thread is don't rush your therapy/progress. I have had many successes attributable to my surgeon and therapist.

Five weeks post-op, you're in the infancy stages of your recovery. Keep the pain meds handy and if you can take, have some Aleve available too. I experienced my worse pain several months after surgery.

On the flip-side, I walk/hike 20/25 miles per week and can bound out of a chair like a 15-year old when dinner is ready. Keep reading the post here, it's theraputic.

Randall T
Bilateral TKR
3-15-11

 

[Josephine]

Don't be too aggressive or enthusiastic yet a while. Right now you need rest (lots of it), ice and elevation.

Read these threads
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Discussion on managing pain in TKR surgery
Using ice
Work “Smarter” and not “Harder”
About recovering a knee - from one who knows!

 

[zjrog]

I agree with Josephine... Too easy right now to hurt yourself and set things back. Just remember that you can't speed the process up at all. Your knee is taking you for a ride, like it or not. You need to do as much stretching now as you can. Drove me crazy, but it pays off. Don't be too aggressive in therapy. A good PT will recognize when you need a break. Express your tightness concers with your PT and get them to help. All part of recovery with the knee...

 

[Creation]

Agree with everyone above, you are really early in your recovery. I am almost 11 weeks and I find that the tightness has gone down a lot. But I never exercise in the pain zone, my OS said that just angrys all the tissues and sets you back instead of forward. I have been progressing steadily by working in the uncomfortable, annoying zone. It takes a long time to rehab a knee and get it fully back to factory functionnal! So be patient and nice to your knee and it will surprise you by being less tight and more cooperative!:wink1: