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TKR One month, the good and the bad<

@Tracefiles
Would you like to start a thread of your own, for your recovery?
We can help you through this.
 
@Josephine, I need help:( I am at 9 weeks and I thought I was better than I was and over did walking and swimming. I think the 5 hour travel time in the car was not a great idea either. That was a week ago Friday, so when I returned I spent the whole week icing and elevating. I feel like I'm back to week 4 my knee is so sore and the swelling has returned. I also have swelling over my knee cap that I do not remember seeing before.

I spoke to my OS office and they just said take it easy for a few days. I do go back next Wed for a follow up, but in the meantime I am trying not to do too much and continue with the ice. I cancelled my PT this week but do you think I should do any of my stretching exercises? I have been trying to do only some heel slides but knee is stiff and the tight band is a lot tighter then is was. Thanks for any advise you can give:hairpulling:
 
sharalder - I am SO jealous! You are right where I have been working so hard to be and I am at 6 weeks. My ROM was 90 out of the hospital but my extension is 3-5 - very bowed knee. When I saw my OS @one month he said my leg better be straight by next month's visit or I will be put in a tortuous leg brace. I am exercising once a week @outpatient PT and doing exercises 3-4 times a day to stretch that darn leg! My knee was never fully straight due to arthritis before the surgery but my OS said he had it perfectly straight on the operating table. Every day it is like starting over again with the tightness. When will it ever straighten????
 
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Bonzie - my leg was so crooked before my surgery, but not bowed, it went off to the right about 45 degrees. Funny thing is the bent leg did not bother me. But the OS said if he didn't fix it now it would be harder the longer I waited. I was very suprised to see it straight right after surgery. I am sure that with you doing you stretching you will get to "0" before long. It is a long journey, and I can't wait until I'm at the point of saying I am so happy I did the surgery! I know you will be there too:flwrysmile:
 
Don't let them bully you. You don't have to wear the brace, just keep on stretching. It took me 2 months to get to 0
 
While you're resting and taking things easy to help with the swelling, it is a good idea to do a little walking around the house every few hours along with gentle bends and stretches throughout the day and evening. You don't want to completely immobilize yourself or your knee will tighten up.
 
Bonzie, rather than try to straighten my leg with formal stretches I used an ordinary bed pillow under most of my leg to allow it to bend comfortably while resting/elevating. During the day I would move the pillow under just my heel so the back of the knee was no longer supported for as long as it was only uncomfortable rather than painful. No reps, no sets, just whenever. It got to where I enjoyed stretching out the leg much like stretching during a good yawn. I can work to use muscles but trying to stretch only gets me fighting the stretch as I try to do too much and much too fast. Stretches need to be done at a glacier like speed. I started that as the PT at the hospital warned me my leg would contract and always keep it on a flat surface. Not going to happen, too uncomfortable so this was my compromise.

Sharalder, my right leg was severely valgus too but I couldn't stand it! I couldn't walk any distance at all without my back getting sore and my daughter would jump up to do things for me as she couldn't stand seeing how bad I was walking. Now my left leg is the crooked one! Still an abnormal gait but at least my feet track inside a foot wide path now!
 
@KYata - You are right, trying to keep your leg on a flat surface was so uncofortable. I got a recliner and used pillows to elevate and keep my knee fairly straight when I iced it. My left knee also needs to be replaced but its hard to think about when the right is still recuperating. I could not remeber the work "valgus" I know the doctor used it several times. Thanks for the reminder. We are almost neighbors and you are just a few weeks ahead of me, how are you doing with your recovery?
 
Getting better and better! Endurance is a huge issue for me as last June I broke both legs and was in a wheelchair then walker most of the time prior to TKR in March. My legs are holding up but I huff and puff and have to sit down ridiculously often. That's probably a good thing as I am not pushing my knee too hard.
 
Hi, KYata - I had a great PT session yesterday - finally got my leg to 0 after he pushed down on it. Said I was doing great - such good news! I got a 2lb ankle wt. I am putting on my knee while it is stretched straight witih a towel under the heel. I'm also continuing with my stretches 2-3/day. I also have to do my left knee - it is worse than my right knee. Like you, I can't imagine dong this all over again but I can hardly walk on my left leg so I am scheduled for September 2015. YUCK!!! I will be recuperating for the rest of the year - bummer!
 
I saw my OS last week, it was 10 weeks. He said everything looked good, but I told him about how I over extended myself. All he had to say was to take it easy (which I was doing). My knee still feels very tight and I'm back to only 1 errand a day. I went to work for a meeting yesterday and I will go back part time next Wednsday, I hope all goes well!!
 
Hi @sharalder - you may be interested in this article... :)

The following is a link to an article which provides the current science regarding the healing beneath and around the implant and approximate timeframes for the healing phases and processes and the relevant nutritional information for each phase.

Healing Phases & Nutrition
 
@Poppet, thank you for the reminder about the healing process. I have read all of your articles about nutrition. A few years ago my youngest daughter and I gave up all fast food and try to eat as healthy as possible. She was taking a Nutrition class in college. Its always good to have a reminder about all the great fruits and vegetables there are and how good they are for you. Now if I could just remeber to take it easy and not try to rush my recovery!
 
Yes slow and steady is your mantra for the future days to come honey... The body heals at its own pace and we can't hurry it up :)
p.s. Good for your daughter with her study...
 
I was back to my OS today for a follow up. It has been 16 weeks now and I told him I am still feeling so stiff after sitting, especially at work. I do try to get up often and also take several walks to our warehouse everyday just to stretch. OS said my bend had not changed in 6 weeks and the extension seemed a little worse, but not sure why. I asked about taking the herbal anti-inflammatories like Ginger and Turmeric and he thought it was a good idea. He also gave me cortisone in my knee. He said it would reduce the swelling and hopefully that would help the bending.
@Jamie do you have any info on the cortisone after TKR, I had not hear of it and I'm curious if anyone else has has it. I have read @Poppets advise on diet for healing and inflammation and try to follow it, what else do I do???:shrug:
 
@PolarBear60,
Hi Jean, its been awhile since I have posted anything. I know you had your surgery close to mine and I'm wondering how you have been doing. It has been 5 months and I was hoping at 3 I would feel close to back to normal, but it is not the case. My tight band stiffness is about gone, but now I have other issues. About a month ago the OS gave me cortizone in both knees. It helped for about 2 weeks, but now when I stand after sitting myhknee does not want to move. It is really bad at night and in the morning, I feel like I have to hobble for at least 8 to 10 steps before I can walk normally. The OS thinks it from inflammation, but I don't know what to do about it.
The herbal remadies that @Poppet recommends hurt my stomach. I take naproxin morning and night with Tylenal in between. I've gone back to work but it is very hard to sit or stand for any lenth of time.
I could use some help from anyone that is this far along.
 
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