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TKR One Year Anniversary!

It is not red. Just hot. Swollen and swollen where the steri strips were.Like in between the strips. I’m having some muscle spasms in the thigh. I did 12 minutes on a stationary bicycle yesterday during PT. I’ve been resting and icing today. It’s worse in the evening.

This forum is so helpful! Thank you!!
 
On my own, 12 minutes on a bike at 3 weeks out is way too much for an infant knee like yours. This is causing extra inflammation in your poor infant knee. I didn't ride my bike until I was about 2 months out and that was only for a couple of minutes at a time. No wonder your knee is extra warm. Cut way back on your PT and you will see improvement in your pain and swelling.
 
Thank you. I have a pillow case full of frozen ice packs tonight on my knee. I think y’all are right! Watching that it’s not too much ice on the knee. Ugh!!!!!
 
100% what @sistersinhim said about it being wayyyyy to early to be biking like that.

The purpose of the bike this early in your recovery is to gently and slowly do range of motion within your current comfort zone ... like, just a few slow rotations if possible (most of us the first couple of months just rock the pedals back and forth!) to loosen things a bit.

Warmth and swelling *is* normal. Some thigh muscle spasms also. But... over activity and aggressive PT definitely make all three much worse, which delays your healing.
 
Concerns for this week: I’m going back to work, just from home half days And working around all my appointment, etc. I’m an office support staff person for Family and Children Services so it is not a strenuous job.

Tuesday will be a long day for me. I have a late in the afternoon doctors appointment and a function to attend in the afternoon. One that I have to do. It is an hour away from home so 2 hours round trip. I asked my surgeon about it at the post op appointment and he said to go for it.

Im planning to take a small cooler with some ice and an ice pad to use on the way back home and of course pain meds. I will try to limit the walking as much as possible. My husband is a good caregiver so he won’t let me over do it.

any thoughts about this? I’d appreciate it!!!
 
I wish you didn't have to do all this with only 3 weeks of healing that has occurred. Is there any way you can delay this for about a month? If not, be prepared to take lots of breaks to ice and elevate. It also might be a good idea to rent a hotel room at your destination to stretch out your active time. This is asking a lot of your knee so early in your recovery.
 
I agree re it being too much, both in terms of limited energy and in terms of activity.
At three weeks I didn't go out except to medical appointments, and the one hour ride each way to my ortho surgeon was agony for my knee (and yes I was still on pain meds).
 
Thanks for the advice. I’m going to cancel on the event Tuesday night. That’s the two hour RT car drive. The doctors appointment is 20 minutes one way and is doable. I can res afterwards. Thanks!!
 
Good call!
It's awfully early for that length of a trek. It took me several months before I could sit in a car for longer than 30-40 minutes. You feel trapped due to the limited space and ability to move freely. :gaah:
A great week to you, PeachyKnee, and best of luck with your doctors appointment tomorrow!
@PeachyKnee
 
@PeachyKnee
Wishing you the best as you continue to heal and return to work. I’m glad to hear that you reconsidered the long car trip. I did that at 5 weeks with my first tkr and paid for it for several days afterwards.

Please let us know how returning to work goes. I too am returning half days after 3 weeks and am a bit nervous. I work in IT and can work from home but last time I took 6 weeks off before returning part time.

Best wishes for continued healing and your new knee.
 
PeachyKnee said:
I’m going to cancel on the event Tuesday night. That’s the two hour RT car drive.
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Oh good, you will be so glad you did! Try to get lots of rest after work this week.
 
Thanks everyone! I’m dealing with other issues too along with this knee. So I really appreciate y’alls support. 4 months ago I broke out in an intense itchy rash. All the medical people said, “no, it’s not scabies” or any of the bad skin conditions. Now that my husband is itching too we’re back to saying it’s scabies and we’re doing the treatment for it tonight. The orthopedic team told me not to put anything on the incision area and otherwise it was ok to do. I’m just afraid of a bad reaction to the treatment on top of everything else. My second PT appointment was great. She listened and was easier on me. There is less swelling tonight.
 
Ugh! How miserable. I am so sorry you have to deal with the skin condition while healing from your knee replacement. Good to read you were pleased with your last PT appointment and your swelling is easing. Thankfully the PT listened and hopefully she will continue to do so if you're uncomfortable with any movement in particular. Best Wishes getting rid of the itchy rash and healing from your recent surgery. :)
@PeachyKnee
 
Oh I remember having scabies... what misery! Best of luck with the treatment and YAY for good PT!
 
Thank you Layla and Mendogal. I am glad I took your advice and I stayed home tonight. I was done by the time we picked up dinner and my knee was not happy with by the time we got home. I was stretching it out on top of the dashboard with the air conditioner going. I made my dear husband pull over so I could get out and stretch and pour some cold water on it to cool off. He is a saint! Granted today was the first snap of cold air of the fall season. I’ve been icing and elevating tonight and we’re not dealing with Halloween kids tonight.
 
Would lidocaine patches help any with pain and swellin?
 
PeachyKnee said:
Would lidocaine patches help any with pain and swellin?
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With swelling, no, it's a topical anaesthetic, not an anti-inflammatory.
I have looked for research on its use for postop pain and it appears there is promising recent research with prescription lidocaine patches following some abdominal and cardiac surgeries, so it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask your surgeon about it.
The caution that comes to my mind.... as it's an anesthetic and not an analgesic... would it make a person highly susceptible to overdoing things?
 
I thought about that too, Mendogal. I’ll ask. The knee feels better this morning after a night’s rest. I’m still icing like crazy. I have an upright freezer. Thinking about putting a chair in front of it so I can just stick my leg inside! Lol.
 
PeachyKnee said:
I thought about that too, Mendogal. I’ll ask. The knee feels better this morning after a night’s rest. I’m still icing like crazy. I have an upright freezer. Thinking about putting a chair in front of it so I can just stick my leg inside! Lol.
Click to expand...
LOL!!! Hot flashes used to make me want to crawl in and curl up!!!! :heehee:
 
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