TKR One Year Post Surgery

[Jockette]

Here’s an article about the clicking:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/clicking-clunking-knee-joint-after-surgery.13534/

 

[Sara61]

@Jockette - Thank you that article has put my over active mind to rest xx The surgeon didn't seem overly concerned about it so hopefully with time it will lessen.

 

[sondrals]

@Sara61 Last time I was at the surgeon's office his assistant shook my knee and it make all sorts of knocking/clicking noises. He must of seen the look on my face because he grinned and he goes "hear all that?? It's ALL normal." He deserved a good smacking for scaring me like that.

On the plus side, mine's mostly stopped it in normal day to day use and I'm not even sure when, just one day I noticed it wasn't there anymore. I think the only time I notice it when I'm driving and I hit a bump, I assume because that leg is relaxed while driving.

 

[Sara61]

@Sondra- yes I'm sure after a while it too will settle down and maybe with time the click will stop all together, the thought of them having to reopen the knee to alter it makes me kinda happy to live with a little click ha ha ...they don't half yank/rattle our knees in their surgery..I'm sure he gets a thrill out of it haha - I'm still feeling it this evening my knee is definitely not happy after its outing today .... now tucked up warmly in bed as it's too chilly in our lounge

 

[Tykey]

What great progress!
It's a good idea to read back and see where you were only a Month ago.
Onwards and upwards! But steadily!

.... And stop listening to the clicking, it's unimportant. You'll either forget about it, or it will disappear. Either one is good.

 

[Sara61]

Wide awake yet again it's 04:53am ... actually it wasn't the knee that awoke me but little Miss Doxie (whom in the last 4 weeks has been woken by my pain med routine ) wanted to go outside and bark at her own shadow ha ha ( hopefully this won't become a habit )
Knee feels very stiff and tight banded after yesterday's activities but hopefully once up in a few hours it will sort itself out, have a PT session again this afternoon and off to get a disc with a 3D full leg X-ray of the knee (at vast expense to me) as my OS wasn't happy with the bog standard paper results...
Now going to try and get a few more hours of kip before it's time to get up again to make hubby his breakfast ( my days of being pampered are now few and far between the reality of getting better ...

 

[Izabel]

Sarah

Will catch up with you later.

I haven't tried getting in my car yet ... a classic like yours, but less posh!



Izzy xx

 

[Sara61]

@Izabel lol I wouldn't say yours is any less posher than mine ..infact they both look very similar. I got mine from an Irish guy whom was in a hurry to return to Ireland so it was truly a bargain, we have since done her up but haven't registered her with the classic cars association as we don't intend to exhibit her in any car shows.

Surgeon won't give me ok to drive yet hopefully on next visit I haven't attempted to get into the car as the seat is very close to the ground not sure I would be able as yet to get out of it

Have sent you an email this morning.

Hope all is well xxx
Sarah

 

[Izabel]

Sarah, like you, got mine for a steal as folk were going back to the UK for health reasons and had sold house in 'The Golden Triangle'. She had been garaged and only gone to Apolonia and back for ten years! We had her repainted etc last year (not garaged here) so she is like new again, she is 22 years old. I could probably fall into her ... it is the getting out that may be somewhat of a challenge! Wouldn't be without her, and she is a/c as guess yours is.

I haven't driven Hubby's car yet either, an estate, as he only got it last year (second hand) as his other was totalled in an accident taking me to hospital for my pre-ops ... but I ended up in hospital (three different ones) for three weeks instead! I like variety.

Hope all goes well this afternoon ... and don't forget about the discount card!

Izzy xx

 

[luvcats]

On @Tykey's thread you asked

but I still limp... ( limped badly for years before ) so would rather not develop this habit again.

I have been fortunate with an amazing PT guy. He had me do what I think of as a 'deconstructed half-walk'.

Stand feet together. Stride forward with one leg. Put down the foot and shift your weight, but don't take the other toe off the ground. Slowly put the other foot back on the ground, shift your weight again and step back on the first leg, again without letting the other foot get all the way off the floor. Repeat the stride forward from this position. Do a few of those, then switch legs.

I did that a few times a day for about 3 weeks. I've been unable to walk properly for years and I really needed to relearn to do it properly. I feel this exercise was super helpful for me, I now walk normally again, although I'm still working to lengthen my stride.

 

[marieltha]

Sarah and @Izabel I have many goals, but one dear to my heart is to be able to get in and out and of course, sometime drive, our beloved 23-year old, 2-seater “toy car.” We got her in 2014 at a very good price (also people moving back to a different country) and she only had 20,000 miles.
She is too low for me just yet, but the last 2 times I rode in our high SUV, I didn’t have to move the seat to get in or out! Oh, the “little victories”!

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Loving your ‘posh cars’ @Sara61 & @Izabel
do hope you will be able to drive them soon!

My knee, too, gets very tight Sara after too much exertion .... hate that tight band feeling.
Sounds like your appointment went well... this patience thing is so hard...hoping your weekend is good xxx

 

[Sara61]

As we improve and slowly get back to normality posts are fewer, a sign that we are slowly healing.
Hooray last night I got a whopping 7 hours uninterrupted sleep
Even little Mali stayed glued to my side all night without a stir which was heaven.

After basically being a couch potato most of yesterday swelling has gone down - however knee still stretched and tight so maybe I should have moved more - kinda a vicious circle..

 

[Sara61]

Lol half my post went missing probs too long winded haha..
@marieltha girls with their cars are just as bad as boys with their toys, I love nothing better than driving with my sunroof down ( summer only ) makes me feel a wee bit glam ...( so vain)
I have reduced my Tramadol intake so that hopefully in a couple of weeks I am able to drive hopefully in my own car, if not we have a little automatic Smart four four ( not as glam haha )and as my left knee was operated and cars here are left hand drive this will be easy as the left leg does nothing.

@Hoppy Nanny Hi Chrissie yes my knee is tight whether I exercise or not yesterday I basically did nothing and today I am struggling to bend - will try giving it a good creaming hopefully that will create some slack...
My hubby is taking advantage of me being immobile...and has booked golf for both mornings...haha his excuse is I need to rest lol.. so I have told him he has to take care of lunch as fridge is empty.
I need to air a property I look after so aiming to go in the afternoon as it is sunny and windy - may be a challenge as she lives on a hill with uneven ground/steps to her door but needs be...and it will be good to get out we can take the dogs as she has plenty of land for them to run on.
Will need to wrap up as it is jolly cold (brrrr)
Wishing you a fun weekend xx

 

[Macknit]

It sounds like you are still getting around well if you can go check on the property you look after! Sounds like a fun outing!

Speaking of cars...Several of my neighbors have lovely classic cars! In fact one friend has an old late 50's/early 60's MG that she drives around in the summer, even with the classic head scarf that women wore in convertibles during that era. I haven't been much of a car aficionado, but I do like her little car! It sounds like yours' is lovely too!

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Hope that hill didn’t hurt your knee & you didn’t get the pouring rain we had yesterday!!!
Enjoy the apple pie & cream & mince pies...yes... I saw that!!!

 

[Sara61]

Feeling extremely proud of myself today for the first time in over a month I dressed normally - I rocked skinny jeans, long sweater and combat style boots, made myself up and went out to lunch leaving my crutches at home ...
( admittedly I didn't have to walk far...) but I felt confident and "normal" once again

No doubt I might pay the price tomorrow but this small achievement was so good for my ego

I finally see light at the end of the tunnel...
Although I still need to ignore the awful clicks and make my knee a bit more flexible - the skin feels so tight when try I to bend hopefully with time this too will be a thing of the past - early days I know and patience is virtue ...

@Hoppy Nanny Yes the mince pies and Apple pie were delicious but sadly I'm going to have to start to abstain.. sadly weight is creeping on and with this sedentary lifestyle I will regret it in a few months
Managed the hill easily enough and the extra high steps to the house but coming back down was another matter altogether ha ha- but I survived

 

[Sara61]

What a rollercoaster this journey is
Lol my turn today ...as I have a pretty uneventful day ahead and it's cold and mis outdoors I can't even strum up the energy to do home exercises which I know I will regret later.
Knee bending and clicking is really annoying me today finding heel slides painful as the joint clicking is somewhere behind my knee it makes a horrible sound and feel.
Hoping it's just the weather.. Maybe a mince pie or two or even the box will cheer me up..

Plus side have managed to ween myself of tramadol during the day only take it prior to going to sleep aiming to be off it for the 4/12 so that I given the all clear to drive again .

 

[Tykey]

This morning I took Mrs Tykey to the chiropractor, and they had a rolling info screen to ejucate me (or teach me to spell) . One screen went into knee popping and cracking.
The most common cause is osteoarthritis or damaged cartlidge. Unless they forgot to put the new knee in, we can reject that
The other cause is crepitus, where gas bubbles are squeezed from one place to another. That seems much more likely and nothing to whittle about.
Here's some bedtime reading for you

Knee Noise: Crepitus and Popping Explained

Ever heard a snap, crackle, or pop when bending your knee? Often, this is nothing to worry about, but it can be a sign of osteoarthritis or an injury.

www.healthline.com

I've always wondered how a prosthesis can cause cracking, unless it's a cheapo one from Walmart

 

[Sara61]

@Tykey Thanks for the article but never had this problem prior to surgery- my surgeon said knee component are top of the range from the States apparently ( maybe a cheapo from Walmarts lol ) so hopefully with time and use this will diminish but right now it drives me doolalily and exercises especially heel slides are almost impossible.
Feeling out of sorts today lol.
Hope your day is going better xx