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TKR Pain 2 years after TKR

Well another day gone. Its been really hot for a day in Scotland but it has cooled down now and rain is forecast.
I have done nothing today except make dinner which was a very simple dish. I have sat with feet up and iced all day. I was at doctor this morning just to get more dihydrocodeine and paracetamol. He checked the wound and said it looked good. He asked about the exercises the hospital gave me and said it was important I did them as it was still very swollen. I just agreed with him. He said keep using my sticks until I feel confident without them. He also said my other knee was very swollen and thought the surgeon would want to do that as soon as possible. I told him I was in more pain with this knee than the operated one. Not sure I want to go through another op too soon. Not because of the op or anything but because of my husbands attitude.
He left tonight but couldn't take the dogs this time so I am left to try see to two dogs. They won't be getting any walks as I will only be taking them out to the grass area every couple of hours. Not sure when he is getting back this time. I hope it's only a couple of days.
 
Evening. Well our beautiful weather has turned to wind and heavy rain just when I have the dogs to look after. Typical.
I have been sitting elevating toes above knees and icing all day apart from the small dog walks. I had a pre cooked meal in the freezer which only needed heated up. So I feel I have been really good today. Unfortunately my right knee is so painful both in my bed and when doing any walking. My operated knee has only the uncomfort from the swelling and stiffness. Gone is the awful arthritis pain but boy is the other knee making up for it. I measured my operated knee yesterday and it measured 19" round and across knee cap. I will measure tomorrow again and see if any swelling gone down.
 
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Mollymax said:
I have been sitting elevating toes above knees and icing all day apart from the small dog walks.
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Well done for trying to rest more!

When you're elevating, remember that it's important to get your knee higher than your hips, so that fluid can drain back into your general circulation.
 
Celle I have been today. Sat with it up most of the day. Soon be bed time. Didn't sleep well last night so hoping for better tonight.
 
Can't believe it is 29th July and I had my operation on 27th June. It will be 5 weeks on Wednesday. Another day where apart from walking the dogs I will elevate and ice. Measured knee this morning and no reduction from yesterday. Also tried that measure ap for bend but it's only saying ROM of 75. So swelling still stopping it bending. Did anyone have such a low ROM 5 weeks in? I know when in hospital it was 80 and physio wanted more which hasn't happened.
Heavy rain here today again. Dogs will be getting as short a walk as possible.
 
Just had the dogs out one at a time and I was trying to make my knee bend a bit more. Ouch that hurt. Won't be trying that again. Don't feel I am getting anywhere fast. Swollen and stiff. I think what isn't helping is the pain in my other knee meaning my walking gait is still anything but normal.
 
Mollymax said:
Ice packs or frozen peas have been hurting my knee lately.
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Try putting the ice packs in your refrigerator, a cool vs cold temperature may be more comfortable for your knee.

You not alone with your ROM, you are still very early in recovery and your knee needs more time to heal.
Here are some ROM articles, you will see members have gained ROM a year+ after TKR.
ROM: it's worth the wait for ROM
ROM: it's never too late to get more ROM!
ROM (range of motion) information

A few gentle activities you can do for ROM.
Heel slides and how to do them and Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it .
 
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After my last tkr, when I walked, I had to think "heel down" because i'd been walking on my toes until the replacement. The p.t. told me the other day that I needed to think about bending my toes. Now when I walk, the little voice inside my head says "heel down, bend toes" so my leg doesn't stay stiff and straight. It does hurt but it gets a little better. Perhaps that's something to try? It's amazing how you have to re-train yourself to walk properly isn't it?
 
@Laurenkate I am working on that gait too. Heel, foot down, push off toes. It’s that last part I really have to think about too. I laughed with my PT that it’s like all those directions for golf: bend knees, hips forward, head down, address the ball, etc. way too much to think about to just hit a ball. Lol
 
My ROM hovered around 85-90 till 10-11 weeks. Now it‘s about 110 (first knee) at about 20 weeks.
 
@Laurenkate and @nuttybrunette I have been trying to concentrate on heel, foot down and push off on toes. It's hard after the years of walking on my toes at times especially going down a hill. It's like learning to walk again. It's not helping that my right knee is extremely painful and I am limping on it.
@Eeek My ROM still seems to be about 73.
@pumpkin I have read through those articles again. Thank you. I guess I am worried that my ROM isn't getting any better. I see the physio on 7th Aug so will see what they say about it. Hopefully it might be a bit better by then. I really wonder if the lymphodema I have is keeping the knee swollen. I wonder whether I should go back to wearing my compression stocking. It may be too tight for me though as my whole leg is more swollen than it was when I got it.
 
As much as I hate the compression stockings, they do help with swelling. They are the only thing about this process that my husband absolutely hates because they are almost impossible to put on and he has to help me with them.
 
I hated those stockings!! Especially when it's 90 degrees out!! We had temps in the 90's back in early May, (not really the norm for upstate NY at that time), about 2 weeks after my LTKR, so I still had to wear them, not fun!! Now I see why some women don't wear panty hose in summer, lol!!
 
Molly, stop worrying about your knee bending. It won't bend more until the swelling has gone down more, and the swelling won;t go down overnight, It could take weeks.
Have you ever had massage for your lymphodoema? That might help. If your physio doesn't do those massages, ask if she can recommend someone.

Don't use the compression stockings if they are too tight - that would do more harm than good.

There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

Here's a picture of the correct gait for walking - that's another thing your physio could help you with, instead of worrying about how far your knee is bending.
[Bonesmart.org] Pain 2 years after TKR
 
As usual, Celle makes a good point. The compression stockings can cause problems if they are too tight but I finally found some that aren't too bad unless my leg starts swelling. Then they come off. There is so much experimenting with what works and what doesn't in this process, isn't there?
 
@Celle I agree that wearing a stocking that is too tight would be bad. I have worn specifically measured ones for about 3 years now only on my left leg. As I lost weight I had to get smaller ones made for me. The lymphoma nurse thought that the redduction in size of my leg was due partly to the stocking working on the lymphodema and partly on the weight loss. I went from having a tree trunk of a leg to one with shape. Now I am back to my tree trunk :boohoo:. I have never had massage and have never been offered it. I will speak to the physio when I get my appointment.
Again today I have elevated toes above nose and iced all day apart from taking the dogs out and making my meals. I have binge watched episodes of Grey's and have been knitting a jumper for baby. Feel I have been totally lazy...lol. Just checked the activity progression for weeks 4 to 5 and I see I can do 20 mins walks. I have not being doing that. So tomorrow I will do a little bit more.
 
Mollymax said:
Just checked the activity progression for weeks 4 to 5 and I see I can do 20 mins walks.
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But that's assuming that the reduction of your swelling is going well. Yours still has a way to go, so I don't think it's wise to walk for that long. Start with just a couple of minutes, and only work up to the 20 minutes gradually.
 
Evening. Not had too great a day today. Just feel very down. Didn't sleep too great last night. Seeing as I have the dogs they are in the bedroom with me. The lhasa Apso sneaked up on to the bed in the middle of the night. I made the mistake of turning round and giving her a shove of the bed. Big mistake as I shoved her with my operated leg.... Ouch. Been limping a bit today but its my right knee that is causing the limp. Left one (operated one) gave way a couple of times today. At that point that I think I have read most people get to and feeling fed up and wishing I was back to normal. I know it is too early but time is dragging a bit.
 
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