United StatesI'm in week 3 post op tkr. Physio ended last week bc I made all markers. Continuing exercised 3x a day, walking and going up and down stairs like a big girl now. I stopped oxy after week 1 and take Tylenol and Alleve. My stomach is starting to get upset. Not having pain but a lot of stiffness and numbness still on outside of leg. Doesn't seem like progress so I need some inspiration.
TKR pain management week 3
- Thread starter TKR 72
- Start date
Hi and Welcome!
You are doing very well for only 3 weeks post op!
Stiffness will be with you for a while yet, so dig down deep for patience. This recovery takes an average of a full year. (though no one told me that before my surgery, so it was a shock when I learned it!)
I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
3. Do what you want to do BUT
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website
The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.
While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
You are doing very well for only 3 weeks post op!
This all adds up to wonderful progress!
Stiffness will be with you for a while yet, so dig down deep for patience. This recovery takes an average of a full year. (though no one told me that before my surgery, so it was a shock when I learned it!)
I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website
The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.
While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
Just waving hello! I’m 4 weeks post op as of tomorrow. Definitely have numbness - mostly under my knee. I’m assuming it will dissipate in time but if anyone know otherwise I’d certainly like to hear it!
You are definitely progressing! The fact that you don’t have pain (I still do) and are able to exercise regularly is fantastic.
I feel better than I did a week ago and light years better than I did 2 weeks ago. Have faith that you will see progression and feel better each day- because you will!
You are definitely progressing! The fact that you don’t have pain (I still do) and are able to exercise regularly is fantastic.
I feel better than I did a week ago and light years better than I did 2 weeks ago. Have faith that you will see progression and feel better each day- because you will!
Qdogpa
member
Very impressive progress! I am also 3 weeks post op...can climb stairs foot over foot, but can’t descend stairs foot over foot. Sleep? Not very well...take an oxy at bedtime to help, but within 3-4 hours it wears off, and I am wide awake.knee is tight ,stiff and achy, making sleep very difficult .
week over week , there is improvement.Time is more your friend then PT, from my limited experience..
week over week , there is improvement.Time is more your friend then PT, from my limited experience..
Cjackso21
member
That is great progress. I just had my 6th revision (very long story) and they rebuilt my knee again. The stiffness stays for a long time, as they said, even longer than a year. But with all of my surgeries the most important thing for me has been passive and stretching motions, not necessarily strength alone. I have stretched before bed and upon awakening every day for as long as I can remember. This is great for stiffness. Also, before advancing to biking, I. passively move my surgical leg with the other on a stationary bike. Even lying on my back and holding my surgical leg with the other and bend and straighten. Good luck, glad you are doing so well!
Hello @TKR 72 - and 
Please will you tell us the full date of your knee replacement and which knee it is, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.
Since you've passed all the markers required by your PT, you don't need to keep doing all those exercise three times a day. Once is enough.
You won't lose most of the gains you've made so far.
You are working that new knee quite hard for so early in recovery and I feel that cutting back on some of their exercise could well result in a decrease in stiffness , which is another form of pain. Remember, your knee isn't lazy or unfit - it's wounded by major surgery. It needs gentle treatment, so it can heal.
You still need to rest, ice and elevate your knee. This is a long recovery, taking a full year for all your tissues to heal completely. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Numbness at the side of your knee is inevitable. This article explains:
Numb area after TKR: how long will it last?
The most effective way to take Tylenol is 2 x 500 mg tablets 6-hourly, to a total of 4,000 mg (4 doses) in 24 hours. You need to take it regularly, to keep up the levels in your bloodstream. If you just take the odd dose now and then, it's far less effective.
Check all other medications you're taking, to make sure there is no Tylenol/Acetaminophen/Paracetamol in them. If there is, scale back one or two of your regular doses, so you stay within that safe 24 hour limit of 4,000 mg.
Please will you tell us the full date of your knee replacement and which knee it is, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.
Since you've passed all the markers required by your PT, you don't need to keep doing all those exercise three times a day. Once is enough.
You won't lose most of the gains you've made so far.
You are working that new knee quite hard for so early in recovery and I feel that cutting back on some of their exercise could well result in a decrease in stiffness , which is another form of pain. Remember, your knee isn't lazy or unfit - it's wounded by major surgery. It needs gentle treatment, so it can heal.
You still need to rest, ice and elevate your knee. This is a long recovery, taking a full year for all your tissues to heal completely. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Alleve is an anti-inflammatory and they can cause bleeding from the stomach so, since your stomach is getting upset, you should stop taking it - let your doctor know.
Numbness at the side of your knee is inevitable. This article explains:
Numb area after TKR: how long will it last?
The most effective way to take Tylenol is 2 x 500 mg tablets 6-hourly, to a total of 4,000 mg (4 doses) in 24 hours. You need to take it regularly, to keep up the levels in your bloodstream. If you just take the odd dose now and then, it's far less effective.
Check all other medications you're taking, to make sure there is no Tylenol/Acetaminophen/Paracetamol in them. If there is, scale back one or two of your regular doses, so you stay within that safe 24 hour limit of 4,000 mg.
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