I really feel for you. It's so disheartening to learn that your trusted surgeon wasn't completely honest with you about recovery from either a partial or a full knee replacement. You'd be surprised how much we hear that! I don't really think the surgeons mean to be so off base about recovery. In their defense, the just don't see patients on a daily basis like we do here and I'm sure a lot of people try to paint a rosy picture when they see the "great doctor" for a periodic check up. I'm glad you were honest with yours.
I did do the reading before I joined and it helped some. I am however, confused by the medical practitioners who say continue to do the exercises unless I get worse pain, and the forums that say take it easy. What a conundrum this recovery is!
I'm so glad you read our material and it helped. As I said, it's difficult when our advice may conflict with your doctor or therapist. But, I can assure you that we've developed our approach by working with thousands of knee replacement patients who are experiencing pain and/or swelling with their current activity level. It is such a common problem! The only answer is to back off the exercise and activity; rest, elevate and ice (as much as possible at least 45 minutes at a time); and take something for the pain. You will not lose ROM, you'll gain it this way. There is no "window of opportunity" after which your knee will "freeze up." You can gain ROM up to a year or more after surgery. It's the swelling that stops you from having it.
Walking with a limp but no cane.
Limping is a bad thing to do. It trains your body to use an improper gait and can make recovery more difficult. Use whatever walking aid (can, crutches, walker) it takes to be comfortable and lose the limp. Your goal is to be able to take good long strides with the aid to improve your gait and add strength. Many people view walking aids as a negative....something that signifies disability. Instead, think of the walking aid more as a tool to strengthen and improve yourself. Its use is temporary....only to retrain and improve your body's functions.
I have a very stubborn HARD knot of swelling on upper outside of the knee.
You might try some gentle massage on the swollen area. Move your fingers in a circular motion from the knee up the thigh. You can use some lotion or oil if you like as long as you have no open areas on the incision. Put your leg up on the couch cushion so it is stretched out flat when you massage.
After reading this forum I have reduced my pain with more ice and elevation, and I cut way back on my activity.
This is really good. It shows our approach works for you. Unfortunately, it can take a while for things to dramatically improve....weeks or even months. Just don't get discouraged! Improvement will come.
I am seriously stalled in my recovery again.
All recovery has ups and downs. "Stalling" is common. This is definitely not the time to try and increase activity or exercise. Just continue with your same program and improvements will start again. Sometimes it helps to go back through your recovery thread to see how much progress you have really made so far. With knee replacements, it's measured in weeks, not days.
Regarding the swelling it is not the front band. It is above my knee where the knee meets the thigh/quad, in other words where the femur meets the outside cartilage and ligaments. I have tried mega icing and elevation and it doesn't help. Should I be worried?
This is nothing to worry about. You haven't done anything to damage your implant. You've just stressed tender tissue that needs time to rest and heal itself. I don't know what you mean by "mega" icing and elevating. But you should be keeping ice on your knee as much as possible (with a kitchen towel between you and the ice source so your skin doesn't over chill) during the day and night. Each icing session needs to be at least 45 minutes to do any good. When you elevate, keep your toes above your nose (that's a little higher than above the heart). If you have any pain associated with the swelling, take something for it. Tylenol is fine as long as you're taking 1000mg per dose and no more than 4000mg in any 24 hour period. .
I know it seems like hiking and normal activities are never going to return, but they will. It's a slow process to completely return to normal, but you'll do it.
New Zealand
