TKR POCTDB recovery thread

Thanks for explaining the "Blue Block" torture....um...........PT method.

Extension usually improves more slowly than flexion, and is achieved through normal daily activities. As a matter of fact, my extension is much better than my flexion, and I never did a single formal PT exercise after my revision. I followed the "Activity Progression" article and never did too much, or too little, at any given point in my recovery. My flexion is difficult due to continued (and very rare) swelling, but my extension is "fine" according to my OS and myself. If you make sure to not over do and not become a couch potato, spend a lot of time icing and elevating along with gradually increased ADLs as stated in your recovery articles, you will do great. You can't make your recovery go any faster than your knee and body allow, but you can slow things down by overdoing and keeping your knee angry, sore and swollen all the time.

Just because your doctor fixed your knee does not mean he now owns said knee; on the contrary, it's YOUR knee, YOUR recovery and 100% YOUR choice as to how you wish to recover. You can listen to any advice you choose, then make your own decisions as to what you will and will not do. No one can dictate to you how you recover; many will give advice, but you are the owner of that brand new baby knee and only you make the decisions. Your doctor, your PT, your family, and Aunt Susie's nephew's neighbor's daughter-in-law's father can't decide for you-they can only give you their opinions and advice (which you don't even have to listen to); you make all final decisions.

We here at BoneSmart have all been through knee surgery and know what worked, or didn't work, for us. We can give you our opinions and advice, and no matter which way you choose to go, will support you in your decisions, whether we chose a different route or not. That's because we know you have the right to accept and/or refuse all advice and suggestions for your recovery and we will support you no matter what.
 
You don't want to be immobile, but in these first days of recovery I think getting yourself to the bathroom is about all the "PT" you need. :wink:
 
I've heard of that before and told that member that it was an instrument of torture. You don't need to do all that so early out. The likelihood is that your extension will improve on it own over the next few weeks. Like sistersinhim, I also never did any exercising at all, not even so much as a single heel slide! And my extension was around +5 within 5 weeks. By 7 weeks out it was 0. No exercising: what does that really mean?

I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
 
Help.....I love to ice but elevating is so uncomfortable I am tearing up in 20 minutes. I am using the pillow set up pictured. The discomfort is in my left hip and buttocks. Any suggestions?
 
Wonder if anyone else experienced blue block torture?
 
Adjust the height of your leg a bit, maybe it’s too high. Also, don’t keep your knee totally straight, even though most of us are told to. It’s really ok to have a slight bend to the knee and it’s more comfortable.
 
I am lucky. My PT hates the block....he has mentioned he has seen it in Chocolate brown also. Maybe the chocolate color makes the exercise more palatable? “ ooh...yummie look at that big block of chocolate! Let’s do another set.....”
@Jockette thank you for that advice. I have figured out I need to ice in my chair and elevate on my bed. Forces a change of venue every hour or so.....
I am thankful for all of you.....
 
There was another member who had to use it and I had to ask what it was.
 
@Poctdb I lucked into my recliner. When it is all the way out my feet are higher than my butt. That’s where I iced all day (and slept in at night). My knee is slightly bent though when sitting there so I did make sure to, what I call, hang it for a few minutes several times a day.

Sounds like you got a great PT. And no worries, things actually do get better every day.

Nancy
 
@lopat thanks for those kind words...
I thought that I was making progress. Then yesterday the PT came and blew up that assumption! (joke... a cheese factory in France blew up.....Da Brie was all over)

My recliner is not yours unfortunately. I bought a theater chair which goes almost flat but doesn’t raise the feet. I shall presume in a forward thinking manner the next time I buy a chair.
Thanks again.
 
@Jockette PT said nothing.... we were giggling during the appointment. The knee had plenty to say....within about 6 hours it blew up and prevented sleep last night. Icing and elevation today.

My neighbors saw me walking with PT yesterday and asked how it went. I mentioned how the storm had left stuff on the driveway and that the PT walked ahead of me to remove items. 20 minutes later I hear the neighbor out on the driveway with the leaf blower... I am pretty lucky...
 
That’s a really nice neighbor!
 
Poctdb, first off I LOVE punny jokes!

Especially in the first 10 days, my knee would blow up if I even said the word exercise. The day after PT, I would elevate and ice almost to the exclusion of anything else. That has eased up over time. Yours will too, your knee is way newer than mine, it’ll happen.
 
@lopat
Oh now you have done it...an audience for my “dad jokes”? The internet may never recover....
Why do the vampires’ teeth never fall out? He uses tooth paste.
Where are average things made? In the “satisfactory”.
Our pancakes may be soft....but they never waffle.
 
My knee is slightly bent though when sitting there so I did make sure to, what I call, hang it for a few minutes several times a day.
@lopat it's good to have your leg slightly bent when elevating. Have you been told to always keep your leg totally straight else you'll end up with a stiff knee and never walk properly again? It's a myth! Read this Elevation: the do's and dont's
 
Question....
My dressing is stained and is pulling at one of the Steri-strips. It hurts when I take a step. It pulls like a healing wound would pull....or how it hurts when your hair is pulled.
I was provided with extra dressings, but no instructions such as “change when stained.”
Thoughts?
 

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