Poor extension after 6 weeks

[KarenD]

I know, I am complaining. I am tired, cranky, and I am working half days. I still cannot sleep. My ROM was at 115 today. I asked my PT how was my extension and he said around 10! This is terrible. Seems I cannot win. When will this get better?

 

[beth1954]

I'm sure others here will have a better answer for you, but I have had some trouble with that too. The last time they measured me, I was at 11 weeks, and I was a 3. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's noticeable to me in the way that it feels, and the way that I walk.

A couple of the people on here have some really good ideas about improving that. Does your PT say much about the extension? Are they doing anything to improve it? It seems like at 10 weeks they should have been working on that more. Most of the people here seem to get pushed TOO hard, and then they don't help you out.

I have been laying on the couch with my heel on the arm of the couch, and then letting my knee drop. One person here said to add a little heat to the back of your knee before you do it because it will loosen up a little bit. Keep working at it.

I haven't been measured now for awhile, but I'm hoping to be at a 2 next time. Baby steps!
:thmb:

 

[beth1954]

I misunderstood you. I thought you were at 10 weeks. You just had surgery 10-6? Give yourself some time....it will come

 

[skigirl]

Karen, I suppose the fact that you are working is because you need the money--but that is a tough schedule you have got going there. Please tell me you don't have six kids at home too!!!

I can imagine how tired you are---I was fatigued until 8 weeks and that is when I began sleeping well too. I went back to work at 12 weeks--and sometimes I felt really tired--I just worked half days for almost a month.

So, you are back to work very early--no wonder you are tired. And trying to add pt to your day is tough, but necessary. 115 is not a bad ROM, but if you can get a little more, I would keep on working--it is fantastic for little more than a month. How is your swelling with working?

Lots of folks here find a way to ice at work which helps too. And are you still taking pain meds? I found that they made me feel confused and contributed to my stress after surgery. But it would be hard to work with them because they made me sleepy too on top of everything else.

Make sure you put some resting in that busy life of yours!!!f Just let yourself lounge around with three pillows under your leg. Kelly

 

[Jamie]

One of the exercises that helped me the most to get my knee straight was to lie on my tummy on my bed with my knee just at the edge of the mattress and the lower part of my leg out beyond the edge. I started with a couple of minutes and worked up to 10 minutes doing that twice a day. Then I did the same all over again but added a 1 lb. ankle weight. You can work all the way up to 5 lb. of weight on your ankle. I didn't need to go that far before my leg would finally straighten.

The bonus of this "exercise" is that it's passive and you can rest and relax at the same time!!!

 

[One NZer]

Oooh goody, an excuse to lie on the bed and read. :D

I had asked my OS why I couldn't straighten my leg, (had great ROM from the getgo) he told me that my leg was at 12 extension and he didn't do knees over 15. :shk:
I only scraped in there.

I have been working on my leg daily to try and get the knee to go back, it aches and has tender spots still.

Thank you Jamie, I will try your suggested method. Did you use a heatpad on the back of the knee at all ??

 

[Texas]

I did that one to Jamie.......Its a good one if you can well i did far enough out my hubby would hang lil things from my feet just to give me a lil more pull not much let gravity do it thing........but it works.....dont worry keep going your what 6-8 weeks math bad this morning..........you will gt there...........)

 

[KarenD]

Thanks. I do ice at work--my swelling is not bad at all. I am working half days right now. I will start working on the passive exercise--I will check in and let you know how it goes.

 

[Josephine]

I liked putting my heel on a stool and letting my knee hang. Then I could watch TV at the same time!

As for the 110 - that's good! Don't get too hung up on numbers. You could still improve. Doug said he's got more flexion not so long ago and he's a year out!

 

[beth1954]

I have a question that might help Karen too.
Lately when I do some extension exercises, the front of my knee (right below the kneecap hurts like CRAZY!!! Do you think it the IT band that you have been talking about?

 

[Josephine]

Quite possibly. Have you read this? IT Band Information

 

[shelly52]

Karen, you are being too hard on yourself. I am 10 weeks post TKR and still can't get to full extension, despite a MUA at 7 weeks. PT and my husband had been doing the push down on the tibia/femur until one of us screams. My surgeon suggested I back off on the aggressive approach and let an ankle weight of 10+ lbs hnag over my knee when I'm sitting. A more passive approach to extension. He thought this might help with the posterior knee pain that keeps me awake at night.
I am still -3 which gives me a limp. My surgeon also supported my use of 1 crutch even at 10 weeks to reduce aggrevating my knee and increasing the swelling that I still get over the day.
Try an ankle weight over your knee when you get home from work. Good luck, I never could have returned to work at 6 weeks!
Shelly

 

[KarenD]

Shelly

Thanks for the positive feedback. I still get swelling and cannot imagine 10 pounds hanging off my knee--I'll start small. I am still limping and the pain is there--hopefully it will go away in time.

Karen