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TKR Progress Report Mazza November 1st 2013

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Hope your doing ok Marilyn. I like you felt good then suddenly felt as if i achieved nothing. :-( The pain seems to have worsened and feel as if above my knee is just a tight mess that cant be moved. I am still pretty much numb over my knee when i touch it. Bit like the dentist lol. You are doing great and remember how you were 2 weeks ago. Keep going and stay strong :-) xx


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5 Week Marker- I didn't write yesterday as I was very busy with other matters, the main one being my first official hospital PT appointment.

He was pleased to see me walking with one stick, but not pleased when I mentioned that I don't use it at home (me thinking that was good for Brownie points!). I have to use the stick in order to remind myself to walk PROPERLY and WITHOUT CHEATING as he wrote on my homework notes. The same rule to be applied to sitting down and standing up from a chair; no letting the TKR leg be lazy about bending.

My ROM measure 106 and he felt that was excellent for this stage and I was chuffed to know that it really had improved.

Then came the tough part of laying on the bed while he worked on straightening my knee as I can't get it flat to the bed. Wow - did I ever grit my teeth, but I let him hold my ankle firmly up on his hip while he placed his warm hand (very handsome young man!) directly on my knee joint and pulsed pressure up and down to stretch the ligament on the outside of my leg. This is where it feels very tight and needs to lengthen. Husband will come in useful for this exercise in sadism, but I can also do it myself with the ankle supported and push down with a blanket on top of the knee while making these pressure pushes. Not too bad and I did it this morning.

The other tip he gave me was to stagger my pain relief rather than taking it all at once, so I am taking anti-inflammatories interspersed with the paracetamols so that the pain relief is spread out through the day. I thought this was good advice.

I reported that I still can't walk downstairs one leg at a time and he was surprised at this given my ROM. Surprise, surprise, I attempted it when I came home and JUST managed to do it, so I will persevere even if it isn't elegant or speedy.

I go back to the hospital in a fortnight and will perform the exercise in between what should be 6 visits if they are deemed necessary for my progress.

So all in all a positive if not slightly uncomfortable PT session. We didn't end up hurting each other anyway, which is what I warned him of on the way in!

I had to do one leg dips on a step, squats and stretches which are all to be repeated at home 3 x daily. I MUST sit and stand to a chair with both feet together, rather than favour the TKR.
 
Going *down* steps can take a while. I think it's related to the muscles adjusting. Just as you say, try a little bit every day and gradually you'll get there. Sounds like you are doing amazing.
 
Mazza said:
I had to do one leg dips on a step, squats and stretches which are all to be repeated at home 3 x daily. I MUST sit and stand to a chair with both feet together, rather than favour the TKR.
Click to expand...

Your ROM is excellent! :yay: Congratulations on such good progress.


But I think 5 weeks is too early to be doing one leg dips on a step and squats. Those are strengthening exercises and your knee should not be doing them until the healing is over. Just be very careful not to overdo it. Any additional pain or swelling after PT (even the next day) means you have done a bit too much.

You can't sped up this recovery by working hard at it. Slow and steady wins this race!
 
Don't worry, I'm not doing as many of the exercises as the PT said as I'm either too lazy or don't want to push the pain up. I have found that I'm walking better though and I can walk upstairs with little trouble now that the TKR leg is stronger. Going downstairs is just a joke and very uncomfortable, although I can manage more than a week ago.
I've actually managed to do quite a few things today which pleased me as my husband has been out all day. I've done baking, machine sewing, wrapping presents, cleaned out the chicken coop and had two of the grandchildren here for the evening.
Now turning into my lovely bed and looking forward to attending a pantomime with the family tomorrow, thankful that I will at least be fit enough which didn't seem possible up to a week ago :yay:
 
Just in time! Hi Mazza, my surgery was just four days after yours. I'm doing fine with the knee bending (123 degrees), but my extension has gotten worse (from 4 to 12). These exercise suggestions will be very helpful for me. I am able to go up stairs one leg at a time, but like you, going downstairs I have only managed to do a couple steps the normal way then have to go back to two feet on one step. Keep up the good work!
 
I think that Josephine said it was 4 months before she could go downstairs one step at a time. It was about 3 months before I could - everyone is different. There is no rush to be able to do it.

You're doing just fine!
 
Well 5 WEEKS + 3 days and what a difference already! I have to admit to feeling very tired when we went to the pantomime with the family yesterday evening. I put that down to the hour of travelling, there and back, plus sitting in the auditorium with my TKR down for the first half. For the second part I found a seat where I could put down the armrest and put my leg up on the next seat. Sideways wasn't ideal and I have a pain in my lower back to show for it today.

Anyway, a good time was spent with the family and I took it easy only walking with the stick, etc.
I'm not trying to "push" the downward stairs task, because I only do it awkwardly if it's possible anyway, which then gives me a pain in my hip. Upstairs is fine and I bend the TKR to a sensible angled position before planting it on the next tread.

This morning I managed 5 minutes on our "crosstrainer", using the cycling motion on the easiest setting. That was interesting because I had no trouble with it at all and had actually dreaded even attempting such a thing :bicycle1:

I've baked a cake as well as done ironing and other jobs this morning, so feeling more in control, although sore. Back to icing and elevating this afternoon.
Best wishes to all Forum Readers
 
5 WEEKS + 5 days =

I drove my car today for the first time since October!! It is semi-automatic and a Smart car (does that really count?) but I was amazed that I had no discomfort at all, although my leg is stiff this evening from using the lower part of the limb again after these few weeks. A bit of independence regained at last.
I felt very nervous about trying it out, but was given an opportunity to visit a friend locally and that gave me the encouragement to try.

Tomorrow I see my OS for my 6 week check up and I just pray that everything will be OK as far as he is concerned.

A long way to go yet before I'm going to feel less tired and more "normal", but at one point in time I didn't think I'd survive the first month and here I am this far along. :dancy:
 
:egypdance:
 
Your doing great :-) Would love to drive but have went somewhat backward this past week.Cant get a physio appointment for weeks. Good luck tomorrow and im sure you willbe great :-)


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5 WEEKS + 6 DAYS =

Visit to my OS today and I was amazed when he told me that my progress was excellent and I had surpassed expectations for this time post-op :spin:

He visually measured my bent leg to be 110+ deg!! When he asked me to extend my leg from a sitting position(horizontal to the floor and higher) he praised me for getting this far and added that he sees mostly people who are still struggling to gain 90 deg comfortably at this stage. I mentioned the fact that the first couple of weeks were very tough and he emphasised that the two weeks following surgery are ACUTELY painful and this is probably one of the most difficult forms of orthopaedic surgery to recover from.

He was very impressed with the way my scar is healing and I reminded him that I had asked for just 2 inches, which made him laugh. He remembered me saying this as I went under with the sedative. :)

His advice was to count each phase of progress as a landmark; typically driving for the first time yesterday. From three months he feels I will be achieving a lot more and that between 9-12 months I will begin to recognise days of not even being aware of the TKR!

I then asked him about the other one being done :gaah: and he will do so at about this time 12 months down the line. Honestly, I couldn't believe the words flew out of my mouth, but he is Simply the Best surgeon I could have been referred to in the NHS lottery.

So, I will see him again in three months, safe with the knowledge that I will definitely not be needing an MUA :egypdance:
 
chereb That's no good you having to wait weeks for a physio appointment! Contact the centre yourself and emphasise the importance of you getting assistance sooner - not later! Otherwise they should find an alternative for you. Even ask your GP to move some obstacles.

As you are at exactly the same time period as me, you might have days when you feel you're going backwards (I still get them and then I feel so frustrated), but you're probably achieving more than you realise. It's what's going on inside that's important - the tissue healing. We all heal at different rates and reach goalposts at different times - quote my OS unquote just today.

What sort of bend have you got in the TKR now?
 
Dont forget that this time of the year usually brings on the blues/ depression.. its does for me every year and just about everyone I know. I really enjoy participating in this forum . Its such a great asset..So I really get a kick out of chimming in often, giving encouragement because I will need it in February. Keep up the great work you will be running in no time
 
What a great report from your Surgeon, Mazza! He sounds like a nice guy, as well as a good surgeon.

You are doing so well. You're a star! :yay: :dancy:


I decorated my tree yesterday. :xmas-tree: Will you have family with you for Christmas? If so, take it easy and let them do the work.
Caryl
 
Celle Thank you very much, Caryl. I was ecstatic, to say the very least. Yes, my OS is a REALLY nice guy; I would put my knees in his hands any day :whistle: . The first time I was referred to him I couldn't believe how calm, friendly and interested he was in me as an individual. His bedside manner is second to none and at the same time he is very honest with his opinions and answers every question I might have. I did come up trumps for this.

The only family here for Christmas will be my elderly Mum, who has dementia but she will enjoy the time with us as she will stay for several nights and we will spoil her. The offspring and their families are away for the actual Christmas, but we will have celebrations on their return and between Christmas and New Year. I will hardly have to do a thing as my husband is King of the Kitchen. I'm the Dessert Delight :egypdance:
 
Mazza said:
His advice was to count each phase of progress as a landmark; typically driving for the first time yesterday. From three months he feels I will be achieving a lot more and that between 9-12 months I will begin to recognise days of not even being aware of the TKR!
Click to expand...
Very, very true!! There will be days that you forget that your new knee is not actually OEM!

Mazza said:
I mentioned the fact that the first couple of weeks were very tough and he emphasised that the two weeks following surgery are ACUTELY painful and this is probably one of the most difficult forms of orthopaedic surgery to recover
Click to expand...
While I was not in pain because of the pain meds, I do recognize those days as part of the "dark days" of recovery!
 
referee54 Even with the pain meds, I was in a lot of pain when I moved about but had Oramorph in the hospital. It was when I came home that the meds weren't sufficient to completely block the rush of pain when I stood up, but then again - we need our bodies to tell us when they are stressed or else we wouldn't get warnings to "go carefully"!

Have tried to look it up somewhere, but can't figure out what an "OEM" is :what: :sos: "Orthopaedically Engineered Machinery"?? LOL :rotfl:
 
I am very sorry---it is a term we use over here for "Original Equipment, Manufacturer's.

It refers to the original equipment---not replacement parts---that you would find on an automobile...
Sorry.

As the great Winston Churchill once said, "Two countries separated by a common language." :snork:
 
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