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TKR Progress Report Mazza November 1st 2013

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Hello @Mazza - thank you for that last post - I have been interested in reading your progress reports, and was not only pleased for you, but heartened to learn how far you have come in 10 weeks.
My pre-assess is tomorrow and the days are whizzing by to 'op day' - your post this morning was so positive it really gave me a boost. Thanks!
 
@dogwheels - Oh, that's so nice of you to glean something positive from my experience. It really isn't all doom and gloom, but be prepared for the fact that the first fortnight is pretty hard on the emotions and physical drain, not only for you but your carer too.

I can't believe that I've reached this point in what now feels like a relatively short span of time. At the beginning it seemed that every day was never-ending and then time flies by as you start to take an interest in anything other than your TKR.

I don't forget the statements that it can be anything up to a year to feel entirely right, but I can deal with things now better than pre-op, even if it is always a blessing to go to bed at night :SUNsmile:

The Spring and Summer will arrive when they are ready and then I will be able to go out into the garden and do things without being in the locking agony of last year, so for that I am mindful and thankful that I made the choice to have the TKR.

Good luck for you and I will follow your progress and keep an "eye" on you too :angel:
 
11 weeks post op today! - Still steady improvement; the only thing that niggles is a slightly tight feeling just above my knee, towards the outside of the leg. I still get an ache in my hip/back, but I'm sure that will disappear with time and is all part of the adjustment going on in my body.
I really having nothing to complain about now as apart from kneeling I am capable of everything I was doing pre-op.
I can hardly believe that the weeks have flown by at the rate they have, but pleased to have reached this milestone and looking forward to seeing my OA for formal discharge within the next couple of weeks, although I haven't an appointment date yet.
The cortisone injections have also done their job in alleviating most of the pain in my wrist and finger joint, but the consultant wouldn't sort the neuroma without having first seen a scan of the area, so it looks like another trip to the GP for a referral to get that done.
 
I'm sure it's not just me, but can any other TKR BoneSmarties tell me if they've identified a particular "warmth" that radiates from the TKR as compared to the non-TKR? I have no swelling or pain in the region but when I cup each knee with my hands there is a significant difference which fascinates rather than worries me :SUNsmile:
 
Hi @Mazza
Another good report from you! Excellent!:yay:

I remember that my TKR knee seemed warmer than the other knee for a long, long time. If your knee isn't painful or swollen, I don't think it's anything to worry about. I just thought it was a sign that, although i couldn't see it, healing was still going on.
I can't remember exactly, but I seem to think it was about a year before both knees felt the same temperature.
 
@Celle - Oh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has experienced this. I looked all through the Library to see if there was mention of such a thing, then came to the conclusion that my OS had installed a water bottle to keep my knee warm during the winter months :blush:

Truthfully, my own conclusion was that it's part of the tissue healing process, but it is a really odd sensation as you may remember. Thank you so much for responding so quickly :puppysmooze:
 
Another general question for today; is it true or false that I shouldn't swim using a breast stroke style from now on?
 
Breast stroke leg kick does put a greater strain on your knee than the free-style kick or dog paddle.

I know that my son, who had a knee problem as a teenager, was advised not to do breast stroke kick for about a year.

As for doing it after a TKR, I admit that I have no medical knowledge about that, but personally I'd avoid it for a long time yet. Maybe wait 6 months, then try it gently, and see if you feel any pain, strain, or swelling, that day or the day after.
:flwrysmile:
 
Thanks @Celle - I'm in no rush as have never been much of a swimmer anyway, but just about mastered breast stroke in recent years. Wishful thinking that I might have become an Olympic contender after this surgery LOL
 
Glad to hear your doing great :-) Keep up the good work x
 
My knee was a little furnace for a while...
 
After a weekend spa break at a hotel this last weekend, I really did find out that breast stroke with the legs is going to be a thing of the past. I could do a little "flick" but that was about all before it made me feel very nervous. Looks like it'll be doggy paddle from now on! :doh:

Can any of the BoneSmarties please tell me if they get an ache/tight feeling behind the knee, as well as the tightness above the knee? At 12 weeks plus I seem to have hit a part of my progress that has ground to a halt in this respect and I wonder if it's normal. Sometimes the ache travels up into my hip region too. Don't tell me I will be joining the Hippies!!!!:shocked:

Otherwise everything is OK. I still can't walk at a great speed, but enough to get around the shops OK and do everyday tasks around the house.

I've hardly taken any pain medication for the past week and also wondered if this seemed normal for most folk. I don't find the need to ice or elevate so leading quite a normal day.:flwrysmile:

I haven't attempted cycling yet .. :bicycle2:
 
I am 10 days behind you. I am still taking Tylenol, although there are daytimes when I go 8 hours without it. I generally end up taking it when I feel my knee "in my hip". I figure there is some sort of healing going on somewhere. I over did it last week and was very sore behind the knee,below the knee, everywhere the knee. There is still some tightness above the knee, but not constant. I am unable to do the butterfly kick at all. It just does not feel right. I am sticking with the flutter and trying to move from the hips, and not the knees. What I like about the dog paddle is really stretching out/pulling in and alternating left leg/right arm. It's a good movement. I haven't tried the bike yet, either. I am terrified of falling off. I know I need my left leg to push through the start and I am just not ready to try it yet.
 
Hi @Mazza
Another good report from you!

Yes, I gave up the breast stroke leg kick, too. I still do a bit of freestyle, but mostly now I just dog-paddle and enjoy the feeling of the water.

I'm not an expert, but I think the ache/tightness behind your knee is probably just part of the healing journey. It's still early days in your recovery (even though you are doing so well :thumb:) and your knee is still healing on the inside. I think it's normal to get a few unusual aches as your body adjusts.

How is your extension? Can you get your knee fully straight? It could be that the tissues at the back of your knee are still adjusting.

You could try icing the back of your knee and see if that helps. Or, at this stage, a little heat probably wouldn't do any harm. Take some Panadol too, and see if that helps.

Remember, this is a long journey. You're doing brilliantly for almost 3 months out, but it will still take a while for everything to be fully back to "normal".

:flwrysmile::flwrysmile::flwrysmile:
 
Darn it, breast stroke is the only one I'm good at. ;) There go my hopes for a competitive swimming career. :)

Sounds like you're doing great!! I think the pain behind the knee is a hamstring thing. I have issues with my extension and have pain behind my knee as well, but it comes and goes.

I think it's wonderful that you don't need pain meds!! I hope u do still take them on 'bad' days when u need them. No need to be a hero. ;)

Keep up the great work! So glad you're getting back to your old routine!
 
Back on the painkillers this morning; TKR is definitely stiff and quite uncomfortable, especially walking downstairs. Could be due to driving a distance yesterday after a period of nothing like that.
Will walk the dog this morning in an effort to loosen it up.
 
That's you knee.telling you that you overdid it a bit - as you guessed! (Don't worry, we've all done that.)

Walk the dog, by all means, but ease back on your activity for a day or two, to give your knee time to rest and recover. Back to icing and elevating until it settles down!
 
Does retail therapy count as easing back? I did walk the dog at the same time, but did a great jaunt around the town. That included visiting the library to get some books on quilting which will keep me quiet for a couple of days :dancy::spin:
I have to admit that I don't get around to either icing or elevating these days as I never have any swelling but that doesn't include the insides I guess :doh:
 
I feel that retail therapy does count, however, it doesn't sound like you've taken it all that easy today silly. ;-) Fun that you got books on quilting (and I thought I was the only person left that actually goes to the library)...

I bet the icing and elevating will feel good for a bit today, give it a go and see how your knee likes it!

Oh, and would you mind coming to take my dogs for a walk please? They're getting a bit pissy about not getting any. :puppysmooze:
 
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