Question about HEAT in your knee

[AlaskanTKR]

Ok - so I am more than 6 months out from my knee. For the most part it has really been improving. I get sore if I am to hard on it, but well... I get that. This week we went down to the local ski place and stayed overnight. It has been busy at work, but not too bad. I have iced a few times, just because the ice seems to take away some of the ache. Anyway.... While the family was out skiing last night I treated myself to a massage at their spa. Great therapist, very relaxing, for the most part. We talked about the knee and my hip issues. She worked everything on the right very carefully but was actually concerned over the amount of heat still in my knee. granted she is not an OS but she actually seemed to feel I should contact the os. I sort of blew it off and felt she was just not aware of the amount of trauma that knee went through. Got home today and started thnking and then... I figured I would ask for your input. How much swelling should I still have at 6 months, almost 7 and how much heat should there be. - Just from normal activities. I did some stairs yesterday and walked about in the school building but sat for a good part of the afternoon and early evening using the computer.

Thanks for the input - I do not plan to call the os because I think she was a little young and inexperienced with knee replacements. She did a fine job but ... I bet she hasnt done many massages at the hotel spa at a ski resort for tkr people.

Marianne

 

[RickB]

Marianne,
I am only 5 months post BTKR and both of my knees are still warm to the touch. I ask my OS about this and she said that they could be this way for a year. It is just part of the healing process. Can you wear jeans yet?

God Bless,
Rick

 

[Josephine]

There's many a post in here about knees feeling warm to touch. General feedback from the surgeons was that some warmth was to be expected. HOT to the touch is not.

 

[Troweltalk]

For what its worth, at 8 weeks out i'm still feeling plenty of "warmth" from my hip. Kinda freaked me out a little when i first noticed it, but I was told its a natural process of healing and a sign of good blood flow. Also its a great little hand warmer on those cold ice stormy nights... ;-)

 

[JudyS]

Marianne I think that is how I actually burned the skin on my knee after my scope. It was still hot after icing it so I guess I tossed a layer inbetween and had the ice way too close, but was amazed that my skin was still pretty darn warm.
And that was only a scope.
Judy

 

[AlaskanTKR]

Thanks! I usually just blow the heat off but when someone else notices I get a little freaky.

Still no jeans. The knee is still swollen past the point of the ones I prefer... but its the hip that has really prevented them now. The little scope hole that got infected has just reached the point of a solid scab. Anything that rubs against that is just a big owie. I have given up on the jeans for the next 12 weeks and will try again in May. Having the other hip scoped means more swelling and scabs in uncomfy places. Gotten really good at picking out comfy but trendy sweats. Kind of fun being comfy and teaching this year. Told my boss it looks like sweats for the remainder of the year. He laughed and said I could wear whatever I wanted as long as I keep coming back to work after the surgery is done..... He is struggling with a teacher's aid who had a tkr in Spetember and just now made it back to work but is unable to physically do her job so he is having to fill her position with a sub and then find something else for her to do all day. She had complication with some ligament damage but wouldnt allow them to fix it as part of her surgery... now she is waiting to decide about what to do..... I just dont get people - get it fixed and move on!

Ok - Long story short - still no jeans.

Marianne

 

[JudyS]

I know Marianne not everyone is like us, we need just fix it T-shirts!!!! I'm afraid my left knee is getting more and more painful, I kind of feel like I want to play a lilttle while after the back heals before I say just fix it. The back pain has thrown me for a loop. Of course with the undiagnosed seizures, my doc may be afraid to fix the left knee right now.

Judy