TKR Questions

[AprilM]

Thanks guys. Did some calf stretches and then put my small heating pad under my calf for about 15ish minutes. Both helped a ton.

 

[referee54]

Normally using heat on muscles is ok during your recovery as long as you keep it away from your knee.

I agree---do not put the heat on the new knee, as it will bring more fluid into the joint, making it swell and stiffen up more. A little bit of heat on the muscle with gentle stretching can help things out.

 

[referee54]

Some heat and then stretching will work---warm up the muscle and then gently stretch it.

 

[AprilM]

I was definitely careful to keep it away from the knee

 

[janmont]

I too have tight calves. I knew it before surgery because the fitness trainer at Canyon Ranch Spa noted it while I was there. As Karol723 said that stretch she mentioned is the best one I have tried so far and was the among those recommended by the trainer. My therapist at first thought my extension was not quite there and she had me hanging with a rolled towel under my ankle. She now thinks tight calves may be the reason.

 

[Clipless]

AprilM, I have the same leg elevator wedge and I think it's great. I struggled with pillow stacks for the first knee and wised up for the second. One soft pillow in the contoured part of the wedge makes it super comfy. I think a heating pad is fine as long as it's not directly on your new joint.

 

[AprilM]

My leg elevator wedge will be here in two weeks! I got the shipping notice this afternoon. I'm so looking forward to it. I don't mind doing the pillow stack but sometimes it's frustrating because it shifts so easily, especially when my puppy thinks she wants to be part of the warmth lol

I'm not sure why but today my knee is fairly swollen and sore. I haven't done anything, that I'm aware of, to have caused this. Unless I'm doing something to it in my sleep. So I've been elevating off and on, more on than off, as well as icing quite a bit. My ex-husband bought a second set of the ice packs he bought me yesterday so that while one set is in use on my knee, the other set is in the freezer and I can rotate them out. I've been icing 60 minutes on 60 minutes off today. I do hope that's okay.

 

[Josephine]

My therapist at first thought my extension was not quite there and she had me hanging with a rolled towel under my ankle. She now thinks tight calves may be the reason.

Of course, the hanging with a roll under your ankle couldn't have been the reason!

 

[AprilM]

So... as of last night, I'm having to wear my ankle braces because both my ankles keep trying to roll when I walk and are doing their own things when I have my leg elevated. Can I please have something go right for me through this? LOL

 

[Josephine]

Why is that a problem? Legs do roll in bed, let them. It shouldn't impact the way you walk.

 

[AprilM]

Sorry for not responding sooner.

Why is that a problem? Legs do roll in bed, let them. It shouldn't impact the way you walk.

I have bad ankles (along with other bad joints in my body) and they roll sideways when I walk. So it does impact the way I walk. My ankles do what my doctor calls "supination", which is rolling outward and causes me to stumble. Because of this, I have to sometimes wear braces like this on both ankles. I can tell when it's really bad because even when lying down, my feet turn inward and stay that way.

I hope that explains better.

 

[smarttoys]

April, how have things been going the last few days? I'm sorry to hear about your ankle issues. Do you think your supination is worse because you've been less active with taking the time to heal? I wonder if doing some stretches for your calves, hamstrings, and quads would help get your ankles straightened out a bit again.

 

[AprilM]

Things have been going okay the last couple of days. I've been elevating my leg off and on throughout the day, icing my entire knee several times a day, taking my pain meds as instructed, doing stretches for my calf muscle and doing gentle heel slides throughout the day. I've also been walking around the house with a little more ease than I was able to before. Though I still wake up with a lot of pain and stiffness in my knee. I've figured out a way to be able to sleep on my left side with only a little discomfort, though sleeping on my ride side is definitely easier.

Sunday I called the physical therapist's office and left a message to cancel *all* my February appointments. I chose to call on Sunday rather than on a business day because I did not feel like having to answer questions or just deal with a living person in general. I spent part of yesterday expecting my phone to ring and it be him, but my phone was silent so hopefully I won't be getting a phone call wanting to know why. I see my ortho on the 26th and I'm sure I'll be having to answer why when I go see him. I'll be having my mom go with me for both moral support and to be my voice if he gets angry.

 

[Clipless]

Hi AprilM, have you tried custom insoles (orthotics) and/or stability shoes to help keep your feet in good alignment? Do you have an underlying medical condition that could cause the ankle weakness you describe? You seem so young to need braces to walk...

I'm glad your mom will accompany you to the next OS appointment. I doubt you'll have an issue there. I quit PT a bit early after both TKRs and my OS never mentioned it.

 

[AprilM]

You seem so young to need

This comment right here is the bane of my entire existence. Seriously. Please don't use that phrase :/

I have had physical issues most of my life. It took me *years* to find anyone who would actually listen to me about any of it. Because of the way my legs are shaped (ortho calls it "knock kneed"), it has affected my entire structure. I have had to use ankle braces for quite a few years. I have had problems with my hips for over half my life. I have had problems with my knees for over half my life.

I have tried custom insoles and it caused more pain than not because it threw off the shape of my legs, causing more problems with my knees.

It took me several years to find an ortho surgeon that would even talk about knee replacement with me. Everyone else said "you're too young, come back in 20+ years". Yes, I am young. I'm only 40 (will be 41 in a couple months) but that doesn't make me any less inclined to physical problems, to having to have my knees replaced, to having to walk with ankle braces, and the list goes on.

Part of the plan with the knee replacement surgeries is/was to straighten my legs because my ortho says it will help considerably from my back to my ankles.

 

[Clipless]

AprilM, I am so sincerely sorry about my thoughtless comment. I hope the TKRs will make your legs stronger. Come to think of it, I was knock-kneed on the right and used to roll and sprain my right ankle frequently- once I even broke it. Ever since my RTKR my leg is straight and my ankle seems much more reliable. Best wishes on your continued recovery.

 

[AprilM]

My apologies if I came off crabby. I've had a rough morning and the comment hit me like a ton of bricks.

I can definitely tell that my leg is straighter, which is part of the reason my ankle is being fussy. It's trying to adjust to better alignment. My ortho said it'll take time for it to fully adjust, same with my hip and back. If I do go through with having the right knee done, my right side will go through the same adjustment. I don't usually have to wear the ankle braces for longer than a day or two, depending on how badly they've rolled while I'm walking.

 

[smarttoys]

It took me several years to find an ortho surgeon that would even talk about knee replacement with me. Everyone else said "you're too young, come back in 20+ years".

April,
That is the same thing my old OS used to say to me. After doing the last Arthroscopy on my left knee a couple years ago he said "your knee is in terrible condition and there was nothing more I can do for you except for a knee replacement. Come back when you are 60 years old." I was 40 at the time. Waiting 20 years in pain and slowly reducing my activities didn't make much sense to me. When I was 42 I went to two different OS's at two different hospitals. They both said I needed a knee replacement and had no problem with my age. I scheduled it for the fall so I could recover over the winter.

I also roll my right ankle occasionally. Usually when I'm hiking and wearing low type trail or hiking shoes. I have better luck with mid height or higher hiking boots.

 

[newlybionic]

I'm so sorry that you continue to have problems with your entire leg. I hope you are feeling better every day.

 

[KarriB]

@AprilM I've had problems with my right foot ever since my RTKR. I found a shoe (really flip flops) called Vionic that have a built in orthotic. It's so effective they advise you to build up wearing time. They did bother my knee for a bit, but now they're the only shoe that gives me relief.