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PKR Raffs' Recovery Thread<'

Your scar looks so good! Mine is still pretty red. I too still feel the stiffness and tightness, but not much swelling. I asked another lady who had her knee done last year, she said 3 months before she was finally able to walk normal, no swelling and tightness. But she did say she still gets stiff at times.
Have a lovely weekend.
 
@tigwy11 thanks. I haven't done a thing re my scar, just let it be. PT today said I can now use some unscented lotion on it to help the dry skin. Hope you have a lovely weekend too.

Hydrotherapy went well. Did some walking, cycling, squats, lunges and an exercise involving me keeping a pool noodle under the water by bending and extending my leg. He didn't measure my flex but said it was good.

I asked him about the tight band under my knee and he said not to worry, it will be scar tissue or possibly something to do with a tendon or muscle and will not be permanent. He bent my leg to see if it would bend and said it is fine. I will discuss properly with my usual PT on Monday. This guy could see that I am having problems bending it when I walk but I can bend it fine when standing still, the tight band is only apparent when I walk. Looking forward to seeing what my PT thinks I can do to help ease it. Been icing and elevating since I got home, now time for dinner....
 
Knee seems ok so far today after the hydro yesterday. It is quite stiff but seems less hot and swollen than last time. Taking it fairly easy today to be on the safe side. Will go out for a short walk with hubby later. Had a restless night but not because of the knee - women's issues.....:groan:. Looking forward to a nap later.
 
Hydro therapy sounds great to me, wish I could do it! I had the same issues as you last night sleeping, dang cramps!
 
Thankfully l no longer have women's issues, I can completely empathise with you as l used to suffer most terribly, the day l had a hysterectomy was the start of a new lease of life! Now if only this tkr would hurry up and let me continue my new lease of life! Lol.
 
@tigwy11 @CATSMUM hydro is great. It's so nice to feel more mobile and independent, even for a short time. I was amazed that at 4am my strong pain meds were working to control my knee pain but not my cramps!! My body decided to really behave badly by giving me my last one on the day of my surgery!! It really wasn't helpful having to deal with that as well as the first few difficult post-surgery days. I'm hoping that this phase in my life is a short one!!
 
Seriously, same here! Knee had some sharp pains but mostly the cramps and pain pills not really touching it @Raffs. You would think I would be over this at 53....
 
@Raffs, my knee is still very tight and grossly swollen at times. I actually find it harder to walk this week than I did last week. I got excruciating pain while walking Friday, My pt says some scar tissue must have popped or something. I guess we have to let the healing take place at our individual paces.
 
@tigwy11 I was awake for about an hour in the middle of the night again last night - cramps!!!

@CATSMUM patience, patience, new leases of life come to those who wait.....!

@simryg I definitely took a few steps back earlier this week. I was struggling to walk too. Seen a slight improvement since Thursday. Wish my healing would be just a teeny bit faster.....

Very quiet day yesterday. Did about a 15 min walk. Flex definitely increasing, knee bends a lot further when doing heel slides. Measured both knees and the operated one is about an inch bigger than the other one which I thought was ok.

Been to have lunch at my parent's place today. Car journey 30 mins each way was ok. Used a pillow to slightly elevate my leg. Walked around a bit at theirs - had to have a tour of the garden with my Dad! Iced a couple of times and sort of elevated as best I could. Saw my aunt, uncle and 92 year old grand mother who all admired my scar! Icing and elevating properly now before I do my PT exercises and have dinner. Knee seems to like it when I walk around today rather than too much sitting.

Seeing my PT at 8.30 tomorrow, first time I'll have seen him since day 10, tomorrow is day 27 (where has the time gone!).
 
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Glad you had a good day at your parents. Well done on the gentle walks. Its always good to show off your scar!!!

Good luck with Physio tomorrow, after my first session, l didn't see mine again until about that day, perhaps it's how they do things in private hospitals. Time goes so quickly. It's not easy to be patient! Lol.
 
@Raffs your comment about measuring your knee prompted me to do the same. There is a difference of 2-3 inches. Depending on which part of knee. This is after elevating and icing all night, and my foot appearing "slimmer". it's 10 and I'm in bed as fell asleep after 5.
 
You'll find the difference in size gradually lessens, but I measured mine regularly for the first two months. I've forgotten to measure it lately, but I imagine it's still a little larger.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
@Raffs dang cramps! Mine have settle down some today. Glad you had a fun time at your parents! And walking. I just did a short walk too, now icing.
 
@CATSMUM people are impressed with how neat the scar is - I am too! Thanks re tomorrow.

@simryg I measured first thing this morning. If I measured now I'm guessing it would be at least 2 inches bigger as like many people I find it swells as the day goes on.

@PolarBear60 I only thought to measure it today but I think I'll do this regularly to see how it progresses. Be good to see it look like a knee again and not a round lump!

@tigwy11 mine have settled today too thankfully! I'm building up my walks slowly so that I can walk to the salon soon to get my nails done!! It's the little things.....
 
@Raffs- Just spent the time to go back and read through your journey. When looking at it all at once, it does sound like generally you've been doing REALLY well. So sorry for the bit of setback recently. But it sounds like you're making your way through it. I'll be two weeks tomorrow, so still very much a newbie, but have spent quite a bit of time reading different folks' threads.. (great way to pass the time, actually!) One thing I'm finding is the roller coaster seems to be quite a long ride. I'm trying to set my expectations appropriately, but I can see how easy it is to want to "get on with it'.. And it's great that we have this forum so we can see how everyone is doing along that same roller coaster.. We're all in it together.. Best to you! :friends:
 
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PT this morning was good. Extension confirmed at 0. Flexion up from 75 on July 10th to......wait for it.....107 today :wowspring:. Very pleased.

I went on the exercise bike and after a couple of half rotations managed about 5 mins of full rotations. Felt really good, not painful. He then showed me some new exercises - lunges, step ups, sit/stands and wall slides. Got to do a few reps of these three times a day and build up slowly.

Told me to start increasing my walks slowly and when I'm ready start to do two walks a day.

I can stop using the crutch in the house as long as I feel comfortable. Said to keep using it outside for now which I agree with.

He said I'm where he would like me to be at 4 weeks out. Can't ask for more than that :happydance:

The only small issue of concern is that he said he doesn't know what is causing the tight band under my knee because it is located under the knee not across it. He said it could be a number of things and we'll assess it again when I see him in 2 weeks.
 
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@Braunzie thanks for stopping by. Yes, my recovery has been pretty smooth so far. I am very thankful for this. I think part of it is down to the OS doing a great job but also because I was so prepared for what this recovery entails, thanks to the wonderful advice and support offered here. I would have lost my mind by now if I hadn't found this site before the surgery! Will go and read your thread now to see how you're doing. Best to you too :flwrysmile:
 
Well done, great to hear that you've got good flexion and extension at this early stage. Just be careful not to overdo things. Lunges and step ups might be a little too much too soon? A lot of us suffer from tight bands on the knee.
 
@CATSMUM I am going to take things very slowly and gently. I did think he was giving me quite a lot to do so I'll do the minimum for a few days to see how it goes. He said the tight band is not in the usual places which is why he doesn't know what it is. I was a bit disappointed by this to be honest as I'd hoped he would have the answer!
 
@Raffs l think he gave you too much too, just do what you can and stop if it hurts. Why don't you tag Josephine about the band and see what she thinks. I'd have been disappointed too. :sad:
 
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