TKR Reached the other side

[Morgaine]

Rbohno when (if) you start physical therapy in town, just remember to never let you push you to pain. If you haven't read the no pain, more gain article, I suggest you memorize it now. All that pushing does is cause swelling and that decreases ROM. I learned the hard way. Slow, easy, stretching is what you need (in my humble opinion) and if they try to do that dreaded exercise where they lay you on your tummy, put a strap around your ankle or foot and have you pull it to increase that ROM, gasp in terror.

 

[Rbohno]

Hello Morgaine,

I have had months of therapy following 4 different knee scopes (3 on my TKR knee and one on my left knee ) so I have been through some dreadful exercises. I know the exercise you are speaking of and hate it, I even have had the therapist a couple of years ago after one of my scopes have me lay on my stomach and then push my knee to force it to bend. I unintentionally blurted out some expletives at the therapist and needless to say I had a different one the next visit.

One of the strangest but most painful exercises I was given would be described this way: sit on a stool that had about 5 or 6 rollers on the bottom(like a the base of a desk chair) and use my legs to roll laps around the therapy workout area which was carpeted with short commercial carpet. Seemed innocent enough but it requires you to reach out with your legs plant your feet flat and pull the chair around while you are seated on it using your knees and legs.

The home therapist had me using the rubber band on two standing exercises since week three.

 

[Morgaine]

And the people wonder why we call them physical terrorists, physical toturers, sadists....

 

[Rbohno]

And the people wonder why we call them physical terrorists, physical toturers, sadists....

Isn't that the truth

 

[tkrmarch11]

You are right. This forum is a godsend. Hang in there, it does get better but even then, there are more questions. Best wishes to you.

 

[Rbohno]

Started pt this week, 3 times a week for 6 weeks.

I also went for my 6 week post op visit today and doctor didn't like the stiffness in the knee and ordered what he called the "torture chair". He said they set it up at my home and I strap my leg into it and it forces the knee to bend. He said it hurts so just make sure to take pain meds, anti-inflammatory and ice at least 20 minutes per hour.

I tried to find a pic of the chair online to no avail

I am dreading this