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TKR Reader's Left TKR Spacer Exchange

It's so good to hear that you continue to improve. I'm impressed your already working your regular hours and doing well. Good for you.

I too have tried Arnica gel and Biofreeze with almost the same verdict. I would vote "meh" everywhere except my thumbs. The Arnica gel seems to help them, go figure. But not so much anywhere else for me. By BFF swear by the stuff -even puts it on bruises. It shows us once again that we all react differently to medications.

Keep looking through those rose colored glasses, your doing well.
 
Reader525 said:
And my lumpette above my knee is slowly getting smaller. Slowly. If I look at it with rose colored glasses.
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:heehee: The Lumpette Update, lol. Love this…gave me a chuckle. :wink:
You're doing well. Keep up the good work, Reader, and have a good week.
 
Reader525 said:
am confused about how much exercise is required, necessary or perhaps is too much. I consistently did 30 minutes strengthening exercises including mini squats every day for 3 weeks. My knee started hurting and feeling tight. I realized the mini squats were hurting as I did them so I cut them out. It’s like the 3 bears, this is too much, this is too little, this is just right. How does one know?
Remember I am a little compulsive
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I would go easy on exercises particularly as you are back working regular hours. That is probably enough in itself.
I would definitely not do squats for a good while yet and avoid weights or bands for another few weeks/ months.
If you want some sensible focused exercises to strengthen your glutes or ease your hip flexors- then have a look at my pilates teacher's free classes on YouTube. Google Katja pilates and they come up. She has a good 15- 20 minute glute strengthening onevwith no squats for post knee injury. That is still one of my regular exercises.
 
Graded activities are just that - graded. Start with a few minutes, repeat for two or three days at that level and then increase only a few minutes, then maintain again a day or two etc. remember also to have rest days for the muscles.
Please keep us posted.
 
Three months to date since the spacer exchange. Happy Three Month Anniversary, Reader!
Have fun snuggling with the new fur baby :puppysmooze: and enjoy the weekend!
@Reader525
 
@Layla 3 months. 12 weeks. In most ways it doesn’t seem very long since my surgery. I definitely am still healing and recovering, some days I ache and have weird pains to remind me. I do feel very fortunate to have recovered as much as I have, and I think I’m going to continue to recover and hopefully feel better. I know I’m mentally dancing as fast as I can to be present and useful in my work life and occasionally it’s harder than I’d like it to be. I also have to remember my surgery was to correct my hyperextension and in that regard, it was a big success. It was not to correct any neuropathic problems that have mystified neurologists at Mayo Clinic and that continues to plague me. I have an odd neuropathy that is atypical and I have been tested for every genetic disorder but everything comes back negative. I have numbness in my outer calves and feet and my stride is a little different because my left leg sometimes is a beat behind where it should be. My physical therapist has my EMG results and is working with me to compensate for all this.
The correction of my hyperextension is so amazing and gives me so much more confidence, so I focus more on what I can do than what I can’t. Still, the inability I have is humbling and sometimes fatiguing because it frustrates and saddens me. We all have our differences and problems and we fight back as best we can, I’m lucky to have what I have and maybe I will improve more, but if I don’t I’ll still be okay!
 
Reader525 said:
The correction of my hyperextension is so amazing and gives me so much more confidence
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This is great to read. It's wonderful that you are already feeling so much improvement. And, you are right that it will continue to improve!

I'm sorry that you are struggling with the neuropathy and don't yet have an answer. I hope it will resolve on its own with time and movement.

Keep focusing on what you can do and the improvements you are feeling. Your positive outlook is wonderful!
 
Hi Reader, Thanks for the update. Yes, you are still healing and sometimes we forget, but are reminded by moments of discomfort and pain. Given more time the aches and pains should be less frequent. Thankfully you're enjoying some improvement and hopefully the challenges of keeping up at work become less for you. I am sorry about the neuropathy and the frustration and sadness it's causing you. :console2: Hopefully it improves. Fortunately it doesn't stop you from counting your blessings or focusing on the bright side.
Hugs and best wishes for all of the best!
@Reader525
 
A belated Happy Eight Month Anniversary of your Left THR!
I hope you're hip is feeling strong and you're doing well. Have a great September 2026, Reader! :SUNsmile:
@Reader525
 
Its been four months to date since your spacer exchange. I hope you're doing well, Reader.
You've had a busy year with two surgeries and recoveries. Wishing you a peaceful, beautiful Autumn 2026!
@Reader525
 
Hi Reader,
Stopping by five months post spacer exchange to see how you're doing. Please let us know next time you're on the forum. Miss hearing from you!
@Reader525
 
Hi @Layla! I have been missing in action! I’m doing pretty well, working 3-4 days a week and staying on top of my strengthening exercises. On the whole, I’m pretty happy I had the spacer exchange, but I think I was hoping for something that’s appearing to be unattainable. As I think I’ve told you, I have some neuropathy and it’s been thoroughly tested with EMGs and genetic tests but it seems to really have been a big factor in my gait problems. The neurologist I originally saw has relocated , so I’ve not been examined in a few years. I have an appointment with a new neurologist at the practice on November 11th and I can see more clearly what is definitely happening from the standpoint of neuropathy and not joint related now that I’ve had the knee revision. I would like to know what is going on, and what I have to rise above, and what I can still hope to change. So stay tuned. My hyperextension is much improved, it feels like it’s a little looser than at the 12 weeks mark, and the surgeon did say that could happen. I still walk with difficulty and I just have to accept it, I really wanted so much to be normal, but at least it’s better. I have this numbness in my left outer calf area and my ankle feels “off”, I’m still working on strengthening the area, but it’s a challenge! Thank you for thinking of me! ; ) <3
 
@Reader525 I have been thinking of you and empathize. I am struggling with finding normal as well and in meeting with new docs they challenge my tkr so hard that i am left in pain and losing my mind. I plan to start PT in a bit and have a list of my challenges so we can move slowly and carefully. And I am really sick of doctor's patient portals!!! But that is a separate issue. Sending good thoughts.
 
@Readabook Maybe “normal” is just a state of mind? I so hate people watching me walk and thinking of me as handicapped or disabled. I think maybe I should be grateful I can walk at all! But I am stubborn, and don’t want to give up! Hang in there, Readabook, we’ll get through this. <3
 
You really don't know what they're thinking though. I do understand this feeling as I experienced it leading up to my joint replacement. My thoughts on seeing others struggling has changed since my own days of trying to ambulate with pain. Honestly, now when I see someone limping, walking with a strange gait, looking as though they're in pain, I lift a quick prayer on their behalf, without judgment, and I've come to realize others may be doing the same. In reality, people are so focused on their own lives many may not even notice if your gait is off and even if they do, our worth does not depend on how we walk. So head up, you're beautiful just as you are! Give it more time. It sounds like you're doing well to me. I do hope you have a good visit with the neurologist on November 11th. Please stay in touch and let us know how it goes.
Happy Thursday!
@Reader525
 
Reader525 said:
I so hate people watching me walk and thinking of me as handicapped or disabled. I think maybe I should be grateful I can walk at all!
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I was born with birth defects in both knees. The caps started popping out of place when I was a preteen, so I always had to watch how I walked, and was unable to run. People teased me about this, and as a child and teenager, it hurt. As a working adult, some of my coworkers teased me and I asked them to please not, that it hurt my feelings. Now, I don't care at all. I am blessed to be walking at all! Any one of us could be in a wheelchair and are blessed to not be! Just ignore those that give you 'the look', and thank God it's not worse!
 
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