TKR Recovering from TKR

[Lauramacky]

Hey everyone. Okay KathyH...I agree...rowing is probably not the best for me, lol. I am using the elliptical, walking on the treadmill at an incline and using the vertical and recumbent bike. My knee feels a lot better. Sometimes it takes awhile to figure out what works. I kinda miss that rower but I'll live.

My knee still feels swollen and looks swollen and my leg doesn't feel totally normal, but hey, I'm feeling a heck of a lot better than before the knee replacement. I always knew that it would be between six months and a year before it feels "normal". My groin pain is so much less!!! I could barely walk before and now it seems to be infinitely better. My back pain is pretty much gone too. I still do the band exercises my physical therapist gave me. I know they really help because I always feel better after I do them.

Sorry I've been so lazy posting here. There've been a few RL issues getting in my way!

 

[Mutley]

Good update Laura Glad to hear that you feel like your in a much better place now! Also good to hear that you recognise you may have another 6 months to recover fully. No point fooling ourselves! It's going to take however long it's going to take... Unfortunately
BTW, it's those RL issues that have prevented me from replying to your email. What is it you say? " My bad"??!!!! Will update you very soon!

 

[Lauramacky]

Thank you Jaki! And absolutely no worries...I know you're busy! BTW, I have so many Jaki's in my life (although of different spellings, lol). You would not believe it! When I say "Jaki" to my hubby, I always start with...no, not the one from the UK and not mom's piano student....that leaves three others!!!

 

[Mutley]

xx

 

[Lauramacky]

I'm almost upon my seven month anniversary and things are going really well. Today I just finished a 55 minute cardio workout....40 on the spin bike and 15 on the Precor Adaptive Motion Trainer. Yay! I'm going to try a spin class next week and I'm excited about it. I can't believe how great my new knee is. It's still slightly swollen but the swelling is going down consistently. It hurts a bit here and there, especially if I'm sitting a long time, but I've noticed a huge difference in the last month or so. I can't believe I was so fearful of it prior to the surgery, but had I known I'd feel so good now being able to exercise like the good ol' days, I would've done this a few years ago! I still post here in response to others TKR journeys, but I thought I'd update this just to give those who are contemplating or recovering that you too will get through this!

 

[Mutley]

So pleased to hear your update Laura Good luck with the 7 month anniversary spin class too!

 

[Lauramacky]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I also had in-home PT 3x/week for the first month I think? How funny that I can't remember if was 2x or 3x/week. I remember when that was my LIFE and I thought of nothing else. Anyway, my in-home PT was more about getting me to walk properly, do leg lifts with his assistance and he also manually straightened my leg. That was "fun".

There are different philosophies regarding PT I've noticed. I'm talking about my second PT when I say this, not the useless first one, and maybe it was just my particular situation (I would hope they tailor these treatments depending on the person), but my PT believed that you did have to strengthen the muscles and work a bit at it. Not horribly so...I mean, there were times I left PT and I was limping a bit and very sore. One time I did tell him to please back off. I think that is normal....having a conversation with your PT...telling him or her what is bothering you. People are so quick to say ANY exercise is BAD. It's all about a good balance for you.

My PT also believed at let's say around 3 months....I can't damage this knee by exercising a little too much. Yes, I will swell but then there's ice and elevation right? I need to not go crazy, but it's important to move forward and have that mentality.

I've just noticed that some here (and you are all entitled to your beliefs) believe that it will miraculously get better without work. I really don't believe that. I DO think it's work. It's just that you need to balance it and discuss it and pay attention to your own red flags because your red flags are most likely not like anyone else's.

 

[Josephine]

I can't damage this knee by exercising a little too much

That's perfectly correct but what you can do - and what many people find happens - is that too much and too hard can get you a really nice dose of tendinitis which can be very difficult to treat and get rid of. THAT's the hazard.

I've just noticed that some here (and you are all entitled to your beliefs) believe that it will miraculously get better without work. I really don't believe that. I DO think it's work.

Nobody thinks that, I certainly don't. But what I do see is some people being too aggressive and getting themselves into all kinds of bother. That's totally unnecessary and can even be harmful.

You also are entitled to your opinion but my professional opinion is that the 'softly, softly' approach works better than the alternative. Especially in the first 2-3 weeks when almost no exercise is best and concentrate on getting on top of the swelling and pain. Even after that there is virtually no reason to engage in two dozen squats and leg lifts with ankle weights! Give me a break! That's not the way to rehab an injured (i.e. post-op) knee!

 

[Josephine]

Lauramacky I moved your post and my reply to this, your recovery thread as you were in danger of derailing this thread Muscle Pain after PT

 

[turtle68]

Josephine, I totally get with what you said about the tendonitis. I had some in groin and abductor muscles which has set me back greatly. I can't ride the bike because just a few turns will set off the pain and IMO the tendonitis was a result of overdoing it, and then being put on Levaquin for a kidney infection 9 weeks post-op. Three of my dr.'s have agreed that joint replacement patients, especially those over 60s,should not be put on Levaquin. Am I babying myself too much? I'm walking fine, still take norco 10/325 as needed, and appreciate all I've learned from you all about not pushing too hard. Still icing, elevating and resting whenever I can.

Dorothy

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I've just noticed that some here (and you are all entitled to your beliefs) believe that it will miraculously get better without work. I really don't believe that. I DO think it's work

What do you define as 'work'? Why is it needed?

 

[Ursula Tibbs]

Like you, Laura, I am new to this site and it has saved my sanity. Perverse as it seems, to know that others are in the same predicament as you (and more importantly others have survived and are normal again) is a life saver.
D

 

[Tennis Nut]

I've learned the hard way that you can do too much "work". And too much fun as well. That's especially true if you work hard after a fun weekend. Also, had some unexpected driving I had to do for a family member. 45 mins each way, two days in a row, that put me under a bit. Possibly have some tendinitis brewing now and going on Celebrex for a month to calm it down before it gets out of hand.

I think you can undo the gains you make by getting so sore you can't bend your knee or do any of your PT. So been here the past two days with the leg up and ice pack on it and back to very elementary PT. I won't be doing any more vacuuming for awhile either. I did, since I have two shedding machine golden retrievers. But I can live with more hair, at least till my every other week cleaning crew gets here this week.

 

[Tennis Nut]

Roy Gardiner

Checked out your skateboard exercise. Reminds me of my desk chair on rolling wheels exercise. At first, I just rocked (rolled) back and forth feet on the floor. Later, my PT saw my wisdom and had me sit close to the edge and walk it forward and backward to help ROM. Also worked the hamstrings and wasn't tough on the knee at all. Just goes to show you can find things around the house to use for PT.

 

[SFBaySailor]

I won't be doing any more vacuuming for awhile either. I did, since I have two shedding machine golden retrievers. But I can live with more hair, at least till my every other week cleaning crew gets here this week.

At least you can see Golden Retrievers! Try recovering from TKR with 3 Dachshunds running about underfoot. I had to be VERY careful in the first few weeks walking around the house! LOL!

 

[Tennis Nut]

@SFBaySailer

I'll be you did. Biggest problem with mine, other than hair,is that they are "lap " dogs. 70 & 78 pounds of lap doggies.

 

[SFBaySailor]

Tennis Nut
OMG. Sometimes they just don't realize their size....

 

[Lauramacky]

I think writing to convey the word "hurt" and "hard work" is challenging. What I'm envisioning and feeling as "work" might be someone else's moderate attempts. I've definitely found that communication in these forums, not just bonesmart but any forum, is sometimes difficult. I perhaps should use the word "perseverance" instead of work. We all have a point where it's too much, lord knows I've felt that. I think each of us kind of knows when it's too much. What I do know is that one or two days off isn't going to make or break the recovery. That's what I worried about most...oh no!...I've missed a day! I know that's ridiculous now.

I value this forum a lot and I'm so glad for all the different opinions here because it always gives me something to think about.

 

[Lauramacky]

Hey everyone, long time to see! One of my other bonesmartie friends just posted her 9 month status report, so I thought I'd check in with mine. I'm about ten days away, but what the heck!

Okay, so analytically speaking my knee is still a bit swollen but I've heard that some people take the full year. Just the other day my husband spoke with a guy on the golf course that had this very situation. It took him an entire 12 months for the swelling to go completely away. It's not bad, but there is some swelling. The good news is my ROM is pretty good! The one thing is that it still bugs me a bit. My mom (who had both her knees replaced at different times) said that her knees never quite feel "normal" but she always reminds me "it's better than what they were!" So I'm okay with that. Heck, at least I'm able to walk around and do things now.

The intense groin, hip and back pain are almost nonexistent now. I do feel it sometimes, but most of the time I can sit in comfort. Before my replacement, I literally could not even sit in the car comfortably for five minutes. it was HORRIBLE! It just goes to show how interconnected our bodies are.

I did go to a family reunion in June and an Alaskan cruise just a few weeks ago. I did okay, but now my issue is the other knee! UGH! It's very unstable and we have two awesome trips planned in the future, so I'm going to bite the bullet and get this other knee done in December. Another thing is that I've gained a hideous amount of weight and I've been lazy going to the gym. Two days ago, I started really watching my food intake and hopefully I can knock this weight off before my surgery. I need to lose 15 pounds AT LEAST! It should be doable by December.

I still operate my TKR blog (which has kind of morphed into photography since I'm waiting for my other knee replacement) plus another one having to do with weekly photo challenge. If you all care to look at it, you can access everything through my website @ http://www.lauramacky.com/

Hugs!!

 

[SFBaySailor]

Hi, Laura,
Good to hear your update, and I'm happy that your pain has diminished significantly!
Wishing you the best of luck with the other knee in Dec.

Cheers,
Roger