TKR Recovering from TKR

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Grrr...my groin is driving me crazy. I still feel like I have a weird knee and my groin is sometimes so restrictive that it's hard for me to walk normally. I hope this groin situation clears up in the next few months. I've been religiously doing my exercises and went to the gym for just a light workout...and I do mean light....just the recumbent bike for ten minutes, at a level 2. I keep hearing that 6 months is a magic number. Three months was a magic number, but I'm ready to get on with it! Why is it that I feel so impatient today?? sighs. Just one of those days I guess.
 
It is hard to feel like we can't ever get better! I feel so helpless sometimes. I need to,get my dogs their rabies shots and haven't been able to take them. One dog is 50lbs so today I am going,to do,it.. It has been hard for me to get the help I need to do things like this. I wish my sister lived closer. Sigh!
Did you put heat on your groin? Maybe that will help
 
Yeah, I've put heat on. I feel it's connected to the knee and hopefully when my knee feels settled down at long last (which I've heard is between 6 months to a year), maybe it will feel better. Another thing that's stressing me out is we have this other house we split our time in between. And it's a real hassle to get everything ready to go. My cat comes with us, and he's on subcutaneous fluids, and special food. It's frustrating because my husband always says, "just bring a small bag, you don't need a lot" yet there is A LOT to bring! Ugh. I'm really not up for this today but it's a bone of contention between us. I can't bring the subject up of not going since it's been months and months since I've been up there. Ugh...not the best day today.
 
Your doing great at 129, wow! Sorry about the groin pain. It is frustrating when you feel your turning the corner but there is just one hick-up. I am about 125 flexion our dates are the same but I get a pinch in the back of my knee when I try to ride my bike. So I totally understand the GRRR. lol. If it were not for that and the occasional swelling when over doing it I would actually be able to forget I had it done. I guess we have to be a bit more patient for that magical 6 months to a year turn around.
 
Come on Laura! GOOD days & BAD days, even this late into our recovery journey! Have you managed to find a warm water pool/ hydrotherapy pool? I really think it might help. I've had exactly the same groin issues & have to say since my sessions in the pool, the groin issue has pretty much gone, apart from the odd twinge when I've over done things! My ROM is still stuck at about 105 so look at the positive with your measurements :)
Your husband is right! A small bag is all you need! A clean pair of kacks (pants/knickers!) and a toothbrush & your sorted! Go & enjoy the weekend & post some fab photos when you get back! Big hugs my friend! Tomorrow is a new day... :friends:
 
Laura,
It is never easy packing to go away. Where is your other house at? I always pack to much because I have my exercise stuff, night stuff, day stuff, warm weather, cold weather not to mention all the animal stuff. Hope,you have fun though!
Cathy
 
Oops! My bad! I didn't see this until now. My apologies! Our other house is in the California foothills. I did well with the trip. I had my four month anniversary a couple weeks ago and I think I'm doing ok. It's still stiff a bit and feels weird and a bit swollen but I do know that it can take a long time to feel normal...up to a year my surgeon says. Today I was at the gym..,my first day at this new place, and I see this woman maybe ten years older. She had a knee replacement 7 weeks ago and looked great! I guess she's one of those speedy healers. Pfft! Lol. They DO exist!
 
Thank you 1elisea! I'm doing pretty good here. We joined a gym and I noticed I can't push it too much. We went yesterday and today is a little shakey...not horrible, but sore. Tomorrow when I go, I'm gonna take it easy and do recumbent bike or something non-vertical. The swelling is still persistent. I guess I'm one of those who takes a long time for the swelling to go away, but it IS getting smaller. How are you doing?
 
That sounds like you are doing well! :thumb: Excellent!

Talk about slow healer and swelling, that is me. I've had some ups and downs, I torqued my left ankle (grace in motion :heehee: ), partially tore the tendons and that has taken forever to heal.

I have gotten over the initial surgery swelling. As far as swelling now, I do pretty well the first part of the week, by Friday I still have swelling by the end of the day. Getting off of it, and low and behold it returns to almost normal.

Glad that you are healing and coming along with the knee. Strengthening the supporting muscle structure around the knee does help too. Soon you will be that bike outside. Do you have special plans for this summer now that you have had a TKR?
 
Oh dear, you have had some challenges haven't you! I'm sorry to hear about your ankle and the tendons. You poor thing!! When did that happen? And how? I will admit I'm lazy to go back and read your thread because its a long one, lol.

I think some people are just slow healers. I've always been someone who swells easily, but I'm definitely doing better than before the TKR, that's for sure. We have a family reunion to attend in June but nothing other than that has been planned so far. Hubby and I are both retired so we might just get up and go one day when we find a good deal at the last minute. You never know! I do need the left one done but I will only schedule it when my current knee feels close to 100%.
 
I will admit I'm lazy to go back and read your thread

Well, the abbreviated version, a couple of paragraphs, of my trials and tribulations is.......
HERE :)

My OS said it take a year to 18 months to heal fully. So I say let it heal completely if you can wait to do the other one.
 
Yipes! You have had some issues haven't you. But if you got to 135 you're better than I will ever be. I think my ROM is probably around 125-128, which is fine with me. At least I feel better than before the surgery, lol. I agree though, I don't want to do anything to the other knee until this one feels good. God bless those who have bilaterals. i can't even imagine!!
 
Hi everyone! It's been awhile and I thought I'd give you an update. I just met with my surgeon for my five month checkup and I'm doing great! My knee is still a bit swollen and it still hurts on the right side of the knee and is kind of numb, but as for my activity level...well, that has gone way up! I'm going to the gym every other day and usually I do 15 minutes of rowing and then 5 minutes on this strider machine which is a cross between a stair master and an elliptical. I'm building up on that one because I'm so out of shape and plus its harder on my knees that being in a rower or a recumbent bike. I still feel like it needs elevation at the end of the day, but much less so lately. I also continue to do my PT exercises for strength building around my quad and also for stretching which is really important for me since I'm the most inflexible person ever!

I've been posting on my blog continually through this whole thing and my most recent post of yesterday might be of interest to you. I compiled a chart which shows how I felt emotionally and physically, weekly over five months. I also circled the weeks where I had milestones and listed what they were. For those of you just beginning on this journey, you might wanna check it out. http://lauramacky.wordpress.com/

I'd like my knee to get to at least 95% healed before I schedule my left one, but its driving me nuts and kind of holding me back. I know I could do a whole lot more if that one was fixed too. I just got a cortizone shot in it during my visit. I think that knee will recover better only because I don't have all the other problems that I had in my right TKR leg. Oh and.....for those of you who were aware I had groin and hip problems, my groin pain is still there but to a lesser extent due to my knee now being straight and all the stretching. The hip pain has pretty much gone away, so yay for that!!

Hope you are all doing well!
 
I have not tried doing rowing or an elliptical at all. With the rowing machine did it hurt at all initially? I want to try some things but am a little worried. I have looked at the rowing machine but thought it might be too much bending. Is it easy to control how far it bends. So glad you are doing better with that groin pain.
 
I have a ROM of about 135, so no, the rowing machine didnt hurt me at all. But everyone's different. I've talked with some people that swear about using a particular type of elliptical and that one bothers me. You won't know until you give it a whirl! Rowing is an excellent overall body workout plus, it's really good for the core. The personal trainer showed me how to row properly and I love it now. You sort of can control the bend, but in order to row properly you do need to bend your knees and lean forward when you are about to pull, so I'd say sort of.

As a side note, I just got back from Nordstrom where I spent a fortune on a dress for Mothers Day. I haven't bought something nice in at least two or three years, and I'm so excited! I feel like I'm really living again!
 
Good to hear you are doing well, Laura. But I have read that a rowing machine isn't a recommended exercise machine for TKR patients. Exercise bike yes, but not a rower. You might want to check it out, just a thought :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks for taking the time to post, but I disagree. Even my physical therapist said that as long as it doesn't hurt, go for anything....well, I won't be running a marathon, lol. I've also read the opposite of the rower. The bike is just way too boring for me.
 
Oh well, different opinions. I agree the bike is boring. I have to have the TV on when on my bike at home.

I just read your blog, which makes interesting reading. Your photos are awesome :thumb:
 
I've often found what works for one person exercise wise doesn't always work for someone else, even when I had a good knee! Of course that was many moons ago, lol. Tnx for taking the time to read my blog and view some pics! :)
 
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