TKR Recovery after 6-21-21 Surgery

[Jockette]

Woke up this past Saturday with a tight band feeling above the knee. I googled it and read horror stories about people 6 YEARS out and it never goes away. I truly am scared. I cant bend my knee as good as I was before Saturday when I woke up with this.

Please try not to worry about this tight band. It’s perfectly normal after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue is healing...and full healing takes a full year or more.

Tight Band feeling across the front of my knee

That tight band is caused by scar tissue but not the adhesions type of scar tissue. When the surgeon opens up the knee, he has to undercut the skin and superficial structures from that centre line to each side of the knee in order to get good access all round the bones. Part of the healing...

bonesmart.org

 

[kneeper]

You're probably just feeling the effects of being back at work.

 

[Jobiwan]

Hey guys, just thought I'd update. Finishing up my 5th week post op. Knee still stiff. Swelling usually starts around 2 or 3 in the day. I can do stairs very slowly. Up is easier than down. Havent been icing as much as I should. Still some pain and aching at different times. Am really enjoying walking without a limp!! First time in years!! I probably am overdoing it, daily, but I cannot stand to sit around when I have energy lol.
Hope you are all doing well!

 

[Jockette]

Havent been icing as much as I should. Still some pain and aching at different times. Am really enjoying walking without a limp!! First time in years!! I probably am overdoing it, daily, but I cannot stand to sit around when I have energy lol.

Don’t think of these things as doing nothing, think of them as giving your knee the best opportunity in which to heal.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you're doing well. You might think in terms of automatically icing after activity.

 

[Jobiwan]

Question: Is it normal for the tight band feeling to come and go?? It left for a couple weeks now seems to be coming back.

 

[Jockette]

Yes, that tight band is swelling and will come and go depending your activity level.

 

[Trek2021]

I find when I am on my feet too much the knee gets hot and prickly. I just try to elevate, ice and take Advil. Do you have an ice machine that has a compression or are you just using ice packs? I had my surgery the same day as you.

 

[Jobiwan]

I do have an ice machine but I dont use it. I barely use ice packs unless it gets so swollen i cant handle it. I am getting really aggravated bc i cannot bend my knee like my other one, after just waking up! There should be no swelling right?? It dont look or feel swollen. It just wont bend like my other one and I'm starting to think it never will and that depresses me.

 

[Ghostpipe]

I am 5 months out and my knees still swell. Sometimes it’s not noticeable, it’s inside somewhere. Some days I have full ROM first thing in the morning, some days far from it. Sometimes in one and not the other. Despair not! It could take some time to settle down and achieve consistency.

 

[Jobiwan]

Thank u. Yes my other knee hurts also and will need replaced soon. And I thinking I will be a crippled 43 yr old if I get both done bc I'll never be able to move like i did.

 

[Jockette]

You are still very early in this year long recovery. Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue is healing...and full healing takes a full year or more.

Yes, you will be able to bend it better then now. It’s takes Time.

 

[kneeper]

Stiffness in the morning or after sitting for a long time is normal at this point. Your time to "loosen up" should gradually decrease.

 

[GZGirl22]

I agree with kneeper. My knee is often at its worst for stiffness in the morning. Once I get up and move around it is loosening up. Just keep in mind that although you have energy and are anxious for it to be better, every time you decide the icing and elevatinng is not worth it because you are doing "nothing" you may possibly be delaying your recovery a tiny bit. Resting and healing often requires that "nothing".

 

[Moone]

Swelling can take weeks to go down, and you can continue to have some swelling for months. It varies for each of us, and varies day by day depending on our activity. Too much activity can cause and/or maintain swelling.

Patience is a huge part of this recovery.

TKRs and our fast food society

Many of us here in the US of A are rather used to getting things fairly quickly. We have adopted a "fast food mentality" to almost everything---not only restaurants, but also oil changes, banking, dentistry, grocery shopping, etc to name a few. Almost all of us, however, have to understand...

bonesmart.org

 

[Moone]

@Jobiwan I think you are doing well and I totally understand. This group is great and it pays to try and go at your own pace. My surgery 9th June, and I was on one crutch around the house - was told to drop 2 crutches entirely, more exercise, bike and i have slid back from doing too much. Back to 2 crutches, buckling knee and shaken confidence. Best to take things slow and remember how different everyone's journey is. I still have swelling and it flares when I do too much. Listen to your body and stop when it tells you too. Keep us posted - you're doing great!

 

[Jobiwan]

Not doing so well right now guys!! I'm having terrible pain at night. Mostly on outside of knee. Feels like tendons, ligaments, whatever (!!) hurting really bad. Cant walk that straight anymore. Am limping some. Havent been doing anything extra other than work (making beds, doing laundry, standing cooking, cleaning, ). Dont know what is going on or what I should be doing different???

 

[Jobiwan]

Admins can u change my title thread to Recovery after June 21 surgery or something like that?? Thanks.

 

[Jockette]

Havent been doing anything extra other than work (making beds, doing laundry, standing cooking, cleaning, ).

It sounds like your knee might think this is too much activity, for barely 2 months post op. Are these things you do at home, or are they part of a job outside the home? Can you space them out with rest periods in between? Remember, full healing takes an average of a year.

 

[Jobiwan]

Yea that's my job. I do space them out and ice but not nearly enough. I was doing so good and walking great. Now it seems I've regressed in my healing