TKR Right TKR June 2, 2025

[EalingGran]

My left knee took a lot longer but it’s a completely functional knee. It can bend just like a natural knee and is strong. My right knee might end up being a shorter recovery time, but I’m getting to the same place

You have the confidence of having done it before and knowing you don't have to beat yourself up to recover well.
It's like all the crazy stuff first time mothers put themselves through after reading so called " experts". Second time around they are more relaxed and know it will probably turn out fine if they just take it easy, follow their instincts and use common sense.

 

[DiannesNewKnee]

Being more kind / gentle with yourself means understanding that progress isn't linear. You will have good days, and not so good days. Understanding this and giving your body the space it needs to heal is the ticket!
You're doing great, Dianne!
@DiannesNewKnee

You are right about the good days and bad days. I’ve had a few bad days recently and it was so hard. I woke up with my knee swollen and painful feeling like all the progress I had made was gone. I felt beyond exhausted the entire day and nothing I did helped, not even laying down. Then I couldn’t stop crying. The pain, exhibition, and frustration were just too much.

What’s really frustrating right now is that when I do my home PT exercises a part of my knee swells up and then I can’t get much bend out of it. The heel slides especially aggravate my knee. I’m not doing anywhere close to the amount of exercises they say I’m supposed to do, but even doing a little bit completely swells my knee up. I also have the ROMTech bike that I am riding but I’m not pushing myself terribly hard on it either.

What am I doing wrong? I feel like I should be farther along and less miserable the weeks after surgery.

I elevate and ice a lot. My ice machine cycles on and off and I wear it the entire night.

I’m just so exhausted and sad right now.

 

[EalingGran]

What am I doing wrong? I feel like I should be farther along and less miserable the weeks after surgery.

I am sorry it is so tough.
If your knee is swelling adter the heel slides you should ease off.
I found walking the best exercise for my new knee.
I also found a rocking stool great for gentle movement whilst elevating my knee when watching TV.
If the swelling settles after sleep/ rest then it is probably just a case of overdoing things.

 

[Layla]

I am sorry Dianne. Sending a hug your way.
It's normal to move through periods of frustration and increased pain, especially so early on. You're feeling exhausted in part because you recently experienced major surgery...only three weeks ago. Your body is using energy for healing first, not leaving a great measure for anything else. Your knee can remain swollen for months, even up to a full year, gradually easing over time. Discomfort during heel slides and other bending exercises is not unusual. It can take months to regain ROM. If your knee is swelling more after the exercises, it's likely a signal it's too much, too fast. Try to go slow and easy on the heel slides and make sure you're icing and elevating after activity, especially in these early weeks. Cut back on the volume and see if it makes a difference and then gradually / slowly increase the sets and reps. Remember that this surgery causes a lot of inflammation and swelling and pain will return when you're pushing too hard.
Chin up, it's early days when many are easily discouraged, but brighter days are on the horizon. Truly!
@DiannesNewKnee

 

[DiannesNewKnee]

What am I doing wrong? I feel like I should be farther along and less miserable the weeks after surgery.

I am sorry it is so tough.
If your knee is swelling adter the heel slides you should ease off.
I found walking the best exercise for my new knee.
I also found a rocking stool great for gentle movement whilst elevating my knee when watching TV.
If the swelling settles after sleep/ rest then it is probably just a case of overdoing things.

I wonder why they are telling me to do so much? Four rounds of PT a day plus the ROMtech bike. I’ll try doing some different things today. Thank you

 

[DiannesNewKnee]

Try to go slow and easy on the heel slides and make sure you're icing and elevating after activity, especially in these early weeks. Cut back on the volume and see if it makes a difference and then gradually / slowly increase the sets and reps. Remember that this surgery causes a lot of inflammation and swelling and pain will return when you're pushing too hard.

I will try this. Being miserable isn’t working for me! Thank you

 

[benne68]

I wonder why they are telling me to do so much? Four rounds of PT a day plus the ROMtech bike.

Sadly, very few physical therapists are trained specifically in how to treat someone who has been through a joint replacement. So, they default to the techniques they've learned for treating sport injuries. Apples and oranges!

While movement is important during the early weeks, when we push through pain or overdo exercise, it can actually slow our recovery. My surgeon says that people who try to do too much too soon are more likely to be dissatisfied with their outcome at a year post-op.

Listen to your body. It will tell you if you are doing too much.

Sending hugs!

 

[Jockette]

Sadly, very few physical therapists are trained specifically in how to treat someone who has been through a joint replacement.

Shocking, since nearly every one of us is sent to PT. One would think, with the many joint replacements that have been done over the years, that they would strive to do their best by us.

 

[Jamie]

You are not even a month out from this very major surgery. Please don’t try to push yourself with more exercises and activity. Your body is still healing in every way. What you’re experiencing is a body message telling you to take things easier. Recovery is not the same for all people and your body may be more sensitive to that exercise pushing which results in swelling. There is a balance between activity and rest and it’s your job to find what works for you. Listen to those body messages.

This is not to say that you should just lie around all day, though. Movement is very important and you need to be up walking around for 5-10 minutes every hour or two. Remember that full recovery can take up to a year or more. Of course, you are improving all through that time, but it’s important to be patient and allow your body to do the healing.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm one of those who never did formal PT. Due to birth defects, I've had 12 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals, and 1 TKR. Even after those, I never took formal PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing, I used my knee as it was intended to be used by walking around to take care of my daily needs along with the necessary house and yard work. As I healed, I was able to do more. Icing and elevation were a huge part of my recovery. If I found that a new activity created more pain and swelling, I would not do it for a week or so, then try it again. One new activity a day was all I would try, that way I'd know what was aggravating my knee. If I didn't have a negative reaction, I knew my knee was healed enough to do it again.

Listen to your knee. It will tell you if you're doing too much by increasing pain and swelling, which you are experiencing. It may benefit your healing if you stop all exercises and use your personal daily activities to be your PT. That is all I did, and I have recovered just fine. I found that resting, icing, and elevating helped. Your knee knows how to rehab itself without being told what to do. Doing too much too soon causes setbacks because your knee has to heal from the inflammation caused by the exercises before it can get back to its normal, after-surgery healing. As Deb said, few PTs know how to rehab a joint replacement. You can do it by using common sense and watching your knee's reactions.

 

[DiannesNewKnee]

Listen to your knee. It will tell you if you're doing too much by increasing pain and swelling, which you are experiencing. It may benefit your healing if you stop all exercises and use your personal daily activities to be your PT. That is all I did, and I have recovered just fine. I found that resting, icing, and elevating helped. Your knee knows how to rehab itself without being told what to do. Doing too much too soon causes setbacks because your knee has to heal from the inflammation caused by the exercises before it can get back to its normal, after-surgery healing. As Deb said, few PTs know how to rehab a joint replacement. You can do it by using common sense and watching your knee's reactions.

I’m finally having some good days where I wake up and realize I’m not feeling horrible. I’m managing to get out of the house now, which really helps my mood. I’m trying to listen to my body and come home to elevate and ice when my knee protests. You’re right about personal daily activities. When I get out of the house just that is a lot.

 

[DiannesNewKnee]

Doing too much too soon causes setbacks because your knee has to heal from the inflammation caused by the exercises before it can get back to its normal, after-surgery healing.

I think this may be my issue. I’m getting my knee so mad by all the stuff I’m doing that it’s not healing as fast as it could. I’ll try to listen to it more. Thank you.

 

[benne68]

I’m trying to listen to my body and come home to elevate and ice when my knee protests.

Pay attention to much time/activity causes pain and head home before you reach that point. So, for example, if your knee starts to complain after 20 minutes of being out and about; turn around and go home after 15 minutes and immediately ice and elevate.

I know it can be hard to figure this out, but if you can keep the knee in its comfort zone and gradually increase activity, it will be easier to avoid swelling.

Slow and steady is the success mantra!

 

[EalingGran]

I’m managing to get out of the house now, which really helps my mood. I’m trying to listen to my body and come home to elevate and ice when my knee protests.

Getting out of the house is so good for mood.
I would go out for a coffee every day from early on. My husband gets cabin fever, so very early on he would drive us out.
Later we would walk and have the coffee at the half way point to rest and then walk back. As I improved we went further but always stopped half way to rest.
Back home the rest of my day was some gentle pilates and lots of elevation and icing for a few months.
I could walk miles though before I could stand for more than a few minutes
without discomfort.
Listening to your body is the key.

 

[Layla]

Hi Dianne,
How are you doing, have you been able to slow the pace? It's hard for some, understandably so, but it will save you stalls and set-backs in your recovery to slow it all down. I hope you have and the past several days have been better for you. Let us know when you have a minute. Happy Tuesday!
@DiannesNewKnee

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary, Dianne!
I hope you're having a good week so far.
Best wishes for the remainder of the week.
@DiannesNewKnee

 

[benne68]

Hi @DiannesNewKnee! How are you doing is your knee approached the 9-month mark?

We haven't heard from you in quite a while. I hope that's a sign that your recovery is going well. Please give us an update if you have a chance.