TKR Vice around knee one year post op

cshs78

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I had my LTKR in May, 2016. That is when I joined this wonderful group. It really helped me get through some painful, down times. Well, I had my RTKR Oct. 25, 2020. I thought I remembered how the recovery was. LOL, I just read my old posts, and same thing, different knee, sort of. This time the numbers are better, different OS, but still the swelling and pain. My main issue is a burning pain to my inner right knee, same spot it hurt prior to surgery. I try to massage it out, it goes away for a bit, but comes back. I am so worried something is wrong. I walk with no cane/walker. PT said I reached the 120/0 goal 2 weeks ago!! When I went to OS 2 1/2 weeks ago, x-ray was fine. I am just freaking out about this burning pain.
As usual, any help is appreciated
 
:welome: Back to BoneSmart and congratulations on your new right knee

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for TKRs
6. Access these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds


We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
@cshs78 I can totally relate, I think we all worry about our new and old knees, I will follow your post as in 2021 I too will be getting a new right knee, my left was done in 2019 and so far I've had a good result.
Someone more experienced than I will be able to help with your query regarding the burning experience xx
 
but still the swelling and pain.
Now you know why we say every joint replacement is different - even on the same person. Your surgeon may have had to do more work with that latest knee. Sounds like you need to focus on icing and elevation to get that swelling controlled. Ice for 45-60 minutes a session as much as you can.
 
Checked things out at PT today. Again 2 PTs said all normal. Dan even said some of it was the rainy weather we had because it felt better yesterday and today. Dan and Kyle said my numbers and everything else is good! But I worry. I will monitor the situation, and will call OS instead of waiting until Dec. 16 if need be. I hate this recovery
 
@cshs78 - It's only just over a month since you had this major surgery. All your knee tissues were handled and they're still inflamed and upset. It's normal to experience pain still. You're still in what we call "the angry tissue stage."

You've already achieved your PT goals, with a ROM of 120/0 - and you did that very early too. I suspect that might have been at the expense of doing a bit too much exercise for your newly-wounded knee.
Now you're there, you can slacken off the exercises (you won't lose what you've already achieved) and concentrate more on helping those wounded knee tissues to calm down and heal.

Spend more time now on elevating and icing your knee. It's not lazy or unfit, needing exercise. It's wounded, needing gentle treatment, so it can calm down and heal. Just use your knee gently during your normal Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). That will keep it mobile, but not irritate those wounded tissues again.

You've done very well so far, but this recovery is a long one, a marathon not a sprint, so you need to pace yourself. Your pain will ease gradually, as all those wounded knee tissues continue to heal.
 
Thanks @Celle My knee has been killing me since yesterday afternoon from pt. Dan is my usual guy but some how i got sub Kyle. Too busy talking and I had to tell him a few times that hurts. I haven’t exercised at all today. I was worried about losing what I had achieved. I really appreciate your explanation on things. I am wondering when I will turn that corner.
 
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Hi @cshs78 I had my right knee done on the 1st Oct. I also have pain inner side. I'm pretty sure it's bursitis and the op has made it angry. It has been terrible. My physio said it should take 4 to 5 months to improve. I had something very similar with the left knee and that is now maybe 5% of what the pain was like before. So am hopeful this will be the same. Perhaps your pain is also inflamed bursa. I hope it improves soon. Congrats on such great flexion!
 
@TinAB I will mention that to PT. Right now, come Monday, I am telling Dan I do not want Kyle!! I should not be hurting like this a day and a half later.
My steri strips are half way off. Waiting for nature to get them on the other side of the incision so I can gently get them off. It will be on 3 weeks this coming Monday (in 2 Days).
 
I am wondering when I will turn that corner.
You will turn that corner when your knee is ready to turn it. It might be 3 months or 6 months, maybe just 2 months. But, you can not make it heal any faster than it is going to heal. You can slow down that healing though, by doing too much too soon.

Right now, come Monday, I am telling Dan I do not want Kyle!! I should not be hurting like this a day and a half later.
Even if you have Kyle you don't have to do what he's telling you to do and never let anyone push or pull your leg. It is obvious by your pain afterward that you were not ready to be doing what you did. Your knee needs to be boss at all times until this healing journey is complete. If you are still in pain you need to skip PT until it settles down. You will not lose what you have achieved. Your PT has set you back two days now but when you recover from that your knee will be where it was.

Just think about those of us that never did exercises or took PT. We have recovered just fine. It's not exercising that heals your knee it's time and gentle movements in your everyday living.
 
@sistersinhim thank you. PT says about turning the corner and you explained it nicely to me. I had a lousy night sleep due to pain still from PT. Today I just feel depressed and crying. I feel like you said he pushed me back. He is a sub so that was the only time I have him.
I know the np PT, but do you just do a couple exercises at home??
 
As others have written, your knee will heal on its own schedule not a therapist's or Dr's , nurse etc. Having been thru this way too many times and been hard-headed as well, the best way to for therapy is either as some have suggested doing day to day living or if you do go to therapy take it easy if they are pushing you to do more, stop!! Keep in mind, do they know exactly how you feel?? Once they are done with you its on to their next, meantime you are dealing with pain. Keep in mind you're paying them they are not paying you and not all therapists are good.
If you want to do exercises at home that is up to you, being up and about doing household chores, normal everyday stuff is exercising your knee. I have finally figured out ( being hard-headed ) going for a walk and going to PT on the same day is begging for pain.
As far as turning the corner, it will come but it will take time. From my experience the first month is rough. By the 2nd to 3rd month it will get easier, not great but easier for those with this being their first TKR, by 6 months it should be doing a whole lot better but for some, it could take upwards of a year.
If your ROM is at 120 great, some do better some not so good. I was told once you get past 95 you can do just about everything you need to do.
It will get better just keep icing elevate and pain meds as needed.
 
I know the np PT, but do you just do a couple exercises at home??
Nope, nothing out of the ordinary daily activities. Many of us never took formal PT or did any exercises. I am one of them. I 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. As I healed I was able to do more. Icing and elevation were a huge part of my recovery.

Listen to your knee. It will tell you if you're doing too much by increased pain and swelling. When that happened to me, I found that resting, icing, and elevating helped. Your knee knows how to rehab itself without being told what to do.
 
@NFenske thank you for the information. Our school librarian had this done a year ago, and she was all over the place at week 2!! Oh well, we are all different. It is nice to know it will be months, not weeks to turn the corner.

@sistersinhim I went to PT, and did not do everything. I listened to my knee, and it wasn't feeling the love. I spoke to the sub and told him how bad he hurt me. He stated I never told him. I said yes I did, but you kept going. Finally I spoke to Dan. He was not happy with the sub. Dan knows me. He knows how I am. He rubbed and stretched it out. Feels better. I told him I did not do some exercises, and he said that is fine and he doesn't blame me. He wants to monitor me. I don't go until Thursday. I will ask when I will be done going there. I can ride my bike at home. I feel if I did not hurt so much, I could do more at home. Depression got so bad this weekend, I took a Xanax last night. I think it even relaxed my knee!! My next check up with the OS is December 16. Then I find out when I go back to work. I was thinking after CHristmas, but that would be 10 weeks. I teach 1st grade, so maybe 2 more weeks. I will see how I feel on the 16th. I just want to go shopping (only for gift cards and a couple food items I forgot on clicklist). Now it is snowing here in Toledo, so no walking outside!! I hope my neighbor blows out the driveway when it gets bad tonight.
Also, I ice and elevate for 20 minutes about 4 times a day. How is that
 
Different schools of thought on icing most therapists only say you should ice 15 to 20 minutes. Personally I disagree when I ice its until the ice pack is not cold anymore. I was also told you should only ice for 20 minutes for an injury in our case we ice for swelling. In my opinion pain meds are great but can be harmful if not taken as prescribed and the longer you take the more tolerant your body becomes, the next best thing is using ice only real issue make sure you have a cloth between ice and skin otherwise freezer burn.
Its great to have goals but ultimately the knee is the ultimate judge. From past experience sitting for long periods, standing, walking all can have a negative effect. I get the wanting to go to the store being cooped up for over a month ( pretty soon I will be dealing with that again ) but making it a short trip otherwise its going to flare up like what happened at when at PT.
 
Also, I ice and elevate for 20 minutes about 4 times a day. How is that
I had an ice water circulating machine that I kept on my knee for hours at a time. The ice in the bucket would melt then I'd replace it with more frozen bottles of water. I was icing the whole time I was sitting or laying down for at least a couple of months. This helped to keep my pain and swelling down and taking pain meds less frequently. I had a dishtowel between my skin and the baffle to be on the safe side.
 
@sistersinhim Another question. My steri strips have fallen off after 3 weeks. The OS put them on after he took my zip closure off. It took three weeks for the strips to fall off. I had a slight itch at the upper part of my incision today. I felt and looked . A very slight bump. Does not have any discoloration and I hope not too. Ever have that?
 
Also when do I start doing stairs normally
When your knee is ready. There is no timeline for this recovery. Your knee is in charge and it may take awhile before you can take stairs normally.
 

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