TKR Rob's Knew Knee

[Rob 68]

Can bend a little, but not much when it's hitched up. Helps you think twice before making any sudden moves. Also helps keep the leg/knee immobile at night.

 

[Rob 68]

Feeling kinda punky tonight with aches all over and big splotchy bruises showing up everywhere. Feverish, but no fever. Guess the trauma finally caught up. Tomorrow may be a total rest day.

 

[PolarBear60]

Good plan. Perfectly normal feeling. Aren't the bruises something else?


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005

 

[Rob 68]

Good plan. Perfectly normal feeling. Aren't the bruises something else?


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005

Great reminders of what we Really went through.

 

[CATSMUM]

I had fabulous bruising when l had my left knee done, not so bad with the right one this year. I'm took arnica which helped to get rid of it.

 

[jbrooklyn]

Good morning, Rob! Just checking in to say hello. How's it going with pain management, PT, and all?

Re bruises: My legs look like purple camouflage--not a good week to apply for work as a leg model, to be sure.

 

[Angel1978]

I had some nice model bruises. Heck could hid me in woods. Legs matched leaves dirt etc.


The brace oh so reminds me. I had to wear it when I had scope. I could not imagine after the actual sugary cause of incision ouch.

How are ya doing with bend pt etc?
Don't try push to hard. It will eventually come. Heck I'm 4 month and I don't have good bend. Know I have some issue with knee but dealing with.

Best of luck to you!!


FaithMitchmommy
PKR December.1,2014
TKREV MARCH.2,2015

 

[Rob 68]

@jbrooklyn - Seems I'm at the "rising from the muck" stage; everything I do seems like I'm doing it in 6 feet of mud. ROM is not too good, pain level rose a bit when I went from Oxy to Tramadol, and I'm worn out at the end of every PT session, whether it's at the PT place or at home. Most of the motion (and pain) problem seems to be in the quad, where they had the tourniquet. That's also where the major bruises are. The PT found one quad muscle yesterday that was like a steel rod, and she said that was the first time she's found anything like that in a knee patient.

Expected pain level to increase a bit when I got off the Oxy, and I really prefer that to the numb feeling I've had in the knee since surgery. IMO, it's good to feel something going on in there and to sometimes hear the new components moving around a little. I want Rafa to work for his room and board.

Had to gently admonish my PT yesterday; in the previous session, she told me I could do several of the exercises at home between official sessions, and when I asked her how many sets, she said "2 or 3." Told her anytime she gave me an option like that, I would always take the higher number. I did 3 sets of all exercises Thursday, and young Rafa was barking at me loud and clear Friday. Don't think she'll be giving me that much leeway again. Oh yeah, she's had me on the bike for the last 3 sessions, and that's a beast. It's the last set of the day, and I'm worn out when it's done. But I'm hanging in there.

See the doc next Tuesday and will likely see the incision for the first time. Hoping he won't put another restrictive bandage on it, but we'll see. He'll probably keep me in the brace, too; knee is still too weak to bear full weight. @Angel1978 - The brace kinda curves out and around the knee area, so none of it actually touches the incision unless I put it on wrong. Trying to wean myself off it, but don't think it's time just yet.

 

[jbrooklyn]

Thanks for the report. Dude: If I can be so bold (I don't think you will mind), please listen. The best you can do for your knee right now is to take it easy. Do the 2, not the 3, take days off, do 1 set instead of 3, lie around taking up space with ice on your knee. I know you want to get back to sprinting up any Alp of your choice, but lying around is the quickest way there, to be sure. Cheerio--JBrooklyn

 

[CATSMUM]

Remember, you have to take things slowly, don't overdo things. It's still very early days.

 

[Rob 68]

15 days out, Doc removed the bandage and said to ditch the brace and get to at least 115 flex by next appointment (August 18) or he will put me under and do it himself. Yikes. Sounds like marching orders to me. However, should be a bit easier without the skin-tight bandage. Posted this in the "badge of honor" thread, but thought y'all might like to see:

 

[PolarBear60]

Gee, that sounds pretty harsh. I'm at 13 weeks today and only measured 110. I did achieve full extension, which was what my OS was concerned about. He thinks I can get to 120 flex, but he's not concerned about when I do it.

 

[jbrooklyn]

Ouch! I hope he is just trying to inspire you, and not actually planning to get you to 115 the hard way.

Rob, glad your knee is sprung from its cage. Must feel good.

I'm now almost 3 weeks out and have not gained much flex. I was 92-3 on both legs leaving the hosp, and both now at about 95-ish, a couple weeks later. Not happy about this . . . but it feels ALL wrong to push too hard with flexxing. Some exercises feel difficult and good, but knee-bending exercises for me so far feel really creepy and painful. My knees are definite on this point . . . they holler NO, NO both in the moment and later on that day. I hope in a couple or three weeks they ease up a bit and let me gain some ground.

Anyhow, I'm eagerly staying tuned to hear how things go for you. Please if you end up having a favorite stretch, share it! Thanks so much and best to you.

 

[Gigi32]

Geez Rob, is he a doctor or drill sergeant? I was only at 110 after 3 months the last time and I worked my butt off to get that . Then suddenly at my 6 month appt I was at 126. I don't remember there being any goal I had to achieve,just that they wanted to see me keep improving. This time I think I have better flexion but I really haven't even done anything other than a few heel slides. One thing I've found easy to do is in the shower while I'm sitting and my knee is nice and warm I move my knee back and forth to get a good bend in. Much more comfortable than pushing it laying in bed. I have my 1 month appointment on Friday so I guess I'll see what my numbers are then.

 

[Rob 68]

First sour note I've heard from him. But I - or my insurance - still pay the bills, and I don't think I'm going to let him do this. He's just about implying that I'm not working hard enough, and anyone who knows me would laugh at that concept. We'll see how this plays out, but I'll go where my knee says I can go. Appreciate everyone's concern and support.

 

[Rob 68]

Doc put me back on heavy pain meds - Hydro instead of Oxy - to help with increased efforts to get more flex. Seemed to work today; went from mid 70s unassisted to around 85, and actually topped 90 with help from PT. I think Doc just wants to see somewhere in the 100s soon; he expects a lot because I was at 114 pre-surgery and my quad strength is still very strong. PT increased the stretching a bit today, but nothing too severe. Everyone assured me I'll not open the incision or rip some muscle off some bone, so I'm more comfortable with where we are today than I was 2 days ago. Still not too sure on allowing MUA this early, but may not come to that.

 

[Rob 68]

Anyhow, I'm eagerly staying tuned to hear how things go for you. Please if you end up having a favorite stretch, share it! Thanks so much and best to you.

Favorite stretch so far is the Wall; I lie down on my back, scrunch my butt as close to the wall as I can, and put both heels as far up the wall as I can. Then with a little help from gravity, I do a regular heel slide with affected leg. Did it with heat today on knee and quad, and it felt pretty good.

 

[Slainte]

The Wall. That sounds interesting. I will have to find a bed to try it on, because getting up from the floor would be no fun. Keep up the good work!

 

[CATSMUM]

That's crazy expecting you to be at 115 so soon. ROM will come in due course, I'm 7 weeks post op,and at 100 degrees, my ROM before surgery was about 130, just takes time to get it back.

 

[bluejuju]

Looking at the pic of your knee shows that you still have quite a bit of swelling there. I was only at 90 on my first post op visit at 4 weeks then the next visit only 95 at 8 weeks... my leg had a ton of swelling as well. I remember reading " you can't bend a hose that is full of water" which is so true... that stuck in my mind. The most important things you can be doing right now Rob is ice, rest, and elevate. Once your incision is healed, invest in a compression sleeve- it does wonders for swelling. I bought mine at 10 weeks post op and my PT visit at 11 weeks had my ROM at 105 comfortably. One other thing that rings in my head is that you will continue to gain with your ROM for a full year...so don't fret about pushing yourself so hard. Gee, read Josephine's thread on her second knee-she hardly did any exercising at all and she got there. So my advice is to ice, elevate and rest as much as you can. You will be bending in no time.