TKR ROM-chatter

[bumknees09]

Me again- Ahhh, bone smart tried to kick me out OR my iPhone is a piece of junk. Any who, all of you seem super positive and are very very helpful!! I can't thank you all enough!

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 It is really understandable to be tied up in your own pain and issues, every one does it at different times. Nursing school is very tough! I don't have any energy any more, I just muddle through! Luckily after tonight I don't have him again until Tuesday. You take care and be very mindful to not overdo it!

 

[Lauramacky]

@bumknees09 thanks. I think! Honestly I had no choice. I couldn't straighten my leg and I started walking with a cane. I'm glad it's done but now is the hard part. Although my first one was just horrific, this one is a whole lot easier in comparison!


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[bumknees09]

@Lauramacky - I still marvel at the fact. As I sit here with my leg in the CPM machine perusing the Internet on my phone. I will be so glad when I am moving along little better than I am now. I really need to try to be grateful as someone said) for the little accomplishments. Best of luck to you with your recovery on your recent surgery.

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 It will come, each day should be a little step forward. There will be some ahh ha moments when suddenly you can do something you couldn't do before. Hang in there, it will get better.

 

[Lauramacky]

I had an ah ha today! lol. I'm at 10 extension and 107 flexion. I'm also on a cane now, all without pushing or that horrific pain I had last time. My in home therapist is awesome! I'm feeling so much better. I slept great and life is good once again. Oh the joy of the ups and downs of knee replacement recovery.

Happy dance


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[Jozilla]

So glad to see how well you are doing! Very reassuring.

 

[Josephine]

he likes the stretch I found where you lay on bed on stomach and let your leg hang off so gravity helps stretch

Ouch! That's horrible! I used to put my foot on a footstool and let it hang - much the same thing. If you really really need to, you can get a couple of cans of beans in a stocking or something and hang it over your knee! (not quite so much leg on the stool as in the picture!)

My DR said you can't hurt the knee but you can hurt the tissues.

Wise man!

I now have PT four times a week for the next three weeks I think and then it goes three times a week for three or four weeks.

bumknees, please don't take this the wrong way but I am definitely not going to post in your thread any more. My blood pressure goes up in leaps and bounds every time I read what they are doing to you. So please forgive me, but out of self-preservation, I must bow out! Feel free to tag me if you want.

I did run into a woman I know today a PT who had her hip replaced the same day I had my TKR. You would not know in 1 million years that she had any kind of surgery she was walking around like normal for lack of a better word. She also told me that she was only on her pain meds for one day! I felt like screaming. I was a little envious to put it mildly.

Well not only did you campare yourself to someone else but she didn't even have the same op as you! TKR or THR: which is more difficult surgery for recovery?

they said it's perfectly fine to use a CPM machine because it just keeps my knee moving

So when does your poor knee get to just REST ?

 

[bumknees09]

@Josephine - doing the best I can here!! You're not posting in my thread anymore? Your choice. I won't take it personally. Re: my comment about seeing that woman I know, who had hip surgery. Yah, maybe I did "compare" for a minute. I'm fully aware that the surgeries have different recovery times etc. I was just venting for a minute. I do that sometimes. I call it being human. I am what I am! sorry you seem annoyed by a lot of things I post. Not sure why but we're all entitled to our own opinions, it's what makes the world go round.

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 I think Josephine is just upset that you seem to be overdoing it. No one here likes to think of anyone put in pain by doing too much. You are hardly more than a month post and it seems like you may be doing too much. Hardly anyone on here this early in recovery does PT 4 times a week! We just want you to be able to recover without pain. I am sure Josephine didn't mean it as an insult to you!

 

[kneeper]

You are very right that hips are different. A friend of mine had her hip done a few days before my knee. She was out driving and I was still on pain killers every 4 hours and graduating to the cane. Does kind of make you envious, doesn't it?

 

[bumknees09]

@tiredwife - josephine sure means well. She didn't insult me, it's just that I didn't join this forum to be critiqued and that's what I feel she's doing sometimes! I joined in the hope to find some comradery (sp) and some helpful tips to get thru this. As everyone is always saying, everyone heals differently. I'm doing the best I can to heal and get thru this. As you all know, when PT has pushed me to pain a couple of times, I most certainly let them know, right away. I'm trying to find a balance between exercising and icing ...... Resting, elevating etc! Unfortunately, I speak (and write) whats on my mind sometimes. Doesn't always serve me well!!

 

[Josephine]

I am what I am! sorry you seem annoyed by a lot of things I post.

Not annoyed, not at all. But I have to admit, I do get upset when I can see folk are hurting, maybe even harming, themselves for no good reason. I have sleepless nights over it and sometimes I even cry. I can't help it either - I just care too much I suppose.

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 As long as you have your pain under control and if your swelling isn't aggravated by what you are doing, then go for it. No one wants to critique you and what you are doing, we just worry that you may be overdoing it. Overdoing it is a common problem with TKR recovery so we always remark about it.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@Josephine Actually the one where you lay on bed and have from just above your knee down is over the bed is the least pain free way I have found. The chair in front of me hurts like crazy. The other way is so soft I thought it wouldn't work but I am at plus 9 without trying. I was plus 25 with adhesions. The other issues are I have severe fibromyalgia and collapsed discs. Most stretches for the hamstring trigger the nerve for sciatica. That one doesn't. I am doing pretty well in the pool for bending the knee. I can sit now with legs normal as far as knee bend but was stumped till I found the knees off the bed for extension. Was surprised it was also what my DR said. Though he has offered to do a MUA when I have the second operation Sept 2, but I want to have it worked out by then as two legs in pain at once is too much for me. I am going to work on extension right away after the next and ice more in the back. My DR wants me to use a special PT he likes. We will see. I just bought a new tens that is also if, ems and microcurrent. That seems to be all I need a pt for.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@kneeper @bumknees09 You are right about the CPM being needed just to keep the knee moving. MY DR just told me whether I break all the scar tissue or he does in MUA that the leg will need even more movement than the new surgery I am about to have so it doesn't scar again and to break down the existing scar. I asked him what number I needed to get it up to. He said I do not care if you keep it at 70 as the max as that will be fine. It is to not let it scar again. Low and slow is perfect.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@vallee When I drive an automatic, I am great except when I have to hold my right foot off the gas. It is that holding foot back which I think it is a tight hamstring. PS learned to drive with a stick so drive with two feet. To stop pain I have to brake with left foot like I always do then move right foot to brake to feel better.

 

[jerseygirl-in-ca]

@tiredwife I want to thank you for always being on here, always a positive supporter. Hope your husband knows what a blessing you are. Thanks!

 

[Josephine]

The chair in front of me hurts like crazy.

It did for me at first. I could only tolerate it for about 4 seconds but I did it frequently for that period of time and eventually it worked itself out. Mind you, my extension then at around 5weeks was only about +5. It took me about three weeks to get it to zero.

I was plus 25 with adhesions.

If that be so, them's the fastest developing adhesions I ever heard of! You're only 7 weeks out now. Far more likely your problems were due to swelling all around the joint, specially at the back.

But it's okay - I'll get off my soap-box now!

 

[tiredwife]

@jerseygirl-in-ca I try. Hubby always lets me know he appreciates me, and I appreciate him.

@bumknees09 How are you doing this morning!