TKR ROM-chatter

[skigirl]

I agree that if you are in pain, you are under medicated. You need to speak with your doc right away. Here is the post op reading list for you to read while you are lying around resting and healing!!

Do not let them hurt you in pt---the first few weeks, your tissue need to heal more than you need to worry about rom. Your knee is so swollen, of course it won't bend.

First are the mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!

Next is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) thread.

And then the articles in order of importance .
Group A
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Progression of activity for TKRs

Group B
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Using ice

Group C
Knee Replacement - Where Am I in Recovery?
So What Is It Going to Take? The Five “P’s” of Knee Recovery
Work “Smarter” and not “Harder”
About recovering a knee - from one who knows!
Some suggestions for home physio (PT) and activity progress
Myth busting: The "window of opportunity"

Group D
MUA (manipulation under anaesthetic) and adhesions
It's never too late to get more ROM!
It's Worth the Wait for ROM
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 So sorry to hear about your pain! If it is like a muscle spasm have them give you a flexeril if they will. That was the worse pain my husband had in the hospital and a flexeril really helped maybe you can try to change postitions in the bed, have them put pillows under your leg. Make sure they stay on top of changing the ice in the icemachine. It only last about 6 to 8 hours. Does it hurt when you wiggle your toes? If not maybe wiggling your toes will help loosen some things up. Hope you find relief soon!!!

 

[warriors42]

Hello bumknees, someone will be along shortly to give you some ready material. I had my RTKR done on 5/22/14 so I will give you my 2cents. Lots and lots of ice and elevation that has been my best friend through this. Take your pain meds but ice as much as you can. Forget that 20 minute stuff. I try to ice for at least an hour at a time. And rest as much as you can. It will get better it just takes time so hang in there, one thing I learned here is everyone heals at their own pace. Good luck and stay positive..... Joe

 

[icep707]

Perhaps add Tylenol to list of meds, Tramadol also helped many of us from this forum, I believer it non narcotic. Are you properly elevating ? And ice all day and night if you can bare it . Meds need to be taken on schedule and around the clock. That means midnight,4 am and 8 am noon 4 pm etc etc. Set a alarm . Best of luck , Iceman

 

[harleysbud]

Here's wishing you a less pain filled day tomorrow.

 

[Roselover]

Thinking of you and hope you are having a better day today.

 

[dtmbf]

I was never pain free - but it's all about the degree of pain. If you are consistently above a 5 then you need more medication. Ask if you have any orders for breakthrough pain. I did and didn't know it until it was offered to me - only after the nurse came in & found me in tears. You've got the ice & elevate down pat, so my best advice is to ask for more or different pain meds. Hope you get some relief soon.

 

[bumknees09]

Thanks again for the support and excellent advice. Today was much better than yesterday I still can't really put my foot down flat on the ground just shoots pain thru my knee up into my thigh but, I'm trying to get that under control too. My OS is having me stay one more night just to make sure everything is okay so I'm being discharged tomorrow (Saturday! ) Now my husband and I are trying to figure out if he should lower our bed or make some kind of a freak size step stool for me to get in the bed. Its 32 inches high. Why? I have no idea other than it's a Tempur-pedic. I blame them. ha ha!

 

[dtmbf]

We have a Tempur-pedic bed also. It's great the way it cushions your knee & the rest of your body - I had very few problems with sleep. I'm pretty tall so I didn't have any trouble getting into it. I'm not sure I'd want to be climbing in & out of the bed on a step stool. I was a bit wiggy about stairs tho.

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 Our bed is really high too but hubby managed it, just kind of hooked foot under the ankle of the new knee leg and kind of did a lay down swing your legs up at the same time kind of thing. You will find a way.

 

[Betsy-Knees-7-2014]

Hi @bumknees09, hang in there you are right at the worst time. I am 9 days out and I'm at a Rehab. I wanted to suggest that you have a medicine person tell u about each pill and how often , double if possible so you know what you can ask for. They don't seem to say, here a _____and you can have x amount of them. I alternate Norco and Tramadol cause the Norco has tylenol and a full day gives too much Tylenol. Who ever guessed we be o'ding on Tylenol. Haha I also have sleeping pills and finally asked if I coukd have another at 3am when I wake up and my knee tingles, yes and that helped.

Are you going to rehab or home? I live aways from town so opted for rehab. 20 days covered by Medicare. I love my ice machine too.

And for PT tell them "that's enough"... and mine went to put a weight on my ankle and I said no. Simple movement works just fine for the first week. Good luck, we'll be so much better. YIPEE

 

[dovemck]

Glad to hear you're on the other side now - really, right now is NOT the time to worry about addiction. You slow your recovery trying to do without it. Put it on your calendar to think about it in two or three weeks, You'll probably find (like most medical professionals) that when you're weaned off you won't want/need it anymore.

 

[bumknees09]

@Vintage barbie - thank you and everyone for all the tips and advise. I'm on day 8 post op been home for five days (since this past Saturday today is Thursday. ) been a bit tough going painful etc. but I did expect it. Was seriously constipated until last night (thank you anesthesia and pain meds) over did it trying to get that moving and then spent about four hours on and off trying to race to the bathroom. Uuugggggghhh!! Feeling better today than I have since surgery! My PT is great, although I find that quite difficult too. Again I didn't think any of this was going to be easy but until you're actually doing it, it's a different ballgame than trying to anticipate what it's what its actually going to be like. I'm probably not making much sense. I apologize for that. Onward with recovery! I still stand by the fact that I'm glad I did this, glad surgery is over And glad I'm in recovery mode. It can only get better from here!

 

[bottomshollow]

@bumknees09---TIME & PATIENCE is the key to this recovery so remember the BoneSmart mantras: following them to the letter will assure you of the best possible recovery.

- rest,

elevate,

ice

and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 Glad you feel somewhat better today. It is a long recovery but you will be fine, just keep on icing, elevating and taking care of yourself.

 

[bumknees09]

Sorry I don't know how to merge my threads. Luck I can figure out how to post anything on here. So, I posted this am ( I think) that today is much better and then I'm doing better than I have since my TKR surgery, a week ago yesterday (7/16/14) any realistic thoughts or comments on how long it should take before you can bend your knee without feeling shooting pain in your leg? I really like my PT but today was a little dicey at the end of our session, I felt like she pushed it just too much and I practically came off the chair I was in. . It's so incredibly hard to bend it almost at all never mind anywhere near a 90° angle! Just the past couple of days I've been taking the initiative and doing it myself, the exercises that she showed me, bending it myself trying to lift it etc. I know you have to "work" on it and that it's going to hurt somewhat but, don't you think it feels so bizarre after surgery that it's doubly hard to bend it w/o feeling like you may injure it? I'm probably talking in circles but...... I know you'll guide me on this .

 

[bottomshollow]

@bumknees09, You may notice that I have merged your two threads. We like to keep our members' recovery posts all in a single thread. That way it's easy for us to go back and read your history before responding to a question or concern. In addition, the thread becomes a journal of your recovery for those who come along later and want to read about you. So, please post in this thread from now on when you want to give an update or ask a question. If you decide you'd like a different thread title at any point, you can change it using the Thread Tools button at the top right of the page or just post what you want here and we'll get it changed for you. THANKS!

 

[kneeper]

YEs, it sounds like the PT pushed it too much. You are very early out and likely have a bit of swelling which will prevent some of the bend. Ice and elevate a lot and work on gentle bending just past your comfort zone.

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 You really shouldn't have shooting pain. You are either undermedicated, or pushing too much in PT. As long as your knee is swollen you will have problems bending or straightening it.

 

[referee54]

You need to be on the correct meds and you have to realize that you cannot rush recovery---your surgical knee has recently sustained major surgical trauma and is reeling from it. The harder you work it, or the harder you let somebody push you or your knee, the more pain, swelling, and inflammation will be caused.

This creates a vicious circle, as you will have even more swelling, etc., and your recovery will slow down even more.

Keep icing, elevating, resting, and doing your exercises only to the point of discomfort---and no further.

As others have said, a TKR recovery requires much time and patience, and there is really nothing you can do to speed things up---but there are plenty of things that you can do to slow down your recovery.

know you have to "work" on it and that it's going to hurt somewhat but, don't you think it feels so bizarre after surgery that it's doubly hard to bend it w/o feeling like you may injure it?

It should not hurt---you should only feel discomfort.

You will not damage the implant at all---those are very tough booger.

However, the harder you work at your exercises---especially this early in recovery---the slower and more painful your recovery is going to be.

Please---every time to get the urge to work harder and try to speed things up---do the opposite---be gentle and slow things down---and you will do OK. This is not about working harder---it is all about working smarter.

any realistic thoughts or comments on how long it should take before you can bend your knee without feeling shooting pain in your leg?

You are forcing things and are under-medicated---

Please remember that we all recover on different schedules and at different times and different rates. There is no "normal" when we discuss TKR recoveries.