TKR ROM getting worse at 6 weeks.

[sarainvt]

Thanks @metalheart! My surgeon is also a very fit athlete and focuses his practice with all things knees, especially (but not limited to), "younger and middle aged" athletes looking to recover at a level to allow some sports that other surgeons may not advise. He has been a conferring physician for the team USA snowboarding team, so I trust him when he says to "be patient and don't overdue it!" Lol


Sara

RTKR December 1, 2014

 

[Phil75070]

It takes at least a year for full healing to be achieved

My OS said that before surgery and repeats it every time I see him. He also commented that ROM can take or can continue to improve (depending how you look at it) for up to two years.

 

[vinny]

It.seems like all of our OS's share a similar philosophy...mine basically says try anything you want but stop if you think it hurts...we continue to heal for a year or more....I was a PT maniac before surgery which no doubt helped me after but I have certainly cut way back to walking the golf course and little squats and stretches...I did sign on for a program starting next week with my PT who said she could get me any ROM I wanted ....I would be happy where I am at 123/120 but think I will give it a shot for an experiment since I have essentially been pain free since day 3 ..I will post progress to see if she is right that she can get me any ROM I want...don't think I want the heel to the butt though....


Vinny

 

[sarainvt]

@vinny, can't wait to read about your progress with increasing ROM to anything you want! I only had between 120-125 preop and am getting to 120 now. Would love to get this knee to around same flexion as my left (135). Good luck!

 

[referee54]

Just a polite and short note to all of you folks following this thread---please remember that multiple tags is not allowed due to forum protocol---for those who are using tablets and phones, the tags tend to obliterate anything else. Some of you have probably realized that the multiple tags were edited out.

Since you are all reading and "following" each other anyway, there really is not need for multiple tags---those who are following the thread will see your post and be able to respond ASAP.

Thanks so much!

Tim

 

[bluesman]

OK folks. I'm at 8 weeks post op today & still 7 degrees away from straightening the leg & only at 105 degrees of flexion. Still have pain every day, but I did cut the amount of pain meds to half what I was taking at first. Lower leg gets swollen if I stand or walk too much. Is any or all of this "normal".

 

[referee54]

At eight weeks, I my leg was fairly straight, but I still had some trouble with the ROM/flexion. I returned to the classroom at eight weeks and, by the end of the day, was stiff and sore and ached quite a bit. I had a slight limp for five months---it was not until six months that I was at about 80%-95%, and it was not until eight months that I was at 90%-95. I umpired my first baseball game the first week of April after having the BTKR in November of the preceding year---and I still had a tiny little limp. My lower leg would swell somewhat for about ten months to a year, then it subsided.

Remember---this recovery gig can take upwards to a year to complete---so you are doing fine.

Eight weeks seems like a long enough time, but, in reality, you still have a ways to go.

It is tough, to be sure,but patience here is the key.

 

[bluesman]

At eight weeks, I my leg was fairly straight, but I still had some trouble with the ROM/flexion. I returned to the classroom at eight weeks and, by the end of the day, was stiff and sore and ached quite a bit. I had a slight limp for five months---it was not until six months that I was at about 80%-95%, and it was not until eight months that I was at 90%-95. I umpired my first baseball game the first week of April after having the BTKR in November of the preceding year---and I still had a tiny little limp. My lower leg would swell somewhat for about ten months to a year, then it subsided.

Remember---this recovery gig can take upwards to a year to complete---so you are doing fine.

Eight weeks seems like a long enough time, but, in reality, you still have a ways to go.

It is tough, to be sure,but patience here is the key.

Thanks for the encouragement. Guess I need to hang in there.

 

[referee54]

I thought eight weeks was going to be my magical date---I was allowed to go back to school, and I thought that I would be pretty much done. Boy did I have stuff to learn.

I iced and elevated at school during my planning period and my lunch periods, and I took Sundays off---after church, I did nothing but ice and elevate, but I had a limp and stiffness that would persist all the way through early April--I had my BTKR on November 8th. I had to learn the meaning of true patience.

You are on your way and are progressing---and there will be some plateaus in your recovery, too. Keep on keepin' on!

 

[metalheart]

"Normal" is hard to define other than it is a range of experiences. I have a friend who is now 11 weeks post surgery. She is/was a world class athlete and she has a regimen that she and her surgeon have worked out for her recovery. She has about the same extension as you as she has 102 degrees of flexion. A few weeks ago she was in the mid-90's and before than in the 80's. We come into surgery with different conditions that affect surgery and its outcome. I think what we have in common is the need for some sense of "progress," that we are improving and sometimes that improvement is ever so slow and sometimes it is not to be found. My friend is frustrated, but at the same time she has this positive attitude about her "tortoise" progress and I believe it is helping her recovery immensely.

I am a couple weeks ahead of you and over the past couple of weeks I went from 4 degrees extension to just about about 0. And, over the same time period my flexion has remained about the same. On the other hand, I am much stronger and that for me is progress. I would like to have more flexion and I know now that it will take ongoing work to keep extension near 0. Frustration at slow progress and exhilaration at small steps forward seem to be part of the process.

Stay within what your body and professional team tells you. You are doing well, keep up the good work.

 

[Homeport]

Think what is most frustrating is you do the exercises and can actually see the leg is straighter then it goes back again



20/01/2015

 

[vinny]

I am a little past 4 months and have seen the biggest gain in ROM in the past few weeks...once all swelling and pain are gone it will be much easier..our minds tell us to keep pushing it to get better when all you need at this stage are some gentle nudges and you will find you will gradually improve.....swelling restricts movement and you can have it for some time.....ice continues to help....I'm am doing it now with my morning coffee before I go out and frustrate myself on the golf course today.....one thing I know today is that while my swing may not work my new knees will be great. not to worry

Vinny

 

[bluesman]

So I'm at 11 weeks and still lack full ROM. My biggest concern though is that my calf is sore to touch EVERY day. Pain in knee is tolerated with Tylenol. Is the calf pain normal?

 

[kneeper]

So I'm at 11 weeks and still lack full ROM. My biggest concern though is that my calf is sore to touch EVERY day. Pain in knee is tolerated with Tylenol. Is the calf pain normal?

Is the calf red or swollen? @Josephine

 

[Josephine]

I echo kneeper's question. Has any doctor had a look at this calf?
I am loathe to comment until I know that as if the answer is no, then you should get it seen ASAP

 

[bluesman]

Josephine; No the calf is not red or swollen. It's like a muscle ache from overuse or tightness. Maybe I need to stretch it every day. I am due for my next post op on April, 6th.

 

[Josephine]

I see - it sounds much like what I have and still am suffering.

My pain and tightness area is like this, where the blue shading is (thought not so bad now)

I get mine treated by my chiropractor.
It's heaven after he's massaged it for about 15 minutes!
Ghastly while he's doing it though!

 

[bluesman]

Now the stiffness in my calf is gone but today right about 12 weeks pos op my ankle is swollen. Has anyone else had ankle swelling after 3 months?