Guest viewing is limited

TKR ROM issues

skiforever said:
How do you get going in the morning? My leg is so stiff I am unable to walk for a couple hours.
Click to expand...
I had that problem with my first, L TKA - not for hours, but for a while - it was so sore and stiff after waking that, despite decent quad strength, I had to physically lift it off the bed with some distress. I found sitting on the side of the bed with both legs down that gently holding the affected leg above and below knee with both hands and keeping the leg relaxed just passively moving it a little, back and forth, well within its range of motion, would let it loosen so I could get to the bathroom and then the recliner, where I would countinue with gently passively rocking it back and forth until I could comfortably start walking around, and from there the walking up and down the hallway would finish loosening up. Then a mug of tea while elevating and icing!
 
@ benne68

Great ideas! I will make some lists. Today I tried hiking longer, 3.2 miles with over 700 feet of climbing. It seems to have worked, so that is a new record for this recovery. I tried a flatter 2 mile hike a couple days ago which was ok.
 
I felt so good after the 3.2 mile hike that I rode my bike 10 miles. It is a pedal assist e-bike that I am using at this point in recovery which means that hills are like flats.
 
Wow! That’s a lot of activity for one day.
I do hope you didn’t overdo it and you‘re feeling okay tomorrow. It often doesn’t hurt until we stop…or the next day. Hopefully you’ll be golden! :thumb:
@skiforever
 
@Layla

Biking is much tougher than hiking. It is a lot of motion in a short time. I am stiff today and a little sore, so I did some paddle-boarding and only hiked 2.6 miles. I will be more careful about biking for a while.
 
It is amazing that you do all of this at less than two months post op. Paddle boarding and hiking 2.6 miles doesn't seem like it would be enjoyable if stiff and sore. Paddle-boarding looks fun. I've never tired it. I'd want one with a chair and cooler on it. :heehee: Aaah, sounds fun.
@skiforever
 
Today I asked if people recover normal range of motion without PT if they are healthy active people. The answer was no. I was surprised. But the PT people are doing well to convince me to continue with their services.

@Bionicjac
The PT people also convinced me to redefine pain as level 3 and up, not level 1-2 out of 10. With that definition I do not lose time after PT. I can tell that I worked hard, but I do not have level 3 pain.
 
@Layla
PT person says bike riding is much less traumatic for a new knee than walking/hiking. They assume the reason biking got to me was the total volume of activity. It makes sense. I will not write off the bike riding yet, but probably 10 miles was a lot of activity for my still swollen knee.
 
skiforever said:
Today I asked if people recover normal range of motion without PT if they are healthy active people. The answer was no.
Click to expand...
Well…that’s their livelihood. You will find many accounts here to prove them wrong.
You need to do what works for you, but pain is a signal that you’re either overdoing it, or your knee is not ready for whatever it is that’s causing you the pain.

You are an example of health and stamina, just don’t overdo it because it’s not worth stalling your recovery over. You‘re so active that you’d go stir crazy if you had to sit out for a time. Go s-l-ow and steady and you’ll have the best recovery.
 
skiforever said:
Today I asked if people recover normal range of motion without PT if they are healthy active people. The answer was no. I was surprised. But the PT people are doing well to convince me to continue with their services.
Click to expand...
Oh my goodness, what a fib. I was born with birth defects in both knees and had a total of 12 knee surgeries, including 2 patellectomies and 1 TKR. I NEVER took PT after any of these surgeries. I have always been an active person, and my OSs never forced me to go. They just gave me prescriptions for PT, which I threw away each time. I am just one person among many on this site that didn't take PT and have recovered just fine without it. The key is to do your ADL and let your knee be your guide. If it hurt, I didn't try it again for a week or so. Then I'd try again. If I was OK, then I could slowly move on to the next thing to include in those daily activities.
 
skiforever said:
The PT people also convinced me to redefine pain as level 3 and up, not level 1-2 out of 10. With that definition I do not lose time after PT
Click to expand...
I have had virtually no formal PT ( a couple of sessions in hospital- mainly to show me how to do stairs on crutches).
I have done private pilates sessions with no pain pushing- we backed off even from 1-2 level pain. I have great ROM ( 145+ flexion in all positions and 155 in some poses and zero on extension). I could probably sit fully back on my heels in child's pose but don't want to risk putting my full weight back.
There is no way that you need pain to progress.
 
@EalingGran
I had 110 degrees before surgery, so I do not think I will easily gain more than that without a lot of work over a long time - and probably some pain.
 
PT got me yet again. Now my seat bone area hurts. The PT push was to stretch the hamstring. Oops, too much - but it did not hurt at the time.
 
I wish you wouldn’t let them get you. If you stay away they can’t get you. :nah:
The saying “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” comes to mind. :wink: It is sad that you’ve suffered the consequences more than once now.

For the life of me, given your activity level, I don’t understand why you‘re engaging in PT. It seems you‘d do much better on your own, but not by doing ”all the things” in one day. Engaging in the activities of daily living along with one of your sports activities daily, starting out s-l-o-w, should be more than sufficient for the result you’re hoping for.

Regarding ROM, please go back to post #44 in your thread and read JusticeRiders account of her progress.

How can we reel you in? :realing: :heehee:
@skiforever
 
skiforever said:
but it did not hurt at the time.
Click to expand...
That is very often the case. It will feel OK while doing it, but that night or the next day the pain will set in. That's why we suggest you take things very slowly and see how your knee will react. If it's fine that night and/or the next couple of days, then that activity is OK. If not, then wait a couple of weeks before trying it again and see how your knee does.

This is a slow, trial-and-error healing. Each one's time-frame is different, though the average for complete healing it a year+.
 
skiforever said:
I had 110 degrees before surgery, so I do not think I will easily gain more than that without a lot of work over a long time - and probably some pain.
Click to expand...
I was in a similar place pre-op. The flexion in my right knee was barely 100 prior to my surgery. Now, almost 2 years later, I am at about 130. I did not do "a lot of work" or suffer any pain to get here. Instead, I stopped worrying about the numbers and focused on my function in my daily activities. I let my knee recover in its own time.

You are doing extremely well in your recovery, but some things just take time. I think you'll find that -- even without forcing it -- your knee will continue to improve for many months to come.
:flwrysmile:
 
PT left me in pain, for days. It was a new person (mine is on vacation). I told her I had no ROM progress for a month. She fixed that! Ouch! I do not understand how there can be so many people following the "do not push the knee" approach and also many many following the "push the knee or else" approach. Are they both right? In what ways?
 
Last edited:
Why don't you have a look at a middle way like pilates? Gentle but regular movement and stretching. You are clearly very fit.
My pilates teacher has loads of free pilates sessions on YouTube. Google Katja pilates and they will come up.
I did her side lying glute strengthening one a lot. It has no squats and is designed for post injury.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Corganics CBD

Staff online

  • Pumpkin
    Pumpkin
    Staff member since March 26, 2015
  • Jockette
    Jockette
    Staff member since March 18, 2018

Members online

Total: 5,880 (members: 4, guests: 5,876)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom