TKR RTKR Done Looking Forward to the Future

[Pumpkin]

@jul ,
Welcome back to the other side for the second time around!
Sounds like you are working way to hard to fast being just a week out, you ROM is just fine. You knee is swollen and angry, give it a rest, elevation, and ice so your knee has a chance to heal and the swelling will go down naturally, and your ROM will increase. Recommend you give PT a break for now, and let your knee heal. The PT can address your swelling with retrograde massage, lymphatic drainage, kinesio taping etc. Your ROM can wait. The PT works for you be sure you are not pushed beyond the point of discomfort.

Here is the post op reading for you to take a second look.

First are the BoneSmart mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock, as prescribed
- 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!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lay down!

Next is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) thread.

And here are some very crucial articles
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?
Activity progression for TKRs

Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling

Home physio (PT) and activity progress: suggestions
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
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?

And then some wise words from members who have shared their experiences ...
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)
Five “P’s” of knee recovery
*TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”
Recovering a knee - from one who knows!
*It's never too late to get more ROM!
It's worth the wait for ROM

 

[Jamie]

Jul.....remember what you learned on your first knee. Pushing too hard will only make the pain and swelling worse. It's perfectly fine to tell the therapist what you will and won't do. You should never do anything that causes you more than just mild discomfort. After all....you are the customer!

Also remember that your knee is in charge during recovery. No one can dictate when you'll reach a certain ROM. Don't let anyone force you to bends that hurt just to reach some arbitrary number. It is swelling that's holding you back and when (and only when) the swelling lessens, you'll start gaining ROM.

So glad to hear you're on the road to this final knee recovery. Good for you!!!

 

[jul]

@Pumpkln Thanks for your information. The massages sound really great but they don't seem to offer this.

@Jamie Thanks for your comment I am trying to let them know that it is a bit sore but they just seem to think this is normal and to keep pushing luckily I only see her one more time.

Since my last comment I have been taking it real easy only doing knee bends very careful as it is still swollen and very tight so it seems limited to what i can do.

At the moment my thigh is really bothering me it hurts when I stand not all the time but it does and sometimes when lie on it and also my shin hurts when I lie a certain way.

It seems that the Surgeon must have pulled a few muscle or even torn them or sprained them as it hurts quite a bit.

Before I went to stand and my thigh hurt like it was in a knot and when I stood it was like it was forced to straighten and it gave me a sharp pain. There is a mild pain there now and when I stand it lets me know its sore.

My knee also gave me a big click while i tried to stand also. It hurt for a minute but then went away.

I hope all is well with everyone else.

Julie

 

[jul]

Hi All Can someone tell me how to change my Thread name to (RTKR done looking forward to the future) .

Im still having a bit of trouble with some pain in my thigh and shin. My shin hurts when you touch it and when I have my leg down in a hanging position it aches a little does anyone else have this problem?

I have only done very light bends and leg lifts as it still is quite swollen I can walk a little with out my crutches but only around my bedroom and kitchen with things to hang on to if needed.

I have done a bit of walking around the supermarket and park but not very far. I have started on my stationary bike and just doing very light forward and backward motions as i can't get full rotation yet.

Julie

 

[Pumpkin]

Julie,
You can change your thread title by clicking on thread tool just above the top of your thread on the right.
Please add the date of your RTKR to your signature, so your concerns can better be addressed.
The post op reading is in post #221, re reading them will refresh your memory, Thanks!

 

[jul]

@Pumpkln Thanks I have change my signature but I can't change my title the only thing I have at the top on the right is un watch thread.

 

[Pumpkin]

A moderator will come along and change it for you. Thanks for updating your signature.


Sent from my iPod touch using BoneSmart®
LTKR Sept 13 2011
Revision April 15 2014

 

[jul]

Hi guys. I am after some advise.

I am 3 weeks RTKR and would like to ask a few questions. You are all correct in saying that 2 knees are not alike.

I find my right knee is a lot different. My thigh really hurts and seems very tight from the top of the scar and above. When I bend my knee I can feel it very tight around that area. Also my calf is very sore I don't remember it being this sore on my left.

When I stand on my toes my calf feels like it's going to cramp straight away so I try to do them very careful. My top of my foot is very sore and bruised all they way to the tip of my toes still and this also hurts to ware shoes.

I do leg bends and leg lifts and try to stretch when I can. My leg from my knee down seems a little weak when I do leg lifts.

I had the physio yesterday and she went through quite a few excersises with me which today has made my calf sore and my thighs and around my scar quite sore.

Would this be all normal and part of the recovery. I am about 90 ROM sitting but less when I lay. I can't do full rotation on my stationary bike yet. I do walk a lot around the house with out my crutches but it's a bit uncomfortable but I just bare with it.

I am worried that I may not get better ROM if I don't push harder.

My left is still at around 115 sitting and less when lying I think it could still improve a lot but not sure if I have lost the opertunity.

My OS seems to be happy and said just keep doing what I did with my left. I just wonder if I will ever will be able to squat without any discomfort.

Thanks for listening.

Julie.

 

[jul]

Just wondering if anyone can view my post as I have posted a couple of times but don't seem to get any replies.

 

[Celle]

I'll answer you, Julie.

My thigh really hurts and seems very tight from the top of the scar and above. When I bend my knee I can feel it very tight around that area. Also my calf is very sore I don't remember it being this sore on my left.

I think your leg is still swollen and the swelling is the cause of the tightness. What your knee needs is more rest, ice and elevation - and less exercise.

I had the physio yesterday and she went through quite a few excersises with me which today has made my calf sore and my thighs and around my scar quite sore.

Would this be all normal and part of the recovery. I am about 90 ROM sitting but less when I lay. I can't do full rotation on my stationary bike yet. I do walk a lot around the house with out my crutches but it's a bit uncomfortable but I just bare with it.

I am worried that I may not get better ROM if I don't push harder.

When I stand on my toes my calf feels like it's going to cramp straight away so I try to do them very careful.

I do leg bends and leg lifts and try to stretch when I can. My leg from my knee down seems a little weak when I do leg lifts.

All those quotes tell me that you are expecting too much of your knee and of yourself at this early stage - and so is your physio. I recommend more rest and much less exercise. Your knee isn't weak or lazy. It's wounded.

You still need to use your crutches.
Please get rid of the idea that you have to work hard at this recovery and push through the pain. This is a recovery where more is less - in other words, doing too much can slow down your progress. There's no rush, and no prizes for toughing it out.

Concentrate on getting rid of the swelling and your ROM will come, all in its own, sweet time. There's no magic window of opportunity, within which you have to get ROM, or else all is lost.

My left is still at around 115 sitting and less when lying I think it could still improve a lot but not sure if I have lost the opportunity.

No. you haven't lost the opportunity. ROM can continue to improve for a year or more after recovery.

 

[jul]

@Celle thank you for your reply it does put my mind at ease.

I use my crutches outside the house but around the house i don't

So many people have different ideas and insist they are right.

I did see my OS for my check up and he was happy with my knee and said you have been through this before and was happy to let me recover the way I want as he think I did well with my left one.

I did have a bit of a shock a few days ago. I was on my couch with my knee up and someone accidentally slipped of the side were they were sitting and sat on my leg it hurt for a second but was more of a shock. It was a little sore the next day but that was it but I will keep an eye on it.


Julie.

 

[Pumpkin]

It was a little sore the next day but that was it but I will keep an eye on it.

That hurts just reading about you knee being sat on . I hope it is fine by now.

 

[Celle]

It must have given you a fright when someone fell on your knee. I'm glad the soreness isn't too bad. the knee implants themselves are strong and they are unlikely to be injured, but those poor soft tissues do get injured.

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Jul....so sorry you had a delay in getting your questions answered. Don't hesitate to use a tag for one or two of the folks on staff when you have specific concerns or questions. We have so many threads to work our way through each day (yes, we actually do try to read a majority of them!), that it's easy to miss something without the tag.

Glad you got the answers you were looking for. Please remember that you are still new in this recovery and it's going to take some time. Even though you have been through a TKR before, this knee is different and we tend to forget exactly how long things took with the previous one. I think you're doing GREAT!!! If you want a boost, go back and read your first couple of pages with your other knee. You are way, way ahead with this one.

 

[copsham]

Hi @jul You were advised on the forum to go easy of the exercising and 3.5 months on I can honestly say that the advice really works! I did minimal formal exercising but now I can walk and swim and do household chores. As time goes on you work out what you can do and what you can't. I even ran gently up a small set of stairs yesterday.

Like when someone fell on your leg, I surprised myself on several occasions to find a little bit of "rough and tumble' did not do major damage.

Wishing a happy roller coaster towards normality! x

 

[copsham]

Hi @jul just realised you are a knee and I am a hip! I am sure the same sentiments apply x

 

[jul]

@copsham they certainly do just different joints.

I have been very lazy with this one and have been resting and trying to ice when I can. It seems to be coming along great.

Just a little stiff when i walk and a bit uncomfortable in bed of a night but I'm only just ove 3 weeks out so hopefully this will all get better soon.

@Jamie Thanks for your reply its hard to remember what it was like last time as times but i do try to go over it and see were i was at the same time. You are so right in saying they are different my right knee seems to have gone through a little more during the op.

I am trying to take it easy its still a bit stiff and tight so i try to do heal slides and leg lifts but i am walking around the house a it and doing some dusting and little house work.

@Pumpkln It seems ok but if there is a little pain i think could that be because it was sat on but its seems ok.

@Celle I did scream a little loud I think i scared the whole house. Its not to bad but I'm sure the soft tissue is feeling it a bit.

Thanks for listening.

Julie

 

[jul]

Hi everyone hope all recoveries are going great.

I am feeling very lazy but I am also quite tiered I still have a bit of interrupted sleep. At this stage I am going back and forth from the bed to a recliner it seems to help but there there are days I can sleep In bed all night.

My knee is still a bit stiff and a little swollen I have been doing a bit of dusting and things that needed to be caught up with while of work. I haven't done any exercise apart form some knee slides and leg lifts which makes me feel real guilty.

After I have help my husband cook tea and have done other things I fell I little tired and sore so I do try to ice.

I have noticed my back and hips are a little sore and I am thinking this is part of my new gait that I have now but also I do still need to get my orthotics fixed as my new one still doesn't seem to fit that good. My arches are real bad my left foot is the worse it has fallen real flat plus my foot roles in as well which makes it hard.

I still need to work on the bike to get fall rotation which I can't yet and also the stairs I still can't quite trust my legs to go down on there own.

Happy recovery everyone
Julie

 

[jul]

One other thing last knee I went back to work at 5 weeks post op this time I have taken 8 weeks of and I am so glad I did. Phew.

Jul

 

[referee54]

One other thing last knee I went back to work at 5 weeks post op this time I have taken 8 weeks of and I am so glad I did. Phew.

That is a very wise move!

My knee is still a bit stiff and a little swollen I have been doing a bit of dusting and things that needed to be caught up with while of work. I haven't done any exercise apart form some knee slides and leg lifts which makes me feel real guilty.

I do believe that you are doing a little bit too much, too soon---let the house work wait, as it id not going anywhere. I would cut back somewhat and simply ice/rest/elevate.

Those heel slides and gentle exercises will help ---and you cannot speed up recovery---but there is plenty that you can do to slow it down. Don't be in a hurry to get back to the chores and such---your primary job now is to relax and heal!