TKR Scared but I made it!!!

[Josephine]

Jane Fonda made that bit of idiocy popular in her fitness videos. She has since been widely castigated by the medical fraternity because it has been hugely and dangerously misinterpreted and incorrectly applied since.

It was originally intended to be applied to the general kind of pain a healthy individual would encounter when muscle and fitness building. But it's a bad ethos to follow unless you fully understand the difference between the that and pain that means damage has been caused. Big difference. Plus it should never be applied to individuals who are unhealthy, sick, post-surgery or etc.

It's sad to hear that so many PTs have nevertheless bought into it.

 

[grabbit97]

Thanks Jo for the info...
I called the PT this morning, and cancelled, said I was not feeling well. I decided to go to the gym and ride the recumbant bike.
I rode my bike outside, and after, it hurt alot, I must not be ready to do it yet, muscles I felt that I didn't know i Had... what is your opinion, it's about 3 1/2 months.
I am staying off of it, for awhile, I LOVE to ride my bike outside....

 

[Jaycey]

If you are hurting your body is telling you it's too early. 3.5 months is still early days Natalie. Stick to the stationary bike for now. Build your muscle strength so that when you are ready you can ride your bike.

Patience! I know it's hard.

 

[grabbit97]

Canceled PT.. as I said earlier, and went over to the gym and rode recumbant for 20 mintues, did the leg presses on the shuttle pushing my feet against weights, and then came home, rolled a tennis ball on my sore muscles, and then iced and elevated... hope it helps.

 

[Jamie]

Natalie....how much weight are you using on that leg press. It shouldn't be much right now.

 

[sunflower]

I remember struggling to walk even a mile just 3 months post op because of muscle soreness. My knee had been bowing out before the TKR and one set of muscles had shortened too much while the other set had stretched. So it took it until month 4 1/2 or so before I felt like walking 3 miles. It takes time and it's so hard to reign in the activity when we want to enjoy our new knee.

 

[grabbit97]

Jamie, I am using 30 pounds against the shuttle = leg press.... did 30 pushes... I am sore, but I also rode the recumbant 15 mintues too.

I just wish these muscles on the TOP of my thigh, running from my knee to top of my thigh... it hurts, especially at the top of my thigh where your leg attaches to the trunk of the body. Shooting pains, in that spot, I have been told that this is part of the recovery, muscles sore, I use a tennis ball to rub the muscles on the top of my thigh.

 

[Jamie]

Who told you that pain is part of recovery? I would disagree with them. A little discomfort maybe as you slowly increase your activity level. But pressing 30 pounds is likely the main culprit in your pain. I suggest you stop that for now (until at least 6 months out) and stick to the bicycle and some walking.

 

[grabbit97]

That is what the PT was having me do, on the shuttle, pusing with my legs to strengthen the quad muscles.
I am riding the inside bike and will continue.
I think I discovered WHY I am having these pains in my groin and upper thigh where the leg meets the torso, I took myself OFF of JANUVIA, which can cause kidney problems and therefore cause cramping which I have had in my calves... it's a stab in the dark, but I am off it now for the 3rd day and the cramping is less... we shall see, talking to the doctor if they will ever call me back.

 

[editor98]

Natalie,
That muscle up there where your thigh meets your trunk (groin area) is the hip flexor. It does A LOT of work in just everyday movement! It is so easy to overwork it and have pain there. You might try a stretch specifically for that muscle. Lie on the edge of the bed (or a table if you have one you can get up on). Lay so that the edge of the bed or table is running the length of your body right in the middle of your hips (sorry for the graphics--but like right along your butt crack). Then let the leg that is off of the bed/table slowly drop toward the floor--from the hip, not the knee. Just relax your leg and let the weight of it stretch it toward the floor. Your knee will have a slight bend but should be fairly straight--not stiff though, relax. You should feel a great stretch through the front of the groin/hip flexor area and maybe even into the quads. Just lie that way for a minute or two. Then turn yourself around or go to the other side of the bed to stretch the other hip flexor. Try this a few times a day. It feels great while your doing it. And for me, it has helped with some pain in that area to keep it stretched out. Hope this helps! Niki

 

[Jamie]

Hmmmmm......guess I don't agree with your PT's approach then. Some of them can be rather aggressive. If your pain is improving by not taking one of the meds, that's good. But....(I'm assuming you are diabetic), you will need to do something else to replace the Januvia to ensure you don't have problems. But do keep in mind that it may be a bit early to do lifts like that with weights for a while. It's always another option you can try if the pain continues. If you stop the exercise for a week or so and the pain improves, you'll know it was a factor.

 

[Josephine]

i have been told that this is part of the recovery

:DOH:

 

[grabbit97]

I talked to the doctor, she wants me OFF of Januvia for 2 weeks to see, and says it takes a week to get out of my system. Coincindently, my pains in my thigh (where torso meets the leg) is gone... and cramping in the calves is 50 percent better, so time will tell if it was JANUVIA that caused my cramping and pains in the groin/hip flexor area are gone.. we shall see.
I am going to ride the stationary bike every other day.
IS that ok? OR should I be riding every day?

 

[Josephine]

Every other day is fine, Natalie

 

[grabbit97]

OK, so I went and did the recumbant for 15 minutes, the shuttle, 10 lbs, for 30 count, then did the step for a count of 20, up and down (using the TKR leg up a step, then down, 20 times, like the PT has me doing), came home, iced and elevated..
NOW, the KNEE itself hurts..... 3 1/2 months out, normal??
Figured out why I have pain sometimes in my lower back, right side, gas and having to go potty and can't, soon as I am able, the pain goes away, NEVER had these problems before TKR, IS this as a result of surgery???

 

[Jaycey]

OK, so I went and did the recumbant for 15 minutes, the shuttle, 10 lbs, for 30 count, then did the step for a count of 20, up and down (using the TKR leg up a step, then down, 20 times, like the PT has me doing), came home, iced and elevated..

Sounds like a lot of activity to me Natalie.

NOW, the KNEE itself hurts..... 3 1/2 months out, normal??..

Your knee is telling you something. Please listen to it. Scale back a bit and build up slowly. Remember - recovery is not a race. It can't be rushed.

 

[grabbit97]

You should see all what the PT guy is having me do, what I did yesterday was nothing... he has me using these rubber bands, attached to a chair, I am attached at the foot, and I am pulling the bands out, for a count of 15, 3x, to strenghten quads, and hamstrings.... PLUS the bike and the total gym (like the shuttle I described where you are sitting, feet up on this platform, and you push against weights, I only used 10 yesterday, not 30 lbs, did it 30 times), and he has me stepping up on this 7 inch step with my TKR leg, 20 times without holding on,
I am quitting PT today, he doesn't know it yet, but I can manage on my own now, know what to do from learning from him.
I am NOT going to let him touch me with his heavy hands, very ruff, sore for 3 days after he "massages" me.
oh my oh me, will this ever end, will I have a happy knee?????

 

[Jaycey]

Natalie I will never understand why some PT just insist on pushing and pushing. There is no reason for it. We say it so often here - PT shouldn't make you hurt!

Please try and take things slower. I am not sure why you have to use the bands already. Build up the strength to do the exercise first. When you can do it easily then add a very light band and work up to heavier ones from there.

Step by step. You'll get there!

 

[Josephine]

Listen to me again, Natalie - it's not the result of the surgery, it's the result of all this PT.

You are doing too much - WAAAYYY to much. That's why you have pain and it is NOT normal.

 

[kneeper]

Please try and take things slower. I am not sure why you have to use the bands already. Build up the strength to do the exercise first. When you can do it easily then add a very light band and work up to heavier ones from there.

Step by step. You'll get there!

I agree. You don't have to have heavy weights and bands to work the muscles. When the exercises become fairly easy, then you can add. My PT had me do the various exercises only 10 reps at a time, but a couple of times a day. Listen to your body.