TKR Second knee is the charm

[Helizabug]

Been there, done that, over and over again. It feels so good to accomplish something and the pain doesn’t come immediately, so there’s no warning system. Sometimes I think a little overdoing it is okay if I get the psychological value out of it. But that’s only sometimes.

 

[Lindylee]

It's surprising how quickly it can hit. One minute you're quite happy pottering around and the next you need to sit down and put your feet up quick. Our bodies use up a lot of energy simply healing themselves. We need to be kind to them, but we all forget from time to time. Take care.

 

[LD of Michigan]

We get it. For sure energy drain is real . Then for me if I lay around too much then I get tired from that! It's a balance for sure. You will find yours...

Anyway, I just felt the need to vent about my lack of energy and the huge amount of energy this knee recovery is taking from me.

 

[shar57]

Thank you so much everyone. I need to hear the words of wisdom and encouragement from people who have “walked or are walking” this road to recovery with a tkr.

 

[shar57]

I just got home from my two week ortho follow up appointment. They removed my dressing and my incision looks fine. I was surprised to find no staples holding the wound together, just glue. I’ve no experience with glue holding skin together and am kind of afraid of the incision opening up even at two weeks post op. They told me I could shower and get the knee wet just no scrubbing the incision. So I’m happy to put away the press and seal wrap to streamline my daily shower. Are any of you out there in BoneSmart Land glued shut? I was also a bit disappointed in my flexion. All they would give me was 95 degrees. I’m a bit more swollen and sore with this knee. I could have bent more but didn’t push it. Anyway, no PT just keep doing my exercises daily. They did say though that I had these next four weeks to get better flexion and extension numbers. (the window of time) I didn’t listen to that comment Not much else, finish the Xarelto, Celebrix, as ordered and Tylenol as needed. Ice, elevate, medicate, and exercise. Switch to a cane from a walker when you’re confident. Not a bad appointment. I’m getting there day by day.

 

[Jockette]

There was a no window of opportunity, so I’m glad you’re not worried about that.

Go easy on those exercises, all your knee needs is gentle movements.


Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Celle]

I’ve no experience with glue holding skin together and am kind of afraid of the incision opening up even at two weeks post op.

No, the incision won't open up.
The glue isn't the only thing holding your tissues together. It's only holding the skin, which by now will have started to form a scar to keep your skin closed.

Beneath the skin layer, there are multiple layers of dissolvable sutures:
Closing surgical wounds: how is it done?

I was also a bit disappointed in my flexion. All they would give me was 95 degrees. I’m a bit more swollen and sore with this knee. I could have bent more but didn’t push it. Anyway, no PT just keep doing my exercises daily. They did say though that I had these next four weeks to get better flexion and extension numbers. (the window of time) I didn’t listen to that comment

You already have 95 degrees of flexion? That's excellent. Many people are still struggling to get even 90 degrees by 6 weeks post-op.

Don't believe what they say about the "window of opportunity" - it's a myth.
There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

 

[sistersinhim]

All they would give me was 95 degrees.

That is outstanding for two weeks out. You got this!

 

[shar57]

I’ve been a bit sore this weekend. Just some tightness, aches, and swelling in my knee. I’m taking it easy, icing, elevating, and medicating. I’ve transitioned from my walker to a cane at 2 1/2 wks post op. I think I’m walking wonky, like I was walking before surgery. I can’t believe I morphed back into this unhealthy gait. It just happened. At least my knee doesn’t crazy hurt like before surgery but I need to watch my gait and get it under control. Has anyone else out there reverted back to their pre tkr gait?

 

[Lindylee]

I felt like that after my first TKR. I panicked at first thinking nothing had changed, but I assume it was down to all the muscles, tendons etc needing time to adjust to the new position of the joint.

I concentrated on walking correctly through the foot and extending my stride even if it meant I slowed down. It caused all sorts of aches in back, hips and leg, but all,settled over time apart from the back, which has been better since the second knee has been done.

 

[LD of Michigan]

Yes, I've noticed my leg wants to assume the pre-TKR positioning at points as I am transitioning from using a cane during the day as I can.

I have to continue to work at canceling out those old muscle memories with the new. Loosing some of my former weight is helping in my case.

 

[Helizabug]

Are there PTs or other movement specialists in your area? Some massage therapists can help you find old patterns, built into your muscles and help you revise them.

 

[shar57]

There are PT’s but I’m unaware of movement specialists. I’ll do some checking. It’s weird how I morphed back into my former gait but recognized what I was doing wrong.

 

[Helizabug]

Our muscle memory is incredible! But it’s cool when we can attend to it and, maybe, adjust to a healthier gait.

 

[shar57]

I’ve been icing, elevating, and medicating these past three weeks. It helps the discomfort from the swelling that I’m struggling with. My husband questioned my icing three weeks post op. Maybe that I should quit icing and let the knee alone to heal. How long is icing appropriate and for what length of time?

 

[Celle]

@shar57
Please don't keep starting new threads.
You'll notice that I have merged all three of your threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

We did tell you this, in the last paragraph of the recovery guidelines:
"While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread."

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just post what you would like it to be and we'll change it for you.

Please bookmark this thread, so you don't lose it again.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I think I’m walking wonky, like I was walking before surgery. I can’t believe I morphed back into this unhealthy gait

I had 'wonky walk' too, and had to re-learn how to pedal my bike, too. As has been said, a physiotherapist may be able to coach you. I found that walking (and cycling) dead slow, concentrating on correct form, really did help.

 

[Celle]

I’ve been icing, elevating, and medicating these past three weeks. It helps the discomfort from the swelling that I’m struggling with. My husband questioned my icing three weeks post op. Maybe that I should quit icing and let the knee alone to heal. How long is icing appropriate and for what length of time?

Tell your husband that icing is still appropriate. Recovery from a knee replacement is a long process, taking a full year for complete recovery of all your tissues, so your knee is still at a very early stage. He may as well get used to the idea that you aren't going to bounce back to full capacity any time soon.

Far from hindering healing, ice is an aid to healing - and it's a great pain reliever. Combined with elevation, it's also good at reducing swelling.

You need to ice for 45-60 minutes each session and you can do it as often as you like. I was still icing occasionally at about 4 months post-op.

It's not the same use as you might do after an injury.

Following injury, it 's common practice to tell patients to ice no longer than 20-25 minutes several times a day.
But with a surgical incision, it's perfectly fine to ice your wound as much as is comfortable for you, providing that you do not allow your skin to chill to the point of damage. That's why we recommend that people use a towel between the ice source and their skin or clothing. It's also why the ice machines like Game Ready or DonJoy have pads that don't get quite as cold as you can do with an actual ice pack.

When you stop icing is an individual thing. Since you find it still helps you, keep on doing it. You'll work out for yourself when you don't need it any more.

 

[sondrals]

I'm still icing at 8 weeks post op. And I still occasionally ice my 5 month old one when it gets cranky

 

[Jockette]

I iced until I was 6 months post op, though I did it less often as the months went by. And usually 45-60 minutes at a time.