TKR Second time around<

[Josephine]

No, don't go. I can always check your ROM for you if you send me a photograph like one of these poses

A good way to check extension yourself is like this:
1. put your leg on a bench, seat, bed, floor or anything similar but preferably something fairly firm.
2. with not too much pressure, press the back of your knee down - use your leg muscles, not your hand!
3. slide your hand, palm down, under the back of your knee

a) if you can get your entire hand under easily, it's probably about +10 degrees
b) if you can get just your fingers under, it's about +5
c) if you can get your fingers under but it's a push, it's 0
d) if you can't get your fingers under at all, it's -5 or more​

Here's a graphic to explain the degrees involved

 

[msredytr]

Ok! Thanks. Will upload pic tomorrow

 

[msredytr]

Hi all- been a bit since I have checked in and feel that I need some feedback on where I am recovery wise at this point.
My surgery, my second TKR, was on 8/28/18- so 4.5 months ago.
The first 3+ months were pretty textbook based on the info provided here at Bonesmart, and it was a bit on an emotional roller coaster. Say at about 3...3.5 months I was feeling good.....not so tired and the pain has been minimal after the first couple of weeks.
However I have noticed in just the past couple weeks my knee seems to be more stiff and achy- and I am concerned about losing ground. Is this a common occurrence??
Any feedback would be so appreciated!

Tracy

 

[Jaycey]

@msredytr you will notice that I have merged your two 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.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.

 

[sistersinhim]

I bet you are doing more now that you're feeling better. That could explain your extra pain and stiffness. Being stiff is a sign of swelling. Even if you can't see it on the outside, the inside can still be swollen. This calls for ice and elevating. Try to slow down for a few weeks to get your discomfort down.

 

[msredytr]

Thanks so much for the feedback- I will follow your advice and take a look at my activity levels. It’s funny though, I feel like I should be MORE active at this point....
I don’t know if it is just being winter- the cold and grey days.... I just feel so sluggish and depressed!!

 

[annieo]

Hi @msredytr
I am just over 7 months and your experience sounds very similar to mine! Iwas just grooving along ... Even flew to the east coast at 3½ months for a 3 week trip. I did very well with the help of my Tubigrip sleeve when any extended walking was called for.

Then from 4 months until last week I felt like you! It was a constant roller coaster of better and then" what the heck?" am I going backwards? Just this past week something suddenly changed and the stiffness and soreness is SO diminished In think I should join the"almost done" club.

During this time Tubigrip and a knee sleeve saved my sanity. When I wore those the stiffness was incredibly diminished.

Search the forum for Tubigrip and Zensah sleeve. Please consider getting this and trying. I think it may help a lot. We're all different but the light compression sleeves have helped many of us move forward with sanity and hope.let is know how it goes.

 

[SusieShoes]

Winter weather, with all the cold and changes in air pressure, can be troublesome for some knees. My knees are usually very well-behaved... but they have developed an interest in the weather. When storms approach, my left knee especially likes to let me know it's coming. Ache, ache... storm approaching, maybe some rain or snow! Ache. This is new. My original knees never cared about weather.

It took me a couple of months and strong changes in the weather to realize what was happening.

 

[msredytr]

I have never heard of tubigeip sleeve!! Definitely sounds like something to explore!!
It is so reassuring to hear that others have similar experiences.
Since this is my second go around- I have heard/said and lived the truth that this recovery process for TKR will be about a year. It was at nearly exactly one year after my first surgery that I remarked- I am finally at a place where I don’t think of my knee every day- or hardly ever. Lol.
Why that is so easy to loose sight of the second time I just don’t know. At just over 4 months out- I know I should remember it is a marathon- not a sprint......but my brain, my heart and soul- just seem to think I should be further along.

I will say that I agree about the impact of weather- it has been brutally cold- and recently pretty damp...with rain a little ice and foggy conditions.... think it makes knee more achy....and most certainly affects the mindset!!

Thanks so much for the feedback- it is good to not feel so alone and isolated!

 

[kneeper]

And as you know from your first tkr sometimes you just don't know why some days are better than others. But long stretches of cloudy, nasty weather do affect my mood too (though not my knees anymore).