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TKR Sep 8th LTKR recovery

Day 8. That was quick. 2nd outpatient PT today. Never got a lot of bruising around the knee, but I have a huge purple and blue bruise on my left hip/buttock. I’m guessing I’ve elevated enough that the bruising is higher. I’m literally elevated on a wedge any time I’m not up and moving.

pain seems to be under control. Tylenol during the day and hydro at night. Last night was just tramadol.

Swelling is an ongoing issue. After I Ice and elevate I can see my knee cap. As soon as I stand I can feel the pressure of the fluid moving back to the knee. Then it’s swollen again.
ROM exercises aren’t easy. I’m somewhere around 90 degrees and probably 3 on extension. Outpatient PT today I’m sure they’ll measure. I think PT 2 times a week is going to be good.
Overall things are good. I thought I’d be walker free by now and I could do it, but I’m trying to make each step perfect heel/toe so I don’t limp. I’ll use it a bit longer then maybe a cane. I’m in no hurry, I just want it to be right.

Onward we go.
 
Sounds like you are doing well!

Swelling can be an ongoing issue, to some extent, for months.
 
Kdubs said:
I thought I’d be walker free by now and I could do it, but I’m trying to make each step perfect heel/toe so I don’t limp. I’ll use it a bit longer then maybe a cane. I’m in no hurry, I just want it to be right.
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Click to expand...
That's the perfect approach, use an assistive device until you can walk with a nice heel/toe gait without one.
 
Made it to day 10. What an up and down journey. Had my pity party emotional day yesterday and last night. I hope those are over. Lol
Still maxing sleep out at about 2 hours at a time. Not horrible but I’d sure like more. This morning I woke up and my knee actually looked kinda like a knee. Swelling is gradually going down. PT on Friday I was at 92 and 3. That’s improvement from 87 and 5 on Monday. Today is the first day I feel like I can actually see some relief/progress in site. My PT wants me to keep the walker for now but I’m ready to be done with it. Really only for a safety net and I had to promise my wife I’d be compliant.
Only taking pain meds at night now and weening those back.
Thank y’all for being there.
Onward!!
 
It’s been awhile since I updated. Just too busy doing nothing I guess. Lol. I’m right at 18 days post op. Things are going remarkably well. Going to PT twice a week and the “total knee team” is really good. Lots of gentle stretching and ROM work with some gradual new tasks added in. No pain during therapy. All positive. Started at 87 and 4. Was 100 and 3 on Friday. Totally off narcotics. Take Tylenol occasionally. Swelling has gone down each appt. I’m icing 4-5 times a day for 30-45min each. Doing gentle stretching 5-6 times a day and ADLs.


The only real pain I have is when something touches my leg around the incision. Blanket, towel etc. It’s like fire running thru my leg. Wakes me every night multiple times. Any cures??
I appreciate y’all!!
Onward
 
You're doing great, @Kdubs ! Your ROM and extension are awesome for so early (don't get cocky!) :eyebrows: (kidding). My incision hurts too when something taps my knee right there (like the dog's tail, that's agonizing!) but so far clothes don't bother it. I know some people wrap Saran Wrap around their incision to protect it during the night and many have good luck with that.

The walker is more of a safety thing but also a walking thing. It will help you be stable and help your gait be better (heel, toe, stretching that leg out straight when stepping) when you walk with it. Once your gait is consistent and stable you don't have to use it anymore. I still use mine in the morning and at night but it's mainly to carry all my stuff to and from the bedroom (phone, tablet, nighttime pill snacks, water bottle) My PT advised taking my cane when out in public (even though I don't need it) as a warning to others to take care or back off, I'm injured kind of thing....
 
The Saran Wrap around the leg covering the scar really works well. I’ve used it for both my recoveries. You don’t have to tightly wrap just once around. Let me find the link

bonesmart.org

Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm

THE MOIST HEAT SOLUTION I found this was a great solace at around 3-4 months when I got a really unbearable and wearing ache in my knee. It wasn't the surgical pain if before and it certainly did respond to changes in the weather. Cold and damp was the time it would set in, also the middle of...
bonesmart.org bonesmart.org

Scroll down to the Glad Wrap Option. I only used at night so I could sleep and only for about a week until the worst of the sensitivity went away. It’s all part of the healing process. It won’t hurt anything to try. That nerve zapping type pain and sensitivity is horrible.
Good luck.
 
So here I am. Day 24 and for the first time I feel really good. Like really good. Was at 110 and 3 at Thur PT. Started some gentle strength building and expected to be sore. But not hardly. Have extended my walks to two trips around the circle drive. It’s pretty small. Lol.
Walking, Stretching, icing, elevating. Rinse and repeat. It’s going well.
Onward!!
 
Just like that made it to week 4. Things are going pretty well. Was 113 and 2 on Monday. I’ve been given more time on my feet. Up to 30min per hour as long as I don’t have pain and can control the swelling. It’s really hard to limit myself because it feels so good. But I swore I’d be compliant so I don’t screw this thing up. Lol.
Sleeping in bed most of the night. Once I wake it’s tough to get back to sleep no matter what time it is. Usually go to the couch so my wife can sleep. :)
I do have a lot of pain in my quad as we do strengthening exercises. It performs well and it’s not excruciating but definitely hurts. Any idea how long that lasts?
Onward!!!
 
Go easy on the strengthening, you’re only 4 weeks post op, and not healed enough to handle it. I don’t understand why PTs don’t understand this healing process.

By not being more healed, your soft tissue is still damaged from the trauma of the surgery. You can‘t strengthen damaged tissue. That’s why it hurts when you try. We don’t recommend strengthening until at least after 3 months.
 
Yeah. My PT has been phenomenal. Maybe my misuse of the word strengthening. But getting up from a chair is required. Thanks
 
We're a day apart and you're quite ahead of me (not comparing because every knee is different, like my own LTKR vs. RTKR). Onward! :)

I still am managing pain, mostly at night, and have the sleep challenges, probably because of pain. My mobility, flexion and extension are all decent and allow me to do most of my own daily care, though I haven't resumed cooking at pre-op levels (I'm a foodie and live with a retired chef - so, ya know, we cook!). My daily walks extend every week and my big challenge is being careful to manage overdoing it and underdoing it. I do my PT exercises daily, except on rest days when I've overdone it. I plan to start outpatient PT next week (I needed a mental break) and also will begin working from home part time.

I still take meloxicam and tylenol round the clock. I also take 1-5mg oxy with a companion colace when I wake in the middle of the night as a recent experiment to see if that allows me to resolve the midnight-ish pain and help me get back to sleep. Having the LTKR experience, I chose to sleep in a different room from the start but am thinking that I'm a couple weeks away from abandoning The Knee cave. The cling film solution was my go to remedy for my LTKR as I found I didn't need the constant pain meds, I think it may be time to start that again. It solved the scar sensitivity, night time pain and the waking stiffness all in one. Per my surgeon, it's too early to start scar massage but I have starting using a bit of face lotion to help with the itch.
 
Well folks. Time for some bad news. On the day of week 5 post op I had a little incident. Exiting my garage I lost my footing with my good knee. Resulted in my new knee getting flexed/bent way past it’s current ROM. Excruciating pain in my upper thigh and immediate swelling. Got in with ortho first thing this am. X-rays look good. Joint is in tact no fractures. They suspect a quad tendon rupture/tear or quad muscle tear. Swelling was so great he couldn’t feel the tendon. But there wasn’t a debt. Waiting for the MRI to be scheduled.
Praying is not a rupture that requires surgery. Not happy. Was at 120 and 1. Now I have no idea where I’m headed.
Any experience out there with this?
onward!!!
 
So sorry to hear that @Kdubs. I hope it's a minor thing that just needs tender loving care and no surgical intervention. Can you still walk without a device or are you back to the walker (actually, I know you were ahead of me but can't remember if you ditched the devices)?
 
I’m so sorry you had this accident, and like you, I hope it’s something that just needs time to heal.
 
I'm so sorry, @Kdubs !! :flabber: I hope you don't need surgery to repair anything.
 
Had MRIs today in both the knee and the thigh. Results soon. Still significant pain in upper quad but I was able to raise my leg and put it on a pillow. That’s a good sign.
I was device free at the time of the fall. I’m back on the walker with the immobilizer brace. I appreciate you all. Thankful for this community.
Onward!!!
 
What happened to you is known as MWA, mobilization without anesthesia. :holysheep:

:fingersx: that everything is intact, and you just need time to heal.
Good news that you were able to lift your leg up to your pillow.

I injured myself at about 5 weeks, with grade two tears to 2 tendons. Frustrating to have something like this happen when you are on track for an uneventful recovery.

Take it easy and let you knee heal, keep us posted about your MRI results.

Chris
 
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