TKR Severe swelling 14 months out

[wilsonma]

I had moderate swelling up until last week but I have been active. I just noticed in the last couple of days that it is almost back to normal - thats after 3 1/ months.
I agree with Red's mom about the shoes. I had Orthotics made last year which I have thrown out. The doc had added a little extra height to my bad leg...

 

[Jamie]

Thanks, Polar

And for the moderators who can help me with my signature, my surgery was TKR on right knee on December 15, 2016. It was a Zimmer Nexgen LPS-Flex knee.

I've created a signature for you with your surgery date in it. You can make changes once you have 10 posts or post what you'd like and we'll change it for you.

 

[2helpme]

Welcome to the group @Golfguy!

Everyone here has given such good advice all I can really say is to good the mantra ICE, ELEVATE and RELAX! You just have to get in your routine and everything will take care of itself. Get plenty of rest and don't force your knee to do anything.

Wishing you a speedy and tremendous recovery!

2helpme

 

[Golfguy]

Jaime, thanks a lot for the signature! I am icing and elevating as much as I can (although my wonderful wife thinks I'm really milking the situation...) Back at work almost full time; working around 6 hours a day (I have a desk job). Things seem to be progressing OK. Can't tell much difference day to day, but can tell the difference every three days or so. Still have a limp when walking but it's less noticeable than before. Still not sleeping great but the fact that flexion is up to 115 degrees means I can almost find a comfortable sleeping position. Can go up stairs normally but still can't go down stairs.

Have to say it's funny the little things you notice; like one day you don't have to back into the car seat because your leg finally bends enough...

Thanks to all for the advice!

 

[Bikesouth]

You nailed it with the every few days you notice improvements. 6 hrs at work is plenty at this stage.

The sleep thing last a few months unfortunately but all of sudden it gets better. Different for everyone.

When April gets here you will be in pretty good shape.

 

[Jamie]

If you're still limping you need to be using some type of aid such as a cane, crutch or even a walker....whatever it takes so you don't limp. Limping can impact other joints and teaches your body an incorrect gait. It is never good in recovery, so please use whatever form of walking aid for just a bit longer until you are able to walk with a normal gait without it. I know, I know....pride sometimes steps in and we don't want to use the aid. But it's only temporary and it is very important to a successful recovery.

 

[Golfguy]

So today I hit eight weeks post-surgery. I can do a spin class for 45 min, but at much less intensity and with a higher seat height than pre-surgery. Still can't do any of the parts of the ride where the instructor wants you to stand up off of the seat (too painful). Walking is easier but not quite pain-free. Trying to do about 1.5 miles a day at a slow pace. There's no internal pain where the arthritis was but I still have meaningful discomfort on left (inside) part of the knee. The only real pain I have is when I move the knee "the wrong way" while trying to sleep. That usually means I try to bend it laterally to either side, which the knee does not like. Sleeping overall is better. Still tough to find the best position but at least I don't wake up exhausted.

Flexion is at 125 degrees. Can go down stairs normally but am very slow and must hold the railing. I still have swelling and the "tight band" feeling 24/7. Not as bad as it was a few weeks back but still there and still annoying. So some good things and some things I wish would get better quicker than they appear to be happening. Hoping by around the 3 month mark that a lot of the residual swelling goes away.

 

[Celle]

Continue to take it easy at that spin class. You don't want to stress your new knee at all. Just doing the revolutions on the bike is all you need right now.

 

[newlybionic]

Your not even two months post op so give that new knee a bit of TLC and it will repay you in the end.

 

[AWfielder]

Hi Golfguy:

It sounds like we are in exactly the same place. You are at 5 weeks and I'm at 6. By far, swelling is my big issue. From everything I've done both pre and post op, the number one helper is something you've already started. Simple old school riding on the stationary bicycle. I use the old fashioned upright one with the resistance set at a very low level like 4. I go for 30 minutes and the time goes by switching between listening to tunes, people watching, and figuring out what they are talking about on CNN with the gym's sound turned off. I totally believe that strengthening my quads and calves while experiencing the no pressure spin on my knee joint is the best medicine. That said, if you notice my latest post on my recovery thread (Swelling), I have to do battle with myself to get to the gym after working a full day. Truth is when I stick to the stationary bike I know and am comfortable with, I get better.

 

[Golfguy]

Thanks everyone. Let me be clear that "spin class" means riding at low resistance to music. If the instructor or class participants knew how low my work level was I'd probably be asked to leave. But it is nice to actually feel a bead of two of sweat.

Still icing every night and taking naproxen twice a day.

 

[KarriB]

Biking at 0 reisistence is great from loosening the knee, but it doesn't do much for swelling. The best answer to swelling is elevation and ice. I ride about an hour a day (10 miles) now, but at 2 months post I kept it at 10 minutes.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Hey golf guy, I'm about 11 weeks out and still fighting the swelling fight, lol. I have been pretty active so I have to remind myself to cool out. Had a major setback Wednesday, tripped on some uneven pavement and really twisted the leg Oy Vey!! back on oxycotin. Hang in there. I'm praying by spring I'll be past this.

 

[Golfguy]

Eliza, sorry to hear about the setback, and best of luck with the recovery. Hope you can move quickly off of the narcotics again. I'm too old too wish any time away but like you I'm hopeful that around the 12-13 week mark things will be a lot better. Need to get back to the golf course by April 1.

I was somewhat depressed when I read that Phil Mickelson's caddy had a bilateral knee replacement on Oct 19, 2016, and 8 weeks later shot even par for 18 holes on his second round back from surgery...

 

[Bikesouth]

Need to get back to the golf course by April 1.

I was somewhat depressed when I read that Phil Mickelson's caddy had a bilateral knee replacement on Oct 19, 2016, and 8 weeks later shot even par for 18 holes on his second round back from surgery...

You should be able to start hitting balls by then, maybe not full strength but close.

So Bones had knee repalcements? I had to quit playing about 5 years ago, hope to get back this year.

 

[L.I.T]

I'm jealous of all of you LOL - I have great ROM, but until 2 days ago just 5 minutes on a bike, 20 minutes standing, or a walk down the driveway would cause my internal capsule to swell to the point of walking with a straight leg only! Just yesterday and today have things changed. I'm seriously frightened to get on a bike or try the stairs more than once for fear of setting myself back!

Interestingly, St George, Utah is a HUGE retirement mecca, and golf abounds here. When my surgeon was telling me that recovery times vary, he told me a story about a 76 y/o woman on whom he performed a TKR. She had a golf tournament 6 weeks after her surgery, and was determined to play in it. Amazingly, she did! Talk about feeling inadequate! I hate to think of the pain and swelling she had to endure that night. You guys are doing great!

 

[Golfguy]

My right knee replacement was on Dec 15, 2016. I had what I consider a decent recovery. Biking in Feb 2017, golfing Mar 2017, walking 18 holes on a regular basis starting in late April.

I’ve had ups and downs involving pain & swelling but mostly an upwards recovery trajectory. However, starting in Nov 2017 I’ve had “runs” of extreme pain and swelling in the implant knee. Bad enough that I can’t bend my knee enough to put a sock on, and have to go back to going down stairs one leg at a time, while walking with a bad limp. This is happening more & more, like once or twice a week for 24-48 hours at a stretch.

Been to my surgeon numerous times. Of course X-rays look great. Now waiting on results of a CAT scan, as well as blood work to rule out gout, Lyme’s disease, etc.

I would be grateful if anyone has any thoughts on what might be going on, what I might suggest to my surgeon, how to manage (and improve!) the situation, etc.

Thanks very much!

 

[Jamie]

The fact that your bouts of swelling and extreme pain come and go would seem to indicate the problem is not with your knee implant. I'll tag our forum nurse, @Josephine, to come and chat with you. It seems more likely that you have a soft tissue issue.

Can you make any correlation between the pain and any particular activity since it's now coming on at least once a week?

 

[Golfguy]

Thank you very much for the quick response. My main activities are walking & spin classes. Not trying to be heroic or recapture my youth on either activity.

There seems to be no direct connection between a certain activity & the swelling. For example, I might do a spin class and be fine the next day. But two days later I’ll be sitting at my desk (having done nothing strenuous the day before) and feel the knee start swelling between 8 AM to 12 PM.

Other days I might go a spin class and walk on the same day, sit in a movie that night, and get up with high swelling & pain.

I’m not terribly overweight (10-15 lbs) but am in the process of losing that weight in order to do whatever I can to lower the burden on the knee. I have not done any massage or manipulation of the soft tissue around the knee, and would certainly do that and other activities if people suggest it would help.

Thanks again for any thoughts or suggestions. To your point, my surgeon thinks the implant is fine, but does agree that I should not be having this kind of swelling & speed this far out from surgery.

 

[Josephine]

I’ll be sitting at my desk and feel the knee start swelling between 8-12pm.
Other days I might go a movie that night and get up with high swelling & pain.

My good man, you've given me all the clues I need here! You have what is known as the Movie sign.
It's a troublesome and very persistent problem. The remedy is in the article. Let me know how you get on.