TKR Should I be able to lift my leg??

[sistersinhim]

What an uplifting post!

 

[benne68]

I would be surprised if I had much more than 110 degrees still but he was happy and I can do all my normal everyday things, so I am happy at where it is at today, knowing it will take months to fully heal.

I found this information really helpful when I was concerned about my own ROM. If you are at 110, you have all of these in your wheelhouse!

These degrees of flexion are required for the following activities:
- 65° to walk,
- 70° to lift an object from the floor,
- 85° for stair climbing,
- 95° for comfortable sitting and standing
- 105° for tying shoelaces

 

[Merlin803]

I am almost at 3 months since my TKR and have an upcoming trip where I will be flying, is it recommended to wear compression socks at this stage?

TIA

 

[Jaycey]

@Merlin803 Yes compression socks are recommended this early out. Be sure and get up and walk around regularly if you are taking a long haul flight. Have a safe journey!

 

[Merlin803]

I am coming up on almost 11 months since my right TKR and just wanted to give an update on my progress.

When they say it takes about a year to fully heal - yeah, I would have to agree that it is at least that.

My pro's are that walking and standing on the surgical leg are pretty pain free (up and down stairs have some pain but it's about the same in my non-surgical knee and I attribute that to needing to lose weight really - if I weighed 50 pounds less, I doubt there would be any discomfort from stairs on either leg).

I just finished a trip to Orlando where we did a LOT of walking (Disney, Universal.....) and the knee was not really a factor, so that is great. Even played volleyball in the pool for 3-4 hours and didn't consciously even think any differently about pushing off or jumping on my surgical leg.

As for the cons, really it is just not having a lot of bend in my surgical knee still - I am guessing that it is still at maybe 110-115 degrees. Trying to bend past that limit is still very painful.

I honestly have not done much in the way of PT or exercises besides just everyday life and trying to let it heal but I do fear that I am not going to get much more bend than I have with just doing everyday life.

 

[Jockette]

I do fear that I am not going to get much more bend than I have with just doing everyday life.

I had a tough first year with my ROM but I had a lot of improvement in my second year, as my whole leg continued to relax and heal, and I even saw more in my third year, and that was just living my life.

 

[Merlin803]

I do fear that I am not going to get much more bend than I have with just doing everyday life.

I had a tough first year with my ROM but I had a lot of improvement in my second year, as my whole leg continued to relax and heal, and I even saw more in my third year, and that was just living my life.

That is reassuring!

 

[sistersinhim]

I think you will be fine. Some achieve bend quicker than others. Just keep using your knee normally, as you do, it will continue to get better. At 3 years out, I was 120, which was fine with me. I thought I'd check it again last year, and I was 130. So, it does continue to improve, even after 5 years! I think when we forget about it and just use it, it gets better.

 

[Merlin803]

I think you will be fine. Some achieve bend quicker than others. Just keep using your knee normally, as you do, it will continue to get better. At 3 years out, I was 120, which was fine with me. I thought I'd check it again last year, and I was 130. So, it does continue to improve, even after 5 years! I think when we forget about it and just use it, it gets better.

It is just crazy that the doctors "matter of factly" tell us that whatever ROM that we have after a month or two is what we are going to have to live with forever, SMH. For what purpose do they say that?

I know in my case that my doctor said after my last visit that I was all done seeing him unless I ran into any complications, so it wasn't for the purpose of making me continue to come back. Maybe they just don't get to hear the good ROM updates months/years later because the patients have no reason to return.

Anyways, I am glad to see so many of you here continue to gain back ROM for years after surgery.

 

[sistersinhim]

I believe most surgeons don't realize that it's a time thing that gets the ROM back and not exercising. The doctors see their patients maybe 3 times after their replacements. Mine saw me only twice because I had no problems. After tens of thousands of patients through the years, Bonesmart has found that for the majority, a gentle PT is much more beneficial than an aggressive one. And, it's mainly a time thing and can not be rushed.

 

[mendogal]

Here's a very helpful article on our knees' range of motion.

Something I found especially helpful in it is the degrees of flexion required for the following activities:
- 65° to walk,
- 70° to lift an object from the floor,
- 85° for stair climbing,
- 95° for comfortable sitting and standing
- 105° for tying shoelaces.