MUA Sleeping on my side, 5 weeks post TKR

[Maulia]

Hello All, sorry I didn’t look at other posts earlier. I had a RTKR on 12/12/2024. I had some complications right off the bat and instead on going home 1 day after surgery it was 12 spent in hospital. Didn’t start PT work until 1st week in Jan. My OS wanted aggressive PT for me and after reading everyone’s posts here and on other pages I have come to believe it was to much for my knee.

Andypandy - I have had a lot of pain in the back of my knee which feels the tendons on each side. Fortunately for me I haven’t had a ton of swelling but some of the tightness could be more swelling on the back side of knee. Prior to my surgery I could not walk up/down stairs normally for over 10 years. Always one together for each step up/down. My PT has started like 2 weeks ago with trying to strengthen my hamstrings and quads. I had so much trouble with quads for the first 4 weeks. My hamstrings are so very weak. I am curious about the lunge on stairs you do. Is that to help with bending or strength. I can’t do diddly squat trying to even try one set of left/right on stairs without taking most of my weight in my arms first.

Since I am right with you at 9 weeks I have to keep telling myself a little at a time. I haven’t been able to do this is over 10 years - 9 weeks isn’t even a drop in the bucket yet for being able to do something again. You are right PATIENCE. I also appreciate you sharing your journey so far. I also have anxiety and take meds for it.

I wish you well today and am glad I have all of you here to share with.

 

[Andypandy]

@Maulia It's not an easy journey for sure, but what I have learned is to go with with. Don't put up a fight, don't put obstacles in the way, make a friend of your new knee. I started off wrong, crying everyday with pure frustration, how could I get out of this horrendous situation, easy really ACCEPT. Doctor gave me the right meds which give me sleep, I was getting 1 to 2 hours a night, made me feel less anxious and put me in a better position to deal with this journey. I have had a lot of swelling and due to numerous meds which I cannot take didn't help. I have an ice machine so ice and elevate and the exercises my surgeon wants me to concentrate on are for the bend. Op foot on stair, hold onto rail and gently lean your body forward which enables the knee to bend. Heel slides I don't do as much. Also, sit to stand, making sure knee is bending as you sit. Dangle op leg , I do mine on edge of bed, again aim to get the bend. I saw physio yesterday, only to show her where I am at and 2 weeks ago flexion 55 now 70. Still not great for 10 weeks now, but she was very happy that I am progressing. Carry on as I am, will never get to 90 when I see him but hope will continue to see progress. Back to surgeon on 28th February and hopefully will not want to discuss MUA, but we will see. Today, we'll overdid it yesterday so very little today and that's how I manage this. I hope you can manage just a little movement that will then progress. I can now sleep on both sides, not pain free but certainly progressing. Doing more around the apartment, but my knee tells me when to stop and I do. Don't compare your journey to others, we are all so different, your body, your mind. Try gentle massage around the scar, definitely helps. So in all, bumpy journey, some days ok, some days not so, but this is what we have to deal with. Some friends on here share a little journey, we go down the lane and every so often there is an ice cream van waiting for us. I'll buy one for you, enjoy x @westiemom @Oldped @Belrac

 

[Oldped]

@Maulia I can really understand- I haven’t been able to do stairs normally for years either, bend was only 90 before op. So we have to be patient, hope for slowww progress. I am just about 4 months out, can see a little progress looking back. Yesterday did a little more, today baby knee is a bit sore so more rest today. I have had several major surgeries, this is the toughest by far, especially mentally. Doesn’t help that I live in northern Wisconsin, very snowy and cold( wind chill last nite -40 F!!!) so hard to be outside. I’m waiting for Spring!

 

[beralc]

@Maulia It's not an easy journey for sure, but what I have learned is to go with with. Don't put up a fight, don't put obstacles in the way, make a friend of your new knee. I started off wrong, crying everyday with pure frustration, how could I get out of this horrendous situation, easy really ACCEPT. Doctor gave me the right meds which give me sleep, I was getting 1 to 2 hours a night, made me feel less anxious and put me in a better position to deal with this journey. I have had a lot of swelling and due to numerous meds which I cannot take didn't help. I have an ice machine so ice and elevate and the exercises my surgeon wants me to concentrate on are for the bend. Op foot on stair, hold onto rail and gently lean your body forward which enables the knee to bend. Heel slides I don't do as much. Also, sit to stand, making sure knee is bending as you sit. Dangle op leg , I do mine on edge of bed, again aim to get the bend. I saw physio yesterday, only to show her where I am at and 2 weeks ago flexion 55 now 70. Still not great for 10 weeks now, but she was very happy that I am progressing. Carry on as I am, will never get to 90 when I see him but hope will continue to see progress. Back to surgeon on 28th February and hopefully will not want to discuss MUA, but we will see. Today, we'll overdid it yesterday so very little today and that's how I manage this. I hope you can manage just a little movement that will then progress. I can now sleep on both sides, not pain free but certainly progressing. Doing more around the apartment, but my knee tells me when to stop and I do. Don't compare your journey to others, we are all so different, your body, your mind. Try gentle massage around the scar, definitely helps. So in all, bumpy journey, some days ok, some days not so, but this is what we have to deal with. Some friends on here share a little journey, we go down the lane and every so often there is an ice cream van waiting for us. I'll buy one for you, enjoy x @westiemom @Oldped @Belrac

Great advice @Andypandy it’s the little wins we need to hold into and our overall progress.

 

[Maulia]

Went tp PT today and talked to therapist. Said I thought I was pressing to hard on some of the exercises. Stopped doing stair stuff will revisit in 2 weeks. Did not do leg press at all. Changing some focus and I feel more empowered. I was able to walk a little over .27 miles in 10 minutes. Felt great but now I will work on amount of time walked not distance in the future. I think I will continue PT one more month and go from there - but I won’t push past my exertion point.

I used to equate pain with sharpness and not extreme exertion where I grunted because of effort. I quess I really have to learn my new body part and its signals. I hurt some now. Kind of sore/achy in my knee but not the pulling/stinging of the hamstring tendons in back. Which is what I have had for the past many weeks. It makes me more positive about moving forward. Hey, whatever motivates right

Wishing you all well ouchie, beralc, oldped, and Andypandy.

 

[mendogal]

@Maulia
I don’t recommend a leg press until at least 12 weeks when tendons have healed. No ankle weights either. Seriously. It’s darn easy to get a case of acute tendonitis. There’s time later for that kind of strength training.

 

[westiemom]

@Andypandy
Not much new with me. Still cannot bend further than 2 weeks ago. Still have pain in knee, in calf, and in thigh. I know it's all normal, but still frustrating and depressing. Pills the doctor gave me to help me sleep and not hamster brain all night didn't work. Terrible side effects. Asked for something different; office said I need to make an appointment to get something different; first available appointment is in April.
I am just so tired of it all. And I'm tired of friends saying i should be back to normal by now. Either they or their friends were all back to normal by 4 months; what is wrong with me? Just so tired.

 

[Andypandy]

@westiemom try not to let other's remarks get to you. Politely remind them that we are all individuals, everyone is different. Whilst I was at physio on Monday, an elderly lady tottered in, very pleased that she had been cleared by physio, all very good. I asked how many weeks and she was 5!!!!!! flipping heck, I am now 10 weeks, so there you go. My bend had progressed from 55 to 70, that was within 2 weeks but there is no way I will gain much more by 28th February, when I see my consultant. Bend is coming, slowly but when I walk still not good. Try telling myself heel, toe, BEND but obviously is not listening. So, each day I carry on with the bend exercises and end up quite demoralised. Then I have a little chat with myself, Get a grip and carry on!! After all it's our knee and it's not going anywhere. I do understand how you feel, you're not alone, even those who sail past us have some downfalls ,whatever they may be. Stay strong, sing out loud, I won't say dance, maybe bit hard to try the salsa. Send you masses of hugs xx

 

[westiemom]

It's amazing that we have to concentrate on how to walk when we've been doing it for so long. I'm back on the walker as I did a really stupid thing and hurt myself a lot. I set myself back at least a week, plus scaring myself silly with the pain and how easy it was to hurt myself.
It was almost 70 degrees here, so I think ice cream was perfect for today. Vanilla with raspberry swirls - yum

 

[beralc]

@westiemom it doesn’t seem to take a lot to set you back and you can feel you’re almost back where you started. No choice but to stick with it and rest when you need it and move forward when you’re able. Its amazing that some people lack the sensitivity to realise what the impact is on you,in saying you should be ok by now, how could anyone ever think that could be helpful.

It’s a struggle but we’ll get there x

 

[Andypandy]

I had my regular osteopath session today for my back and he massaged the back of my op leg, ham string then calf. The feeling was fabulous on the ham string, I could literally feel everything calming down, best way to describe it. When I walked back to the car, 1 crutch, it felt much easier which prompted me to experiment with the rolling pin. Not pastry. Followed the instructions and carefully rolled upward movements, top, sides, ham string then calf, sides. Did not touch the incision site, I use my thumbs to massage there. About 3 minutes. I then got up and actually walked properly, didn't feel any tightness, stiffness, I called my hubby as I wanted him to witness this miracle, I knew it wouldn't last too long before swelling started, and he was stunned. Just what I needed as been so down with trying to get this right, but of course swelling, tightness back although the swelling has not been anywhere near as before, started going down last week. Anyway, just wanted to share my excitement and I will continue, sensibly with my rolling pin and pray x

 

[Layla]

prompted me to experiment with the rolling pin. Not pastry.

I then got up and actually walked properly, didn't feel any tightness, stiffness, I called my hubby as I wanted him to witness this miracle, I knew it wouldn't last too long before swelling started, and he was stunned.

You're funny, Andypandy!

See how you feel tomorrow and if you're up to it, try the foam roller again, following instructions as you did. You might as well enjoy some relief now and again, right?

 

[beralc]

@Andypandy I presume you mean one of the purpose made massage rolling pins? Or are you talking about a foam roller?

 

[Andypandy]

@beralc Foam rollers are mentioned as ice rollers or your good old fashioned wooden rolling pin. I am using my wooden one, but he adds that metal or marble are good.

 

[mendogal]

I use a large foam roller on the floor, but during TKR recovery when that was temporarily impossible I used my wooden rolling pin while sitting up or in the recliner.

 

[Alice Nutter]

@Andypandy that’s funny! I literally stumbled across a video on rolling pins today and thought oooh, what about a rolling pin? It felt great!

 

[beralc]

I use a large foam roller on the floor, but during TKR recovery when that was temporarily impossible I used my wooden rolling pin while sitting up or in the recliner.

Yes my husband has one of the large foam rollers, I wouldn’t have the energy to move my leg onto the roller, so I’ll use the rolling pin.

 

[Andypandy]

@beralc sorry for confusion, saw my consultant for the first review at 7 weeks. Tomorrow follow up.
5 years ago I had pkr and that was a walk in the park compared to this tkr. More like trying to get through the jungle.

 

[Layla]

Best Wishes for your follow-uo appointment tomorrow, Andypandy!
I always wonder, is it better to experience the harder recovery of two, first? Or have a great first recovery and a not so good, second? We'd certainly feel more apprehensive going in the second time, if the first wasn't smooth.
Deep Thoughts Haha...not really.
Just remember, even the toughest jungles have a clearing somewhere.
@Andypandy

 

[Andypandy]

@Layla thank you so much, bit of a shock this one, but to be fair the left knee was a pkr. Best not to know too much I think. I am ready to see consultant tomorrow as I feel I'm at stale mate and have questions at the ready. Yep, good old perseverance needed, and Indianna Jones always came through his jungle sagas, with a lady in towx