TKR Sleeping

[sistersinhim]

Let your knee be your guide.

 

[dmichael21]

As I sit here icing and elevating and reading these stories about walking I can totally agree that walking upsets the new knee more than any PT. I walked the entire Target near my home today and my 6 week old knee is screaming blue murder at this exact moment. Just took a Tramadol.

 

[Jockette]

It’s not walking in general that upsets a new knee, it’s the amount of walking that upsets a new knee!

Walking is the best exercise, but in not in excess. A mile at 5 weeks or all over Target, is excessive for most of us, at this early stage. 5 weeks is a drop in the bucket in this 52 week, on average, recovery.

Any time you do something that results in a lot of swelling, scale it way back and try it again at a later date.

 

[Mackiepafl]

Anyone gone for massages. I used to get a massage a month for my fibromyalgia, I’d like to go back for full massage if it won’t hurt knee. Thoughts?

 

[kneeper]

I think you could go for a massage as long as you tell them to be very gentle around the knee area. If you're going for fibro my guess is you have found a good massage person who understands how to modulate the pressure.

 

[Bionic]

@Mackiepafl
If you want a massage I would suggest you speak to your OS.
I had 2 hip replacements last year. I known they differ to the knee (I have that to come in March), but my OS said absolutely no massage from the waist down for at least 3 months. So, to be on the safe side check first.

 

[Mackiepafl]

7 was post op left TKR. Beautifully healed incision but incision has started to hurt. Not red or warm, just tender, pulls, hurts. Am massaging it. Also was doing well and went to pool to walk back and forth in water for about 20 minutes x 2 days, and all swelling and stiffness back. Thanks in advance for support.

 

[Jockette]

Doing things in s pool can do that. What seems like just a little activity can actually take a lot of energy. While floating can be relaxing, movements can be strenuous as the water is like using weights.

Wait a few weeks to give your knee more time to heal and try again.

My surgeon told PT to put me in the pool at 4 weeks. It was a 50 minute session with countless bending exercises and lots of walking, frontwards, sideways and backwards! It took me 3 days to recover.

If you swelled up after 2 20 minute sessions at 7 weeks, I’m sure you can understand how I felt after 50 minutes at 4 weeks.

I did not go back to the pool.

 

[sistersinhim]

went to pool to walk back and forth in water for about 20 minutes x 2 days, and all swelling and stiffness back.

Your knee is telling you that it's not ready for that activity in the pool. Wait a few more weeks and try it again.

 

[Mackiepafl]

So, at 8 weeks post op TKR all has been wonderful. Then yesterday I wake up and feels like I reverted back to week 3. Haven’t done anything different for weeks. Swelling, stiff, points of pain. What gives ?

 

[sistersinhim]

Then yesterday I wake up and feels like I reverted back to week 3. Haven’t done anything different for weeks. Swelling, stiff, points of pain. What gives ?

This isn't unusual either. It's very possible you slept on it wrong or moved it in your sleep the wrong way. Being restless at night is par for the course, unfortunately. Waking up with a new pain is, too. Baby that knee and ice and elevate it to get the swelling down. It's not even 1/6 of the way healed yet and ups and downs for the first 6 months and more is normal. Remember that roller coaster ride we've been talking about?

 

[Celle]

So, at 8 weeks post op TKR all has been wonderful. Then yesterday I wake up and feels like I reverted back to week 3. Haven’t done anything different for weeks. Swelling, stiff, points of pain. What gives ?

As sistersinhim said, it's possible that you unknowingly did some little thing that has upset your knee.
On the other hand, it could just be a normal part of recovery, which can often be like two steps forward and one step back.

Recovery isn't a straight linear progression, It's often more like this:

Try not to worry about it. Give your knee some extra rest, ice and elevation until it calms down again.

 

[Mackiepafl]

Hi. 84 days post op. Back of leg below knee still lightly bruised and swollen. Will my new knee and leg ever match my other leg? Still ice and elevate several times a day. Also sharp pains every so often. All normal? Thanks.

 

[sistersinhim]

Back of leg below knee still lightly bruised and swollen. Will my new knee and leg ever match my other leg?

Oh, yes it will. Mine is now smaller by 1/4" than the old knee! Of course, it's in line for a tkr sometime in the future.

 

[kneeper]

Yeah, sounds pretty normal.

 

[Mackiepafl]

Now 90 das post op left TKR. Relatively new development. Very painful right inner middle knee cap area upon bending. Takes my breath away. Am I not working it hard enough and long enough to keep it flexible ? Has something catastrophic happened at that spot? Still walking fine, about 1.5 mi day.

 

[Mackiepafl]

Anyone develop a Bakers cyst after TKR?

 

[sistersinhim]

I've got one that in the back of my knee. I've had it for at least 6-12 months. It fills and then drains down some, then fills again and drains. I haven't been able to find a pattern yet.

 

[Celle]

Relatively new development. Very painful right inner middle knee cap area upon bending. Takes my breath away. Am I not working it hard enough and long enough to keep it flexible ? Has something catastrophic happened at that spot? Still walking fine, about 1.5 mi day.

Probably nothing catastrophic.

It's much more likely that you've been working your nee too much. Walking 1.5 miles every day is a bit far, especially if you're still doing exercises as well. Stop the exercises and shorten your walks for a while, to see if that helps.

Anyone develop a Bakers cyst after TKR?

Bakers cysts are relatively common. This article explains:
Baker's cysts and other knee bursae