TKR Slow and Steady Recovery

[phrog]

My OS said natural and weight bearing exercise was what was needed to achieve good ROM: walking, some heel slides, some stretches, normal sitting and standing, etc. He did have a regimen of exercises that is not the BoneSmart way, including sit to stands and bridging. I did them. I had pain. You have to decide for yourself what works for you and doesn't slow down the process. Good luck on increasing your ROM and healing!

 

[Celle]

Has anyone tried the X10 Therapy Machine? It doesn't appear to be available in my state.
https://x10therapy.com/jeanie-skips-manipulation-anesthesia/

It's only just a month since your TKR, @hempsteadjb .
Give your knee time and stop worrying about ROM. Let nature take it course.
I certainly wouldn't have anything to do with that machine you asked about. It's an expensive piece of unnecessary equipment.

The reason why your knee isn't bending is because it is still swollen. The fluid there makes it stiff, just as water in a garden hose makes that stiff. Get rid of the swelling and your knee will bend more easily.

Instead of doing lots of exercises, concentrate on getting rid of the swelling, with as much rest, ice and elevation as you can.
Ice to control pain and swelling
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Don't get trapped into thinking that working harder at exercises will increase your ROM. It will have the reverse effect. Josephine already gave you some articles about that.

Stop all your formal exercises, stop going to PT - the therapists will only bang on about the window of opportunity and meeting targets.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

 

[hempsteadjb]

@Celle
Thank you, a friend sent this to me and I was wondering about it...I'm icing, elevating and resting. Cancelled all future PT appointments.

 

[kbueno44]

I love all these posts. I bookmarked the post about no pt for a month. I am just trying to be active and also to do my home exercises. I am at 3 weeks today. Doing better than I had expected to. But I am ready to get back to all normal activities and leaving pain behind.

 

[sistersinhim]

@kbueno44, 3 weeks is way too early to try and get back to normal. Your main activity should be concentrating on healing that knee. Especially for the first few months, not weeks! At this early time, the more you do, the more you'll swell. Then your ROM will decrease. Your instinct would be to work harder. But, that has the opposite results. The harder you work, the less your ROM will be because of swelling. All you need to do are your ADL.

 

[hempsteadjb]

I just got home from OS, he said I was doing fine. My Rom is only around 70-75 degrees...said there was still inflammation. I told him I would do all my own PT at home and he was good with that. I go back in 4 weeks. I will just continue to do what I can and elevate and ice

 

[Celle]

I'm glad your surgeon was happy with your knee.
There's still plenty of time for your ROM to improve, so keep treating your knee gently.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

 

[hempsteadjb]

@Celle
Thank you for your continued encouragement!!! I really appreciate it!

 

[hempsteadjb]

I'm now going into my 7th week It gets better every week! ROM is still not great but that will come. I'm still icing and if I stand too long it gets really stiff so back to icing. I can't believe what a few weeks can do in recovery time!!!

 

[SusieShoes]

That’s why we keep telling people to hang in there. Eventually it does turn around. The problem is no one can predict exactly when. It’s frustrating. But in recovery you reach the point where... yeah, things are going better.

It may take a few more weeks, or maybe a few months, before that stiffness on standing for a long time goes away. But it does go away. I’m just happy to hear your patience is already reaping results.

 

[hempsteadjb]

@SusieShoes..I really had a unrealistic idea of recovery! I went back to work 3 days a week at week 3, I'm a one person office.. I will never do that again! I was still using my walker and in a lot of pain. I think most of us have a unrealistic idea of how long it takes. I still have the left knee to have replaced but I will probably wait until next Septemberthat will give my right knee a full year to recover.

 

[SusieShoes]

I think most people who have TKR have an unrealistic idea of recovery until they go through it... unless they know people who went through it (and are honest abut it) or come to a place like BoneSmart. My OS, who is wonderful, pretty much said I’d be waltzing around on a cane in three weeks. I’d hung around here for a few months, so knew better.

You did go back to work too soon, poor soul. I wince just to think of it. You’re doing all right now? I’m glad you’re making plans for a more relaxed recovery for your left knee. You know all the pitfalls now!

 

[funkymuse]

How are you doing @hempsteadjb ? I am just 8 weeks and at 67.. it's been slow for me as well.

 

[hempsteadjb]

I'm at 11 weeks today, I just had an apt. on Monday, I'm at 75 degrees...hanging in there. I have another apt. in 6 weeks. I told him I was in the Slow Benders Club, he just smiled. I really think it will come, I have no pain walking, it's just the burning pain when sitting that irritates me...

 

[funkymuse]

Do you mind me asking what you do daily for your recovery besides icing and elevating? Any heel slides, walking, biking, etc? Just curious as to what others do. I know we are all different..

 

[hempsteadjb]

ADL, I work three days a week. I ice and elevate when I get home for the burning pain. I decided a few weeks ago I had things to do and I'm not going to let my knee hold me back. I was off yesterday so I cleaned up my garden and planted broccoli , sprayed roundup along driveway and I cut out a quilt this weekend and made a quilt top. I do stand beside the exercise bike and I can make it all the way around. I am not able to sit on the bike and do it yet. So I am just doing everyday activities at this point. I have no pain walking at this point.

 

[funkymuse]

@hempsteadjb - I am going to tag you in a post I made to jakeleg regarding what I do at work to help with the swelling, stiffness and burning. Maybe you can use my idea!

But I HATE THE STIFFNESS that ensues when I walk too much around the house or try to stand in the kitchen and do things! ARGGH!! But I guess it's part of this recovery. I wear stockings all day everyday and I can't imagine what it would be like without them - well actually know! It's not pleasant.. but the stockings sadly don't take away all the swelling. I can walk without pain as well unless I walk too much and then the stiffness comes. I'm only doing slow and easy half bends on the bike.. I really like it.. I feel it loosens up my knee somehow.

I'll go and tag you in that post.

 

[hempsteadjb]

@funkymuse
I also get the stiffness, which I hate and it feels like I have a 10lb. weight strapped around my knee! After a while I walk like Chester on Gunsmoke! That is when I come in and elevate and ice again. I was not told about stockings...do these go over the knee?

 

[AnnieC]

@SusieShoes..I really had a unrealistic idea of recovery! I went back to work 3 days a week at week 3, I'm a one person office.. I will never do that again! I was still using my walker and in a lot of pain. I think most of us have a unrealistic idea of how long it takes. I still have the left knee to have replaced but I will probably wait until next Septemberthat will give my right knee a full year to recover.

Ah, you see! If it was me, I just know I’d never go back for the 2nd knee. So I had mine both done at the same time. Sure its double the pain but once its done its DONE. Appreciate its not an option for everyone.


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[AnnieC]

I had my surgery at 7:45 am, was in recovery from 9:30am-4:30pm.

No CLEAN rooms!
I asked for ice for my knees in recovery, they said no, it's not on the chart!
I get to my room, I asked for ice because I had cotton mouth. Took 45 minutes to get ice.
Doctor came at 8:15 pm, cuffs on my lower legs had not been plugged in, IV not connected and no ice on my knees. He went and found my nurse, he was not happy.
Then the nausea set in, threw up until 2am...
I finally got PT yesterday and got to go home!

I used this hospital because it's in our network...the next knee I will go to another facility...out of network will cost me 40% but maybe they will discount if I pay cash...I am now home alone until tonight but doing better than in the hospital. At least I can take my meds on time. Sorry for the rant!

That is totally unacceptable treatment from the hospital staff. I’d name and shame them!


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