TKR Slow and Steady Recovery

[AnnieC]

My surgeon put this awesome bandage on me that I don't even touch at all and I shower as normal. He will take it off at my 2 week follow up. Not sure what kind it is though.

Sorry about your hospital experience. Unfortunately, it only takes one bad apple (in your case a nurse) to make the whole experience bad even if the hospital and everyone else in it is truly is a wonderful facility. I just had my surgery this past Monday and I had a wonderful experience overall although one nurse tried to sabotage the whole thing over failing to make sure I had any kind of food or snack for the entire day after my surgery and I was in a regular room by 11:00 am. To be honest she really didn't even check on me much and when another nurse offered to help her get me settled in the room initially she even declined.



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That is an industrial strength dressing if ever I saw one! Could you not report the nurse for not doing her job?


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[AnnieC]

It's been 2 weeks today since surgery. I'm only able to bend at 45 degrees. PT is not happy with me and I'm really thinking of cancelling tomorrow...I've been in pain all day from having PT yesterday...please tell me it will get to at least 90 degrees Soon. It's still hot to the touch and swelling. I'm elevating and icing constantly. I was hoping to be farther along than I am. Is anyone else where I am today in their recovery?

If it hurts don’t do it!


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[AnnieC]

@kneeper
Thank you! It's hard not to be discouraged when you have people telling you they were driving after 1 week...I'm really trying to get it to bend a little more everyday by massaging and working the knee with my hands. I have been using a cane in the house today but if I go outside its definitely with my walker. I'm elevating and icing constantly.

Pay no attention to other people. These are YOUR knees and they’re special


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[funkymuse]

@hempsteadjb - I was told about these support stockings by @skigirl. Yes they go over the knee! It's really good support. You can get them at Discount Stockings. Just google it! There are many to choose from so you want to get the right compression and choose whether you want toeless or toes. The people there can help you choose.. you just email them and they get right back to you! I definitely needed their assistance and got the right ones for me and my size, etc.

Also yes, the LOG LEG happens when I have been up on my leg too much... but with rest and icing it subsides but usually takes and afternoon and a full night of rest.

 

[hempsteadjb]

I just ordered some from discount surgical stockings...I never got to speak to a person...was on hold forever so I did the live chat. Hope I got the right thing!!! Thanks for telling me the website.

 

[Jazzabelle]

I use my ice machine all the time, day and night, whenever I am in bed. The frozen water bottles work really well as long as you don't accidentally get them too tall. My first batch were. I have a pouch on my walker that is big enough to carry the bottles back and forth to and from the freezer. Otherwise, I never move the ice machine from beside the bed. Hubby moves it into the living room for me.

 

[sistersinhim]

I have that rolling walker with a pouch under the seat, too. That thing came in so handy! I even carried the ice machine on it to the places I needed it to go!

 

[funkymuse]

I just ordered some from discount surgical stockings...I never got to speak to a person...was on hold forever so I did the live chat. Hope I got the right thing!!! Thanks for telling me the website.

yes.. i never use the phone if they have a Chat button! Chat works so well with many companies... glad you got it figured out! I hope they helped you figure it out as far as the 'right thing?'

 

[skigirl]

If in doubt, I always went with gentle compression rather than too much.

 

[jakeleg]

@funkymuse I didn't get instructions. I just tried various rocking positions that helped me feel the stretch. Maybe I like it because it's fun and I'm in control. Slow rocking a few times a day for a few minutes. My knee is still very tight and swells and gets dark very quickly. I'm hoping to ease my way to more ROM and avoid fatigue. I've learned about overdoing on the day after I stay out too long. I'm for anything that will get me more gentle stretching.

 

[skigirl]

There is nothing more frustrating that a slow recovery. feeling like you have done everything right and still do not have the result that you want is really hard. Reading that others are doing better is just adding to your frustration.

Basically, your knee needs rest and almost nothing else until your rom improves---which is , I know a frustrating answer!! But, a PT who hurt your knee has undone some of the work that you have done with your icing and elevating. right now, you will have to work past the damage that pushing and shoving do to the soft tissues of your knee.

So, 80% of the day in bed or on the couch. Leg elevated and iced. This is a good time to watch all of Downton Abbey or the videos of Jane Austen. You will have to let go of expectations and simply deal with what your knee needs now. I would not allow anything at PT except gentle massage to help with the healing of your knee. Demand what you want---you are paying the bill and you will have to accept the consequences of any rough bending right now.

I thought of the PT as a part of my team---not as an expert who decided what to do next. At best, he/she can only suggest and must ask your permission before making any moves on that knee.

 

[hempsteadjb]

@Celle, @sistersinhim, @SusieShoes
Had a visit to my OS on Monday, I have until the end of the week to decide about a MUA...I'm almost to 90 degrees. He stated my Window of Opportunity is about up for a MUA. I asked him what the most in degrees would I gain and he stated most TKR only get about 107 degrees. Also, I told him I had joined a gym and was working hard to get my ROM, he stated the harder you work the less ROM you get! I asked him to repeat what he had just said and he did...Has anyone ever heard this before? I'm leaning toward no MUA at this point to only gain 17 degrees which I might get on my on anyway. Any thoughts?

 

[funkymuse]

Man I'm interested to read the responses to these issues.. very interesting!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

I totally agree with you, @hempsteadjb! And there is no window of opportunity! Here's just an example of what can and does happen:

One of our members, Bertschb, kept a record of his ROM process. He agreed for us to post it for those of you that are afraid you're stuck. The key is to have patience! Bertschb says:

I'm 12 months out from my surgery and have some advice based on my experience:
1- Stop going to PT (all it will do is make your knee swell and reduce ROM)
2- Don't worry about your ROM
3- Be patient - VERY patient!!!

Here is my ROM history (more or less):
1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees

I spent waaaaay too much time worrying about ROM. I thought I'd be riding my bike a couple months after surgery but it took SIX months! Looking back on my surgery, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted my time with PT and I wouldn't have worried about ROM.

 

[sistersinhim]

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/myth-busting-window-of-opportunity-in-tkr.6895/
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/myth-busting-window-of-opportunity-in-tkr.6895/

This is our article on that so-called window of opportunity!

 

[hempsteadjb]

@sistersinhim, thank you! I keep this in my pocket at all times!
1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees

 

[sistersinhim]

You are certainly welcome. I hope this helps with your decision. This is a slow going recovery!

 

[KarriB]

I can tell you that what your OS said is true, the harder you work on ROM the less you get. That is pretty much the BS philosophy because the harder you work a new knee the more swelling you get which equals less ROM.

My leg was in an immbolizer for 4 weeks, which meant no bending for 4 weeks. When I was finally allowed to bend my OS said only non-aggressive bending. He explained that all I was to do was easy heel slides (nothing used to push or pull) and walking with a bent knee. I was released from PT (non-aggressive) with a ROM of 109, but eventually I was able to get a full bend. I did it without any major exercising, just living my daily life and riding my bike at 0 resistance. It took quite a while (a year or longer) but I walk a few miles a day and ride 10 miles a day on my exercise bike now.