TKR So happy Surgery is behind me!

[Jockette]

Chat messaging is preferred for private information you don’t want public. For just general supporting each other please keep your discussion here on the public forum. What you feel is most likely shared by others, and everything written here helps others.

Happy Posting!

 

[Bridgy]

Oh ok! Good advice.

 

[Bridgy]

@Nanmo1228 congrats for getting off the pain meds. I’m still trying to wean myself off at the same time I’m ramping up home exercise since I’m finally feeling better. The recliner I tried to use as alternate for my bed was very uncomfortable, so I have been staying in bed all night. My partner is starting to sleep through all the noise I make during the night getting up etc… sometimes I just lay there and cry. It’s a long night when you’re not sleeping. I usually fall asleep listening to an audiobook with AirPods but only lasts 2-3 hours. I’m experimenting with taking Benadryl to get a little more sleep but don’t want to start relying on that either.
Let me know what happens at your postop appt! Mine is this Thursday. I got an Oxinium implant with the CORI robotic system by Smith & Nephew. I tested allergic to nickel and could not get my surgeon’s favorite which is the Stryker Mako knee. He says, in his experience, my knee may have an unstable feeling with certain movements. Although others on this forum have said they know people who have done fine with mine.

 

[Jockette]

I’m still trying to wean myself off at the same time I’m ramping up home exercise since I’m finally feeling better.

This is a bad combination and could set you up for a painful setback. In any case, it is not necessary to “ramp up” the exercises, especially at less than 2 weeks post op. Heal first, ramp up later.

Regaining our ROM does not require forceful bending or painful exercises.
Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Bridgy]

Besides this forum every person I know is pushing me to push harder for bend. My sister who was trained as an OT estimates mine to be 25 right now. (Luckily my pt is not doing measurements yet) I was just at a family reunion where everyone said I’m not trying hard enough. Some have had both knees replaced. Really hard to not “listen” to family and try harder despite all the encouragement here to do the opposite and rest. Will just try to balance the opinions of both sides. It will be such a relief if my surgeon is supportive at my postop on Thursday!

 

[Jockette]

Yes, it is confusing to hear conflicting information.

Listen to your body, and let your pain guide you as to how much you do and don’t do.

People are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose. And, you do have a choice.

 

[Jockette]

As one of our staff members likes to say, this recovery is a long journey but if you stick with the BoneSmart approach the journey will be less painful and you will still reach the same final destination. Ultimately you get to choose the path, the tough rocky road through painful PT, or the BoneSmart path through the meadow with the pretty wild flowers.

 

[benne68]

Happy one-month an-knee-versary, @Bridgy! Hope you are doing well.

Give us an update when you have a chance.

 

[Bridgy]

Thanks! I’m doing better every day. Pain is lessening and only using cane if I’m around people. My flexion got a little over 90 today at PT. I am thankful to have a wonderful supportive experience there twice a week. I see my surgeon tmo who wants me at 120. I hope he will give me more time but worried he’ll schedule me for MUA. I know that’s not the BoneSmart approach but will have to decide how to get the best outcome for my life. I want to be active so this has been hard. One bright note is that the vice grip of tightness surrounding my knee is dissipating so maybe flexion will come soon!
Thanks for the a-knee-versary note! Smile!

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope he will give me more time but worried he’ll schedule me for MUA

He doesn't control when and if you get a MUA, you do. He works for you and you are the boss. I think it's way too early to even think about having a mua. You are just a month out. Most surgeons would like 90 degrees at 6 weeks. You are already there and two weeks early! Don't let your doctor force you into doing something that is unnecessary. As you heal and your swelling goes down your bend will naturally improve.

 

[benne68]

see my surgeon tmo who wants me at 120.

120 at one month? That's ridiculous. You still have swelling inside your knee at this stage of recovery and if you knee is swollen it won't bend. (It's like trying to bend a hose full of water....)

If you are at 90 degrees now, you are doing much better than many of our members. Please don't let anyone bully you into an MUA at this early stage of recovery. It's your knee and you are in control. You don't need to please anyone except yourself.

 

[panammaniac]

I’m 9 days post-op. If there’s anything I’ve learned from this journey so far, it’s that you get a lot of unwelcome advice, and you just have to tune it all out. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard “you really have to work the PT hard. It hurts but you have to do it” I’d be able to take the family out for a nice dinner by now.

I still have two at-home PT appointments left before I transition to inpatient PT next week. I’m not even really doing my exercises, and my ROM is improving just fine. I’m getting myself up and around the house. I’m alone all day while my wife is at work and my daughter is at school, so I have to fend for myself during the day, making my own lunch and other such tasks. I’m also doing a little remote work since I own a small business and can’t be completely absent. All of these ADLs I believe are accomplishing more than the prescribed exercises.

As others have advised, you have to do what works for you, and heal in your own timeframe. It sounds like you are right on schedule!

 

[Bridgy]

The surgeon wants to see me again in 2 more weeks. I’ll be at about 6 1/2 weeks from surgery. He says the knee becomes stiffer and more dangerous to manipulate if he waits too long. He said he will ask if I’m happy with my flexion before making the decision. I can tell you that I am very unhappy right now. I don’t walk normally and feel like an invalid. I was so active before. If I’m not bending more in two weeks I will be tempted to undergo the MUA to try to get some semblance of my life back. Has anyone had one? I wonder how bad it will be to recover from? I was used to 125 flexion on my bad knee and have 135 on my good side. The 90 (with lots of effort) that I can get to now is debilitating. So, so sick of all this and never really free from stiffness, achy feeling or downright pain.
Sorry, ranting, just wish I was in a better place.

 

[Jockette]

You are barely a month out of a surgery that caused a lot of trauma, of course you don’t have “good ROM” yet, you need to give yourself time to heal, and so does your doctor. Full healing takes an average of a full year.

 

[benne68]

I will be tempted to undergo the MUA to try to get some semblance of my life back.

Sorry, @Bridgy, but having any MUA isn't going to magically give you your life back. In fact, the procedure will set you back to DAY 1 of your recovery and you will have to start all over again.

MUAs only “speed up” your flexion if you have adhesions -- which are very rare and are different from scar tissue. This article explains the difference between scar tissue and adhesions:
MUA (Manipulation under Anaesthetic) and Adhesions

If there is no adhesion, the MUA really won’t make much difference. Some doctors are too quick to recommend this procedure because they want to get on to the next patient.

Most of the time, the only thing needed to improve your bend is more time for that swelling to go down. As swelling goes down, the bend improves. Time is the best healer.

Please do your homework before you make that decision.

 

[Bridgy]

Thanks for your reply. Continuing to work on flexion and hope I see progress before 10/27 when I see the surgeon.

 

[Bridgy]

Got to 100 flexion yesterday at 5 1/2 weeks. I’m walking a little better. Hoping this progress shows I’ll be able to eventually hit 120 or beyond.
Also sleeping pretty well every night with the help of 2 Tylenol PM’s!
Returned to my baby boomer strength training class (I can sit through whole class as needed and work on upper body but it has really helped me to do some of the standing stretching exercises holding on to the chair)
For the first time I could feel the implant hinge working!

 

[benne68]

Hoping this progress shows I’ll be able to eventually hit 120 or beyond.

You will! I didn't think I'd ever get to 120 -- it took me 14 weeks to get there -- with several set-backs along the way. And, my bend continued to improve slowly over the following months. When I went for my one-year follow-up, it was at 135.

Your flexion will continue to improve. It just takes time. This recovery requires the Tortoise's Approach: slow and steady.
Glad to hear you are walking better and sleeping well!

 

[sistersinhim]

Got to 100 flexion yesterday at 5 1/2 weeks.

You are doing quite well. Most OSs expect 90 at 6 weeks. You are ahead of that game!

 

[Arjay]

Alternative to yoga strap or any other 'assist' to get a log-y leg into bed: just use the hook end of your cane - grab n lift! Works like a charm.