Revision TKR Sondrals’ Revision

[Sara61]

I feel a little bit like I’m bragging but I’m really just excited

All that you have gone through you deserve to brag a little - it great to read your positive report - here's hoping you go from strength to strenght x

 

[sondrals]

Got my staples out today and saw my surgeon. We’re both pretty happy with where I’m at. Got the ok to ditch the straight leg brace and start weaning off my walker as soon as I’m ready. I think my biggest challenge now is going to be mental. I’ve got to believe I can trust it now.

Other knee is still protesting a bit, especially at the end of the day. But I figure once I even out my walking that will as well

 

[Sara61]

That is good news Sondra keep telling your self daily it's ok and be positive and you'll see it will help you mentally and soon you will take both your knees for granted - go girl Stay safe xx

 

[Macknit]

@sondrals I missed your big event! My life has been a tad crazy and I haven't even visited for awhile! I'm so pleased to hear how well you're doing!! It sounds like you had quite an eventful time at the hospital with your fellow patients Luckily you returned home quickly and seem to be acing it!!

Congratulations! Keep up the positive attitude!

 

[marieltha]

@sondrals
Congratulations on your progress!
Like @Macknit I have been here only sporadically. Sorry your hospital stay was a bit raucous—mine was in a private room w no noise—but you did get to practice getting up and walking.
So glad you are doing well.

 

[sondrals]

Mostly uneventful weekend but I’ve transitioned to my cane save for first thing in the mornings. I’ve got one little scab left and have been using the Active Skin Repair on my incision, it’s healing very nicely. I managed to vacuum the house today which was nice to get done. Probably pushing things a little bit much but I back off if things are painful. Had -5/106 at PT on Friday. Probably won’t go much after this week. Still have a bit of a hip lifting limp if I try to go without my cane. I went to a friends birthday party (very small) for about an hour last night and did ok, their yard is a bit uneven and they have an unruly puppy so I was extremely careful. After about an hour I was more than ready to head home. I’m going back to work part time tomorrow. Figured short week & part time should be ok. Friday is my birthday so I may take that off if my boss doesn’t mind. I still get frustrated and my right still hurts but I’m trying to be patient and let them sort themselves out. I’ve asked a lot of Righty lately so trying to give it a break and not worry that it still hurts

 

[Sara61]

What a great update, sounds like you have got this nailed, certainty you have had the trials & errors- go girl you rock !!

 

[sondrals]

Feeling a little stuck. Feel like I’m walking this balancing act between doing enough to not be stiff and sore and not doing too much and ending up in pain. Still using my cane, feel like I should be further along by now but mentally I realize it’s only been a month. Still sore in both knees and I feel like I’m not seeing much progress. Guess I just needed to vent. Please tell me this gets better?

 

[sistersinhim]

It most definitely gets better. Six weeks seemed to be a turning point for me. It's good that you're still using your cane. Once you start leaving it somewhere and forgetting it is a sign that you can start weaning off of it.

 

[sondrals]

So I still have a weird limp and it’s bugging the heck out of me. I had my 6 week follow up today and voiced my concerns and my surgeon thinks it’s still muscle weakness on my left side. It’s been over a year since my original injury and when I started walking funny and unable to put much weight on it. So, working on strengthening it. The big problem is I’m not super in love with my pt office, he insists on me trying to walk on the outside of my foot, claiming I will wear out my replacement if I don’t. Asked my surgeon about this and he looked at me like I was nuts. So, what do I do? Find a new pt? Go it alone? I’m very concerned I won’t ever get rid of this limp or be able to get rid of my cane. Apparently I was so knock kneed prior to surgery that I am still a little bit and that’s what the PT is so obsessed about. I’d like to keep going but I’m annoyed at my lack of progress. *sigh*

 

[sondrals]

I should mention my surgeon doesn’t seem too concerned about any of it. He watched me walk both with my cane and without and I have good range of motion -5/125. He’s not pushing me to ditch my cane, I guess I’m anxious to get rid of it and PT is pushing too.

 

[Celle]

Go by how you feel and what your surgeon said. Your PT has an agenda for getting rid of the cane, but her agenda doesn't have to be yours. It's much better to keep using the cane than it is to risk having a fall.

It's only about 6 weeks since you had the revision and some people need a cane for several more months than that.

 

[Jockette]

You’ve had 2 surgeries on that left knee in 9 months. That’s a lot of trauma to it. Even if you’d only had just the one TKR surgery, that procedure can take up to 1.5-2 years to heal. Now you have a second surgery on that same leg to heal from.

From all my reading in the 3+ years I’ve been a member here it seems that some PTs want our recoveries to happen much quicker than is realistic for the individual. Your current PT seems to be in that category.

Maybe you should consider finding a new PT, since your surgeon is not concerned. Your surgeon is probably not concerned because he knows, even better then you, what your knee has been through. I don’t think he’s not concerned because he doesn’t care. He’s looking at what is realistic in your particular case.

I’m sure your recoveries feel like forever, but you still have a lot of healing to do, especially since it hasn’t even been a year since the first TKR, which has had another surgery. Patience is real hard to come by, I was very impatient my whole first year. My partial is 3 years and 3 months old, and I’m still seeing improvements.

 

[allin1]

So I still have a weird limp and it’s bugging the heck out of me. I had my 6 week follow up today and voiced my concerns and my surgeon thinks it’s still muscle weakness on my left side. It’s been over a year since my original injury and when I started walking funny and unable to put much weight on it. So, working on strengthening it. The big problem is I’m not super in love with my pt office, he insists on me trying to walk on the outside of my foot, claiming I will wear out my replacement if I don’t.

I'm far from an expert, but I have extreme flat feet and they were wondering at the PT why I over pronate (walk on the inside of my foot.) Once I told them I had flat feet they stopped talking about it. If that is a problem for you they should be able to get you in an orthotic(shoe insert) that helps prevent the issue. If they can't help, you could try an appointment with a podiatrist and explain your situation, and see what they think.

 

[sondrals]

Thanks for the reassurance! My knee feels stable now, it just feels way weaker than my other knee. Like I can't go up a step with it quite yet, well not a full sized step, I can go up a 4" step, but any larger and I balk at it. I'm sure some of it is years and years of favoring that leg. I was trying to think of the last time I could do stairs with that knee without being worried it would dislocate and the last time I could remember was over 15 years ago. So part of it is probably learned behavior as well.

@allin1 the funny thing is I've never been told I'm flat footed before. I still don't think I stand on the inside of my foot but my PT insists I do. He wants me to basically stand on the very outside of my foot with the rest of my foot in the air, it's super uncomfortable and now my Achilles tendon is inflamed and my ankle almost feels sprained. So I poo-pooed that idea and I'm not doing it anymore. Your idea to see a podiatrist is good though and since my max out of pocket is all paid I don't really have much to lose! Thank you for the suggestion

 

[partialfixFeb]

@sondrals I overpronate as well...my foot rolls inward and I feel like I walk on the inside of my foot. I'm careful to buy shoes designed for overpronation. My hubby asked the OS if "we" need to work on changing my gait and whether my gait would wear out the implant faster. The OS seemed unconcerned and said it is what it is. I spoke with my PT about new orthotics (since the implant changes things and mine are 25 years old) and she said to wait until at least 4 months post-op. You might want to ask the podiatrist about the best timing to get fitted for orthotics if you go that route.

My podiatrist was also very helpful about the right kind of sneakers and has me bring mine to the appointments. I swear by them and notice quickly when I forget to pop them in my sneakers. But everyone is different.

If you aren't happy with your PT office, I'd try to find another. Mine came highly recommended by my yoga teacher who had knee replacement at age 55. When I met with her, I specifically asked her if she could please work with me for every appointment as many PT office's try to get their "helpers"to take over. She has worked with me on outdoor PT and my gait but never suggested that I walk on the outside of my feet. Good luck getting it sorted out.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'd listen to my OS and not that PT. Your gait will improve as your knee heals. Don't force it to do things it doesn't want to do until it's ready to do them.

 

[Sara61]

@sondrals I literally hobbled prior to my surgery - limping was my norm I didn't even noticed I was doing it all, it was basically friends whom would ask why .. fast forward to present and orher than initially concentrating on my stride and walking tall, I now appear to be walking quite normally with no trace of a limp whatsoever. I think once you gain more confidence and learn to trust your new knees you to will eventually discover you are walking normally too

 

[Celle]

I still have a weird limp and it’s bugging the heck out of me.

The big problem is I’m not super in love with my pt office, he insists on me trying to walk on the outside of my foot, claiming I will wear out my replacement if I don’t. Asked my surgeon about this and he looked at me like I was nuts. So, what do I do? Find a new pt? Go it alone? I’m very concerned I won’t ever get rid of this limp or be able to get rid of my cane. Apparently I was so knock kneed prior to surgery that I am still a little bit and that’s what the PT is so obsessed about. I’d like to keep going but I’m annoyed at my lack of progress. *sigh*

Since you still have a limp, you definitely should not be giving up the cane yet. Keep using it until you don't limp. It's just a tool and there are no prizes for giving up the cane early. There could be consequences if you give it up too soon.

I don't like your PT therapist either. He sounds too "pushy" and he's trying to make your knee conform to his set agenda, without making any allowances for the fact that your knee has had two major surgeries in less than a year.

Your surgeon is happy with your progress and you are actually doing well at just 6 weeks post-op. Listen to your surgeon, not your PT, who's complaining that you have a lack of progress, which just isn't true. You're making very good progress.

Quite honestly, I think you'd be better off without that particular PT. He's expecting too much, too soon, from your knee and he's also demoralizing you. If there's another therapist at the clinic who sounds more relaxed, ask to go to them. If there isn't, then either find another clinic, or simply manage on your own. This isn't your first TKR. You know how to progress, and your knee will continue to heal and improve on its own schedule if you just use it in your activities of daily living.

My knee feels stable now, it just feels way weaker than my other knee. Like I can't go up a step with it quite yet, well not a full sized step, I can go up a 4" step, but any larger and I balk at it.

Don't worry about that . It's far too soon to be trying to go up steps normally. Doing stairs foot-over- foot often takes about 4 months to achieve - so 6 weeks is very ambitious.

 

[sondrals]

Just a little update. Yesterday for the first time since last August when I had my original surgery.. I went to Costco. I was kind of nervous because I didn't want to have to bail out halfway through because my knees got sore or tired but also the whole covid thing. But thankfully Costco has been requiring face masks for all shoppers. Anyway, we spent about an hour shopping, I did pretty ok, but when my bf would leave me and say "wait here" I wanted to smack him. Standing in one spot seems way harder than walking around. I noticed just as we were finishing my leg felt a little tired, so I was glad we were done but after a short sit down I managed to repackage our meat, cook dinner and clean up the kitchen after dinner. A little sore this morning but nothing too terrible. I feel like I'm finally making some progress, still using the cane, but able to put more weight on my left leg now and my leg feels more normal and not like some alien being that I can't control lol