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TKR Starting recovery

Lovebugs said:
My back is hurting in its usual(several years) area on the lower left.
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I had back pain flare-up after each of my surgeries. My physical therapist explained that it would eventually resolve once my body adjusted to its new, corrected alignment. He also gave me a couple of exercises that really helped. It took several months, but things did improve. Since I've had back issues much of my adult life, I continue to do the exercises and haven't had a flare-up since last September,

Hope you can find a good PT who takes a "whole body" approach, rather than just treating the knee.

Keep us posted.
 
Hang in there, Lovebugs. Recovery can feel slower than expected at times. You probably remember this from your first TKR. You're still early into the healing process so there's a lot of good to look forward to. I'm sorry you have the added stress of a sore back. Hopefully that discomfort eases with more time also.
Good luck with your PT search. May you find the perfect match :fingersx: and have a great week!
@Lovebugs
 
Hello all!
I had my first session with my new PT today- I liked him! He definitely looks at all the body parts and how they work together.
AND my flexion is at 120!! Extension still needs a bit of work, but only 5° off.
He likes the way I’m walking and moving and my strength is good too.
As a reminder, I just passed the seven week mark. Still some discomfort from the quad tendon, but it is steadily getting better., allowing for good days and bad days. I am now at the point where if I forget about “up with the good, down with the bad” on a not very steep step, I don’t cry out in pain, so that’s a step in the right direction, pun intended. :happydance: Love to all!
 
Hi Lovebugs,
Thanks for stopping by with the great news! It certainly helps to land a PT you like and feel is a good match.
You're doing great! Please keep us posted on your progress and enjoy the weekend! :SUNsmile:
@Lovebugs
 
Happy Two Month Anniversary, Lovebugs!
May each week bring less pain and more strength and ease of movement.
I hope you have a wonderful Sunday! :SUNsmile:
@Lovebugs
 
An update at almost 3 months-
All has been going well, however, I’ve developed some increased swelling this past week in the knee in general , and there’s a noticeable spot of swelling on the kneecap and just above the kneecap. Oddly, my incision is not straight down the middle, it’s a little to the inside and all the swelling is on the outside of the incision. I keep watching for signs of infection, but there’s nothing noticeable. It’s not any warmer than it was, it’s not red. But it just seems such an odd place to have a swelling. Has anybody else had something like this? I’m really nervous about it just because I can see it. I’ve tried to take pictures, but it’s not large enough that you can even tell really. Because otherwise I would send a picture to my surgeon.
I keep telling myself this is just another bump on the road and it doesn’t mean anything.
 
I’m sorry to read this, and I know how unsettling these unexpected occurrences can be. Does ice and elevation make a difference? Is it painful?
The likelihood is as you say a bump in the road, however if it’s not responding to ice and elevation, or is becoming more painful, and still there next week maybe query it your GP or team.
 
I haven’t been consistent enough with ice and elevation to judge if helpful. (Thanks for the reminder!)
Sounds like good advice overall. Thanks!
:fingersx::umm:
 
It also just might be that your overdoing it a bit and the knee isn't happy about it. If possible try to elevate and ice for the weekend, and just take it easy. See if that makes any difference at all. Chances are if you do call your surgeon, that will be the first recommendation and you can report that you've already done that step.

More than likely, its just another bump in the long journey of healing. Something to keep an eye on, but nothing to totally worry about.
 
Hi Lovebugs,
How about taking a photo of both knees in the same position, from the front, then the side and see if there's noticeable enough difference to forward the pics to your OS's office. Is there a measurable difference, as in using a tape measure to measure the same area on both legs? If so, you could include that information also.
Hopefully the swelling is from overactivity and some rest, elevation and ice will help it ease soon.
Best wishes!
@Lovebugs
 
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
Hopefully if you've been icing / elevating you're noticing a little difference in the swelling. :fingersx:
Please keep us posted, we do care.
@Lovebugs
 
Another month has passed, and we hope you're doing well, Lovebugs.
Please consider leaving an update next time you're on the forum. We're here for encouragement if you're ever in need. We do care and we'd love to know how you're doing. Hope to hear from you soon.
Happy Four Month Anniversary!
@Lovebugs
 
Hello and here I am, finally updating! I guess I was waiting till I had better news, but that didn’t happen so here I am anyway. You may remember that I had some swelling that was new at the beginning of July. I finally did go to see the physicians assistant to my surgeon on 14 August because nothing was really changing, and it was becoming uncomfortable. I don’t really want to call it painful, but I sure can feel it when I stand up from sitting. They took x-rays and she examined the knee thoroughly and also ran blood work to look for signs of infection. All negative. She said no sign of hardware issues. Of course, an x-ray can only show so much but she advised just to keep watching it and when I admitted that I had slacked off quite a bit on exercising to be cautious, she said I could probably do more than I have been, but not a sudden increase.
I definitely need to do more than I have been as far as exercising because I can tell I have lost some strength. I have several days off this week and plan on drawing up a chart with very modest goals for exercising so that I’ll actually do them. :heehee:And I will see how that goes. And after our brief heat wave this week, I will start walking, a little bit at a time.
I’ve taken Aleve for several days in a row, iced, elevated, to no change. Also wearing a knee sleeve or wrapping off and on. It’s just so discouraging because I feel as though there has to be some reason for this swelling and I don’t know what it’s gonna take to find out what that is, or if it’s just going to finally fade away. I know that happens with a lot of people.
I’m just sad because I was doing and feeling better at the end of June then I am now. Grrr.
However, I know from reading others’ journeys that it could be a whole lot worse.
Lovebugs :sad:
 
You are still in the first half of your yearlong recovery. What you are experiencing is normal for someone at less than 6 months out. Please give yourself some peace about it, and just let your knee be itself!
 
Lovebugs said:
have several days off this week and plan on drawing up a chart with very modest goals for exercising so that I’ll actually do them. :heehee:And I will see how that goes. And after our brief heat wave this week, I will start walking, a little bit at a time
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That sounds like a good plan. A chart with gentle goals and gradually increasing walking. I found walking the best exercise exercise after my PKR.
 
Lovebugs said:
Hello and here I am, finally updating! I guess I was waiting till I had better news, but that didn’t happen so here I am anyway.
Click to expand...
Hi Lovebugs,
You don't have to wait until all is well to update here. The encouragement you may find here while still healing might help you get through the more difficult days of recovery. Thankfully you were checked and received good news in regard to your x-rays and there is no sign of infection. I'm sorry you're feeling sad about the recent swelling, but it can happen at this point in recovery...which isn't linear. My OS once mentioned swelling can last up to a year after joint replacement. So you're not at the finish line yet. Take comfort in that and go with your plan. Hopefully the swelling will slowly ease for you.

Thanks for stopping by! Please stay in touch and let us know how you're doing. :)
 
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