TKR Staying Positive

[Oldped]

Thanks for your post @Focuspositively . I think one advantage you have is knowing you don’t have adhesions du to your surgeon being able to get good flexion during your operation. I feel like I have a cement block in my knee when I try to fully flex. But I’m lucky my knee is not really painful. I’m just going to keep going, there are some other options down the road ( lysis of adhesions, thinner spacer), and like you focus on the positive! I think you’re brave to do the other knee so soon! My other kne is bothering after my RTKR , but I’m not in hurry to fix it

 

[sistersinhim]

My other kne is bothering after my RTKR , but I’m not in hurry to fix it

Most of us have found that our old knee will start to get more painful after the TKR. Using the old one almost exclusively puts so much pressure on it that it tends to 'act up' and rebel. Once the new knee takes on more of your weight, the old one will probably improve.

 

[benne68]

Once the new knee takes on more of your weight, the old one will probably improve.

This happened to me. I was surprised by how much better leftie started to feel once righty had some time to recover and could do its share. In fact, it improved so much that I was able to put off my left knee replacement for more than two years, @Oldped.

 

[sistersinhim]

When I broke my right foot/ankle within a year of my TKR, I was totally non-weight bearing. My new and old knees through fits! My new knee, (right side) wanted to be used, and my old knee was being overused.

 

[Oldped]

Has anyone used a walking pad for recovery? I walked up and down my driveway today- strangely warm for Wisconsin in winter(41 degrees) so no snow on driveway. It’s a little downhill to start so not the greatest if snowy/ icy.

 

[EalingGran]

decided against a MUA. I think a lot of my flexion difficulty is soft tissue ( could only bend 90 degrees preop. I also have mild osteoporosis. I think the risks are not worth he benefits.

I think this is probably a wise decision. A lot of people here have gradually gained flexion over many months. If your bend was limited before surgery it is bound to take a while for muscles/ tendons to adjust.

 

[benne68]

Has anyone used a walking pad for recovery

I asked my PT about getting one of these for home use and he recommended against it because it increases the risk of falling -- which is the last thing you want to happen when you are recovering from a knee replacement.

My left TKR was last December and we live in New England (not quite as cold as Wisconson, but still not exactly outdoor weather in the winter months!). so I opted to go to the mall several times of week to walk indoors. It turned out to be a great option. There were benches and chairs along the route so I could sit and rest if I needed to.

Do you have a shopping mall near you that could be an option?

 

[Jockette]

Do you have a shopping mall near you that could be an option?

This is a good idea, especially since there are benches along the way.

When my husband’s health was beginning to decline, we went to our local Target. No benches, but we weren’t there long. It was close to us, and fairly quiet, and has a nice wide aisle that goes around the store. It was a good fit for him, and the shopping cart was a great incognito walker.

So, any place will do, if it has room for a nice walk.

 

[Oldped]

Thanks for the suggestions- but I live in a town of 3000, very rural . Nearest mall is an hour and a half away. I might go to our Walmart or farm supply store. There’s a high school about 15 minutes away that used to let people walk in the halls after school, I’ll see if they still do . I was thinking of repurposing my walker-slide the pad in between the legs for support. Otherwise wear a path inside my house, maybe try a treadmill at the gym ( they make me a little nervous). I’ve always gotten my exercise by doing things outdoors, even in the winter, hauling wood, gardening, shoveling snow, yard work, walking dogs.

 

[mendogal]

Thanks for the suggestions- but I live in a town of 3000, very rural . Nearest mall is an hour and a half away. I might go to our Walmart or farm supply store. There’s a high school about 15 minutes away that used to let people walk in the halls after school, I’ll see if they still do . I was thinking of repurposing my walker-slide the pad in between the legs for support. Otherwise wear a path inside my house, maybe try a treadmill at the gym ( they make me a little nervous). I’ve always gotten my exercise by doing things outdoors, even in the winter, hauling wood, gardening, shoveling snow, yard work, walking dogs.

Yep!
No malls in our town but I made do in the winter weather of my first TKR with walking repeated loops in my house (a one story ranch with a loooong hallway) and occasionally MDH would drive us to one of the the two biggest stores in town with wide aisles - a local home improvement/farm supply store we shop at regularly and a Home Depot we normally don't shop at. Always something interesting to pause and look at in those stores too!

 

[Layla]

Hi Oldped,
If stores aren't an option and your home isn't laid out in a way that makes it easy to walk loops around the house, a treadmill isn't a bad option since you can walk at your own pace, on a flat incline, at slow speed, gradually increasing as you grow stronger.

Are there any local gyms or community centers that have an indoor track, or walking area?
Or if there's a pool nearby you may enjoy water walking. Less strain on your joints, but still providing resistance.

Another option you may be able to rent for a time, if not interested in purchasing, is a pedal exerciser you use (pedal) while sitting in a chair. It's a great alternative for walking when outdoor conditions are poor. My 87 yr old mom just got one for Christmas and she loves it. Gentle on your knees, promotes circulation and improves ROM without too much strain. They are small, portable and you can adjust the resistance. Something for you to consider?
I hope you have a great week and a Happy New Year!
@Oldped

 

[Elf1]

@Oldped the pedal exerciser might be something worth looking into. My surgeon has put me in for one thats probably a bit more than what you would want at this point but thinking its a good concept. I sent a link to my brother who had his knee replaced earlier this year and he said he had something similar that he used till he could get out to the gym.

 

[Oldped]

Already using a peddler, about 5 min 3 times a day, seems to help a little. We do have a local fitness center so could try the treadmill there. I’ve walked outside a bit last several days. We’ve had very strange winter weather here, no snow, temps in 30’s, very gloomy and damp. I honk getting outside is so good for my mental health. Im doing an online PT to help bending, 10
Min 3x a day, peddle with heat on quad for 5 min 1st. Very gentle bending, I walk much better after I’m done

 

[Oldped]

Need some techie help-is there a way to start up again in the middle of a long thread? I was reading one, had to stop in the middle, don’t want to start all over.

 

[mendogal]

What I do:
Look at the page numbers for the thread - on the far left, under thread title and just before the posts themselves start.

You can guesstimate how far you were along, checking every few pages.
@Oldped

 

[Oldped]

Had F/u with my OS, still have poor flexion (maybe 70?) I walk like Frankenstein, am still pretty tired. I do stuff around the house, walk to the end of the (long) driveway. I’m doing 15 min of gentle bending 3x a day, including 5 min peddling at 0 resistance. I ice and elevate 3-4 times a day about 45 min, use ice machine most of night, sleep ok. I don’t have a lot of pain, have quit taking Tylenol because it was bothering my stomach. I have mild swelling, doesn’t seem to go down. OS suggested maybe replace spacer with smaller one later on? I'm about 11 weeks postoperative, preop ROM only 90. I'm discouraged and depressed, also cabin fever (Wisconsin in winter!) I'm thinking of getting a 2nd opinion, need names of OS at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota or in Minneapolis/ St Paul. They’re 3-4 hrs away for me. I appreciate any information, thanks.

 

[Jockette]

I’m doing 15 min of gentle bending 3x a day,

Even though this is gentle, 15 minutes at a time, and 3 times a day, appears to be too much for you, since it’s not producing the results you want. Just a few bends at a time, throughout the day, is plenty. Your new joint, at this stage, just needs some mobility.

5 min peddling at 0 resistance

This is good, but could even be less than 5 minutes.

Maybe choose one or the other and try doing these on different days, not both the same day.

preop ROM only 90

Your body is used to this 90 and it will take a while to get more, but it must be done gently and patiently.

Im thinking of getting 2nd opinion, need names of OS at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota or in Minneapolis/ St Paul. They’re 3-4 hrs away for me.

You can try to get a second opinion, but many surgeons don’t want to see someone else’s patient so early in recovery because many early issues do resolve on their own, if given time.

I know 2 months seems like a long time but really, it’s very early in a recovery that does take an average of a year. Trust your body’s healing time frame and try to relax. I like the way @mendogal says, “the tincture of time” works wonders.

 

[Oldped]

Some misunderstanding-I am 11 weeks out, my flexion is 70 degrees, (preop was 90) I had 80-85 digress at 4 weeks and lost flexion. It feels like I have a cement block in my knee. Has anyone tried a foam wedge in car? Because of my limited bend plus being short(5 ft) it’s uncomfortable to drive/ ride in car,also causes outside edge of foot to be tingly.

 

[Jamie]

Here are some possible surgeons for you to check out. As Jockette mentioned, you may find it a little difficult to get a second opinion this early in your recovery, though. Most surgeons prefer that patients be close to a year out from surgery. But, it’s always worth a try.

If you feel a hard stop when you try to bend your knee, it is possible that the spacer is not correct or you have developed some adhesions that are impacting your flexion. Any surgeon you see should be experienced in dealing with either of these issues. A good thing to look for in their biographies is that they are revision surgeons and/or do Adult Joint Reconstruction.

Rochester, Minnesota

Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota revision surgeons

Dr. Matthew P. Abdel (also works with infections)

Dr. Daniel Berry (hip and knee revisions)

Faculty at 2018 International Congress for Joint Reconstruction (ICJR) meeting on problem case diagnosis - hips and knees

Dr. Tad Mabry - main presenter
Dr. Kevin L. Perry
Dr. Rafael J. Sierra
Dr. Michael J. Taunton
Dr. David G. Lewallen


Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota

Hip and knee revision specialists (in addition to primary joint replacement):

Paul R. Diekmann, MD

Dr. Kristoffer Breien, MD

Dr. Scott B. Marsten, MD

Dr. Joseph P. Nessler, MD

 

[Jamie]

@Oldped …. Any mention of trying a Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA) by your current surgeon?