MUA Stiffness - hard to do exercises

[LINYKnee]

Update :
Hello Everyone,
Second session with my third therapist. As I said the other day he is wondering and gets it.
we had a great session today and have seeing progress as we go. Not by pushing to achieve pain. But pushing to receive results with pain.
What a breath of fresh air. I hope everyone is lucky to find a therapist like it did. It makes all the difference.
Have a nice evening everyone !

 

[kneeper]

This is so true. A good therapist and listening to your knee makes all the difference.

 

[LINYKnee]

Hello Everyone. Doing therapy and all is going well. I definitely don’t get the same good range at home when doing my exercises as I get at PT.
Very happy with my slow and easy progress.
i am almost three weeks out, how often should I elevate? I still do but don’t know if it’s still should be all the time. Any input is appreciated.
Hope everyone is doing better each day !!
Thank you everyone

 

[Carol Anna]

I'm 6 weeks out and still elevating - i think everyone is different

 

[jaspa]

I'm 8 wks out and elevate on and off while watching tv. A good therapist makes a big difference.

 

[Mrty2019]

I am almost 4 weeks out and still ice and elevate.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

9 weeks out and still elevating while watching tv- if you have any swelling at all continue with Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. Each of us are different so do what feels best for you.

 

[LINYKnee]

Thank you everyone !!

 

[LINYKnee]

Hello again.
May I ask everyone how is there range of motion in regards to bending your knee? As i said earlier , I do much better at therapy.
So very stiff and still very tight here. Around the calf and the knee of course. Thank you

 

[Mrty2019]

I don’t let my occasional session with PT touch my or force my leg. Mainly I am trying to get my gait back. Last week I measured 118 and 4.

My knee feels very tight.

 

[Sks1997]

I am over 3 mon out and still ice and elevate. When I was discharged from PT at 8 wks, my flexion was 118 and extension 0. I don’t know what it is now, I don’t measure but I think it is a bit better.

 

[LINYKnee]

Hello SKS,
Are you having any bending problems otherwise? And do you need any device to walk at all ? How long before you were driving ?
I think I’m just impatient.

 

[Jockette]

I think I’m just impatient.

Yes, you are impatient! You are just a few weeks out of surgery. Don’t worry about your ROM, and don’t let your PT get you worried about it.

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.

 

[LINYKnee]

Hello. No my PT guy is awesome. No problem with him. He does get it.
im just expecting to be further , but I know better now. Takes time. Thanks for the pep talk !!
thank you Jockette!

 

[kate97497]

@LINYKnee I started driving 3 weeks post surgery. Might have been longer if my knee replacement was right leg instead of left. The biggest problem was getting in and out of car. I need seat all the way back and door wide open. Of course no pain meds either. I used cane for stairs but not much else. Takes time.

 

[LINYKnee]

Hello.
Don’t know if im ready for driving the car yet. I thought the same as you do with adjusting seat etc..
LTKR, definitely makes it easier, I would imagine.
Still using walker , leg still weak. Sometimes cane.
one day at a time ….
Thank you Kate

 

[Sks1997]

@LINYKnee I drove at 5-6 wks, mine was my Rt knee. I don’t have trouble bending but I click/pop with bending which I understand is normal and it has decreased some. I do get into pain by end of day and start limping.
I use a cane outside because I am very unsteady on grass or unlevel surfaces. I don’t use anything in my home!
I totally understand being impatient. I want to get back to normal and quit constantly having to think of this “bi-polar” knee!
HAPPY HEALING!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@LINYKnee , I was one of the ”no pain no gain “ people and tried to push through the pain- it’s not a good thing to do as it can cause you to have setbacks. Listen to your knee, if it is painful and swollen you have done too much and need to take it easy. Use your cane/ crutches/walker as long as you feel the need- there is no time limit on their use. Slow and steady is the pace that will help you heal. As far as driving is concerned if you are taking strong painkillers it is not recommended - if you can comfortably get in the car and sitting down isn’t painful then you can drive if you feel like it.

 

[Jockette]

We all think we should be further along than we are. I sure did!

 

[BBCG]

Yes, @LINYKnee, patience is a tough one! Just a marker for me occurred last week when I was out walking with my pup along an ocean bluff hiking trail. I am 7 months out, right TKR, don’t usually use any assistive device (my puppy provides negative assistance!) but encountered a very lumpy, bumpy, gopher-holed stretch of trail that I did successfully navigate … twice! But, we did lots of “heel” training with treats, and we went really slowly, but I made it, with no ill effects! I DID elevate my leg that evening, used my salve/pain gel, although didn’t ice. I’m at 7 MONTHS though. Not 7 weeks! And this knee is happier healing that #1 was by far!