PKR Pain and redness on top of knee cap 5 weeks post PKR

aperture

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Trying to post--surgery on January 27th. Lots to contribute! Not sure if this is correct?
 
Hello @aperture - and :welome:

Yes, you're posting in the right place.

Please will you tell us the full date of your knee replacement and which knee it is, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.:flwrysmile:

Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and how you're getting on?
 
Welcome, I also am a PKR survivor..1/21...look forward to your story
 
@aperture - I've shortened your thread title, because it was the same as you said in your first post.
 
So, how is it going for you? What have you learned? How can we help?
 
Hi @aperture

How are you getting on?
Which knee did you have replaced, and was the partial replacement a medial, lateral, or patellofemoral? It does help if those details are in your signature.

Here are the recovery guidelines we give to everyone with a new knee:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. Try to follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
More info; I had a medial partial left knee replacement on January 27th. Had been hoping to qualify for the partial and I do feel fortunate (or will when I feel better down the road).

I chose my doctor because he specializes in partials and has done many of them. He thought I might need a full, since there may have been damage to my patella, but I awoke from the surgery to the good news of the partial.

I think the immediate recovery is similar to a full replacement. I am 70 and very active--hiking and walking and being outdoors is a big part of my life.

The first two weeks after surgery were painful, but not unexpected from what I had read. I have a list of exercises and a visit twice weekly from an in-home therapist, whom I really like and hope to have for another two weeks, and then I will go for just a short time to outpatient.

I am a big believer in rehab, but at a pace that doesn't jeopardize my healing. I think the last few days I have done way too much walking and bending the knee, and seem to have hit a plateau and setback, so I am mostly a sad-faced couch potato the past few days.

Still take the occasional oxycodone 5mg at bedtime, and when I get up, and usually another during the day. I have had other surgeries where I was able to recover using little or no narcotics, but now I am a strong believer in combating this particular surgery with pain prescriptions when they are needed.

RIght now I feel mostly just frustrated with this long haul of recovery. It's so affirming to read of others going down this same journey.
 
I'm glad you're pleased with your PKR, @aperture . I hope it serves you well for a long time.

In spite of the advertising and the endorsements of PKR enthusiasts, there is very little difference in performance between a PKR and a TKR. The recovery times are similar - a full year for complete recovery - and a TKR can feel just as natural as a PKR.

I've had both and I can do just as much with my TKR as I could with my PKR.
My PKR lasted for 11 years before it had to be revised to a TKR. I have a TKR in the other knee as well and they both feel so much a part of me that I often forget they are artificial.

I like your attitude towards rehab - at a pace that doesn't jeopardise healing - that is ideal.
 
Finally...sleeping better. I think because I can now sleep on my side and stomach. One tip I have is that I have slept from week one with five pillows; one pushed next to my left surgery side so I don’t roll that way, one long pillow that can either bunch up under my knee a bit when on my back or when I turn on my side that I can maneuver between my knees to turn on my right side, one more upper right about from waist up to help in side sleep, and one under my head. I know it sounds a bit overdone but it has helped a lot. Last night for the first time I was able to sleep tummy down, as I positioned the pillow to support the surgery knee. Using more pillows at night may help my buddies on Bonesmart, hence this long post!
 
Wow, great news! I still struggle big time for a good sleep..never comfortable , yet...6 weeks post op on 3/3....congrats!
 
Also I forgot to ask — I am trying to stay on my feet and am doing a bit of walking on the treadmill but so much of the day my legs just feel much more “tired” than they used to be. By now I would think they would have regained more of the pre surgery strength— I was walking three miles a day and they were pretty strong.
 
@aperture you will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.
 
Also I forgot to ask — I am trying to stay on my feet and am doing a bit of walking on the treadmill but so much of the day my legs just feel much more “tired” than they used to be. By now I would think they would have regained more of the pre surgery strength— I was walking three miles a day and they were pretty strong.
@aperture - you asked the above question on Qdogpa's thread. You do need to ask questions about your own recovery in this thread, your recovery thread. Asking in other people's threads can lead to the thread going off course, as people respond to you.

It's only just over a month since you had your PKR and complete recovery is going to take a full year, although you'll be able to do most things long before that.

But expecting your leg to have recovered more fully by now is just expecting too much.

Even though you had a partial, not a total, recovery seems to take just as long, in spite of advertising to the contrary.

Have another look at these article, which were left for you earlier;
Activity progression for TKRs
Energy drain for TKRs
 
Happy new Partial Knee Replacement!
I have 2 lateral partials and have been pleased so far. Good luck!
 
I have been attempting two miles on the treadmill every other day--still too snowy outside to walk safely. I am 5 weeks out from PKR. Along with some pt stretches and now some short outings, that has been working out fine .However, yesterday I met a friend for lunch, drove to two stores to do some shopping- home late afternoon and I was so tired I could barely get up off the couch till bedtime. Not overtly sore in the knee, just total exhaustion. It took me by surprise since I have been up and around the house doing things for weeks now. And today and I am still pretty stiff and tired. Anyone feel really exhausted after a few hours of "normal" activities?
 
I went to my doc on Tuesday; five weeks post op. The xray of my knee looked really good--the implant sitting properly in place with a nice wide space under. The before and after shots are below; the poor bone on bone (photo on left) was really bad. I am so glad I had this done. I am still having a lot of stiffness but got the ok to drive and that was wonderful. I don't feel as fragile or depressed, and am coming to terms (sometimes) with how long this recovery is. But when I look back a few weeks I do see how much improvement happens even though you don't feel it at the time. Walking well without a cane. I found that when I am shopping in a store I cause way more damage whacking people by mistake with my cane than I do safely toddling along clutching the shopping cart for support :)

IMG_4849.jpg
 
Hi again, @aperture .
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread - don't keep starting new threads.
If you would like a new thread title just post what you would like it to be and we'll change it for you

You're doing well and your knee X-Ray looks great.

Do beware of doing too much, too soon, though. It's still rather early in recovery to be doing the shopping.
Check your recommended activity level for 5 weeks in this article:
Activity progression for TKRs

A PKR is major surgery and it does take a long time to recover fully.
 
@aperture Well done, sounds like you are doing really well. Love the photos, I have had pkr, currently 6 weeks and hope mine is looking that good. Still trying to get the bend when walking, but my PT has spent time with me today and hopefully it will happen. Are you comfortable in bed, not easy is it. So pleased you can get around without your stick, take care x
 
I agree it’s hard when you were really active before. We have a trip planned to hike in Utah first week of May and I have a feeling we will have to opt for the flat trails, unfortunately. And I do feel that people don’t understand the length of time and the discomfort of this procedure. When they ask hubby how I am and he says I am doing well, it seems they think I am all better and running around again. Thank goodness for this forum!
 

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