Swelling & ROM

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AlaskanTKR

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OK - I know we each move along at our own rate after a tkr - but I am getting a bit nervous. Since the beginning I have had 0 extention. Yeah for me! But.... PT keeps telling me that I am really swollen and thats what is messing with my flexion. My first measure was 60, second was 65 and then I hit 70. Felt like while the number is low at least there was steady progress. Well... its almost a week later - the staples are out and I still can't get past 70. I cpm every day. Do my exercises, get to PT - ughh. I can tackle any straight leg activity with weights with no problem but... bending the knee is awful. The PTs (there are 2 that work hand in hand) push and work and massage and heat and.... well. they try everything and they cannot get me past that 70 number. It is only 2 1/2 weeks but... When I saw the OS this week he was ok with the 70 but told me he expects 110 by 8/29 when I see him again. Any suggestions about getting rid of this swelling???? I ice any time I am not standing up or out of the house. I cpm daily and do the exercisises and I elevate when I ice. Anyone have any "secrets"????

Thanks for listening - I keep saying to myself this will come, but I am a bit concerned now. She really pushed and it was almost like she literally just couldn't get it to go this pm because of all the swelling.

All else is super - pretty independent - keeping on top of the meds and the OS even has me on Flexiril to help relax all the muscles and I make sure this is fresh onboard when I go to pt.

Thanks and sorry for the whine!
Marianne
 
Hi Marianne... please don't apologize, I love your positive attitude! After my husband's 1st TKR, his leg was really swollen. The PT told him he wouldn't gain complete flexion until his swelling was down. He instructed my husband... when he iced, to make sure his knee was elevated higher than his heart. What he did was 1/2 lie, 1/2 sit up with 3 pillows behind his head and shoulders, then elevated his leg on 2 fairly stuffed pillows, making his knee higher than his heart. He iced several times a day, both under the knee and on top of the knee, for about a week and there was definite improvement.
 
Elevate, elevate, elevate. High as you can. Right up in the air in you can! (not literally!) and ice and time.
 
Marianne, the elevation above the heart really is important as stated above.

I also want you to know that you are not alone in this. I had very little swelling with my most recent knee but the first one last October was a different story. I was like you, my knee was swollen like a balloon for about 4 weeks. Nothing would bring the swelling down and my ROM stayed around 80 until this point. I have a PT that I've known for awhile and she comes across sort of like a mother figure. She would tell me, Now Karen... you JUST HAVE TO LET GO and relax, and she kept telling me this over and over. I don't know if my knee heard her or what but it seemed like once she started telling me to relax over and over that it finally just let go and started to bend and the swelling went down.....It was like my knee had to be told it was okay. Hang in there and keep telling yourself that it's okay to just LET GO....

I wish you the best Marianne...You'll get there. Karen
 
I have continued to sleep in my multi positional recliner. It is a leather Berkline Shiatsu Massage chair. I sleep with my knees higher than my heart. I find I sleep very soundly until about 2:00 AM and I awaken needing 2 Arthritis Strength Tylenol to get me through the rest of the night. I end up going right back to sleep. I use the sleep timer on the TV as the recliner is in the living room. I bought a feather bed (twin size) and made a cover for it the width of the chair out of a queen size flat sheet. It has worked out very well for me! I can slip the feather bed out and wash the sheet as needed. I believe I will continue to sleep in the chair for another 2 weeks or so.... I have not had to deal with much swelling and I believe it is due to sleeping with my knees higher than my heart. I do ice a couple of times during the day, usually right after lunch and again before dinner.
Best,
Crystal
 
Hi Marianne,

I was the queen of swelling. Of course it was a hip, but both legs were unbelievable swollen thigh to toes. I had gained over 20 pounds and did not eat in the hospital more than a few bites the last 2 days.
My home pt said to lay in bed one weekend. Sitting in the chair or even putting it in the lounging position was not good enough.
When I saw my doc, my non operated leg was ok. My operated side foot was still really swollen, he told me to put more weight on that side.
So between the 2 suggestions it finally cleared up.
Although I now have swelling in the muscles and IT band, and nerves in the leg.

Anyway I don't know if this applies to knees as you can get them above your heart in a chair.

Believe it or not in a few weeks it will be a memory only
Judy
 
THANK YOU!!
You all make things seem soooo much better. I am icing all the time (so much that the icemachine in the freezer can't keep up). I thought I was elevating enough, but maybe not. I am cpming as much as possible. I will definitely give elevating more of a go. I am taking the flexeril to help relax the muscles in the knee - I have had some trouble with spasms there. With the hubby home maybe I will spend some additional time just elevating - he can handle all the other stuff. We use heat at PT before they measure. I am staying up with the pain meds and I am almost full weight bearing on the tkr side. I am still using the crutches because of balance issues and for speed ( without the crutches I am slower than a turtle) - but again place almost full weight on that side.

Thanks for all the support and the reminder to elevate!
Sooooo.... after breakfast (the hubby is cooking eggs!) I am off to elevate!

MArianne
 
Hi Marianne:

I also have had swelling issues. My pt has been using electric stim for that and I think it helps. I think I got the most help from acupuncture though. I swear that there was a visible difference before and after the visits. It helps clear the fluid. I highly recommend it.

How did the staple removal go? Was it better or worse than you expected?

Annette
 
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