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PKR TexasTee finally has a new knee!

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@kaw205 you guys were chatting about the wall heel slides a while back. I started doing them and started getting more Rom after being stuck for a week. Those helped I think, thanks for posting.
 
Hey there everyone, nice to see you!

Had my one month meeting with my surgeon today - x-rays look great but he put the stupid steri strips back on a few places he thought looked too gappy - he's the only one not happy with my incision!

He said no to stepping down on pain meds and actually told me not to be afraid to take more if I was in pain (which I have been since Friday). I've been trying to push a bit more on the ROM - not past pain but right up too it, I really have to lean in to get to the 100 so it's not ideal.

He extended my return to work for 2 more weeks so now set to return the end of March. I go back to see him on 3/27 and if my ROM is not 120+ he plans to do an MUA. I know there are conflicting trains of thoughts on MUAs but I do trust him and I, personally, would not be happy with the outcome if the ultimate ROM is not beyond 120 so there you have it.

I do have a month though so there is every reason to expect that it will not come to that. Back to icing, elevating and trying not to pull my own hair out from boredom!
 
Okay, I know you won't like this (because we've been through it already), but I think it bears a little reminder that even 'if' you aren't at 120 by week 8 (which I'm sure you will be so it's a moot point anyway), that doesn't mean that you won't get to 120 and far beyond that in time. I hate to keep pointing out my lame story, but I sure wasn't anywhere near 120 by week 8. I think it was more like week 16 and then it just increased from there (ridiculously slowly, but I'm now well beyond 150). I know you hate hearing this, but you can't 'make' your knee bend. It will in time. Just because you're not where you want to be at week 8, does NOT mean that you won't ever get there. I also know that you do far more than most people at 4 weeks out (although it seems like nothing compared to your 'usual' activity). This is an annoyingly frustrating game of patience, of which neither of us is a fan, I know. Please don't try so hard. Just go about your usual activities, cut out the squats for now and things will come around.

I'm glad you trust your surgeon and I know you'll do what's best for you. I just wanted to remind you of these things. If you and he feel an MUA is order, then so be it. 8 weeks is early for one though. There, I said it. You can now proceed to be annoyed with me. ;-)
 
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Not annoyed - I questioned him on the timeline, also, he said that he felt the best results came from MUAs in the 7-9 week range. He also said that he does NOT feel like I will need one, just that if I happen to, that's when he'll do it.

It's quite some time from now and I do understand that I cannot force my knee to bend...well, I suppose I could but it would do no good. I'll keep up with the cycling/heel slides etc - I'm also going to see if I can go to more than one place for PT - I am only going once per week, I will see what I can do to get into somewhere to do hydrotherapy as well.
 
Morning Teresa. Thought....my recliner cycle has an adjustable seat. If I move it forward a bit the bend in my knees is stronger to get the pedals round.....same deal with an upright bike...lower the seat to make the cycling movement harder (more ROM) on knees. Just do it gently and lower seat when that position is easy.

I know you are a patience queen (not) but you need to wear this crown and hasten slowly. Fingers crossed for you. Maggie x
 
Hi Maggie - thanks! Yes, my bike will be able to be adjusted at some point. Frankly, right now, I can barely keep my foot in contact with the pedal for the full motion so I'll have to progress down that path with more of this mythical patience I keep hearing about! :-) I've no doubt I'll get there just fine.
 
Teresa your scar looks awesome! I guess your OS is fussy to want to cover a few areas again with strips but he is the expert, lol. Glad your appointment went well otherwise and it must be nice to know that you have an extra couple of weeks to heal. I myself am praying I can return to work in 6 weeks as my pay will be cut to 50% after that and being single that is a hard pill to swallow!! I plan on bringing my ice machine with me when I return as well as pillows!
 
I know you must be disappointed, Teresa, but you sound like you're in good hands and the doc is the one to trust. Glad he encouraged you to take more control of your pain. It's really hard to do anything if you're in pain. :(

You've come this far, and youll manage the rest, too. I'm so with you on the boredom, but one day, it'll all be over and you will be doing all the things with your new knee and this time will just be a faint memory.

Is there some crafty thing you might do for the next month? I'm not really a needle arts person, so that didn't work for me, but it's fun to do other things. I went to Hobby Lobby and just wandered around, found some little things to play with, like a kid.
 
I'm glad to see you are doing ok. I wouldn't worry too much about the rom, it will come. I was stuck at 102 on Friday and on Monday after pt I was 107. One of the things I did over the weekend was the wall slides ( I used the headboard and laid in the bed). I scooted as far forward as possible and walked down as far as I could and held it for one minute. I repeated this 7 times. This replicates a machine in pt that stretches you out. The key is to hold the stretch. Another thing I did was sit in a chair, block my foot of the operated leg, and scoot forward off the chair, holding for 30 seconds. I did 5 each, 2x a day. Lastly, and the one I think helped the most was lie on my stomach(on the bed) and use my dogs leash, the nonflexable one with a loop at the end. Hook your foot through the loop. Lying on your stomach, draw it over your back and stretch the leg toward your head as much as is comfortable. Keep the foot flexed. The only thing I can't replicate at home is the total gym.
Why are you only going to pt 1x a week? Seems that isn't enough.
Are you talking 5 mg perc? I do before pt.
This cold weather in Houston makes my knee ache. A woman in pt told me she had tkr on both knees 2 years ago and the cold makes her knees ache but not normally. Could it be the cold that makes it ache? A mua? So early yikes!
I know Maggie does hydo therapy but since your scar isn't fully closed can you get in the pool? I would like to go back to pool class but my sheet says not till 8 weeks. I asked my therapist about Aqua therapy and she said they don't send knee patients there. Go figure.
Keep your chin up, you will start to feel much better in a week or so.
 
Hi Teresa,
I'm a week ahead of you time-wise and I have seen improvements this past week in ROM and pain level.
Patience, grasshopper.....you're right on track!
 
Sounds like a pretty good report from the dr! I agree that PT once a week is not enough! Are you not able to go to them more than once a week?
 
Hi ladies - thanks for the support! For PT I could go more often if I want to but my therapist said once a week was plenty if I do them at home and when my husband was driving me it was difficult for him to get away more often. I do the exercises - well, everyday but it says 5 days a week on the chart. My problem is overdoing more than underdoing, I'm afraid. I'll scale back and mix up the exercises more focusing on the more gentle bending ones and see if that helps.

Hydro therapy can be done before 8 weeks but has to be in a PT setting, not a local pool, something to do with the sanitation factor, I'd assume - that's why Maggie could do it so early. I'm sure they cover it as well but that is a double safe guard. My PA said I'd need to check with my insurance to see if they will authorize two places.

Thanks for the extra exercises Janmont - l add them into rotation. I really don't think it will come to an MUA - even though the pics don't make it obvious, there is quite a bit of swelling. Dr Manual actually considered draining it but didn't think it was so critical it was worth the risk of infection.

I realized last night that I should not have given up my grain free ways so early - I know that grains, particularly flour, is inflammatory for me but when I was so nauseous early on crackers and toast were the go to foods. I'm doing fine with food now so there is no reason not to go back to grain free until I am completely healed up.
 
Hi Teresa - I started hydro therapy a week post op. In the rehab hospital they put water proof dressings on the knees - which worked fantastically. You don't want to get the wounds wet before they are healed (infection risk). These stayed on permanently until week 2 when the knees were unveiled (healed enough to be water proof) and then every session I had after that a new one put on the Girls because I wanted it. The other thing about the rehab pool is the temperature - water is a body temp 37C (98F ???) plus there is always a PT in the pool and a max of 8 patients. In my view the hydro activity has been a key to my flexibility - the water supports you and it is so much easier to put the knees through different flex exercises than it is at the gym therapy.

Anyone reading this who has access to hydro therapy, my advice is do it.
 
janmont said:
The key is to hold the stretch.
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janmont said:
Lastly, and the one I think helped the most was lie on my stomach(on the bed) and use my dogs leash, the nonflexable one with a loop at the end. Hook your foot through the loop. Lying on your stomach, draw it over your back and stretch the leg toward your head as much as is comfortable. Keep the foot flexed.
Click to expand...
@janmont ,
I agree with holding the stretch. My PT does a similar version sitting on the edge of the table with a long strap attached to my ankle. She takes the strap under the table and back up the other side and has me use the strap to pull and bend my leg as it dangles off the table. I hold it for 4 minutes, increasing the bend a little bit every minute.
Sounds a bit like torture, but at least I'm the one in control.....
@TexasTee , Sorry your doctor brought up MUA. You have over a month to go and look at how far you've come already! No worries, you were very fit before the surgery and I predict you'll end up with more flex than all of us!:spin:
 
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