TKR Thank Goodness I Only have Two Knees!

[selketine]

Is it muscle or your knee? Either way wishing you quick healing. Very good chance the mall will still be there when you’re ready to go for a walk. And if not, you’ll be glad you took the day off.

My whole leg is back to hurting so probably just muscle? Not just hurting but sore to touch as well in places that had felt better. Plus my knee has give out on my more yesterday than the other days from that ligament sprain. No stabbing knee pains. I feel like I went backwards a week or 10 days. Plus I woke up at 3:30am and couldn't get back to sleep.

The doctor prescribed 1 meloxicam tab per day for 30 days for swelling. I generally avoid nsaids and had a bad experience with meloxicam several years ago (it works but gave me horrible stomach issues no matter how much food I eat before I take one - I have a long history of IBS and stomach problems). I started getting acid reflux/heartburn which is rare for me (except with nsaids) so I've stopped it but only had a few more to go anyway.

I guess this is the ebb and flow of TKR. I'm thankful I'm off work for another month.

 

[MSuki]

Oh, that sounds awful. Maybe it will only last a day or two. You are still so early that it is very easy to aggravate things too. Take care of yourself and feel better!

 

[selketine]

I’ve gone back to taking half a prescription pain med every 5 hours because I can’t find a way to sit, stand or lie down that doesn’t make me miserable to the point I can’t focus on anything else. I’m glad I have a few extra. I think I went from the bench in the ODIC to needing a crib and pacifier in the whiny baby club.

The PT I did wasn’t bothersome when I did it I swear!

Usually I can distract myself with something like online shopping or planning my trip to Japan for next year (reward for getting both knees done!!) but it’s not working today! The admins are going to rename my thread “Carol’s complaining AGAIN about her stupid knee” and I couldn’t blame them haha!

 

[MSuki]

Oh man you really made that leg angry I guess! You are entitled to complain and that’s what’s great about this forum. People really understand what you’re going through! You are still so early in healing and it would be nice if there was a better way to judge ahead of time what we can or can’t do - instead of always having to find out the hard way!

Sending soothing sympathy thoughts your way….

 

[sistersinhim]

Are you icing and elevating that angry knee? That should help it feel better. Take as many days to recover as you need. It might even be a week or so. But, if so, don't fret, you won't lose what you had gained before your club admission. It's still there and will show back up or be even better after time off!

 

[mendogal]

I'm sorry you're having a setback.

We totally believe you that the PT didn't feel bad while it was happening. This is the sad reality: we can decline inappropriately aggressive therapy, but we can't always accurately gauge our knees limits until we exceed them.

Take a PT break and give that angry baby tons of TLC!

 

[benne68]

The admins are going to rename my thread “Carol’s complaining AGAIN about her stupid knee” and I couldn’t blame them haha!

Carol, you are absolutely allowed -- no, you are ENCOURAGED -- to complain about your knee! Sometimes it just hurts so much that there's nothing else to do but complain.


We've all been there (and most of us have done that). and we are here for you!

 

[selketine]

Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and encouragement!

Well I have battled through insurmountable odds once again ( ) and come out on the other side -my knee felt a lot better yesterday. I had a chance to get out to the store so I went and walked a bit which REALLY felt nice. It's still more sore than it had been but walking didn't aggravate it so much that I needed pain meds. I will go back to the PT exercises I had been doing and try some today. I have a small step so when I'm ready to go back to trying a step exercise I'll just doing it like literally 2 steps a day and work up. The steps were what got me. I have PT again Friday so I'm going to have to talk to her about it - I can't do 30 repeats of an exercise all at once. And then go to 30 more of this and 30 more of that - I don't do it that way at home as it's spread out over the day.

After walking though, I feel way more steady. I'm still dependent on the walker and I'm at 4 weeks. I couldn't go in a store/mall without pushing a shopping cart or taking my rollator pre-surgery and my left knee is still just as bad - but I could walk around the house. My right knee continues to give out on me at least once a day randomly so I'm afraid to not have it with me always in the house and it's really getting to be a drag in our small house. I was hoping the ligament sprain would be better and my knee would stop giving out but no luck yet.

@sistersinhim I did had my husband drag the ice machine out again even though I can barely stand using it. I'm trying to find a way to use it on and off with a heated blanket over me and so on, but I really struggle with how cold it is. (I don't put the heated blanket over my surgical knee)

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope you can find a way to comfortable use the ice because it is such a good pain reliever. Maybe being so cold takes your mind off of hurting. That would be a good thing.

 

[benne68]

I have a small step so when I'm ready to go back to trying a step exercise I'll just doing it like literally 2 steps a day and work up.

My therapist suggested starting with a thick book (something 2-3 inches thick), rather than trying to do a full step. I found that manageable and did it for several weeks before advancing to a short (4-inch) step. Only recently have been able to do regular steps (I'll be at 8 weeks this Friday) -- and then, only up, not down!

I can't do 30 repeats of an exercise all at once. And then go to 30 more of this and 30 more of that

Remember that you have the right to say "no" to anything that causes you pain. She works for you, not the other way around!

 

[Susie-Q]

Remember, it's more than just muscles that are still healing. Bones take 12 weeks plus to heal. You have had implants drilled into both bones above and below the joint. All the more reason to not push too hard these first few months. Give that joint time to heal before doing too much!

(we've all done it, so don't fret too much. That ODIC bench is very busy around here)

 

[selketine]

@benne68 Oh yes I wasn't very clear - it's a 3" step - I bought it to help me get in and out of the house cause our front door has a big step up. It's very deep and wide to accommodate my knock knees (cause my feet are farther apart) so I think it will work.

The one she had me on was higher I think but not a regular step. I really think it was the number of repetitions all at once that sunk me. It did not hurt at all when I was doing it - just like some discomfort which most things are.

I've gone back to my usual set of exercises today and if that goes well, I'll try the step (maybe 5 steps a day) and see how that goes. I'm going to discuss it with her Friday - because not just the pain setback but my knee has started giving away on me more often than it was. I'm honestly terrified not to be holding the walker no matter what I'm doing. It doesn't hurt when it gives out cause I catch myself quickly.

 

[benne68]

t's a 3" step - I bought it to help me get in and out of the house cause our front door has a big step up. It's very deep and wide to accommodate my knock knees (cause my feet are farther apart) so I think it will work.

That sounds PERFECT! Enough height to make you work a little without causing pain. Just be sure to put it next to a wall or counter where you have a hand hold for support.

 

[selketine]

t's a 3" step - I bought it to help me get in and out of the house cause our front door has a big step up. It's very deep and wide to accommodate my knock knees (cause my feet are farther apart) so I think it will work.

That sounds PERFECT! Enough height to make you work a little without causing pain. Just be sure to put it next to a wall or counter where you have a hand hold for support.

Believe me - because of my knee giving out randomly I am afraid not to have the walker or counter there at all times!

 

[MSuki]

Steps are my downfall on this knee, I am not sure why. I actually tried again to go up just one with my operated leg yesterday and today my knee hurts again. I think I will try that book idea next time.

 

[selketine]

Had PT again this morning and told her about my problems after PT last week. We tried to take it easier this time and when I got home I've been using the ice machine regularly. I'm still signed for the "group PT class" on Tuesday which is 2 hours (!!!) long and she said is more aggressive exercise usually. Not thrilled for this but literally no one has an opening in the next two weeks for individual PT. I'll go and see what happens I guess.

I'm kinda bummed because I asked her to check the measurements to compare with 2 weeks ago and it's about a 5 degree improvement in both straight and flex. Not quite straight although 5 degrees straighter (feels straight to me!) and my flex is only 90 - she had measured me at 85 about 2 weeks ago. The home PT had me at 87 but she said everyone measures differently which I believe. My flex seems a lot better to me, so I thought it would be more than 90. I'd like to get it to match my other knee so I know I still have a ways to go. Hopefully the next 4 weeks will see more improvement.

 

[benne68]

I'm still signed for the "group PT class" on Tuesday which is 2 hours (!!!) long and she said is more aggressive exercise usually. Not thrilled for this but literally no one has an opening in the next two weeks for individual PT.

At just one month out, I think this class is a bad idea for you. I'm at two months post-op and would never try to do 2 hours of exercises -- especially in a group that would create peer pressure!! YIKES!

I'd encourage you to cancel and just work on your own at home. You already know what to do from the sessions you've had.

As a reminder, many of our members never go to PT, instead relying on normal ADLs (activities of daily living) for recovery.

my flex is only 90 -she had measured me at 85 about 2 weeks ago... My flex seems a lot better to me,

Please don't worry about the numbers -- they are so arbitrary. (as you can see from the different numbers different people have gotten on you.) My surgeon won't even use the geniometer because it is such an inaccurate tool.

ROM numbers are not what matters. What matters is your function. And, since you say it feels better than 90 degrees to you, that is what counts!

 

[mendogal]

um... just No.
"Aggressive exercise" is a terrible idea. At one month, two hours of any activity other than icing and elevating is so beyond belief I'm... utterly gobsmacked as they say across the pond!
You haven't even reached the minimum 6-8 weeks needed to heal a minor sprain or strain! I honestly don't know who comes up with this.

Just do your walking, quad sets, and gentle heel slides, plus daily life, until you can get a 1:1 session.

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary, selketine!
It's been fun following your healing journey. May it only get better.
Happy Weekend to you!
@selketine

 

[Jockette]

If it was me I wouldn’t be joining any group class at 4 weeks post op, no matter how long it was, and 2 hours is way too aggressive, in my opinion. I was still struggling with ADLs at that point.

I was put into pool ”therapy“ at 4 weeks post op, and while we were in a group, we did have the PT telling us what to do individually. My session was 50 minutes long. It took me 3 days to recover, and caused swelling that made me fear something was wrong. That is what sent me to google stopping PT and I found Bonesmart, where I learned to listen to my body and not overdo.

I also agree that a group setting can make you feel peer pressure to keep up with the others, it did me.