TKR The new knee<

[Carlos]

Oh yes, those Zaps!!

It’s comforting in a macabre way to know you got these too. Sorry if that sounds terrible and I’m glad yours have passed.
4:30 am in the uk and the zapping is zapping like a zapping gun in zapsville
It’s certainly a new experience tonight
Just waiting for meds to kick in and sitting with an ice pack which seems to help.

How are you getting on now with your progress?

 

[Carlos]

Alas.. sleep alludes me.

That did make me chuckle,
I was reading it heading myself saying it
I hope you find that elusive secret position,
If you do, please let me know.

I hope you are getting along better
Thank you


lizzie611 thank you,
Just because you are new doesn’t mean any advice is not welcome, far from it.
Thank you for taking the time to reply

Guys.
Thank you so much for the replies, advice and encouragement
It is so appreciated and I wish I could reciprocate in some way.
Being the newbie in this group it’s too early to give advice but if I can offer my best wishes and thoughts and it helps in some way, then you can certainly believe me when I say I’m thinking about all of you and wishing you a speedy recovery for listening to my pains.

Thank you

 

[sistersinhim]

It's never too early to give advice. The one thing that helps you might be the very thing that someone else needs! We are all here to get help and to give help!

 

[Josephine]

2. Paracetamol 2 x 500mg
Codeine Phosphate 2 x 30mg

Sorry Carlos, you haven't fully answered the question which included "how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?"

I'll be right back when you've filled in the gaps!

 

[Carlos]

2. Paracetamol 2 x 500mg
Codeine Phosphate 2 x 30mg
Sorry Carlos, you haven't fully answered the question which included "how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?"

Apologies for the late reply,
Been feeling quite nauseous through low blood count,

I’m taking the above amounts 4x a day together when required,

 

[Josephine]

1. The pain I would score as 5-6

At two weeks, pretty normal

2. Paracetamol 2 x 500mg + Codeine Phosphate 2 x 30mg 4 times a day

That's nowhere near enough for only 2 weeks out. I've never found codeine to be very effective for TKRs. I suggest you contact your GP and tell them your pain meds aren't doing the job and can you please try an alternative such as Tramadol.

3. swelling: Moderate

okay

4. ROM 90 bend +10 straight

That's really not at all bad at this stage!

5. icing: 4-5 times per day for minimum 15 minutes each time

You accomplish little or nothing in 20 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.

6. elevating: Yes, I tend to have it elevated the majority of the day

But are you elevating properly? Look at the pictures in this article Elevation: the do's and dont's

7. My activity at the moment only includes walking around the house, up the stairs and the odd trip out for an hour or so

Quit the trip out for an hour or so. It's much too early for that. Did you actually read the articles that were left for you in post #4 of this thread. Both this article Activity progression for TKRs and the one I left you earlier were in that group yet you seem not to have taken them on board. It really is essential that you do.

All the below 3 times per day
Straight leg lifts x 10 (10 seconds hold) - 10 is far too many and a 10 sec hold far too much. Plus doing 30 per day is also far too much
Quad muscle tensing x 10 (10 Second hold) - same again
Heel slides till 90 degrees or further x 10 (20 seconds hold) - this is an exercise that's awfully easy to do badly and this is badly! Read this and see how to do it properly Heel slides and how to do them properly. To be honest, your ROM is excellent anyway, so there's really no need to do any of them any more!

In summary, you really don't need to do exercises. They are causing your pain and swelling and most likely blocking any progress in your ROM. I predict that very soon, all this PT will be regarded as archaic and outmoded! I did none at all. I recommend you read my recovery thread to see how little exercising I did for either knee! Knee recoveries UK style Parts I & II (Josephine)

If you are concerned about refusing to do therapy, you need to read this Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

 

[Jockette]

I predict that very soon, all this PT will be regarded as archaic and outmoded!

I hope you are right!!!!

 

[Carlos]

Hi Josephine, thanks for the reply

↑
1. The pain I would score as 5-6
At two weeks, pretty normal
Probably down to a 2-3 now
↑
2. Paracetamol 2 x 500mg + Codeine Phosphate 2 x 30mg 4 times a day
That's nowhere near enough for only 2 weeks out. I've never found codeine to be very effective for TKRs. I suggest you contact your GP and tell them your pain meds aren't doing the job and can you please try an alternative such as Tramadol.
I appreciate this, I have now spoken with the nurse who has advised me further, and I am now managing the pain much better, and sleeping a tad better too
↑
3. swelling: Moderate
okay
↑
4. ROM 90 bend +10 straight
That's really not at all bad at this stage!
Now at 115 and 0 straight, which im happy with
↑
5. icing: 4-5 times per day for minimum 15 minutes each time
You accomplish little or nothing in 20 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
I am a little bit confused here, all the advice i have been getting is 'No more than 20 minutes,
perhaps you could just advise me further on that one if possible thanks?
↑
6. elevating: Yes, I tend to have it elevated the majority of the day
But are you elevating properly? Look at the pictures in this article Elevation: the do's and dont's
Yes, I'm doing it as the pictures
↑
7. My activity at the moment only includes walking around the house, up the stairs and the odd trip out for an hour or so
Quit the trip out for an hour or so. It's much too early for that. Did you actually read the articles that were left for you in post #4 of this thread. Both this article Activity progression for TKRs and the one I left you earlier were in that group yet you seem not to have taken them on board. It really is essential that you do.

I have read the articles, otherwise id be wasting mine and your time, the one trip that i have done to that length of time was totally unavoidable




Thanks for all the advice, really all very helpful, i was telling the guys i met at the PT about the forum.

I have now had the clips taken out, which almost immediately made things easier although today i did feel a little tight around the scar, is this normal?

 

[SusieShoes]

Tight around the scar is completely normal, and will be that way for a while. There’s still healing going on in that area. Eventually that tightness will loosen up nicely and you won’t even notice it. Might take a few months, though.

Sounds like your recovery is coming along really well!

 

[sistersinhim]

icing: 4-5 times per day for minimum 15 minutes each time
You accomplish little or nothing in 20 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
I am a little bit confused here, all the advice i have been getting is 'No more than 20 minutes,
perhaps you could just advise me further on that one if possible thanks?

You need to ice at least 40 minutes at a time. I had an ice machine and every time I sat or laid down, I iced and elevated. That kept the swelling and pain down.

 

[Carlos]

You need to ice at least 40 minutes at a time. I had an ice machine and every time I sat or laid down, I iced and elevated. That kept the swell and pain down.

that's great thank you

just sat here now elevated and icing,

i love all the advice, i am following it as closely as possible,
i am positive this is the reason that i am feeling like i am going the right way.

thanks again

 

[Carlos]

Tight around the scar is completely normal, and will be that way for a while. There’s still healing going on in that area. Eventually that tightness will loosen up nicely and you won’t even notice it. Might take a few months, though.

Sounds like your recovery is coming along really well!

thank you for the help,

 

[SusieShoes]

For the first four or five months, I iced and elevated (40 minutes or more) after every period of extended activity, like my daily walks, or even if I spent a long time sitting for some reason. Helped calm the knees down before they even got started with swelling. I like to think it helped and was one reason I had less pain than many. That, and simply being sensible about not overdoing the exercise.

 

[Carlos]

That, and simply being sensible about not overdoing the exercise.

great advice, and totally agree

 

[brewis3430]

Hi Carlos!
Sleep is a big problem for the majority of us new kneesies. Personally I found using a soft pillow, like one you use in bed tucked under or between my legs very helpful. It seems to cushion the knee quite well I am 12 + weeks post op and still use the pillow, although it gets kicked out of bed a few times now, progress I guess.

 

[Carlos]

Knee is healing nicely, odd little weep but nothing too concerning,
However mentioned again today as I was having the dressing changed how I’d got a knot in my calf, not warm or sore, just a knot.
So had a Doppler ultra sound and turns out I have a DVT
On a course of injections immediately although they seem pretty relaxed I just wondered if any one else had this problem.
I know about the dangers and signs so no need to scare me thanks
Just wondered if anyone had been through it

 

[Beckadeez]

I’m sorry to hear about your DVT but I’m glad you had the ultrasound. Sounds like you’re on the road to recovery.

 

[sistersinhim]

It's good that you caught this.

 

[Carlos]

Hi all,
I haven’t been commenting on the forum for a while
Been a few weeks of feeling sorry for myself

Picked up two DVTs which I’m on medication for
Wound hadn’t healed
Had a low blood count which has caused anemia
The lack of sleep has contributed to feeling low with a few mouth ulcers,

But I got myself together by reading messages and how positive people are on here, and realised it’s not just me

I kicked on with my rehab which is hard sometimes as you all know,
Yesterday I was at 135 degrees and straight, riding the bike and squatting at 90
My wound has almost healed

I didn’t know it would be hard and although I will be 5 weeks tomorrow I know I still have a while to go but I’m so grateful for all the positive comments that helped me to where I am

Thank you

 

[Celle]

I didn’t know it would be hard and although I will be 5 weeks tomorrow I know I still have a while to go but I’m so grateful for all the positive comments that helped me to where I am

A lot of people who come here haven't been told how long this recovery takes. That's a shame, because expecting to recover faster sets you up for worry and frustration.

It is a year-long recovery, but you will feel almost back to normal long before that. If you think of recovery as a race, it's more like a marathon than a sprint, so you have to pace yourself.
It's worth it in the end, though.

I'm glad your DVTs are being treated and I'm glad BoneSmart has been able to help you.