third time lucky!! i hope

[daniel80]

Hi everyone. I am now 6 weeks post tkr and things are going not to bad. I still have bad days especially at night when I have to take my pain meds but don't always need them during the day. I have started to just take them as and when.

I just have one question which I would like some advice on. I will ask the surgeon but not due to see him for 2 weeks. After each replacement I have had I seem to have an internal bleed which causes quite a bit of swelling. This has always had to be drained before and could be again, I suppose when I see the surgeon but he wanted to see if it would go naturally.

The question I have is that when I go to physio they exercise me hard and say I should keep these going at home, but reading on this site most people say that to reduce swelling the best way is to rest, ice and elevate. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Josephine]

Well, if you read that on here - and I know you did! - then that's what we recommend. However, it's all a question of balance. Exercises need to be done but they need to be done in moderation and in between times, to do the other stuff.

The exercise to rest ratio should be about 1 or 2 hours to the rest of the day!

Have a look here Some suggestions for home physio (PT)

 

[daniel80]

Starting to get a little frustrated now with this swelling it just wont go down. I saw the surgeon last week and he wants the swelling to go naturally which i can understand, at least it stays the same [not any bigger]. He is happy with the knee and the pt sessions. Mostly its the swelling and lack of quad muscles which i think is holding me back but after three knees in a year its only to be expected. As for painkillers i take as of when some good days some bad, did some gardening yesterday and boy did i know it later. I also get some pain on the inside of the knee which the pt thinks could be scar tissue, trying to get the wife to massage each night [there are some bonuses i suppose], Have taken early retirement from work and will look for a part time job when leg improves,lucky the works pension is quite good. Hope everyone is doing ok, they say it does get better time is a great healer.

 

[Josephine]

That's good. If your surgeon is happy with progress, then so should you be!

Daniel, would you be so kind as to put your surgery type and date in your signature like the rest of us do?
The instructions are here How to create a signature

 

[daniel80]

Hi Jo updated my signature i hope!! not great on computers.

 

[Josephine]

Perfect - thank you muchly!

 

[skigirl]

what is a noiles knee? I am sorry you have had so much trouble--that sounds like an "animus horriblious". K

 

[daniel80]

Hi Skigirl
A noiles knee is a one piece joint that can be used when someones ligaments are shot. Because the knee has a hinge and rotates, ligaments are not needed. Due to these moving parts the the life span is not meant to be so long,history of the knee is still relatively new in comparison with the standard knee. One bad year but hopefully this year will be better. Great photo i envy you on those skies.

 

[Josephine]

The Noiles knee!

 

[skigirl]

Thanks, and Jo thanks for the photo. There is so much to learn about knees--this could take forever!!! K

 

[Josephine]

Well, I've been at it 50 years now and I'm still learning!
I suppose it's much like a garden - always a work in progress!