THR after a partial KR

[Aussie Bev]

I'm 4 weeks on from a THR. Just 18 months ago I had a half (partical) KR (on the same side) which took a good 12 months to recover from. Although not perfect, most of the horrid pain in my knee had disappeared. As I now patiently work through the recovery from the THR and diligently exercise under guidance from my PT, I am finding that my knee is feeling weird. The sluggish heavy feeling that was in my knee has returned and am sure it is swelling up more than my hip! Unfortunatley this feeling is on the oppositie side of the medial half KR.

Has anyone else gone through a THR after some kind of KR and can give advice?

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Bev! Welcome to the forum...so glad you found us! We do have some members on the forum who have had both knee and hip replacements. It is not uncommon for your knee to act up during recovery from a THR. You are putting the muscles in your leg to work in different ways than they are used to now that everything is in normal alignment. Be sure you are taking adequate pain medication and ice whatever hurts. Things should improve with a little time.

 

[Texas]

Hi Bev, welcome. I am a kneesie so I cant help with the hip, sorry. I would think 4 weeks out from hip surgery might affect it in someway. Swelling would make it feel heavy. Yes I would ice all ares, take medicine and relax a lil. Are you resting Bev! lol ! You really have been thru alot, you must be very strong. I would be such a whinner. I sure hope you start to feel better. Others will be along soon with some suggetions, you couldnt ask for a better group of people, they are like famly.....Take care post anytime...Kim

 

[webbie73]

Hi Bev. I did not had a TKR prior to my hip replacement but have bad arthritis in my knee. YES, the knee will swell, at least it did for me. I lost most of my ROM (was at 70 degree ROM after surgery) in the knee and had problems with the IT band. BUT now 9 weeks out I have a 120 degree ROM in the knee and the IT band is beginning to behave.The OS gave me a shot in the knee and that really helped. I am not fully recovered but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there you are still in the early stages of recovery.

Kathy

 

[Aussie Bev]

Thanks for your replies Jamie, Texas and webbie73 .... Haven't thought about icing the knee so far, but will give it a go. It really didn't occur to me that hip surgery would affect the knee so much. .......Have a feelling though that the knee swelling could be directly related to one of the exercises I was given a week ago - sliding my hips and back down a wall to a squat. Although I regained 120+ ROM in my knee (after much great effort following surgery 18 months ago) I avoided squats and lunges as they seemed to aggravat the knee. As I had the knee surgery 8 years after suffering the agony of OA, I effectively haven't squatted for close to 10 years. Gulp! - I did, by the way, learn my lesson and submitted to THR only 6 months after it started being painful .... no way was I going to spend another x years in agony over OA.... wanted to recapture my life before I miss all of my 50's!!

As for the being brave comment Texas.... ugh.... no I'm not. Hubby gets to hear all of the whinging.... thought I'd save you guys from hearing it!

I found this forum when I had my PKR ..... and found much support and solace at the time so know full well how great everyone out there is.....(Josephine if you are reading - I'm Bev55)

Bev

 

[Josephine]

Aha! Thought I recognised the style! Welcome back! Why didn't you log in with your original account? Was there a problem?

Well, doing squats and not realising it would impact your knee - tsk tsk, what were you thinking!

And you should remember - spare your hubby and vent it here. Lovely to see you.

 

[webbie73]

Bev,
I just thought of one statement my PT said to me as I was complaining about the knee pain.....the ligaments and muscles of the knee and hip are related. Many of the exercises we do for the hip impact the knee.

Glad you made the decision to have the hip done now rather than wait another X years. good luck.

 

[Aussie Bev]

Hi Josephine,

When I went to log in, I couldn't remember my previous login name nor match it to one of two email accounts I hold. After going round and round in circles for a while, I decided it was easier and quicker to just create a new login. ..... Hence the more formal me as Bev_N!

As for the squats...I've decided to perserve... What I'm feeling is not pain but rather a weird feeling.

Interesting though. I had my first hydro session today (oh how wonderful it is to walk on - OK: "in" - water!!). I mentioned the weird knee feeling to the physio working with me. She said that when they do the THR, computerized measurements are taken to ensure that the implant goes into exactly the correct position. She said that it is possible though that the implant is one or two degrees off which can be just enough for the patient to feel that the alignment is differnt to what it was prior to surgery. Although unsure whether it was knee joint or muscles/ligaments around the knee joint, she assured me that the weird feeling would be resolved over the coming weeks. Said she'd heard from many others who'd not had knee surgery that their previously perfectly normal feeling knee now felt 'weird'. Interesting.

Does anyone have thoughts on the value of swimming on speeding up mobility and recovery?

PS... My hubby is thankful for your offer of sparing him the whinges

 

[Texas]

Hi I am a knee replacement , but I can tell you I do hydro therapy as well, and I love it . It has helped me so much its unreal. You can do so much more and get more flexibility in the water. It does feel good to walk on it in the water, because when I get out it is harder. I hope that feeling goes away soon. Helps with muscles as well. Thigh, hamstring etc. Yes post anytime with questions . Everyone is willing to help. My hubby likes it alot to. lol Feel better soon............Kim

 

[Jamie]

Bev, welcome back to the forum! Feel free to whine any old time...we will all understand and support you cuz we've each had our own Whining Days with our own joint surgeries. That's the good thing about forum members...we "get" it!!! Sometimes spouses, friends and family just don't quite understand unless they have personally been through this major surgery.

Hope your knee starts to perk up. It may be those feelings you are having is the strengthening of your quads!!! That would be a good thing.