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TKR Thumper's new knee 21 Mar 2018

ThumperJB said:
I tried to get up earlier but couldn't put weight on that leg. Pt wasn't happy but who cares.
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You are so right. You have to please your knee and no one else! The afternoon after my morning surgery, pt came to get me up and I got way dizzy and laid back down. Later on that evening two came and got me up. I was feeling much stronger. I had one on each side and ask them both to hold on to me, that I was going to stand on my new leg only to be sure it held me. I was amazed that it did! And it felt really strong! I loved it!

Letting your knee stay in total control will give you the best recovery. If something hurts now, or later on in the next couple of days, don't do it again for a week or so. Then try it again. Your knee knows what it can do, not anyone else! Stick to your guns on this and you'll have a much easier recovery!
 
That first time we stand on the new knee is quite the experience! Mine was just hours out of surgery so I was shaky. But I had confidence in my new knee because in our pre op class they told us it would be strong right away and not to be afraid if it. My issue was probably more due to the general feeling of getting up after major surgery.
 
Congrats on being out of surgery and walking a little bit. :thumb:
 
Sounds like you’re doing fine. I hope you have that nausea under control now. Oh, and you get bonus points for the eye-pleasing doctor!
 
We girls like to look at a good-looking man just as much as a man likes to look at a pretty face! We appreciate God's handiwork!
 
Update, when I left the hospital ROM was 55 had 1st PT yesterday after PT was 70. Was painful but not horrible. Now I am laying here in the middle of the night unable to even flex the knee. Swolen beyond belief. Want ice so bad but Diana is asleep and don't want to wake her. If the PT was here right now I think I'd punch her and I'm not a violent person. Sorry needed to vet to someone.
Thanks to all who are thinking of me and sending healing vibes. This too shall pass.
 
It’s okay to vent. It’s good for you, in fact. Your new knee is going to react to exercise for a bit. How much did the therapist have you do? All you really need is some gentle bending, mild stretches, and a little walking around. If you did lots of repetitions or anything with straps or pushing on the knee, that was too much. It’s funny how exercise doesn’t always hurt at the time, but later on... wowza! It’s our job as brain of the organization to ride herd on physical therapy.

This too shall pass. Stay on top of your pain control and spend the day elevating and icing your knee. It will enjoy the TLC. :)
 
Hi ThumperJB. Good luck with your gentle recover. I used to take a bag of frozen peas to the bedroom with me. I placed them in a cool bag with ice blocks. They got me through the night with no disturbance to others! Felt quite independent on that one haha.
 
ThumperJB said:
Update, when I left the hospital ROM was 55 had 1st PT yesterday after PT was 70. Was painful but not horrible. Now I am laying here in the middle of the night unable to even flex the knee. Swollen beyond belief. Want ice so bad but Diana is asleep and don't want to wake her. If the PT was here right now I think I'd punch her and I'm not a violent person. Sorry needed to vent to someone.
Thanks to all who are thinking of me and sending healing vibes. This too shall pass.
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Don't start worrying about ROM yet - it's far too soon.

It's obvious that the PT was too much for your knee, so tell the therapist that and say you won't be doing any exercises until your knee settles down again. At this early stage, all the exercise your knee needs is walking to and from the bathroom, plus some ankle pumps. It needs to heal first, before you start stressing it with exercise.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

My surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.
 
Just had 2nd day of PT therapist was upset that I had 70 flexion yesterday and today only 60. She pushed it to 65 before I almost cold cocked her. When I told her that was enough she got an attitude. I know that's her job as she sees it but I'm just not going there again. Gonna have a come to Jesus meeting tomorrow. You all just don't know how much your being here to vent with means to me.
 
ThumperJB said:
but I'm just not going there again.
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Good for you! There are better PTs out there if you’re interested or you could just do things at your own pace at home. It’s your choice.
 
@SusieShoes "all you really need is some gentle bending, mild stretches, and a little walking around."
This therapist had me doing about 7-8 different exercises and 20 repts each. Most of the exercises were OK, but leg lifts and floor slide were real killers. She comes again today, and we are gonna talk.
 
Total knee surgery and recovery is enough to deal with, and now a pushy therapist! She has no right to “ cop an attitude “. You are the client armed with knowledge of what your knee needs!
 
ThumperJB said:
When I told her that was enough she got an attitude. I know that's her job as she sees it but I'm just not going there again
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You shouldn't give a hoot what she thinks her job is. She works for you. You are her boss. What you say goes and what you don't want to do, you don't do! She is doing nothing but setting your recovery way behind. When you do all those exercises, your gets get really angry and even more traumatized. It reacts by swelling. I swollen knee doesn't bend. That's why your ROM when down.

Many of us never took formal PT or did exercises. I am one of them. I had 11 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals and 1 tkr. Even after those I never took PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing. I took care of myself, my house and yard as my knee allowed me to do. As I healed, I did more. But, my knee was always in control! This was enough therapy for me and would be for any tkr patient. All the awful pain of PT is so unnecessary.

All you have to do is use it in your daily living! Your knee knows how to rehab itself and doesn't need anyone telling it how. Just use it and it will come back like new! You have to be patient, though, it doesn't happen quickly! ADL,(activities of daily living), going to the bathroom, brushing your teeth and bathing, fixing a light meal, getting something to drink and or a snack, those kinds of things will be all the exercise your knee needs. If you just use it daily in your living, you will have a quicker and less painful recovery. We know what works, we've been there!
 
ThumperJB said:
She comes again today, and we are gonna talk.
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Please let us know how that talk turned out. I had many a talk with my therapist to keep my exercise under control. If she won't work with you, and insists on pushing your knee more than you know it can do --and, really, she cannot know what your knee is feeling, that's impossible-- then you are better off with another therapist, or none.
 
@SusieShoes Well we had out talk. She didn't care for what I had to say specially when I called rubbish on "you only have a short time to get the ROM back or your opportunity is gone". We went through the exercises but when she got to measuring degree of bend I told her to put the plastic measuring Guage away. I am going to bend as far as I can but I don't care if the # is better than the last one. A different PT came yesterday and he was better. No PT visit today, my first day since surgery that they haven't come. I did my morning exercises and walked around the house. Feel like I'm doing better taking it slow and easy.
 
Great job taking control of your PT and your recovery! You will do much better taking it slow and easy!
 
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