TKR Time for #2

[kneeper]

The side sleeping is a challenge at first. Sorry you're having such a struggle with it. I know it was practically a PT exercise for me just trying to adjust the pillow to sleep on my side. Just keep trying for a little while at a time and it will improve.

You are fatigued. This surgery does take it out of you. Feel free to vent anytime. We get it.

 

[ebungalow]

Thanks @kneeper

 

[beachy]

I also had trouble sleeping on my side around 8 weeks. The knee was downright painful when I woke up. Your in what I called the "weird stage". Everyday was different. For me, anyway.
Hope the blues go away very soon.

 

[ebungalow]

Had an appointment with my OS last week.

He told me that I’m in the lower-right area of the bell curve with my flex for the RTKR.

In other words, I’m behind the norm, whatever that is.

He didn’t say it in a mean way, and I really like him. He watched me walk, had me lie on my back and bend my leg, and estimated that I have about 105-110 degrees flex at 10 weeks.

From what I’ve read on BoneSmart, I’m thinking this isn’t all that bad and he might have his own unrealistic bell curve expectations, right?

It was actually a bit funny. I thought, “well, somebody’s got to be in that area of the curve - why not me? Just doing my part ”

It’s kind of crazy how this whole process is so quantified in terms of progress. I’m trying to resist buying into it, and mostly succeeding.

I’m doing fine. The leg was problematic from the beginning because of a blood clot years ago (whole leg has been slightly swollen since then). Flex is getting better very slowly.

The charts on BoneSmart showing how flex can improve during the 2+ years beyond surgery are very encouraging and helpful.

I can ride my bike, go up and carefully go down stairs, and walk well. I do still get tired easily and still have some pain, swelling, and stiffness, but it’s all coming along fine.

It does look like I’ve got trochanteric bursitis in my unoperated left hip, the hip opposite the new knee.

So now my PT is working on that hip and the new knee with some deep massage and gentle stretches. He tells me the bursitis night have been caused by my new gait.

He gave me a tennis ball to place between my left glute and a wall. I work the ball around until I find a tender spot and then gently press until some of the tenderness is worked out.

It really works and it hurts so good. He also gave me an easy knee-to-opposite-shoulder stretch that I can do on my bed. It helps too.

I do both of these exercises several times a day or whenever the hip starts hurting.

Seems like the bursitis is already getting a lot better.

I was very afraid that this left hip was going bad quickly - the OS said he’ll take another X-ray in about 6 weeks when I go back again, if PT doesn’t take care of the pain, to make sure the hip is still good.

From earlier X-rays, he’d predicted I’d get 10+ years out of the left hip before I had to consider replacing it.

But holy moly - bursitis was one of the last things on my radar even though I’ve read through the BoneSmart library several times.

 

[Jockette]

Your knee is improving just fine, as you proved by listing all the things you can do. I’ll be 2 years post op next month and I can’t go up or downstairs foot over foot, so you’re already way ahead of me.

I find my flex is worst laying down. I get a much better bend sitting in a chair. Do you find that also?

 

[rustic]

@ebungalow
Glad I read your post. It reminded me to try using a ball or roller on my hip. I've got sharp pain at the trochanter, and have been doing the stretch you mention.

 

[ebungalow]

@Jockette, thanks for the reassurance!

And yes, my flex is less when lying down. Must try to remember that for next OS appointment.

 

[sistersinhim]

He watched me walk, had me lie on my back and bend my leg, and estimated that I have about 105-110 degrees flex at 10 weeks.

You don't walk on your back, so I can't understand why doctors and PTs want to measure bend that way. I really think they should measure it the way it's being used.

It sounds like to me, by your actions, that you are ahead of the curve, not behind!

So many of us have developed bursitis after our knee replacements. It's bad enough to have to heal from that surgery, but adding bursitis at the same time just isn't fair! Thank God you are learning how to lesson the pain of it. I hope things continue to improve for you.

 

[ebungalow]

Thanks so much, @sistersinhim. You’re such a comfort.

And your points are excellent. Yeah! We don’t walk on our backs! Don’t think I’ve ever thought about it like that.

 

[ebungalow]

@Josephine

May I please ask a question? My new RTKR is coming along slowly, but fine.

I've developed some pain in the almost 15-month old LTKR. I have not been doing any new activities - the knee has been really good and pain-free since last September.

But now it's aching. It doesn't hurt immediately when I start walking, but pain does pop up after I've walked for a very short distance. It also ached last night at rest. This started happening about one week ago.

It's not a sharp pain, more like an ache. I'd rate the pain at about a level 2-3-4 when it appears. I can't tell if it's getting worse or if my concern is making it seem like it's getting worse.

The pain is located at the intersection of LF3/LF4 at the top of E on your pain chart.

Thanks so much for any insight.

 

[Lilli215]

@ebungalow, I’m nearly three weeks into LTKR, got RTKR two years ago, and most of the time I’m completely unaware of it. However it has started to grumble a wee bit over the past few days out of nowhere and I’m just putting it down to ithaving to take the strain off of the new knee and it isn’t happy about it.

 

[Josephine]

So about here then?

Do you have or can you obtain the latest xray of that knee?

 

[ebungalow]

@Josephine

Yes, that’s exactly the right spot. The ache doesn’t go across the leg though; it’s right in the middle.

I don’t have any X-rays - I go back to see my OS at the end of March.

I will ask him about the issue if it hasn’t resolved and will get the X-rays then, if not before.

Thanks!

 

[sistersinhim]

Many of us have have the same pain in the same area. I continue to have it off and on now. Icing helps.

 

[Josephine]

I asked for your xray because I've had exactly the same pain and now learned I have a loose implant!

 

[ebungalow]

Aack!!

That’s what I was afraid you were going to say @Josephine!

Thanks, @sistersinhim I’ll give ice a try

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm there with you @ebungalow, but my xrays showed nothing according to the PA.

 

[ebungalow]

Here’s a happy PT story.

I hadn’t realized I’d been so firm with my new PTs on the first day I went in.

They assured me that I’d been very clear that I didn’t want pain, and that I didn’t want to just go into the clinic to do exercises. Haha BoneSmart philosophy was drilled into my brain.

They’ve been working on me with gentle stretching and deep massage.

Anyway, I’ve had some left hip bursitis and more recently have had some pain below my 15-month old left knee.

I worked with one of the guys today, told him about the new pain, and he did some examination, some massage, and he believes I’m having patellar tendon pain.

When he massaged my quad above my knee on the inside, pain referred to below that knee.

He thinks it’s possible for the knee pain and the bursitis to be caused (or exacerbated) by a tight left quad and a weak left glute.

And here’s me thinking I had buns of steel. Not.

But seriously, I do hip strengthening exercises and have done for years!

I don’t know if I’m describing his theory correctly, but it made sense to me and my leg/hip reacted as he predicted with different massage points.

I’ll still check it out with my OS at the end of month appointment, but I’ll also be doing the easy hip strengthening exercises he gave me.

 

[SuzyQ58]

@ebungalow, how is your swelling doing in your last knee? My TKR was on Dec. 6th so just a few days before yours. I too have been doing the bike and try to walk. I’m not seeing a PT anymore but my surgeon said he would write me a script if needed. I’m having some swelling and my hamstrings are TIGHT!! I have been doing some stretching exercises and also using heat on my hamstrings and ice on my knee.

 

[ebungalow]

Hi @SuzyQ58

Thanks for checking in. I’ve been following your recovery story too since our second TKRs were so close in date.

I’m right there with you on the swelling and tightness.

I remember that you’ve said your first TKR seemed easier and had less swelling. That’s true for me as well. This knee is more swollen and seems tighter.

I do wear a Jobst open-toe, thigh-high stocking most days and really like it. It helps a lot with swelling.

I’m getting more exercise now with walking, stationary biking, water walking, and targeted easy strengthening exercises.

I’m still icing and elevating every day, though not as often as at the beginning.

Hello to St. Louis! I lived in St. Louis for 12 years, right after college. I have some very fond memories of the city and my daughter was born there. Great botanical gardens.