TKR TKR Progress

[beesknee]

Sounds like you are having and excellent recovery. Unless you are one of the outliers, your ROM will come back just fine with minimal effort.

If you can golf or do any type of activity without being worse the next few days it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[kneeper]

You can certainly try different activities, but just be aware it is very easy to "tweak" your knee in healing stages. You won't damage the hardware, but you may aggravate the soft tissues for a time.

 

[Donkfish]

So I'm a golfer and had RTKR on March 15. I was chipping and putting at 5 weeks, and at 6 weeks hit some wedges. At the 6 1/2 week mark I went out on the course. I mostly dropped 100 yards out and played in, but I did play about 5 or 6 full holes, 2 with normal clubs (driver, hybrids, etc) and the others with a 7 iron. I'm told this is unusually quick, but I've been having a pretty good recovery. Even so, I still feel like I'm at least a month away from actually playing a full round. And mine is my back leg. If you're a righty golfer I think you're going to find that it'll take longer because it's the front leg. I definitely couldn't put full weight on the back leg, but I was able to work around that just by keeping my weight forward. There's no way you can work around twisting on your front leg. And I've found the twisting motion to be the most difficult and painful.

I'd say take your time, and focus on chipping and putting. By the time you're ready for the course, your short game will be better than ever. And I know it's not the same as being out there, but it still feels pretty good to be on the practice area. Good luck.

 

[Odieodell]

I was chipping and putting at 5 weeks, and at 6 weeks hit some wedges. At the 6 1/2 week mark I went out on the course. I mostly dropped 100 yards out and played in,

This is exactly what I have been doing since the 5 week mark. I am a right-handed golfer and it is my left knee, but the swing isn’t bothering me. I’m not taking a real hard swing or finishing through hard so it isn’t causing a lot of twisting on my front knee. I played the par 3s today and dropped out at around a 100 yards on other holes and chipped and putt as well. I’m going to continue to take it slow, but I’m hoping I can play 9 holes by the 7 or 8 week mark. I’m confident the range of motion will come back mainly from daily activities. I hope to also get back on the tennis court maybe by fall, but I won’t push it if the knee isn’t ready. My knee joint only hurts now when bending it and I’m confident this will get better in time. Hopefully, my extension will also get to zero.

 

[JojoFitness]

It made me kind of mad that the medical team causes us so much stress about it in the early weeks.

Yes, there is a lot of misinformation in the medical field about TKR recovery and PT. I tried PT with my first TKR and the guy said I would need an MUA because my ROM was so poor. I know this isn't the experience that everybody has but my PT actually caused more swelling which slowed my recovery. I skipped PT for my second TKR and it has healed just fine by itself.

If you push things too quickly, you will likely cause swelling which will reduce ROM. Your knee can't flex if it's swollen!

Question - I keep seeing "MUA" on various posts and have no idea what it is. I googled it and came up with only "make-up artist" - haha! I know that's not it....

 

[InkedMarie]

@JojoFitness it means Manipulation Under Anesthesia.

Marie

 

[JojoFitness]

@JojoFitness it means Manipulation Under Anesthesia.

Marie

oh thank you! (Sounds awful)

 

[Jockette]

You are lucky that you didn’t know what an MUA is. That means that your recovery is coming along well and your medical team has not felt the need to discuss it with you.

An MUA is a procedure where they bend your leg forcefully, to break up any adhesions you have, that might be preventing your ROM from increasing. That force is why they need to give you anesthesia, so they can do it.

 

[JojoFitness]

You are lucky that you didn’t know what an MUA is. That means that your recovery is coming along well and your medical team has not felt the need to discuss it with you.

An MUA is a procedure where they bend your leg forcefully, to break up any adhesions you have, that might be preventing your ROM from increasing. That force is why they need to give you anesthesia, so they can do it.

Oh my goodness! Well I sure hope so, since my PT team hasn't mentioned it at all. But it'll only be five weeks tomorrow. I've slowed down in my ROM gains, as I've weaned off oxy completely. The thought of a MUA is additional motivation to keep working hard (but not too hard;) Thank you!

 

[Deedles8]

Another quick question. My incision seems to be healing nicely, but it is super sensitive. I’m guessing the nerve endings are growing back. I don’t have any numbness that I’ve heard of other people talk about. How much longer does this last and is there anything I can do to reduce the sensitivity?

I have used Vitamin E oil for my scar and it has helped with the scar size and to help with the desensitization. It's worth a shot?!?

 

[sistersinhim]

Be sure there are no open areas on your incision or anywhere your stitches or staples were before putting anything on your knee! Any foreign material can seep into an open place and possibly cause huge problems.

 

[hawk2go]

I read back through my LTKR journal and found that I tried the cling wrap around week 4 but it took a few tries before it starting to make the knee feel good overnight and when I woke. It resolved scar sensitivity, that middle of the night pain flare that made me sit up and also the morning stiffness.

Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm

THE MOIST HEAT SOLUTION I found this was a great solace at around 3-4 months when I got a really unbearable and wearing ache in my knee. It wasn't the surgical pain if before and it certainly did respond to changes in the weather. Cold and damp was the time it would set in, also the middle of...

bonesmart.org

 

[Odieodell]

How long on average would everyone say it takes for all the swelling to be gone after TKR?

 

[benne68]

How long on average would everyone say it takes for all the swelling to be gone after TKR?

There's really no "average" -- Each of us is different and our bodies respond differently to the surgery and the recovery. What's more, the amount and type of activity you do contribute to the swelling, along with how much/often you ice and elevate.

For me, most of the "big" swelling went down by the time I saw my surgeon for my 6 weeks follow-up. However, I continue to have some swelling on days when I do more than the knee likes -- even now at almost 8 months post-op.

You are still very early in this year-long recovery. If you are having a lot of swelling, that's probably a sign you are doing too much or doing activities your knee doesn't like. Give your knee a break for a few days and the swelling will probably diminish.

 

[KaMcC]

I'm also a little concerned he may push MUA if my ROM doesn't improve much before then, but honestly, I will probably decline it. Would I be wrong in refusing that if he mentions it at 7 weeks?

You would be completely right to tell him no, or even no! You are seeing improvements in ROM so it's not adhesions preventing your ROM so an MUA would only put you back to day one of recovery. I agree that you are doing too much and the swelling that results from too much activity is limiting your ROM. In this recovery you need to really listen to your knee, if what you did during the day causes additional pain or swelling that night or the next day you have done more than your knee was ready for. Less is often more in this recovery. It sounds like your surgeon only gave you the "miraculous" knee recoveries, playing golf at 6 weeks. This is a 12-18 month recovery and you can't do much to speed it up, but pushing too hard can certainly slow your recovery. You might be able to play golf now, but I guarantee you'll pay a big price for it.

Why do you say ROM puts you back to week 1 of recovery?

 

[Odieodell]

However, I continue to have some swelling on days when I do more than the knee likes -- even now at almost 8 months post-op.

I don’t have that much swelling at nearly 6 weeks post-op despite being very active daily, so I’m very happy about that.

I am disappointed to hear that swelling can still occur at nearly 8 months post-op.

 

[tjames2000]

Hi, had both knees replaced and love golf in the UK, it's my driving factor to work on the joint and strengthen it BUT I have never heard of a post about golfing in 6 weeks. I always budgeted 3 months MINIMUM after my TKRs. 2 weeks to do nothing but TV, heal and a few stretches, a period of weeks after that to walk outside and increase distance and then after 2 months start a physio/gym package on legs and core. Again this builds up over time. Only after this package which is 3 months MINIMUM would I feel comfortable heading back to golf. Everyone's different of course but at the end of the day what's the rush. Golf will always be there.

 

[Odieodell]

Today, six weeks post-op, I golfed 9 holes. The knee felt fine. I did get a little swelling in my ankle. Honestly, it is better than PT!
Like many have said, I believe my range of motion will come with daily activities.

 

[tjames2000]

Its not whether you can do it, and trust me I respect the 6 weeks golf, awesome, its about risk awareness for me, rabbit holes, trips, twists and uneven ground.

 

[Odieodell]

This coming Thursday, May 19, I see my surgeon for the first time since my surgery which will be 7 weeks that day. Despite my knee feeling quite well, I haven’t made any gains in range of motion for nearly 3 weeks. I’m stuck at -15 extension and 95 bend. I’m a little disappointed since I have been quite active and have even golfed 9 holes four times since last week. I want to believe my ROM will continue to improve over time as many others have stated will happen as my knee heals. Am I being realistic about that with a stall in my ROM after 3 weeks? I’m guessing the surgeon may suggest MUA and I was initially thinking no to that, but now I am unsure about declining that. Thoughts?