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Ease off the walking and don't feel pressured to increase the distance. What seems impossible one day will be easy on another day. It's all a bit of a roller coaster ride - just stay positive and keep trying. Still early days!
Revision TKR TKR revision
- Thread starter agsmom
- Start date
I am at 9 weeks and just yesterday was realizing I hadn't taken even Tylenol in over a week. I have a ton of stiffness and tightness but no actual pain. Then, BAM! last night I started getting a pain right next to the patella, or maybe behind it, somewhere in that area. Enough that I needed some Tylenol and I'm taking it again this morning because the pain is still happening sporadically.
I don't know if that helps answer your question, I am still all new to this. But I am guessing there are areas in our legs that are either still waking up or responding to more activity. In my opinion, as long as the pains aren't super sharp or enduring, everything is probably fine and we just have to wait it out like everything else. It sometimes helps me to read over my entire recovery thread or my journal that I keep; I will see things I've written that really bothered me at the time, and now I can barely remember them. That helps me believe that some of these pains will also be a distant memory.
I don't know if that helps answer your question, I am still all new to this. But I am guessing there are areas in our legs that are either still waking up or responding to more activity. In my opinion, as long as the pains aren't super sharp or enduring, everything is probably fine and we just have to wait it out like everything else. It sometimes helps me to read over my entire recovery thread or my journal that I keep; I will see things I've written that really bothered me at the time, and now I can barely remember them. That helps me believe that some of these pains will also be a distant memory.
@Jaycey thanks for the feedback. I get frustrated because I feel like increasing distance, there’s no pressure from my PT or OS to do this, but then I have so much pain after. I guess I need to pace myself and increase distance in small increments.
@thneed thanks for the input with your experience; it does help. And great advice to read over my recovery thread, I’ll do that. This is a revision TKR and my original surgery was last December so not much time between. I feel so much better this time around and I think that’s part of the frustration - my body still needs to heal and I’m trying to rush it. After my first surgery, I had extremely slow progress. I think you’ll find that things improve for you at a faster pace as time goes on. Good luck!
@thneed thanks for the input with your experience; it does help. And great advice to read over my recovery thread, I’ll do that. This is a revision TKR and my original surgery was last December so not much time between. I feel so much better this time around and I think that’s part of the frustration - my body still needs to heal and I’m trying to rush it. After my first surgery, I had extremely slow progress. I think you’ll find that things improve for you at a faster pace as time goes on. Good luck!
I had my six week follow-up today and my OS is very happy with my progress. I thought he would be disappointed in my ROM but he reminded me that it will take longer to gain ROM since this is a revision. He said keep doing what I’m doing. He was also happy with my walking and said not to be in a rush to stop using the cane. Great appointment!
I had my four week reevaluation at PT today and things continue to improve. My numbers are 2, 95 and 99 (95 is the flexion i can get to on my own with a heel slide and 99 is on the bike). I’m so happy with these numbers. I have felt so stiff and haven’t had much movement in the numbers for awhile. In fact, I was at 4 extension for probably five or six weeks so it just in the last few days decided to budge. This process is a long one and even though we know intellectually the numbers will get better and the pain will subside, it’s so hard to be patient sometimes. So to all of you still in recovery who are reading this, hang in there!
Yay! I'm so happy to hear your numbers are improving. It really helps improve the mood too, doesn't it? which in turn helps everything. Those numbers are better than mine were at 4 weeks, if I remember correctly. Good for you!!
Oh yeah, duh, I misread your last comment about 4 weeks. And I should know better, since our surgeries weren't too far apart! I swear they did something to my brain while I was under for the knee surgery.
Sometimes we have a plateau in our recoveries and then start improving again. It can be so frustrating if you don't have patience and realize that it will get better in a little while. I'm glad you're over that hill.
@sistersinhim thanks, I’m not all the way there but finally on my way! Patience is a virtue, right?
I think I remember you saying that you didn’t do much exercising or PT. Is that correct? My PT is adding more exercises and I’m not sure how much I want to do them. None are too hard but I think I’m doing pretty well without doing much more than some stretching and more walking. I do some exercises but mostly the simple ones that they gave me in the beginning and not every day.
I think I remember you saying that you didn’t do much exercising or PT. Is that correct? My PT is adding more exercises and I’m not sure how much I want to do them. None are too hard but I think I’m doing pretty well without doing much more than some stretching and more walking. I do some exercises but mostly the simple ones that they gave me in the beginning and not every day.
Nice to have a good explanation!
Yes, that is right. I recovered mostly alone so I had to take care of myself, my house, yard, and my 13 kitties. That was my PT. My extension was slower coming in, but not the bend. To aid my extension all I did was to walk with longer strides, heel to toe. It didn't happen overnight but I was soon 0 in my straightening.
Some people do OK with aggressive PT, some don't. I had better results doing my own daily activities and letting my knee be my guide. If something hurt, I'd not do it and try it again after a week or so.
Thank you for the info. I’m slowly walking more but I’m having trouble with my stride. I can’t straighten my leg all the way on my own so I’m not able to lengthen my stride much. I guess the strengthening exercises won’t hurt as long as they don’t hurt.
As I tried to lengthen my stride, it would stretch those large back muscles and tendons. Strengthening exercises aren’t really necessary at your stage of recovery, but if they don't hurt, then they are fine.
Would you mind clarifying the timeframe for adding strengthening exercises? I’ve read the articles but I’m unsure about this. As stated above, I do some strengthening exercises but only easy ones. I had significant muscle atrophy prior to the first surgery due to osteoarthritis. At some point in the future I think I’ll have to address this. I don’t want to do it too soon.
Bonesmart generally recommends strengthening exercises after the 3/4 month time frame, to give your body time to recover from the trauma of the original surgery. Of course, this can vary for each of us, depending on our individual circumstances.
If it hurts, stop and try again at a later date.
If it doesn’t hurt, start out gently, and add any increase very gradually.
It sounds like you are doing this right.
If it hurts, stop and try again at a later date.
If it doesn’t hurt, start out gently, and add any increase very gradually.
It's September 21. Less than a month now! And I "graduate" from PT this Friday for the first knee.
