TKR TM1965's Story

I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
@TM1965
Josephine has offered to help you. Please will you reply to her offer?

You can do that here in your thread, by tagging her. Just put the @ sign before you type her name, as I tagged you at teh start of my message.
 
Hello, this is TM1965. It's been a while since I posted but things have been pretty busy. I will have my final day of pt tomorrow thinking about checking into aqua therapy as I have done it before.

My question to you is night before last I began to have a lot of stiffness and pain, seems to be the entire front of my knee. I am 8 weeks out today from my right TKR and have had a couple set backs.

Things were good until a couple nights ago. Also I have had the knee give out several times this past few days even at pt Monday. He held the knee slightly firm like and it did not give out. He said I may need a brace until my muscles get stronger?

A bit confused by this I thought that was what pt was for. I am concerned because of the stiffness and new pain. Could I maybe have overdone it with a very small trip to the grocery store and dishes and light cleaning? Thank you for your help in advance.

@TM1965

I have copied this PM you sent me into your own recovery thread,because it is asking questions and giving information about your recovery.
Did you lose your recovery thread? This article may help:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/how-can-i-find-my-threads-and-posts.14732/

It's still less than 2 months since you had this major surgery, and complete recovery takes a full year, so you still have plenty of time for continued improvement.

Yes, I do think that your knee's stiffness was the result of trying to do too much, too soon. Check your activity again with this article: Activity progression for TKRs

Your knee did give out because the muscles are not yet strong enough - it will improve as time passes. Continue to use a stick until those muscles are a bit stronger, so you don't run the risk of having a fall.

There's absolutely no need at all to have a brace - you are right about that. We usually recommend not starting any exercises to strengthen your muscles until about 3 months post-op. "Heal first, then strengthen." Your knee is still healing, although your muscles will already have started strengthening, just with your normal daily activities.
 
Thank you very much, I feel better for sure. I'm sorry about pm you I wasn't sure how to just post it. I will read the information you sent hun. Thank you again!!
 
Maybe my personal expectations are just too high. I hope for aqua therapy soon. It is much easier and hopefully will move things along.
Many of us have unrealistic expectations because our medical community is not honest with us about this recovery.

You are not yet a full 3 months in a year long, on average, recovery. You will get there, in time.

For the record, pool therapy is not easier, it can just seem that way while you are in the water. It can give us a false security and tempts us to do too much, and can cause a set back.

PT put me in the pool at 4 weeks and their 50 minute session took me 3 days to recover from. Granted, you are much further along than that, but if you have any extra discomfort afterwards, scale it way back, or wait a while longer before going again, or both. Don’t go through what I did.
 
Thank you for the quick response Jockette. I was hoping the aqua therapy would help as I had been through it after my last scope to clean the knee up. But I agree with you on the false security I shall rethink the aqua for sure.

Have you ever heard of the sudden bruising I talked about? This has me concerned also. Thank you again for responding to my post.

I am just not sure where to post to get advice. I do not wish to interfere with someone else's discussion. If I have I do apologize.
 
This is where you ask your questions, in this, your recovery thread. You did fine responding!
Have you ever heard of the sudden bruising I talked about? This has me concerned also.
I do not know about this, let’s ask @Josephine
 
If you did well with the aqua therapy before, that’s good. But recovery from a knee replacement is a whole different ball game!

Many people have had numerous knee surgeries and thought knee replacement would be similar only to be shocked at how much harder the recovery is.

Time is on your side, slow and steady wins the race.
 
Thank you jockett, I was not sure about how to jump in. I get on here and read posts often and hope to find someone that is having the same issues. Doesnt always work that way though. Also I did not really consider that. This was a much bigger procedure so maybe not the best for sure. Just looking for ways to improve the healing guess its 1 step forward 2 steps back at times. I am glad you brought this to my attention
 
I see that you have not yet responded to Josephine. A while back she asked if she could ask you some questions. Your answers will give her information she needs so she can advise you.

Are you willing to answer Josephine’s questions?
 
Oh yes, I am sorry I do not know where to do that. Should I have sent her the question when we spoke?

Like I said this is confusing to me I so apologize!

@Josephine I am more than willing to answer any questions you have. Please send your questions again? Will this show up here with all of my other conversations today?
 
Your answer is here, she’ll see it.
She didn’t post her questions yet, she was waiting for your answer. She will post them in a day or so.

You are posting fine. :console2:
 
@Josephine I am not sure if these questions are for me also but I will answer also just in case.

1. Pain level was 1 most of the time but up to 4-5 few days 8-10 at night wakes me up again.

2. I take Tylenol arthritis 650mgs every 8 hours as needed.

3. Swelling slight to moderate.

4. Up to last few days ROM was 120 to 124 now lucky to get 95 swelling limits bend.

5. Still using ice daily but have increased to several times a day past few days.

6. I elevate every time I sit usually recliner. More so past few days.

7. My activity level is normal house cleaning, cooking, walking, grocery shopping with ride cart, driving as of this past week.

8. Exercises
leg lifts x20 daily.
heel slides x5 to 10 twice daily.
leg lifts x10 once a day for now
walking more daily.
Toe to heel rocking 2 to 3 times week.

Finished PT last week.
 
I am not sure if these questions are for me also
No, that was not your thread. You'll know it isn't when your posts are white (like mine).
When your posts have a blue/grey background then you know you are the owner of this thread

So I've moved it for you!
@TM1965
 
Thank you, the black and blue started after going shopping a few days ago. I was doing good but my mom needed me to lift a box of dishes into the cart for her. Thing just quickly went down hill after that. By the time I got home the knee was really swelled and had turned black and blue around the knee cap area. After I got it elevated with ice it almost immediately goes away but comes right back when I even walk from room to another here at home. It started clicking and giving out almost daily again also.
 
I can still feel something uncomfortable when I pick something up that the knee deems heavy. It can only be a laundry basket full of clothes, and we all know that’s not heavy. I attempted a case of bottled water recently and quickly set it back down. That one really was heavy!

I call my knee Miss Drama Queen.

But mine doesn’t turn black and blue.
 
Oh ok, that's why I wanted to ask my question.

It has never turn black and blue like this before but it's been sore before of course. It's also been giving out for the last couple of weeks but you know, it seems like it really never stopped doing that completely for an extended amount of time but now it's doing it a lot. It's been a sore the last couple of days and swelled a lot. I just stood in and started dinner and it got to hurt and bad.

I'll turn just right or you know step just right now get that sharp pain in the inside left knee cap and I would tell therapy about it for weeks and he just said it is weak muscles. But now it is swelled back up again
 
I am going to tag @Josephine, our forum director and nurse, to address your concerns.
 
TM, I'm sorry to take so long getting back to you. There is some extra information I need for your answers
I was doing pretty well until last week when my physical therapist pushed my bend from 104 to 114.. I thought I was dying!
That's tantamount to an assault which is punishable by law! You should read this Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
1. Pain level is normally - was 1 most of the time but up to 4 to 5 few days 8 or 10 at night wakes me up again
Can you clarify this please? It's a bit muddly!
4. Up to last few days ROM was 120 to 124 now lucky to get 95 swelling limits bend.
I think you are under the impression that ROM (range of motion) only refers to flexion (bend) but it doesn't. It is flexion AND extension (straightness). We usually type it like this 120/-1 - extension is plus or minus, meaning it's either more than straight so minus (-) or less than straight so plus (+). So you've missed out the extension number and it would help me if you can supply it.
5. Still using ice daily but have increased to several times a day past few days.
6. I elevate every time I sit usually recliner. More so past few days.
The question actually says: How long do you ice/elevate for? Please tell me this otherwise my advice will be meaningless.

These comments are from your other posts:
my mom needed me to lift a box of dishes into the cart for her. Thing just quickly went down hill after that.
Considering all the problems you're having with your knee, this was a foolish thing to do, don't you think? :no-fin:
It has never turn black and blue like this before
Do you think you can get a photo of it when this happens? It would help me greatly.
I would tell therapy about it for weeks and he just said it is weak muscles.
Really? He sounds a pathetic PT to me! I want to ask you, I haven't seen any comment that you've reported all this to your surgeon, the coming and going bruising, the persistent swelling and the tendency to give way or feel like it's going to give way. If the bruising is not always present, the photo would help him too.

Personally, I think that PT did some real damage to your knee when he forced it like he did. Maybe tore a muscle or a ligament. But whatever it is, it started there. Just another thought - if someone in the street came up to you and assaulted you in a similar fashion, what would you do? Hm?

I'll be back to respond to your answers when I have the extra information, okay?
 
Should I still have pain and discomfort sometimes it it's sharp up above the knee cap and below down the front of lower leg. Sometimes lately in the back outer edge is also sore. Doing pretty good with stairs which I was not able to do before the surgery so I'm very happy about that but I have some bad days. I would also like to know if I have a basic weight restriction? Lifting, pushing and at times pulling my mom in wheelchair. I've been told a different things including that I can resume normal activity although caregiver began shortly after my surgery.
 
@TM1965 you will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.
 

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