TKR Back again, 1 and 2 years post op

[Honey007]

Thank you yes I thought I was being so stoic!

 

[Jamie]

I would say the pain is a nine.
The honor of a 10 pain level would go to the two tiny kidney stones I have had in past!

@Honey007 I can certainly relate to this as I just had the honor of passing a kidney stone myself about a week ago. There is no pain on earth like that!!

I've changed your thread title as you requested, so post away. We'll enjoy hearing how you're doing now.

 

[Honey007]

I am 5 1/2 weeks post op and I believe this is the last week for my physical therapy. I feel somewhat sad as I love the small place I go to three times a week. I found as this is my 2nd TKR I knew what to expect and found the first four weeks were easy- I rode the bike a mile each time there starting on my second week, and at my last appt was at 115 ROMThe last two sessions however incorporated a new excercise- standing from a seated position, 10 x the first session, and 20 X the next. I found it very painful on the inside of my left knee- perhaps a tendon? The next day I was in terrible pain and my last session they did not make me do them.

i called out of my session for yesterday. I have PSA and may be having a little flair. I could not see myself doing any therapy as I was so exhausted and ill.
i have two more sessions and I know they want me to be at 120 ROM.
I love the team here they are not “ pushy” but my knee is so stiff, I still have a hard time getting up and down from a chair with arms, let alone without as I do at therapy.
I know how people feel when they do not feel they are at where they need to be after surgery. I feel like I will be letting them down and myself too if I’m not quite at 120 ROM and if I can’t do the stand up from sitting excercise

I know everyone is different, but feel my knee should not be hurting that much by now. It’s almost like there has been no change the last two weeks and I started out with such ease. I thought I was “ crushing it” any words of advice Are appreciated!

 

[Jaycey]

Still very early days for you @Honey007 ! And why PT increased that new exercise 2X in only one week - well it's just not right. If you had a problem with 10 reps how could you possibly do twice as much.

Are you icing your knee? Please don't worry about any "goal" for ROM. When you get control of the swelling the pain will ease. Then increased ROM will happen when you knee is ready.

 

[Jockette]

Please don’t feel like you are letting them down. Their goal for you is unrealistic. They should feel bad for setting the same goals for all their patients. There is no set time by which you have to have a certain ROM number, because each of our bodies recover at its own rate, and some of that depends on how much the surgeon had do do inside our knee during surgery.

Sit to stand exercises are very hard, and 5-6 weeks is too early to tell you to do that. And 10-20 of them is way too much. There is no way I could have done that at your stage. It took me months, and I was just getting up from a chair, not doing it repetitively all at once! This type PT request is exactly why I won’t go to formal PT next time, I’ll do my own sensible rehab at home, on my own. I suffered enough painful set backs due to my PT this time around.

You are coming along fine, and the rest of your ROM will come. Just give it time.

And, just so you know, my ROM continued to improve past the one year mark, and, past the 2 year mark!

 

[sistersinhim]

The last two sessions however incorporated a new excercise- standing from a seated position, 10 x the first session, and 20 X the next. I found it very painful on the inside of my left knee- perhaps a tendon? The next day I was in terrible pain and my last session they did not make me do them.

These are very hard on a baby knee. Your knee is still in the beginning stages of healing. When you do these repeated exercises, your knee is becoming more and more inflamed. That causes a setback in your recovery. Your knee has to come back and heal from these sitting to standing exercises before it can get back to where it was before those were done.

I love the team here they are not “ pushy” but my knee is so stiff, I still have a hard time getting up and down from a chair with arms, let alone without as I do at therapy.

I have to disagree. Your team is very pushy and does not know the correct exercises for a joint replacement. This is more a training exercise and is definitely not a thing to do now. Your PT has their own agenda, and it is not good for you. Runaway from them! They are doing more harm than good.

 

[Honey007]

Please don’t feel like you are letting them down. Their goal for you is unrealistic. They should feel bad for setting the same goals for all their patients. There is no set time by which you have to have a certain ROM number, because each of our bodies recover at its own rate, and some of that depends on how much the surgeon had do do inside our knee during surgery.

Sit to stand exercises are very hard, and 5-6 weeks is too early to tell you to do that. And 10-20 of them is way too much. There is no way I could have done that at your stage. It took me months, and I was just getting up from a chair, not doing it repetitively all at once! This type PT request is exactly why I won’t go to formal PT next time, I’ll do my own sensible rehab at home, on my own. I suffered enough painful set backs due to my PT this time around.

You are coming along fine, and the rest of your ROM will come. Just give it time.

And, just so you know, my ROM continued to improve past the one year mark, and, past the 2 year mark!

@Jockette Thank you so much! I have not gone last two sessions due to illness but should be going today possibly for last session as it is 6 weeks.

They we’re very good about not having me do standing ex.until i was able to achieve 110 ROM and I am fine with the step up exercises, but I realized the pain during and after was not right. I assumed everyone did this excercise and I must be a wimp or not where i need to be.

i realize now, they maybe too pushy and noticed they have me do leg slides with a strap, laying down, in order to pull my leg back farther. I read somewhere, perhaps here, that you are not supposed to use a strap.

i cannot thank you enough as I am the type of person who wants to please everyone and did not want to let them down!!

 

[Honey007]

Still very early days for you @Honey007 ! And why PT increased that new exercise 2X in only one week - well it's just not right. If you had a problem with 10 reps how could you possibly do twice as much.

Are you icing your knee? Please don't worry about any "goal" for ROM. When you get control of the swelling the pain will ease. Then increased ROM will happen when you knee is ready.

@Jaycey yes, I am icing a lot but have been more hit or miss if I’m not active.And yes, I thought that was kind of crazy as well. I know my knee will get better as time goes on. I think they saw how easy I did everything else, never complained, etc, and are trying to prepare me for a tri-athalon! Thank you!

 

[Honey007]

The last two sessions however incorporated a new excercise- standing from a seated position, 10 x the first session, and 20 X the next. I found it very painful on the inside of my left knee- perhaps a tendon? The next day I was in terrible pain and my last session they did not make me do them.

These are very hard on a baby knee. Your knee is still in the beginning stages of healing. When you do these repeated exercises, your knee is becoming more and more inflamed. That causes a setback in your recovery. Your knee has to come back and heal from these sitting to standing exercises before it can get back to where it was before those were done.

I love the team here they are not “ pushy” but my knee is so stiff, I still have a hard time getting up and down from a chair with arms, let alone without as I do at therapy.

I have to disagree. Your team is very pushy and does not know the correct exercises for a joint replacement. This is more a training exercise and is definitely not a thing to do now. Your PT has their own agenda, and it is not good for you. Runaway from them! They are doing more harm than good.

@sistersinhim - This is why I adore you all and I totally understand what you are saying. You are right - This May be my last session as it is my 6th week. I just loved going the first few weeks as it was a break for me to get out and be among others, and the excerise’s were so easy to do however I was getting a good work out. Can you advise how long patients continue PT after a TKR?

 

[sistersinhim]

Can you advise how long patients continue PT after a TKR?

Everyone is different and one might go once and another might go for many months. Many of us never took formal PT or did any exercises at all. I am one of those. I had 12 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals, and 1 tkr. Even after those I never took formal PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing. I used my knee as it was intended to be used by walking around to take care of my daily needs. As I healed I was able to do more. Icing and elevation were a huge part of my recovery.

Listen to your knee. It will tell you if you're doing too much by increased pain and swelling. When that happened to me, I found that resting, icing, and elevating helped. Your knee knows how to rehab itself without being told what to do.

 

[Honey007]

Thank you! Wow I hope you are doing just great! Your knees went thru so much and you are so right-about everything!
As I finish up my recovery, my husband will be having spinal fusion surgery end of month.

He has been in terrible pain, and I of course walk around like a limping klutz.
Between the two of us we have maybe a half dozen goodbody parts not hit with arthritis.

i even noticed my dog fake limping the other day! I swear she is just making fun of us!

 

[Rick951]

i even noticed my dog fake limping the other day! I swear she is just making fun of us!

@Honey007 I don't think your dog is making fun of you. More like trying to be like Mom and Dad...
Hopefully once you and your husband are finished with repairs and rehab, your dog will stop limping.

 

[Jaycey]

my husband will be having spinal fusion surgery end of month

My sympathies! Spinal surgery can be a tough recovery. As you can see in my signature I have a long history of spinal pain. Hope his procedure brings relief!

 

[Honey007]

Thank you Jaycey, do you know a group similar to this for online support? I signed up for a Facebook group but it does not feel the same- .
You are marvelous and strong to have gone through all of those surgeries!

 

[Jaycey]

do you know a group similar to this for online support?

Yes, my spinal surgeon recommended spine-health.com to get information but they also have forums for support. I didn't find them as friendly as BoneSmart. But it does help to be able to "talk" to other members who have gone through the surgery.

You are marvelous and strong to have gone through all of those surgeries!

Aw - you are very kind. Not sure how strong I am but had no choice in having surgery. Bad joints inherited I guess.

 

[Honey007]

Thank. You it is so similar! Perfect,,,!

 

[Honey007]

Overdid P/T at the 6 week mark. All was going great, but they added 30 leg presses on the Leg Press machine, as well as step ups, 20 front and 20 sideways, and standing balancing on new knee ( leg) for 10 reps, 10 seconds each. In addition to biking a mile and numerous other excercuses.

Since my last visit on Wednesday, I started to have severe pain top of thighs and hips, getting progressivy worse each day. Today I cannot walk without a walker! The pain has gone to the middle of my butt on my left and top of back of left side and now in lower back,

it feels stabbing and every step is excruciating. It is Saturday, and there are no physicians open. It took me 5 minutes to walk 15 steps to the bathroom and back and pain level about an 8. ( 9 and 10 are reserved for childbirth and kidney stones!)

I hate to go to walk in or ER because I really do not know what they can do.
my husband is having surgery on Tuesday to have Spinal fusion so I will be taking care of him and need to be able to walk.

is there any advise as to what may have caused this - I assume it was the additional exercises they had me do

i am happy to say we achieved a 120 ROM this last time. I was very proud of myself as I like to think I persevered with my PT like a champ. But now am paying the price!

 

[Jaycey]

Far too much exercise! You are not in training, you are healing from major surgery. All that extra exercise is rubbish. Please stop it and rest. Ice, elevate and rest. Walking around the house or for short walks outside is all you need now.

Being a hero at PT gets you nothing but unnecessary pain I am afraid.

 

[Honey007]

@Jaycey
Thank you I feel better knowing that there is a limit to what I need to do.
It feels so good to see my body active and somewhat stronger after so muchpain from PSA for years, that I always leave PT grateful that I can still do the things I did not think I could do any longer.
Some of these muscles have not been used in ages and they are not happy.
i will rest and lay low, it is just getting so tiresome!

 

[Jaycey]

PT should not be adding so much all at once. If you want to exercise you need to build up very slowly and gradually. And I have no idea why they think you need leg presses.

You will get back to exercising again. But it is still very early days for you. Please don't let anyone push you.