TKR TortiTabby's recovery

[TortiTabby]

Hello all, I'm closing in on ten months post surgery and I feel like I'm finally at the point where I'm not thinking about my knee all the time. I'm guessing my ROM is around 125 or so. I can walk up and down the stairs without the handrail (although I keep my hand hovering above it - just in case ).
This sure has been one looong recovery. I encourage everyone to be especially kind to themselves and their knees and listen to their bodies.

Thank you all at BoneSmart for getting me through this trying past year! I don't know what I would have done without everyone's encouragement. Peace.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Great to hear how well you're doing. Thank-you for your praise, also!

 

[Helizabug]

Your recovery story has been helpful to me. My ROM is slow in coming, which is making me nuts. My surgeon suggested an MUA at six weeks, and, because I learned about your progress and others’, I asked for time to think and to see if I could make consistent gains, even smaller ones than he wanted. He was concerned about that window of opportunity that doesn’t seem to be as challenging as he thinks. But I insisted on waiting.

At just short of ten weeks, I had the MUA because I couldn’t get to 90degrees, and I really felt I needed to be there for my own well being. I am glad I had the MUA, mostly, but I am even more glad that I had stories like yours to help me stand up to the surgeon and make the decision for myself. I knew my aims for the MUA when I chose to have it, and I knew, with other aims, I could have skipped it and likely still seen gains or had the option to do the MUA even later, if it continued to seem like the best approach. Knowing there was a choice really helped me, so thanks for sharing your story.

Glad to hear you’re doing well!

 

[RIT387]

At my six week appointment this is what my OS wrote in my visit summary: "She reads an online website called Bone Smart which states to not push through pain following knee replacement. If she were to follow this direction, she will have to learn to live with a knee that only reaches to 85 degrees of flexion. I believe this website is very misleading."
It has now been 20 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks (where I am today): 110
I am so thrilled it keeps improving and improving and I know now that I will get to my goal of 120 (or even better, dare I say!)
So, if a OS or PT bullies you into thinking your ROM will not improve over time they are wrong. By the way, I haven't been back to see the OS since that horrible appointment at 6 weeks, but I sure am going back when I reach 120 just to say, "Ha! You were wrong, BoneSmart was right!"

This sure helps me to read this today. I'm obsessing about slow ROM progress again.

 

[BlueSkiesHere]

Wow. This is one of the most INFORMATIVE, reassuring and supportive threads I've read! Just what I have needed to hear. Thank ALL of you for your wise words and experiences. I'm so glad I've found all of you.

 

[Jockette]

@BlueSkiesHere I agree, I quote @TortiTabby ROM progression all the time.