TKR Total knee on June 4

Quiltmom

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June 4th I had my right knee replaced. Supposed to be same day but had to overnight due to ekg changes. Have been home 5 days. Ambulating around family room and powder room first 3 days with walker. No problems and only complaint is stiffness. Had PT on 6/8. Therapist massaged leg and did some stretches. Yesterday started ambulating from my recliner to the powder room (about 20 feet) using cane. Again only issue stiffness. Today using cane all day in house. Cancelled PT today because a call from hospital to tell me one of my caregivers was covid-19 positive. Of course concerned. Was going to return to my bed tonight for first time but told husband..let's be cautious. I had both hips done in 2018 so the knee is new territory for me. All in all I feel pretty good
 
Welcome to the Bonesmart recovery side. Thank God you got the call to not go to PT. Your health comes first.

You will find that a knee recovery will be different. The following are our basic guidelines and should help get you started. As you read more on other members' recovery threads, you’ll get a better perspective of what to expect and what not to do, especially regarding PT.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
If that's your golden retriever on your avatar, my favourite breed, just beware that they seem to have an inbuilt desire to be physiotherapists and love jumping on your knee to see if you are ok.
Otherwise, you seem to be doing great, and approaching it all well.
Great stuff!
 
Congrats on your new knee! Sounds like you're coming along nicely. As long as you're moving around as suggested in the activity progression article sistersinhim left for you, between icing and elevating, you'll do fine without PT.
 
:welome: to recovery, sounds like you are doing fine, try keep a positive attitude as this will help you enormously. Your Lab looks gorgeous as Tykey said just try and keep him away from your knees...I have a standard daschund who feels she is the guardian of my knees and insists that she must be on top of them at every opportunity even thou she weighs 9 kilos :yikes:.... plus thinks it need to be kept cleaned she always attempts to have a good old lick :heehee::dogsniff: on the plus side they will encourage you to walk and give you company when you are feeling low x
 
My golden isn't a problem. However my pug (they are Velcro dogs) is. But he's finally got the message to lay next to my knee not on it. Actually the only issue I'm having right now is an occasional bluish look to my leg. Seeing surgeon tomorrow and will discuss with him but has anyone else noticed discoloring like that? Very little pain during day and moving around quite a bit.
 
@Quiltmom A few weeks back I too noticed my knee was bluish but it disappeared after a few days, it's a good idea to bring it to your doctors attention, I'm sure it's nothing to be alarmed about but no harm in asking.
I loved the term "velcro dogs" my daschund definitely comes under that category, it's currently an average of 70-80 degrees "she" insists on being glued to myself at night - thankfully she prefers my non operated side :rotfl: and my bed is fairly large as she frequently gets moved :heehee:
 

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