TKR Total Knee Replacement New Girl 10 weeks out

[EalingGran]

Agree with @mendogal that going downstairs normally is often the last thing to come. I was well over six months before I could do it comfortably the correct way.

 

[rubyedith]

@EalingGran Thanks so much for such an in-depth answer; I appreciate being treated both with kindness and as though I have intelligence and can understand and appreciate complex explanations. I doubt my surgeon or PT would give me an answer as thought-out as yours. I will find out when I see my surgeon on Monday... wink wink! I will also be kinder to my knee when going down stairs

 

[Bfan]

I'm 5 months out and just returned from Europe. I walked 6 to 8 miles a day. I still get a twinge going down stairs but I'm so grateful for what I can do. I really see that I'm getting my life back. You will get there. Have patience and don't be hard on yourself. YOU WILL GET THERE.

 

[rubyedith]

Hi Gang! Saw my surgeon a few weeks ago. He measured my bend at 145 to 150 and I'm almost able to sit Indian style. I did my first dance exercise session 25 minutes yesterday. I think knee is more stiff and achey today. When do most folks notice knee is not as stiff? Also, I have heard that a replaced knee never feels like a real knee. So, what does it feel like? Stairs are still not easy. Should I practice walking up and down my staircase everyday? And if so, how much? Thank you!!

 

[EalingGran]

Your bend is great!
Just be a bit careful with the Indian style cross legs. Do you mean half lotus yoga style?? I have 150+ flexion but I don't sit with my weight fully back in child's pose and I wouldn't sit fully cross legged. I was always a bit hypermobile and used to like sitting with my foot under my thigh- I think it helped my back. I do wonder if it overstretched my knee though. I also tried a group yoga class at about a year out and found some of the yoga poses still irritated my knee. I stick to pilates now.
My knee is pretty much fine but it can still get slightly stiff at the end of a long day with a lot of stairs and steps. But I regularly do 10- 15,000 steps, live in a three storey house and look after a three year old. I also do still have a bit of arthritis in my unoperated femoro patellar compartment and a medial collateral ligament that was very overstretched pre op.
As to the natural feeling. My knee feels fully natural and has done from early on- apart from the occasional painless click.
There is some research that says that partials tend to feel more natural. But I know many TKR people here have natural feeling knees too.

 

[mendogal]

My experience relevant to sitting cross-legged post op.

Like EalingGran I have mild hypermobility, so it remains very easy for me to outwardly rotate my hips. My comfortable knee flexion for sitting and squats hasn't been measured in a year; it's definitely well over 120 degrees.

If I'm sitting on the floor and outwardly rotate my hips (as one does for Indian style/half lotus) my left knee will follow just so far before there's a warning pulling alongside the medial (inner) knee.
Specifically: If I keep the knee slightly flexed (guesstimating 45 or less) it will relax and follow the hip. If I flex the knee closer to the 90 degree range and try to let it roll outward, the pull becomes pain telling me to stop. So I can't sit with that external rotation except with my knees extended or just slightly bent.

Re stiffness: my 18 month old L knee and 13 month old R knee are very rarely stiff anymore. I routinely do 2 to 3 mile non stop walks, a weekly one hour tai chi session, and 45 minutes of yardwork much of which is dynamic squats (and limited not by my knees but by my allergies; when the sneezing fits start it's time to stop!) and my knees absolutely do not complain! The only thing causing temporary stiffness is if I sit too long.

 

[rubyedith]

thanks @EalingGran and @mendogal ! That's a lot of good thorough info. I wrote a reply right after your answers, maybe I forgot to click "post"??? Anyway, had a good 6 month post op appointment with my ortho. Am now 8 months out, and a couple of weeks ago, I started having an uncomfortable feeling in my new knee. It's a little hard for me to explain, it's more like I'm more aware of it than I was when walking, and it's every step. Also, it seems that it is more stiff than it has been, after sitting for awhile?? There continues to be more heat in it than my other knee. I know the healing can continue for a year and longer. I plan on calling my ortho today, just to be safe, but am curious if anyone else has experienced this? I've just come from a time of not thinking about new knee so much, to thinking about it more often. I'm not very aware of it while sitting. I'm pretty active in my home and garden and ortho told me to do whatever I felt like doing.

 

[EalingGran]

Am now 8 months out, and a couple of weeks ago, I started having an uncomfortable feeling in my new knee. It's a little hard for me to explain, it's more like I'm more aware of it than I was when walking, and it's every step. Also, it seems that it is more stiff than it has been, after sitting for awhile?? There continues to be more heat in it than my other knee.

It's understandable to worry. But I would think carefully about anything you are doing differently in terms of more exercise/ anything new etc. I do remember having worries like this at around your stage- but if I thought about it I could usually figure out a reason. My knee definitely stayed a bit warmer until about a year and I used to fret about that.

 

[Rockgirl4]

I'm wondering, based on my past experiences, if the weather has changed drastically where you live? Ilive in the central USA, where our seasons can have some fairly drastic changes over the course of 4-5 days. I've had 11 other knee surgeries before this TKR, and I always had more stiffness/soreness when we went from warm summer to early autumn and again from deep autumn to the true cold of winter...any of those 2 variations. I wouldn't have believed it could affect a recovery so much if I hadn't lived it numerous times. Is there any chance this has happened where you are in the UK?

I agree it's more likely to be activity-related, but I wanted to mention it regardless.

 

[rubyedith]

@Rockgirl4 thank you so much for taking your time to reply! Appreciate your thoughtfulness so much. I live in Tennessee and our weather has been warm and lovely, still have tomatoes in my garden, so, guess weather is not a factor. I will put that in my back pocket for future reference.
And also, thank you @EalingGran . May be just a case of the frets....I cannot think of anything, really, but so interesting that you had the same thoughts about the same time. Wonder why?

 

[Rockgirl4]

I hope it works itself out, whatever the cause. It seems there's never an end to the mysteries surrounding a TKR recovery.

I'm in St. Louis, and it FINALLY feels like Fall this past week. I wasn't sure it would ever get here. We've lost 1/2 of our leaves though because of the drought. My neighbor had tomatoes and peppers into October, but I think they're finally finished. We've had 1 hard frost, but that's all so far.

 

[Layla]

There continues to be more heat in it than my other knee

You can experience warmth in the knee due to the healing and increased blood flow to the area for 6-12 months.
There's likely still residual inflammation which may be contributing to the stiffness you mentioned. I noticed you described the new sensation as more of a discomfort than pain. I wonder if several days of more rest than normal and some icing will make a difference, in case you irritated soft tissues and are unaware?
May be worth a try

 

[rubyedith]

okie dokie, gang, new girl is now over 14 months out. Went to ortho at 9 months for the new discomfort, got steroid injection, felt some better. Then went to ortho at 1 yr checkup, there was still heat and discomfort. Dr. said he was sorry I still had issues and that sometimes there were improvements to come in 2nd year. Now at 14 months, knee is still warm, when I am walking and accidently stumble, like my foot stops and my knee keeps going, there is a sharp electric shock-like pain that causes me to walk stiff legged for a while. It seems like things were improving fine until 8 months, and now I feel like things are getting worse, especially stairs. Any ideas? Thank you all very much for being out there!!

 

[Jamie]

Hi, @rubyedith … so sorry to hear you are continuing to have problems. This happens sometimes and you are definitely right to seek guidance for what seems to be a worsening condition with your knee.

I need to let you know that since you were here on the forum last November we’ve had some changes to our membership program that will impact what support is available to you. You may not have seen our emails, but in late January we implemented a new 2-tier membership program - Basic Member and Insiders Club. All our existing members were put in the Basic Member category, which is where you are now. Basic Members have limited access to the forum. The personalized support from our wonderful staff is now one of the premium services included with an Insiders Club subscription. Basic Members can use our search tool to find threads to read and can make on-topic posts in existing threads like you’ve done here in your recovery thread. But it sounds like you need more support right now than you can get from just scrolling through threads.

You can read more about these changes in our Basic Guidelines for Posting and Membership Page. I hope you will choose to join the Insiders Club so we can better provide the support you need. Other members can respond to your question if they are discussing a similar problem they had, but they will not be able to offer advice to you and help you through this problem like our staff can.

 

[sistersinhim]

Have you thought about seeking a second opinion from a doctor that has no affiliation with your current doctor? You can search for a revision specialist. Not saying that you would need a revision, but these doctors work with problem knees and know where to look more than a regular OS does.

 

[rubyedith]

I feel like my knee is now worse than it was before surgery. My main issues prior to tkr were walking long distances and stairs, and now and then, if I made a sudden turn, electric shock like sensation. Now, I feel aware of it almost all the time. Stairs are really difficult again along with walking long distances. Even just doing household chores, there is pain with each step, especially the lifting up to take another step. It is hard for me to determine the source. Sometimes it is upper outside, and sometimes the entire upper back of my knee. I do have really good rom and extension. The warmth in that knee has never left. I do have another appt. with my os next month. I am so disillusioned that I worked so hard for a year and am worse.

 

[benne68]

I'm sorry you are continuing to struggle with that knee, @rubyedith, and can understand why are so disillusioned. It should not be so painful at this stage, and it's concerning that your surgical team hasn't been more proactive in finding answers.

Let me echo the advice that Sister gave you above: get a second opinion from someone who is not affiliated with your original surgeon's practice.

If you would like to share who your current doctor is, we may be able to recommend some specialists in your area. If you are willing to travel -- at least for a consult -- let us know how far and we might be able to expand the list for you.

 

[rubyedith]

Thank you @sistersinhim and @benne68. So appreciate your time and your insight. My current surgeon is in Murfreesboro, TN.
Would also appreciate any ideas and suggestions from any one else out there who has been in this boat, 14 months out and not good.

 

[Jamie]

You really do need to get some new eyes on your knee to find out what is going on. I suggest at least one opinion with a doctor not connected in any way with your current surgeon. Here are a couple of options for you:

Nashville, Tennessee
Dr. Jefferson C. Morrison
Dr Michael Christie
Primary and revision hip and knee
Southern Joint Replacement Institute
2400 Patterson, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-342-0038

Chattanooga, Tennessee
Dr. Kristopher Case Sanders, MD
Anterior/posterior hips, works with high BMI patients
Erlanger Orthopaedics
979 E 3rd St,, Suite C-430
Chattanooga, TN 37403
423-778-4900

 

[benne68]

Hi @rubyedith Checking in to see how you are doing. Have you been able to get a second opinion?

Let us know.