TKR Total Left Knee Replacement

[kneeper]

Full rotations & moving the seat closer definitely is a win!

For me, over the months (past 3 months) was that I just did things that required me to bend the knee in my daily activities and it seemed to get easier and easier. I gradually realized I must have gained a couple of degrees without even "trying."

 

[Jockette]

I was able to get full rotations on the bike and PT had me scoot the seat a little closer, so there is a win.

This is good progress! Forget about numbers and look at things you can do that you couldn’t a week or so ago.

I still had plenty of aching pain and swelling at 10-11 weeks. In fact I still had it for months! This is how it goes for many of us.

I took Tylenol for quite a while. I took 1000 mg every 6 hours, 4 times a day, which means I took a dose during the night, so it stayed steady in my system. I found this helped reduce that achy feeling. I was able to take that dose as I wasn’t taking any other medication that had Tylenol in it. (Always check other medications and stay within the safe daily limit of 4000. Some bottles say 3000 is the safe daily limit, but that is just in case you are taking any other medication with it in it.)

 

[flacie1]

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I feel like a big whiner and Debbie downer at times. I do remind myself of the things that I can do that I hadn’t been able to do a few days ago. Just the times when the swelling and tightness come on I start to doubt my recovery. For instance I just tried to do my heel slides and they didn’t go very well. I am intentional when I go up and down the stairs. Up is easy, down on the other hand not so easy. While at work I get up often and walk around the shop. I usually try to find something I can either stretch on or step up on. I had the guys set up the fork lift so I could step up and down on it. That helps throughout the day. And then I ice at my desk. I try to make sure I’m walking straight and heel to toe strides.

I’m so thankful for Bonesmart and all the wonderful people here who dispense such good advice. You guys are keeping me sane right now.

 

[Jockette]

Forget the heel slides, you are doing plenty of other things to give your knee mobility. You are doing great in this very long and tedious recovery!

 

[sondrals]

@flacie1 i think I take the cake for being a Debbie downer You’re fine and we all have our moments. That’s why we’re here right? We all need support, some of us more than others.

 

[Helizabug]

@flacie1 Sharing the downs with us is part of the therapy. We get it. We have the capacity for it. And you help us with it, in return. It’s good to hear good stuff, like full rotations on the bike, but if that’s all we heard, some of us would feel like we were failing because we can’t always look at the bright side and we can’t always progress like everyone else seems to.

 

[LD of Michigan]

Yep. Ups and downs are part of it. My Monday PT saw a fall off in an area I'd done better in 72 hours prior. Annoying but I was particularly tired that day. So I only beat myself for a while once I thought it out. We're hear for you.

 

[flacie1]

PT today was tougher than I expected. The bike was not as much fun as Monday. Was much harder, with help I was able to get to 105. Still struggle to get to 95 on my own. And now I feel tight. I iced as soon as I got to work, and now I have a raging headache. I should probably go home but I’m hoping to take next Monday off so I should stay here for now. Only 4 more hours to go...

 

[Jockette]

You are more tight than before because they pushed you more than 10 degrees more than your knee is ready for.

I am intentional when I go up and down the stairs. Up is easy, down on the other hand not so easy. While at work I get up often and walk around the shop. I usually try to find something I can either stretch on or step up on. I had the guys set up the fork lift so I could step up and down on it. That helps throughout the day. And then I ice at my desk. I try to make sure I’m walking straight and heel to toe strides.

All this is what I call “natural” PT. You are doing plenty to help your knee. If it was me I would stop going to formal PT. Your knee does not need “help” bending, for the sake of a number.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[flacie1]

13 weeks tomorrow. Therapy went well today. I had to miss Monday’s session so I was worried I wouldn’t do that well today. But I made it to 101 degrees today!!! Woot woot!! I’ve been really making an effort to stretch and move everyday. I see my OS next Tues so hopefully I can gain a few more degrees.

The more I think about it and read here, I’m hoping that MUA is not in my future. I went back and read my posts on my progress and I realized I really didn’t make much progress in December. I hovered around 95 for most of the month. So I am happy with the progress I have made and I’m hoping my OS is too. My therapist even noted today that I am walking much better. I feel stronger, and like I’m walking better. I finally got a mile in the other day, but I haven’t been out walking since last Friday.

Sleeping is much better and I can sleep in pretty much any position that is comfortable. Work is great, I can ice whenever I feel necessary. I noticed I’m not needing to ice as much as I have been.

Am I to the point I can say I’m glad I did this? Not yet, I do still have pain and wonder how long it will take before I don’t hurt anymore. It’s not the knee that hurts, it’s all the soft tissue around it. I do still have some swelling through my whole leg, but it almost looks back to normal. All in all Bonesmart has been a huge help keeping me sane through this journey.

 

[Jockette]

You are coming along very well! All those improvements you just mentioned are proof. I doubt your surgeon will recommend an MUA, and even if he does, you can say no. You will continue to improve, even if it’s not as fast as you’d like.


This is what @TortiTabby experienced. (Just so you know, ADL means Activities of Daily Living, which means just go about the normal things you do in the course of your day, and not doing a “list of exercises.”)

Just an update for those who are apprehensive about gaining ROM:
It has now been 26 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: 110
26 weeks (where I am today): 120!!!
I did it! My goal of 120! No "pushing through pain", no PT after the first 3 visits, and most importantly to me: No MUA! My surgeon who said I would never get beyond 85 ROM without pushing through pain was wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm excited to see if it gets even better.

 

[LD of Michigan]

Yes! YES. I try to remember this and not beat myself when I am not specifically exercises or doing my PT activities.

ADL means Activities of Daily Living, which means just go about the normal things you do in the course of your day

 

[Helizabug]

You’re making progress. You’re happy with that progress. Sounds like you are on a great path to recovery. I hope you can hang on to that clarity when you talk to your surgeon. It’s your knee, your timeline.

 

[flacie1]

Last therapy appt before I see my OS tomorrow. I was able to hit 102 degrees on my own and 113 with help. Using the rope I was able to get myself to 105. I feel pretty good and I don’t feel like PT pushed me too hard. She has always been very gentle with me. I’m sure I give lots of resistance and I’m my own worst enemy. My fingers are crossed that OS is happy with my progress and doesn’t want to do MUA. I know ultimately the decision is mine to make, but I’d rather not be faced with that option. I have made huge progress in my mind. Full revolution on the stationary bike, seat moved closer than I would normally put it. Walking without a cane and only a slight limp, more noticeable after extended periods of walking. Steps, going up and down for the most part foot over foot, and we don’t have hand rails going up our stairs, so this one is another huge one. (There are walls in both sides of the stairs and I can use them. I never felt unsafe on the stairs, even when I was on the walker)

I do have pain, but nothing debilitating, it’s sore but in my mind it’s a good sore if that makes sense. Walking is my favorite rehab activity and yesterday I was able to get a 1.32 mile walk in with the dog. Going downhill is tricky but I feel so much better after getting out and walking. I have a 5k over Valentine’s Day weekend, I’m hoping I’ll be able to participate, if I do I will take it easy and stop if I have to.

Happy healing all my Bonesmart friends I have been spending a lot of time reading and catching up on a lot of the recoveries trying to learn as much as I can and to also ease my fears that I’ll never recover and be back to normal.

 

[sistersinhim]

There is no reason why your OS should suggest a MUA with a 102 bend. Doing the bike is another good thing, proving that you are improving. As long as you'll improving, you're winning this recovery!

 

[flacie1]

I’m so irritated. I just received a voicemail that OS wants to reschedule my appt for tomorrow. Of course it’s after hours and I will have to call in the am. I wouldn’t be so irked if this hadn’t happened for my last appt as well. So I guess I will call in the am to reschedule. I do not have any more therapy scheduled and I went today so I’d be stretched and have a good idea where I am. So, I will take a deep breath and I’ll continie doing my therapy here at home until I can get in.

I did get out for another long walk today and made it a little further today.

@sistersinhim thank you! I’m hoping he’s happy with my progress. I personally feel like I’ve done really well this past month. I’m walking better, sleeping better all around moving better. It does feel clunky and awkward but I guess I’m still not used to the artificial joint yet. I can’t wait to see how far I’ve come at my 1 year mark in October.

 

[sistersinhim]

I agree, you are doing really well. You don't need your doctor to tell you that. You know it already!

 

[Helizabug]

It sounds like you’re doing well to me, too. It also sounds like you feel pretty good about your progress. So, maybe that’s important for the surgeon to hear from you when you see him or her. I hope you can reschedule for something soon.

 

[Rubyroo]

Sounds like you are doing really well! I'm a few weeks behind you. That is great you can walk so far!

 

[flacie1]

Saw OS today, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. He was pleased with my progress and released me from therapy and told me to go on and live my life. Of course he said I was still early in my recovery but he was happy with where I am right now. Still wants me to keep working to strengthen those muscles and suggested using an exercise bike. Might look into one of those stands that I can put my regular bike on instead of investing in an exercise bike or a pedaler.

I had been so worried that he was going to want to do MUA. I almost think it was an idle threat to light a fire under me to make me work harder...lol. I still have aches and pains but I guess they are normal for my baby knee. Things get progressivly easier with every day and week that passes. I can honestly say, I never even thought I would be this far along at the beginning. I can’t wait to see where I am in another 3 months when I go back to see him.