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TKR Trying to stay positive so frustrated

Hanging in there. Frustrated that I can’t ride an upright bike yet only recumbent with seat back far. Still in pain mostly afternoon evening. So ice and elevate.
 
It took me quite a while to transition from recumbent to upright. I figured it was because I'm really short and the bikes are made for average to tall!
 
Limpycat said:
Hanging in there. Frustrated that I can’t ride an upright bike yet only recumbent with seat back far. Still in pain mostly afternoon evening. So ice and elevate.
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I had both knees replaced 2 weeks before you did, Limpycat, so am at 4 months. Before surgery, I was a really healthy, cheerful 63 year old, who loved hiking, cycling & gardening. Like you, I am hugely frustrated at being so much worse than pre-op. I can’t sit or stand for more than 5-10 minutes - let alone walk! - before my knees feel so tight and distended that I have to ice & elevate them. I can go on my exercise bike for 10 mins, then have to ice. In addition, I get painful hamstring spasms when I try to bend my left knee (I had 120 degrees flexion at 4 weeks, but I get the spasms now at about 100 degrees). I wake with uncomfortable stiffness every few hours at night. One month ago, the surgeon said I’d been overdoing things, so since then I’ve done little other than lie on the sofa and occasionally pedal the exercise bike, with no resistance. There has been absolutely no change.
Could anyone advise please, wouldn’t “normal” recovery entail some kind of improvement over the months, no matter how slow? What could be the matter? When should one be looking for a reassessment (and what investigations should that entail?) When to think about a 2nd opinion?
 
Lakelandlass said:
Could anyone advise please, wouldn’t “normal” recovery entail some kind of improvement over the months, no matter how slow? What could be the matter? When should one be looking for a reassessment (and what investigations should that entail?
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I think most people here, have at some point wondered what is "normal" in this recovery. It can be a real roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs- particularly at 3-6 months when you may start to do more activity.
I noticed you said you had both knees done and that your muscles had atrophied. I know some people do really well with bilateral TKR- but I couldn't have imagined coping myself without a "good leg" ( although that may be because I have an old house with lots of stairs).
I think if you really feel there is no improvement- I would think about maybe first getting a physio opinion on where exactly the problems lie. Is it the joints and their movement or is it muscle weakness- or a bit of both? Before I had my PKR I went to a private physio and also a podiatrist- who videoed my walking and advised on exercises/supports. In the end I needed surgery- but it did help to understand the issues.
You may then need to go back to your surgeon or get a second opinion- but hopefully you will have more idea of any issues.
 
Hi @Limpycat. Some questions:
  • Are you talkig about a stationary bike or a road bike?
  • Are you able to pedal backwards?
  • Have you tried raising the seat?
I found that I needed to raise the bike seat to the highest setting -- since I'm short, only the ball of my foot reached the pedals at that setting -- to be able to make a full rotation. I did a lot of rocking back and forth, then mostly backwards pedaling until a was finally able to do forward pedaling. After a few weeks of that, I lowered the seat one notch and stuck with that for a while. It's a process, that's for sure.
 
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