TKR TS’s lopsided recovery'
- Thread starter traceys
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traceys
graduate
So. Just returned from massage therapy today AND also had a chance to meet with the pt clinic manager about some concerns and questions I’ve had in the back of my mind.
The rmt said my calf muscle was a brick but otherwise the quads and hamstrings were actually pretty good. I have one more appt Friday before Christmas shut down till January so will be interesting to see what she does.
Then I met with the manager. I told him my concern on lack of progress and how treatment isn’t evolving and at times set me back.
He said I have the most passive therapist and their clinic IS a manual manipulation based regime....that is their beliefs. He then did a quick assessment with my leg and said he noticed two things
First my knee is 3.5 months post surgery but appears to be functioning like it’s only a month out in terms of healing and them handling it like a “traditional 3mnth TKR” is in fact causing trauma and my body has a very bad response to stressors.
Secondly he said when he pressed it to move (which I DID allow for this) that it looked like about 80 with a lot of spring still and no hard stop yet so he suspects I’ll hit the 90-95 mark once the trauma settles easily.
He said for insurance forms and purposes related to my force back to work he will step in and advise them that I can’t do therapy like my worker wants but I’m going to just need a lot of extra time.
It was a relief to hear it from the pro that yup, I’m trying to overachieve and my knee is not the norm. It was almost like having permission to fail from being perfect. It will be interesting to see now what happens
The rmt said my calf muscle was a brick but otherwise the quads and hamstrings were actually pretty good. I have one more appt Friday before Christmas shut down till January so will be interesting to see what she does.
Then I met with the manager. I told him my concern on lack of progress and how treatment isn’t evolving and at times set me back.
He said I have the most passive therapist and their clinic IS a manual manipulation based regime....that is their beliefs. He then did a quick assessment with my leg and said he noticed two things
First my knee is 3.5 months post surgery but appears to be functioning like it’s only a month out in terms of healing and them handling it like a “traditional 3mnth TKR” is in fact causing trauma and my body has a very bad response to stressors.
Secondly he said when he pressed it to move (which I DID allow for this) that it looked like about 80 with a lot of spring still and no hard stop yet so he suspects I’ll hit the 90-95 mark once the trauma settles easily.
He said for insurance forms and purposes related to my force back to work he will step in and advise them that I can’t do therapy like my worker wants but I’m going to just need a lot of extra time.
It was a relief to hear it from the pro that yup, I’m trying to overachieve and my knee is not the norm. It was almost like having permission to fail from being perfect. It will be interesting to see now what happens
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I’m glad that he realized not everyone fits into a one size fits all program of PT. Hopefully a modified approach will be more beneficial. Yes, your poor knee has been through a lot and I feel so bad that you’ve been through so much with it.
This is a fear of mine if I have a revision, which may further compromise my knee and require another procedure afterwards, etc. My knee hurt before my partial, but I now realize it was not as bad off as I thought. But now the partial has compromised it and I’m afraid to have more surgery.
And, what is an “rmt”?
This is a fear of mine if I have a revision, which may further compromise my knee and require another procedure afterwards, etc. My knee hurt before my partial, but I now realize it was not as bad off as I thought. But now the partial has compromised it and I’m afraid to have more surgery.
And, what is an “rmt”?
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traceys
graduate
Rmt is a registered massage therapist
Ya I’m at that point where I traded problem for new problem. Before surgery I was functioning but pain was mind blowing at times and knee would dislocate occasionally. Now I have minimal pain but no function.
Ya I’m at that point where I traded problem for new problem. Before surgery I was functioning but pain was mind blowing at times and knee would dislocate occasionally. Now I have minimal pain but no function.
Mom2Lucy
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Now I have minimal pain but no function.
Yes but still a very good prospect for good function down the road. (re: you'll hit 90-95 easily once the trauma settles and I'd guess more than that as time goes on.)
so it seems that everyone agrees that dealing with the trauma is numero uno right now. Take a step back to get the room to leap forward.
I'd say that you have a very productive meeting with the PT manager. It sounds like things will improve quite a bit for you there now!
Cuz I’m wearing out fast. Lol
kmak81230
post-grad
Glad you had a good session with the manager and you have a better sense of where you are headed. Sorry that the healing is taking longer than you anticipated but it does sound like a positive outlook for recovery and functionality. Hang in there -- more patience required 
OP
OP
traceys
graduate
Good day - bad day - good day. 
Went into work to see everyone before the holidays. It was incredibly overwhelming the way everyone came to find me (104 employees) and hugs and answering the same questions. Took me 30 min to get 50ft to the lunchroom but I felt so ....missed and loved.
Was a great visit but I was wiped out after 90min.
Then I came home and had to do an interview call with the insurance company for my long term disability and to stay off work past January 8. Call went well. Then at the end she says “I’ll be honest. I’m not sure we will approve you because you could still do a reception job. Maybe not that one there but another employer so you aren’t really disabled”
They will decide and let me know next week. I can’t go back yet at all. I can’t stay off with no $$ coming in either. I’m cornered unless Santa comes thru for me.
Then I finally relaxed, made dinner, watched tv and talked to hubby and realized ... my knee is tingling and warm and tight BUT no pain!!!! Went to stand up after elevating for 2 hrs and
Bit of bend. Only limp from no full extend but....
I feel guilty I didn’t do any stretches at all today but I feel good. Hopefully now tonight I get more sleep than the 5hrs last night.
Went into work to see everyone before the holidays. It was incredibly overwhelming the way everyone came to find me (104 employees) and hugs and answering the same questions. Took me 30 min to get 50ft to the lunchroom but I felt so ....missed and loved.
Was a great visit but I was wiped out after 90min.
Then I came home and had to do an interview call with the insurance company for my long term disability and to stay off work past January 8. Call went well. Then at the end she says “I’ll be honest. I’m not sure we will approve you because you could still do a reception job. Maybe not that one there but another employer so you aren’t really disabled”
They will decide and let me know next week. I can’t go back yet at all. I can’t stay off with no $$ coming in either. I’m cornered unless Santa comes thru for me. Then I finally relaxed, made dinner, watched tv and talked to hubby and realized ... my knee is tingling and warm and tight BUT no pain!!!! Went to stand up after elevating for 2 hrs and
Bit of bend. Only limp from no full extend but....
I feel guilty I didn’t do any stretches at all today but I feel good. Hopefully now tonight I get more sleep than the 5hrs last night.
OP
OP
traceys
graduate
Yupper. She said that they have standard job descriptions for almost all job titles. Eg s receptionist does.....
MY workplace has me as a receptionist and list my tasks as ......
Just because I can’t do the position at MY current work as they may have added tasks it doesn’t mean I can’t do the position in general so I could theoretically do a reception job somewhere else therefore I’m not actually disabled.
Therefore if my work takes my position and is willing to change it to drop other tasks I go back, or I can leave there and find a job I can do , or I stay off with no income
I actually said “ so quit a lucrative job at a prosperous law firm where I have been successfully for 3 yrs and try to find the same job elsewhere when I’m simply saying I need 4 more weeks off?” And she said “essentially yes”
MY workplace has me as a receptionist and list my tasks as ......
Just because I can’t do the position at MY current work as they may have added tasks it doesn’t mean I can’t do the position in general so I could theoretically do a reception job somewhere else therefore I’m not actually disabled.
Therefore if my work takes my position and is willing to change it to drop other tasks I go back, or I can leave there and find a job I can do , or I stay off with no income
I actually said “ so quit a lucrative job at a prosperous law firm where I have been successfully for 3 yrs and try to find the same job elsewhere when I’m simply saying I need 4 more weeks off?” And she said “essentially yes”
Larryhg3
senior
@traceys your experience is why we all hate “the evil empire” insurance companies suck. I hope things work out for you. As for doing no stretches for a day , no big deal, sometimes you just don’t. Plain and simple. I don’t post every day but you are someone I follow closely. I call you guys my recovery buddies.
Teecup
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Sending prayers up for you now! So glad to hear...
There's the gold! Validation! Like you said - permission to fail. But it's not a fail, of course, it's just healing slowly. You are most special! :santa hug:
Wonderful to hear about your lessened pain, loving coworkers, and your ever-kickin' sass that makes you you and keeps you ticking.
There's the gold! Validation! Like you said - permission to fail. But it's not a fail, of course, it's just healing slowly. You are most special! :santa hug:
Wonderful to hear about your lessened pain, loving coworkers, and your ever-kickin' sass that makes you you and keeps you ticking.
After all you did yesterday and your knee behaved nicely! What a blessing! You are really on the way to recovery! Now, we all need to pray that her insurance co. comes through for her!
OP
OP
traceys
graduate
To you all!Slept a bit rough last night but more a stress thing than knee thing. This am I have some stiffness in the knee and a few tight spots but not what I expected at all. Nothing on schedule at all today so....
