TKR TS’s lopsided recovery'

[gia2cats]

@beachy,

Sent you a PM

 

[traceys]

@beachy thanks! Be interesting to see if you decide to take it and it works...

@gecko found the giraffe site.... there goes my data useage!

Happy to report I am rebounding quickly from today’s track adventure. The knee is definately tightening up but not near to the degree I used to experience and no pain, just some mild discomfort. It seems to be more what I read other people posting about as their normals now.

I also discovered the centre where the track is has a pool that has a warm therapy pool available daily for your own use or you can attend their warm water walking time where you can walk laps in the warm pool which is 4’ deep. I may look at adding that 30min time on after the track next week once my pt says it’s a good idea.

I have been sooo waiting for this time to come!

 

[NavyGunns]

Just be careful with the pool exercise as it’s like a weight machine. It adds resistance to your movements which will cause various muscles and ligaments to feel strain they aren’t used to. Suggest starting off with less than 30 min and slowly increase as your comfort level dictates

 

[Lindylee]

That's terrific news. I would also be careful in the pool though. 30 minutes sounds quite a lot for a first time. See what your PT says, but maybe starting with 10 minutes to begin with might be better?

 

[gecko]

@traceys , oops sorry isnt she cute though looks like today may be the day, no sleep for me again tonight



Chris

 

[beachy]

WARM water......get in that water and just relax! Maybe you can dump a truck of Epsom salts in there. That's my go-to for a relaxing warm bath! Really, a warm pool has to feel good even if you just float around with a noodle.

 

[beachy]

@gecko....now I'm intrigued! Going to check YouTube.

 

[traceys]

@beachy I know. I’m so crossing my fingers I get the go ahead to try it. The rest of my body soooo misses soaking in a hot tub but there is no way I will ever be able to lower this 6’ frame into a tub again.


It’s great that the walking class goes on in the same heated pool. They said you can sort of join in and sit out as you wish being it’s not a true fitness class. If you aren’t walking you can’t use any other equip tho... you just hang out on the submerged benches against the walls. It looks like a 30 person jacuzzi.

 

[beachy]

Now that's a party Jacuzzi! Can you take a cooler? LOL! Hanging out on the benches would be my vote. With a cooler.
I hope you get the clearance. Is it a walk-in or ladder type entry?

 

[Lilli215]

We invested in a hot tub a few years ago coz I couldn’t get in and out of a bath. Surgeon wouldn’t let me use it till I was eight weeks in with last knee. It was so good to relax in the warm/hot water and I could do bending exercises quite easily, however first few times I used it the new knee felt hot that night, not the kneecap but deep inside. Some folks who were on site at that time said they experienced much the same or if they lived in colder climes and had lots of snow their joint felt cold way down deep.

 

[traceys]

@beachy ramp down as it’s designed for easy access as the hold a lot of arthritic and gentle joint classes. The main pools there are these massive step down platforms

 

[sistersinhim]

I may look at adding that 30min time on after the track next week once my pt says it’s a good idea.

I learned the hard way about pool water walking. I was in it only less than 10 minutes and because of the pain and swelling afterwards, I didn't go back in for another month. Be very gentle with your first time in and see how your knee reacts.

 

[traceys]

Physio today and actually went really well. Some good movement and we spent a lot of time working on stairs going foot over foot. No pain or anything from any of it - just lots of tightness and some new sensations.


Then I had massage and that was weird. She did some light work on my calf and then moved to quads and that’s where it was odd. Every time she did one of the long strokes moving up the thigh muscle I got the sharpest little rip/shock feeling in the top few inches of my scar.
It didn’t hurt and there was no reaction from it in the muscle or joint but ... the best way to explain it was a cross between a feeling like when you tear apart something perforated and a static cling shock.
She commented on how loose the area around the top of my patella was today and everything felt squishy when she was done. (I have NEVER been called squishy! )

Any thoughts or sound familiar to anyone? It wasn’t one of my normal zingers and was definitely in my scar.

 

[Jaycey]

@traceys Duplicate post deleted for you. Thanks for reporting!

 

[beachy]

At 65 my whole body is squishy.

 

[traceys]

So today’s walk at the track did not go well.

The knee felt “off” when I woke up but I promised myself I would try within my limits still. I knew I wouldn’t be doing my 4 laps though.

I got 2 realllllly rough laps in and had to sit down and rest for almost 20min. The leg was super tight and the knee ached so bad.
It eased up so I started a 3rd lap super slow and half way around my gas tank hit empty and the knee just had enough.
I stopped and sat down until 5min before my ride was due. Had to figure out how to get the last half in or I was stuck on the opposite side of the door and spending the night.
Made it there but took 15min.

I am now at home propped up and icing. Will try again next week.

 

[Jaycey]

Will try again next week.

Indeed recovery doesn't happen in a straight line. What seems impossible one day is easy when you try again in a few days. Hope your discomfort eases soon!

 

[sistersinhim]

Then I had massage and that was weird. She did some light work on my calf and then moved to quads and that’s where it was odd. Every time she did one of the long strokes moving up the thigh muscle I got the sharpest little rip/shock feeling in the top few inches of my scar.

So today’s walk at the track did not go well. The knee felt “off” when I woke up but I promised myself I would try within my limits still.

I bet you these two things are related. This was something different for your knee and it reacted to it. If you have the massage again, make it a lot less time and area. Your knee did not like it.

 

[traceys]

@sistersinhim I have that area massaged once a week same way for past 5 mnths and have never had that perforated shock feeling. Presurgery was once a week for almost 2yrs.
It was something under the TKR incision. Even today there is an area mid thigh when I touch it the same area which is 5” lower gets that shock.
I’m thinking all the work I did pre massage appt working on coming down stairs did something to the quad and something was attached under the scar and it freed it up. It literally felt like something tearing loose. A small adhesion perhaps. I did notice today that I didn’t have that weird pinching feel I was having when flexing to a certain point.

I see the pt Monday am and am not too worried as no new pain or bruise or swelling visible which for me is huge!

 

[sistersinhim]

Good that you are doing better now.