TKR Turtle still hoping to cross the finish line
- Thread starter maryo52
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kneeworn
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Mary I'm glad you got to go visit your family and it was a good trip. This recovery for us turtles can get so long that a positive visit and getting to be in the normal world is so important. Distractions are good and people notice our improvements which I think we sometimes miss in the journey to get well. I know it always catches me off guard when people point those progresses out to me.
So very glad your sleeping too. Hope you are having a pleasant holiday weekend!
Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
So very glad your sleeping too. Hope you are having a pleasant holiday weekend!
Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
kneeworn
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P.S. I too can't edit from this mobile version even immediately after I post it. Not only do I have to worry about typos but my crazy smart phone sometimes changes my words thinking I don't know what I am typing. Grrrr! Like just now it tried to make my grrr a great!
Donna
Donna
OP
OP
Those who know me know I've had a long bumpy recovery that has slowly resolved after three OR experiences in three months, plus PT that didn't go well, lots of pain, and driving myself and everyone else crazy with my whining!
Good news: I was finally able to stop pain medication. Still have some for "emergencies," but am doing fine with just celebrex.
Am not doing any PT other than Life. Will do a good flexion and extension stretch every few days just to remind myself I still can . . . and am finding that not only is my bursitis in the TKA knee subsiding (due to no PT), I think I'm actually bending a little better each week. It's kind of a "less is more" thing. I've concluded that while range of motion and strengthening is important, some of us really really have to be moderate about it.
Happy summer to all!
Good news: I was finally able to stop pain medication. Still have some for "emergencies," but am doing fine with just celebrex.
Am not doing any PT other than Life. Will do a good flexion and extension stretch every few days just to remind myself I still can . . . and am finding that not only is my bursitis in the TKA knee subsiding (due to no PT), I think I'm actually bending a little better each week. It's kind of a "less is more" thing. I've concluded that while range of motion and strengthening is important, some of us really really have to be moderate about it.
Happy summer to all!
jerseychick
post-grad
Mary it sounds like you are doing great! I agree.....sometimes doing less gives you more. Enjoy your summer!
referee54
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That is a great post filled with wisdom and perseverance.
kneeworn
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Awesome news Mary. I'm so happy for you! I hope you continue to improve.
I would also like to tell you I really appreciate your reaching out to me on my thread. It really meant a lot to me and brought a tear to my eyes. I know you really understand and have had a lot of struggles.
Again it is really great to hear the progress you are having. Keep us posted.
Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
I would also like to tell you I really appreciate your reaching out to me on my thread. It really meant a lot to me and brought a tear to my eyes. I know you really understand and have had a lot of struggles.
Again it is really great to hear the progress you are having. Keep us posted.
Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
WaterBaby
member
That's great news, Mary! I just got the go ahead to stop my grueling daily PT exercises and just do whatever I can enjoy and tolerate.
I sure am hoping that this new approach will help lessen my own swelling, inflammation and pain.
I sure am hoping that this new approach will help lessen my own swelling, inflammation and pain.
OP
OP
Yesterday I finally did one of my more strenuous hikes available in my area, up a small (1,000 elevation) mountain. I went up the long winding "easy" trail and came down the steep rocky trail, and managed both just fine. What a confidence booster.
Still having a lot of pain after a half an hour of driving. Knee is being more than 90 degrees. Gonna get a new car, automatic instead of manual, that gives me a comfortable angle for my poor leg.
Water baby, I hope your knee has become more comfortable since you're no longer pushing it. If I hadn't stopped the morning routine, I would not have been able to get off the narcotic pain medication.
Still having a lot of pain after a half an hour of driving. Knee is being more than 90 degrees. Gonna get a new car, automatic instead of manual, that gives me a comfortable angle for my poor leg.
Water baby, I hope your knee has become more comfortable since you're no longer pushing it. If I hadn't stopped the morning routine, I would not have been able to get off the narcotic pain medication.
WaterBaby
member
Wow, hiking up and down a small mountain!! I am impressed! That's awesome, Mary.
I have an automatic car, thank goodness, but I still struggle with longer drives; just can't seem to find a "sweet spot" for the TKR leg so I do feel for you, too.
AFM, I cannot believe how much better my knee feels now that I am no longer a slave to my daily stretching/exercise program! And I want to stress that I was NOT overdoing it, by any means. That said, the pain and swelling are very much improved, and yesterday (10 days of no formal exercising) I noticed that I was walking better, and last night my husband even said that it seemed like I could straighten the leg a bit more! WooHoo! Since I no longer have PT I have no way to get a ROM measurement but I do think it is a bit better.
And that makes perfect BoneSmart sense: less pain = less inflammation = more ROM = happy me :biggrin:
I have an automatic car, thank goodness, but I still struggle with longer drives; just can't seem to find a "sweet spot" for the TKR leg so I do feel for you, too.
AFM, I cannot believe how much better my knee feels now that I am no longer a slave to my daily stretching/exercise program! And I want to stress that I was NOT overdoing it, by any means. That said, the pain and swelling are very much improved, and yesterday (10 days of no formal exercising) I noticed that I was walking better, and last night my husband even said that it seemed like I could straighten the leg a bit more! WooHoo! Since I no longer have PT I have no way to get a ROM measurement but I do think it is a bit better.
And that makes perfect BoneSmart sense: less pain = less inflammation = more ROM = happy me :biggrin:
kneeworn
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Wow Mary that is fantastic about your hike. It sounds so fun. I gave up my manual transmission about 10 years ago. My knee was over it. When I test drove new cars one of the things I looked for was how it changed gears and when. My 4-runner won as it changed gears just like I would.
Congratulations to waterbaby on your improved pain, swelling and ROM too.
Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
Congratulations to waterbaby on your improved pain, swelling and ROM too.
Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
WaterBaby
member
I just don't know what will be the "right" approach after the revision. If the arthrofibrosis rears its ugly head again I am pretty sure that aggressive PT will be the order of the day. I know I will be terrified if I start to lose ROM after the first few weeks. The specialists have told me that there is no way of knowing ahead of time how bad the adhesions will be. It's going to be an interesting journey; I am hoping and praying that the arthrofibrosis wont be so bad this time around. I have to think that with a properly sized and installed TKR my revised knee will have much less reason to be so angry. Guess I'll be putting that hypothesis to the test in August! I also wonder if the RA has played a factor in my angry soft tissue issues. It seems that a lot of us turtles have RA...
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Well if you would take my advice, remember our adage "no pain, more gain"!
By all means do your PT 'aggressively' but that doesn't mean it has to cause pain in the doing of. Do it to the point of discomfort only. Once you anger your tissues, they start getting inflamed and inflamed tissues are usually dry - no lubrication + no 'glidability' between structures = the ideal set up for adhesions to develop.
By all means do your PT 'aggressively' but that doesn't mean it has to cause pain in the doing of. Do it to the point of discomfort only. Once you anger your tissues, they start getting inflamed and inflamed tissues are usually dry - no lubrication + no 'glidability' between structures = the ideal set up for adhesions to develop.
OP
OP
Update:
I should post a picture of my bent knee. A friend took it with her phone. I hadn't actually bent it as far as possible to see the ROM for quite a while, but it looks to be 120-125 now. That's without working on ROM since mid May. I've been walking and biking (and healing more), that's all.
Last night I fell over my dog in the dark, landed on my knees. Knees are a little sore but that's all.
After scar tissue was removed from my knee, I did a lot of PT and believe that was necessary. But as time goes on, it's definitely true that ROM increases on its own as the tissues heal. But when I was desperate for better flexion, it was hard to trust that it would happen for me.
I should post a picture of my bent knee. A friend took it with her phone. I hadn't actually bent it as far as possible to see the ROM for quite a while, but it looks to be 120-125 now. That's without working on ROM since mid May. I've been walking and biking (and healing more), that's all.
Last night I fell over my dog in the dark, landed on my knees. Knees are a little sore but that's all.
After scar tissue was removed from my knee, I did a lot of PT and believe that was necessary. But as time goes on, it's definitely true that ROM increases on its own as the tissues heal. But when I was desperate for better flexion, it was hard to trust that it would happen for me.
referee54
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Thank you very much for the great post and the equally great news! I rally think that you will keep "finding" ROM for some time.
sunflower
graduate
Mary, this is very encouraging and I know how much you wanted to see improved ROM. I'm glad you didn't hurt your knee after you tripped over your dog. Do you have a large dog? In thinking about your dog: One time I stepped on a large Nylabone that was laying on the hardwood floors. Talk about going down fast! I thought I was on ice.
I happened to fall just right and didn't hurt anything. In fact, I improved my ROM pre-op. :th_heehee:
I knew you'd do it! Well done!- Status
