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TKR Two years out from October 2023 TKR

@Layla
With my first hip replacement in 2014, I had pain for a year. It would radiate down my thigh whenever I was standing in one spot and then went to take a step. It was excruciating pain. It was some kind of nerve pain that just went away by itself one day. With my second, I recovered quickly with hardly any pain. I have always thought I had a high threshold for pain. Maybe not, though. I really don’t know how to determine that.
 
@benne68 Yes, I elevate and ice consistently. I don’t have much pain when I am just sitting around. It’s only when I walk. I haven’t taken Tylenol consistently every 6 hours. Just 1000 mg a couple of times a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. My knee is still very stiff and it feels like there is a tight band around it, which is painful when I walk.
 
Ugh! Your first THR...that's a long time, I'm sorry! I'll bet that stirred up some anxiety when you realized you had to schedule your Right THR. I always think I have a high pain threshold too, but you're right, how do we really know?
That may be an interesting topic to research for our Library. I do wish you comfort. Rest up now so you have a comfortable and enjoyable Thanksgiving!
@Dmcfad2
 
Dmcfad2 said:
@benne68 Yes, I elevate and ice consistently. I don’t have much pain when I am just sitting around. It’s only when I walk. I haven’t taken Tylenol consistently every 6 hours. Just 1000 mg a couple of times a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. My knee is still very stiff and it feels like there is a tight band around it, which is painful when I walk.
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"Tight band" feeling is probably the phrase I notice most commonly used in our post op threads (pattern recognition!).... I say this not to diminish your experience but to reassure you that it's a pretty universal and normal thing we go through and that YES it does get better.

If you're at a level 5/10 on pain regularly with walking, it suggests to me you're probably doing too much.
 
Me too! I so hope it's a good match.
Lay down the law right away, you're the boss. :wink:
Good Luck! Let us know how it goes.
@Dmcfad2
 
I love my new outpatient therapist. She is a perfect fit for me. I got to 0/95 today. 4 weeks and 2 days post op. I had a little swelling, but my flexion is a 5° increase over last week when my in home PT measured me. I’ll take it. She taught me how to massage my scar to break up some of the adhesions.
 
Dmcfad2 said:
I got to 0/95 today. 4 weeks and 2 days post op.
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Fantastic! The majority of OSs don't expect 90 degrees until 6 weeks and you are already better than that! Way to go! Finding a PT that you trust is important. I'm glad you have found one.
 
That is wonderful news. Half the battle is finding a therapist you like and you're compatible with.
Hope you find comfort through the massage technique she shared with you.
Have a great day!
@Dmcfad2
 
Today is my 5 week anniversary and another journal entry. I like writing this stuff down so I can look back someday and see where I was in recovery at any given time. Happy Thanksgiving!
Today my husband is BBQing the Turkey and I’m making dressing and veggies. I skipped going to my son’s for dinner today. He only lives a mile away, but it’s his wife’s family (6 of them) as well as we two and I just don’t feel up to an all day excursion yet with a lot of people. So, we will have a small meal here at home, just the two of us. Then I can rest in between and ice and elevate throughout the day.
As far as where I am in my recovery, I am working hard to gain ROM and extension every day. I am pushing myself a little harder and I think I am making progress. I see my PT tomorrow and I will have her measure me again. My OS wants me at about 110° and 0 at the 6 week mark, so that is my goal. If I’m a little short, I don’t care, but it is giving me something to work towards and I’m pretty goal oriented. The stiff band feeling around my knee is still there and I don’t think it has changed much since the first week or two. I keep waiting to wake up one morning and have it be better. I did have one day last week where I woke up and it wasn’t so tight, but it didn’t last and came back that afternoon. I am still icing and elevating several times a day. Walking is still uncomfortable and I use my cane when I’m not walking in my house. I am concentrating on heel/toe walking, but it still doesn’t feel natural and is a bit of a chore to walk. I am going to start an outside walking program. Maybe 5 minutes to start and slowly increase the time until I’m getting in a 30 minute walk. The weather is still good here in Southern California, so I’m going to take advantage of it while I can.
 
Sounds like you’re doing great :)
My 5 weeks is tomorrow…. Physio next Tuesday, I still don’t think I’ll achieve 90 flexion but we shall see…..
I managed to walk 1700 steps out this morning, using 2 crutches, like you, I’m trying to do the heel toe walking but it doesn’t feel natural …
My thigh feels much better today…. Hopefully the rest of my leg will catch up soon…. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family :)
 
What a great update! You are doing well with your baby knee. Happy Thanksgiving from the Canadian who had Thanksgiving in October which was terrible. I was too sick to enjoy. Gotta love them pain meds
 
Dmcfad2 said:
I am going to start an outside walking program. Maybe 5 minutes to start and slowly increase the time until I’m getting in a 30 minute walk.
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This is a great idea! I bet you will be amazed at how quickly you make progress.
Wish it was warmer here. 26F right now with a whopping high of 29F predicted for today in my area of the Upper Midwest.
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy!
 
I relate to your plan for a quiet holiday at home; with both my knees at 5 weeks post op I was ready to be out a bit but nervous around too much hustle-bustle.
A slowly progressing outdoor walking plan is a wonderful thing!!! It matters not if measured by time or by distance, whichever is easier.
Tip :idea:: if setting out on, say, a ten minute walk, set a phone timer for five minutes to remember to turn around and walk back!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
 
I had PT today. She measured me and my flexion is the same as it was at our last session 2 days ago . I have been working SO hard to get better ROM. It is discouraging. She said it takes time and not to worry about it. But, I still do. My knee feels just as stiff and tight as it did weeks ago. I ice and elevate several times a day. I am also massaging my scar daily to break up the tight areas where it kind of sticks. One good thing is that my extension is almost 0 without her working on me at all. At our last session, she had to stretch me a lot to get me to 0. She told me that improvements would probably be more week to week as opposed to from one session to the next. I got on the bike today for the first time, but couldn’t make a full rotation yet. I am still using a cane and I have a hard time walking without it.
 
Dmcfad2 said:
I have been working SO hard to get better ROM. It is discouraging. She said it takes time and not to worry about it.
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Chances are that by "working SO hard to get better ROM" you are actually be delaying your progress. If you knee is stiff and tight, it is because there is still lots of internal swelling (even if you can't see it on the outside).

Your knee is in charge and it is still healing from the surgical trauma. The more you push it, the more it will protest by swelling and stiffening up.

Your PT is right. This recovery takes time and you are still very early days. :console2:
 
Dmcfad2 said:
She measured me and my flexion is the same as it was at our last session 2 days ago
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So many things affect our ROM number so please stop stressing about it. Even if it was higher than 2 days ago, tomorrow the number could be a bit lower again. The tool they use is far from an exact measurement. It is just held against your leg and it’s very likely that that can vary in exactly where they put it, from day to day. Also, your swelling will vary this early, affecting the ROM number.

5 weeks in a recovery that takes an average of 52 weeks is a drop in the bucket. Concentrate more on things you can do now that you couldn’t do a few weeks ago. Try to relax, you still have a ways to go. Where you are now is not where you will end up. Stressing so much about your ROM will not make you heal any faster, or make the time go faster.
Dmcfad2 said:
My knee feels just as stiff and tight as it did weeks ago.
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Stiffness/Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue has been disturbed and is healing...and full healing takes a full year or more.
Dmcfad2 said:
She told me that improvements would probably be more week to week as opposed to from one session to the next.
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This is very true.

Dmcfad2 said:
I am still using a cane and I have a hard time walking without it.
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I used my cane for about 4 months as it took me a while to really regain my balance, which the surgery disturbed.
 
@Dmcfad2 .... please stop worrying about your knee and listen to your professionals and those of us here who have literally helped tens of thousands of patients. Stop pushing your knee trying to get your flexion faster. Your body is in charge of how fast you heal, not you. It will heal at its own pace....something your therapist knows very well (bless her, she's one of the GOOD ones who "gets it."). Slow down and give your body the grace it deserves. It won't disappoint you. Measuring in weeks and not days is such a wise statement.

Believe me, the hardest thing about recovery is patience.
 
I seriously recommend AGAINST letting her measure, then stretch or flex, then remeasure. The result makes the PT "look good" but I pretty much guarantee that the results were worse a few hours later. I found that by *relaxing* my muscles with gentle warming up ROM I could improve ROM in either extension or flexion with zero pushing or pulling.
 
Hi Debbie,
I am sorry you're discouraged, please try not to be. I am sure it's difficult to know who to listen to. Your surgeon's unrealistic timelines, a PT telling you not to worry, then the many voices on the forum.
Consider listening to your body, by allowing your comfort level guide you. If you're in pain, take a break from the pressure and give yourself the TLC you need for a successful recovery. Once you are feeling stronger and steadier on your feet you can concentrate on the rest. You'll get there, maybe not as quickly as you like, but you'll get there. :thumb:
I hope you and hubs have a weekend that includes some fun. Good medicine!
@Dmcfad2
 
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