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TKR Two years out from October 2023 TKR

Another accomplishment. I did a full hour spin class yesterday with my seat at the same height as before my surgery. I even stood in the saddle. Feeling good this morning. Still having daily stiffness and some pain, but getting back to my pre-surgery life! 14 weeks, 3 days PO.
 
I will be 15 weeks tomorrow. There was a definite turn around for me at 3 months PO. I have been feeling great. My knee is much less painful, the stiffness is less and my ROM is getting better. I reached 110° with my therapist’s help at PT on Monday and everything feels easier. I‘m so glad I didn't do the MUA. Thanks to everyone here that encouraged me.
However…….Yesterday, I woke up with bad lower back pain that I still have today. I am hoping I just tweaked it somehow and it will get better with rest. Oh, and it seems my appetite has returned. I lost 10 pounds after surgery and would like to keep it off, but I won’t at this rate. LOL
 
Dmcfad2 said:
My knee is much less painful, the stiffness is less and my ROM is getting better.
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This is great news!
Dmcfad2 said:
Yesterday, I woke up with bad lower back pain that I still have today. I am hoping I just tweaked it somehow and it will get better with rest.
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This is not great news. Have you tried a heating pad? I found they help me. Also, I use a Velcro wrap-around back brace that is really helpful when I have flare-ups. I hope you can find something to relieve your pain so you can enjoy your new knee!
 
Almost 16 weeks PO. I had a follow up with my surgeon today. He said I am doing great. X-rays look good. He encouraged me to continue my spin classes. I told him about the pain I still have across the kneecap area and the heavy tightness/stiffness I am still feeling. He thinks I have developed tendinitis that is causing the pain. He said he thinks it will all go away eventually, although my new knee will never feel like my original. He said my kneecap is tracking properly, whatever that means. Anyway, I don't go back until my one year anniversary. I really hope the pain goes away soon. It still hurts quite a bit when I stand from a sitting position, when I do my stretching, when bending my knee and when I sleep at night. One of these days I hope to be pain free and not have my knee be the first thing I think about when I wake up. Patience……
 
Debbie, just as an encouragement the only place I notice my older knee (2 years) being different is kneeling on it. I can kneel on it but there is still some discomfort if I’m on a hard surface. There is also still a small area that is still semi-numb but I can‘t tell unless I poke at it.
 
It sounds like you had a nice visit, Debbie, aside from the news of possible tendinitis, but encouraging for your surgeon to say you're doing great.
Dmcfad2 said:
He said my kneecap is tracking properly, whatever that means.
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I believe he means that that your kneecap is not shifting out of place as you bend or straighten your leg.
You probably tire of hearing this, but you still have many months left to make progress and lose the pain.
Stay the course, you will get there.:thumb: Thanks for the update.
 
I’m guessing this will be my last post for awhile. I will be 4 months post op 2/19, 3 more days.

I have had a major turnaround in the last two weeks. I have very little pain anymore and the stiffness in my knee is much better and barely noticeable most of the time. Just mildly annoying, but doesn't affect my day to day activities. If I did have tendinitis, it seems to have resolved itself.

I am back in the gym doing spin classes and every time gets easier. I have been able to lower the bike seat and am able to do rotations with minor pain that loosens up the longer I ride. I still get stiff after doing a lot, but it will go away with rest. I ice only occasionally now.

My flexion that I was so worried about is coming along slowly. I had 113° bend yesterday. After being stuck at around 98° for several weeks, I finally got to 110° and things have been moving along again and I have gained about 1-2 degrees a week for the last 3 weeks. I continue to stretch daily and am still doing OP therapy. We have been working more on quad strength now. I am able to go up and down stairs foot over foot, but use the handrail for support. My walking is better. Still slow and feels a bit awkward, but I get better all the time. I never use a cane anymore.

My surgeon has basically released me and I will see him again at my 1 year check-up. We are leaving tomorrow on a 5 week cruise to Hawaii, Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands. I have my exercises that I will continue to do on the ship in the gym.

All in all, I am beginning to believe this was a good thing to do. My recovery was harder and much more painful than I expected, even though I thought I was prepared for it. I hope I never have to do it again. But, I’m here to tell you that it really does get better. It takes time and patience, just like everyone on this forum told me over and over. :thankyou:
 
What a great update, @Dmcfad2 ! It's wonderful to read that you've turned to corner and are getting back to life.

Enjoy your cruise. Sounds wonderful!
:wave:
 
Great news!
Have a great trip!
 
Nice update, Debbie! So happy to read you're doing better these days.
I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise!
@Dmcfad2
 
I am 2 weeks into a 5 week cruise. I have been feeling good and doing exercises in the gym. The last few days I am feeling something new. It feels like a tendon or ligament is rubbing against something on the lateral side of my knee below the knee cap. This happens whenever I bend my knee. It kind of snaps or catches. It gets better in the morning when I wake up and gets progressively worse during the day. It is painful and causes me to limp. I have been icing every night and have decided to take a few days off of exercising to see if it gets better. Do any of you moderators have an idea of what might be the problem?
 
Hi Debbie,
Sorry you're dealing with pain and a limp as the day progresses. That's no fun on your cruise. The only thing I can find is some information from members that had similar complaints and the popliteus was mentioned. Do a little research on the popliteus and use the SEARCH to read the threads where it's been mentioned and see if it sounds similar to what you're dealing with. Hopefully it's due to overactivity, only temporary and relieved by some rest and icing. Wishing you speedy relief.
@Dmcfad2
 
Walking on a ship is different from walking on dry land. My ex used to live on a boat, and I would always get sore after spending time on it. There is always at least a small moving action of the floor from the buoyancy of the water. This will cause you to have to use different areas of your leg to balance yourself. It sounds like you are doing the correct thing...icing. If you find that doesn't help, do you have a way to use heat? How about a hot tub? Heat might help more than ice at your stage of healing. Over all, though, I think you're having a remarkable recovery!
 
@sistersinhim Thanks for replying. I have been using the hot tubs. They do help a bit. I understand about the movement of the ship. I am always having to balance myself and we’ve had some rough seas. It is calming down now. I’ve been resting it for the last two days and haven’t done much except some gentle stretching. It seems to be helping, although I still feel something moving when I put my fingers there and bend my knee, like a tendon. Hoping it’s just an overuse thing.
 
Hi @Dmcfad2 :wave: Wondering how you are feeling? It's been a while since your last update and I'm hoping your knee quieted down so you could enjoy your cruise. Let us know when you have a chance.
 
6 months PO. Where I’m at……
Still have some knee pain, but it is slowly improving. Still have some swelling at times.
Still feel a tendon or ligament snapping under my knee when I bend my leg walking. I have been working with my PT. She thinks it is my IT band. I can also feel it in my hip sometimes. I made an appointment May 6 with my surgeon to have it checked. It has been going on for about 2 months now.
My ROM is at about 111°. I still stretch most days, trying to improve. I would really love to get to 120° eventually. That would match my other knee.
Still attending physical therapy twice a week.
I am back at spin classes. I am able to stand in the saddle and peddle. I can keep up with the class. I get sore afterwards but I feel like it is improving my quad strength.
I can go up and down stairs but it still hurts and I have to hold the handrail.
All in all, I can not yet say that I am better off than before surgery, but I know it is a year recovery and I am only halfway. I am expecting to continue to improve. I can do most things I want to do with minimal pain.
 
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