TKR Two years out from October 2023 TKR

[benne68]

I‘m still not getting a good bend in my knee. It just hurts so much when I try to go further.

That means that you still have lots of inflammation in there -- even if you don't see it on the outside. Trying to bend a swollen knee is like trying to bend a hose filled with water: it just won't happen.

Don't force it and try not to overdo your activities, which contributes to swelling. Keep icing, elevating and resting. Once the swelling goes down, you'll have much better flexion.

 

[Dmcfad2]

I‘m still not getting a good bend in my knee. It just hurts so much when I try to go further.

That means that you still have lots of inflammation in there -- even if you don't see it on the outside. Trying to bend a swollen knee is like trying to bend a hose filled with water: it just won't happen.

Don't force it and try not to overdo your activities, which contributes to swelling. Keep icing, elevating and resting. Once the swelling goes down, you'll have much better flexion.

I still ice quite a bit, but iI haven’t been elevating as much as I used to, so I just got out my lounge doctor and I’ll elevate right now. I don’t see a lot of swelling on the outside, so I’m sure it must be on the inside. Thank you.

 

[Dmcfad2]

Sometimes when I’m walking around the house, my knee will kind of buckle/give way for a split second. Is this something that happens as we heal? It doesn’t hurt, just surprises me when it happens.

 

[mendogal]

Sometimes when I’m walking around the house, my knee will kind of buckle/give way for a split second. Is this something that happens as we heal? It doesn’t hurt, just surprises me when it happens.

I do remember having that sensation from time to time with my first TKA, especially on early outings in the community with my walking stick. It stopped before two months. I think, if I recall correctly, that it's because structures that have been chronically tight may be a little looser now and others may be a little tighter and it all has to even out as we heal.
My newer knee has its own issues, but that's not been one of them.

 

[Jockette]

Yes, minor bucking is normal. This surgery caused major trauma to your whole leg and it just needs time to sort itself out.

 

[Dmcfad2]

Thanks! I’m glad to hear that buckling can happen. My thought is that my quad muscles still need to be strengthened. I‘m going to ask my PT about it tomorrow. I see my OS for follow up in 5 days and I will mention it to him, too.
I haven’t taken any prescription pain meds for 3 days now. I seem to be doing fine without them, although my knee still throbs at night and in the early mornings and I know the oxy would help that. But, I really want to stop taking it, so I’ve been using Tylenol and it seems to work okay. I slept great last night until about 4 am, then tossed and turned because my knee was aching. I finally got up at 5 am and I’m drinking my coffee and elevating on the couch.
My knee seemed just a little less stiff this morning as I walked out to the kitchen from my bedroom. The tight band feeling is there, but it just seemed a tiny bit better.
Today we are taking an outing to a favorite restaurant for Sunday brunch. I’m looking forward to it.
@mendogal I like your new picture. I can see the resemblance with the one you drew of yourself that you were using before. You are quite talented! And I see you are now a staff member. That’s great. You have a lot of good advice to give and I always appreciate it!
Happy and blessed Sunday to all bonesmarties.

 

[mendogal]

Oh thank you for the kind words @Dmcfad2 !!! I got the warm fuzzies now!

Re stronger quads... just a quick reminder that walking and your regular activities as tolerated are the only strengthening you can safely do for now. Even minor athletic sprains and strains need 6-8 weeks to heal and won't do so if worked too much.

 

[Jockette]

Re stronger quads... just a quick reminder that walking and your regular activities as tolerated are the only strengthening you can safely do for now.

I agree. 3+ weeks post op is way too early to add strengthening exercises.

It’s going well, but seems so slow. I have been up doing stuff this morning and now my knee is yelling at me, so I’m icing again. I‘m still not getting a good bend in my knee. It just hurts so much when I try to go further. I feel like I have to rest a lot still.

Much trauma was done to your body during this surgery, which is why the recovery is long and slow, as much as an average of a year. You need to accept that and adjust your expectations accordingly.

You are doing well for 3 weeks post op. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday brunch, getting out like that will do wonders for you!

 

[Dmcfad2]

@Jockette Thanks. I just returned from my outing. It was about a 20 minute drive to get there. I did great. When we got to the restaurant, we had to wait a bit. Then, we got a table. After sitting for awhile, I stood up to give my knee a break, because I start to get sore having it bent. Once our food got there, we ate and then did the 20 minute drive home. By this time, my knee was pretty sore, achy and throbbing, so I was happy to get home. All in all, we were gone about 2.5 hours. I am now on the couch icing it and it feels like heaven. I think I did well, but my knee reminded me that I’m not healed yet. Still, it was great to get out and I had fun. It’s a gorgeous day here in Oceanside. The sun is shining, it’s warm and the sky is bright blue.

 

[Jockette]

When I had my PKR, I was 5 weeks post op on Easter. My husband and I went out to dinner with 2 other couples. (5 minute drive) We brought a small stool to rest my foot on, because I couldn’t sit with my feet on the floor. It wasn’t high enough but it was better than nothing. Our reservation got mixed up and we had to wait too long before getting to a table, and I stood most of that time, which was so painful. I toughed it out, but I was so sore when I got home! I paid for that outing for days!

I‘m glad your outing went better!

I had a very hard time adjusting my expectations to my actual recovery. All I read about partials beforehand, and all my Ortho office did and didn’t say, beforehand, made it sound like a simple procedure, and much easier than a total. I expected to be totally healed in 6-8 weeks. Month after month I was upset and frustrated with my “slow” recovery, even though I found Bonesmart at 4 weeks post op, and learned that even a PKR was major surgery, and would take as long as a year to heal. My recovery was very difficult, and it didn’t help living in a 55+ community where there had been many TKRs before me, and almost everyone thought I wasn’t working hard enough to get better. It’s so hard when you’re the only one in your social circle who didn’t “dance out of the OR and get right on with life activities!“ So, you’re already ahead of where I was at your stage of recovery!

 

[Layla]

I love a great Sunday Brunch! Glad you got out and enjoyed. The day you described sounds beautiful, picture perfect.

Wishing you a good PT session tomorrow and a reassuring post op with your surgeon on Friday.
Let us know how it goes.
@Dmcfad2

 

[PeachyKnee]

@Jockette Thanks. I just returned from my outing. It was about a 20 minute drive to get there. I did great. When we got to the restaurant, we had to wait a bit. Then, we got a table. After sitting for awhile, I stood up to give my knee a break, because I start to get sore having it bent. Once our food got there, we ate and then did the 20 minute drive home. By this time, my knee was pretty sore, achy and throbbing, so I was happy to get home. All in all, we were gone about 2.5 hours. I am now on the couch icing it and it feels like heaven. I think I did well, but my knee reminded me that I’m not healed yet. Still, it was great to get out and I had fun. It’s a gorgeous day here in Oceanside. The sun is shining, it’s warm and the sky is bright blue.

I’m so happy to hear this. Not that you came home sore but that you did it! And I remember how beautiful that area of California is on a clear and sunny day.

 

[Dmcfad2]

Well, I measured at 85° flexion again, so no improvement since last Wednesday. Plus, I felt like it was so much harder to get there today than it was last week. It is so discouraging and I just want to cry. I really haven’t been doing too much. Just laying around, icing and elevating. I went out for a while yesterday morning, but rested and iced all afternoon. One would think I’d be getting better. My knee doesn’t even look swollen. I’m just so darn stiff and I have sharp pain when I try to bend too far. My PT says don't worry about it, but I do, anyway. I’m very emotional today. I’m sick of sitting around doing nothing. I just want to be well. I’m almost at 4 weeks. I should be doing better.

 

[Dmcfad2]

I just want to add that I am so confused. So many people I know say that to get better I need to work harder at PT, pull my foot towards my butt harder when I’m doing heel slides, do more exercise, try harder. And since I’m not getting better, I tend to start to believe them. Maybe I’m not working hard enough. I know the Bone Smart way and I believe it’s right, but it’s hard when people think you aren’t working hard enough. I will say my PT doesn’t say that. She says don’t worry about it. She says my extension is great and that is what she is focused on, she said when I start outside PT next week, they will be working more on my flexion. But, some of my friends who have been through knee replacement tell me to work harder at PT. I’m just feeling so defeated right now.

 

[benne68]

You really are doing well for less than one month into your recovery, @Dmcfad2!

The progress standard most surgeons use is 90 degrees flexion by 6 weeks post-op. You are almost there now and I'll bet if you back off the painful exercises for a few days -- and give that internal swelling a chance to go down -- you'll find that you actually are already there.

Please don't let your friends bully you into pushing into pain. Listen to your PT. And remember that every recovery is different. Do what works for you.

 

[mendogal]

You're honestly doing just fine at four weeks and I'm pretty sure you're not "sitting around doing nothing."

Devoting myself fully to my knee healing and rehab ... which I did on my first knee without knowing about Bonesmart ... meant that at four weeks I was doing light range of motion, walking a LOT in the house, was independent in personal care, breakfast and lunch, and starting to work on dinners seated with my husband's help. That was enough - and my fatigue let me know it! In between... online word games and jigsaw puzzles and reading between naps.

I started spending a little time drawing in my home studio about 4-5 weeks post op and to venture out in community with cane and husband at 6 weeks.

 

[Dmcfad2]

@benne68 @mendogal Thank you. I just seem to have my moments. I’ll rest up for a couple of days and see where I am then.

 

[Layla]

Hi there,
I am sorry you're feeling so defeated.

One would think I’d be getting better.

I'll bet if you sit and really think about it, you will come up with ways that show you're improving, because you are.

My PT says don't worry about it, but I do, anyway.

Try to trust this. The PT deals with people healing from joint replacements often, therefore has a better basis of comparison than you.

I’m almost at 4 weeks

You are only 25 days out from major surgery with an average healing time of one year. Sometimes even longer.

So many people I know say that to get better I need to work harder

Are these all people that had knee replacements themselves? Even if they have, everyone recovers at their own pace. You need to do what works for you. If you feel more aggressive therapy will help, you can try it, but you also risk stalling your recovery if it's too soon, which I think it is at this early date.

I think if anyone is bold enough to critique your recovery, consider telling them that neither your PT, or surgeon are disappointed in your progress and that's all that matters. You're doing fine. Know that and try to come up with creative ways to pass the time so the boredom factor is eliminated.
I hope you have a nice evening and week.

 

[Dmcfad2]

@Layla Thank you.

 

[CatieViv]

You are doing great. Record your little victories here. You will be amazed when you look back and see what you have accomplished without pushing into pain. I am a couple of weeks ahead of you and am still resting a lot. I am using my pedal thingy at home only 5 minutes at a time. And that is enough for now. Plus ADLs and walking. I'm seeing the improvement in the little things.

Hang in there. It will get better