Become an Insider

TKR VSing's Recovery Thread

3 weeks postop tomorrow. Had a great day. Swelling down. Walking better Drove myself ( first time) to the dentist for cleaning. Had PT. Got to 97 degrees flexion. Iced knee after PT. Then.....While cooking dinner I turned and knee kind of snapped/locked back. I’m not sure exactly what it did but it grabbed me. Hurt like hell. Made me mad. I got off of it and iced it. Anyone else have anything like this happen?
 
VSing said:
Anyone else have anything like this happen?
Click to expand...
Plenty of our members have experienced the same. New knees just don't like twisting. Easy to do when you are starting to move around a bit more. Ice and elevate. This will ease with rest.
 
Glad I’m not the only one. It has only done it twice but it always scares me a little. Ready to walk without fear. I know it will happen one day
 
How long after TKR could any of you walk a normal pace like a normal human being?
 
Ask each person and each person will give you a different answer. There is no set time for anyone.
 
That’s what I have gathered so far. Just wondering.
 
This TKR recovery can change so much from one day to the next! Yesterday I could walk almost normal. Had no pain at all. Rode my stationary bike. Today- feels unstable again when walking, has more swelling and painful. Look forward to the day when it is healed! Frustrating!
 
There is that doggone rollercoaster ride again. Did you do anything extra yesterday? If not, you could have twisted your knee in your sleep. At your early stage, it takes hardly anything to anger your knee. You know the routine, ice and elevate until the pain and swelling go down.
 
It's a frustrating rollercoaster of a ride, some days our knees behave impeccably and others like :censored: A few weeks back I got off the sofa like I've done hundreds of times before and to this day I'm still not sure what I did but oh boy did it hurt,:flabber::flabber: I was left crippled with pain for a good few days, all I was able to do was ice, elevate and take a strong dose of iberbrufen fortunately it didn't last too long. I'm now 8months post surgery and for the 1st time my friends have commented on how well I'm walking so give yourself time and plenty of patience, and you too will soon be walking pain & limp free xxx
 
Home health PT ended last week and I started going to outpatient PT. I thought I was doing pretty well until I started this. I’m 5 wks p/o- My flexion is 108-110°. I’m at -2 extension which I was happy with and can walk unassisted with just a slight ‘hitch’ in my gait They wanted me walking normal and to have a perfectly straight leg. Not there yet. With the workout I get there I will be soon though. Guess I should have been more strenuous doing my lifts at home.
 
You are doing great for just 5 weeks! There no need to do more strenuous exercises, they will set you up for more pain and swelling which will give you worse ROM. By the way, your extension is a +5, not a -5. Here's how to measure it.

A good way to check extension yourself is like this:

1. put your leg on a bench, seat, bed, floor or anything similar but preferably something fairly firm.
2. with not too much pressure, press the back of your knee down - use your leg muscles, not your hand!
3. slide your hand, palm down, under the back of your knee
a) if you can get your entire hand under easily, it's probably about +10 degrees
b) if you can get just your fingers under, it's about +5
c) if you can get your fingers under but it's a push, it's +0
d) if you can't get your fingers under at all, it's -5 or more


Here's a graphic to explain the degrees involved


knee ROM small.jpg



Above all, do NOT allow your PT to press on your knee to measure ROM.
The only measurement that counts is what you can do on your own.
 
Your particular PT wants more of your new knee than it is reasonably able to do. You are doing great. Don’t let them make you think you are behind schedule, because there is no schedule. Every knee is unique and should be respected for itself.
sistersinhim said:
Above all, do NOT allow your PT to press on your knee to measure ROM.
Click to expand...
I agree with sistersinhim. Don’t let them bend it, or straighten it for you. It will only cause more swelling and pain if they push either direction, more than you are able to do yourself.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
Also, there is no rush to regain your ROM, especially on someone else’s timeframe. Your knee will bend as it heals and when the swelling goes down.

My ROM continued to improve after the first year, and, after the second year! :happydance:
bonesmart.org

Myth busting: "window of opportunity" in TKR

This "six week window of opportunity" surgeons often speak about is little more than a myth. It presupposes that all patients have the ability to create adhesions which is far from the truth. It also ignores the simple fact that in the first 3-4 weeks after surgery, swelling reactive to the...
bonesmart.org bonesmart.org
 
Thank you for the encouraging words. I left PT today feeling like I must have not been doing my exercises at home as much as I should have been. Like I haven’t been trying hard enough. Everyone I know must forget this part because they ALL say that having the surgery was the best thing they ever did. I will keep pressing on and not feel like I’m in a competition.
 
You are better off not 'pressing on' but just doing gentle, normal activities. That will keep the swelling and pain down. Pain is an indication of doing too much too soon.
 
It sounds like you're actually doing well. 5 weeks is early days. As others indicated, just take it steady as you have been and don't be scared by the PT.
 
VSing said:
Woo Hoo! I walked up steps yesterday alternately instead of one at a time! I yelled at my hubby saying ”watch this”! He was not as impressed as I was. Felt like I had just won a race. Finally seeing some progress.
Click to expand...
Only those of us who have been through this know what a thrill this is! You deserve a be Woo Hoo and congratulations! A big hurdle has been crossed!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 4,536 (members: 5, guests: 4,531)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom