TKR VW's new joint venture
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OP
OP
VW54
graduate
A step back (curses!) probably joined the overdid it club? Too many attempts shuffling in the kitchen (side steps, holding on to counters) trying to make a salad, unload dishwasher, several "runs" to the loo 'cause I drank so much and with hurting thigh, up down, up down ugh, I can hardly bend the blasted knee this evening. Incison area feels very warm. Hope it's not an infection OMGF!. 
Elevating and icing
again.
Day 13 and it's not lucky. Grmph.
Positive thing today were nice calls from concerned friends and family and 2 good naps.
Elevating and icing again.
Day 13 and it's not lucky. Grmph.
Positive thing today were nice calls from concerned friends and family and 2 good naps.
JennyLynne
post-grad
Don't worry about the warm knee... normal and a sign of healing!
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Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
KarriB
Former BoneSmart staff member
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While the warm knee is a sign of healing, you probably did too much and the knee is letting you know. This first month is all about elevating, icing, resting. Try to curb that inclination to clean, cook, chop put laundry away. It will all come back to bite you in the knee.
As far as ROM achieved in bed with the heel slides...the way I look at it, we never walk in bed. It's how we do on the floor that counts! I think the only reason for the bed heel slides is to loosen us up.
OP
OP
VW54
graduate
Ahh..sure that does sound sensible. But then again, why did he (PT) insist to measure ROM with heel slide ?
I have a feeling that I got so much worse with heel slides because my thigh muscle is strained or pulled. ( It's very painful as I write)
Even standing hurts whereas it didn't hurt 3 days ago.
Bah humbug! Feeling quite crotchety.
I am going to call OS tomorrow and ask to postpone getting stitches out until Friday or even Monday.
Why, many of you might ask. I suddenly remembered that from my last surgery I had 32 years ago
(ovarian benign tumor), the wound opened up a day after stitches came out and I got a minor infection.
In addition, my skin heals slow(er) with insect bites, scratches, cuts and scrapes. Because it's a long extended weekend due to a Thursday holiday here it's not likely that my doc will do it Friday. But perhaps he says someone else could or we wait til Monday.
I have a feeling that I got so much worse with heel slides because my thigh muscle is strained or pulled. ( It's very painful as I write)
Even standing hurts whereas it didn't hurt 3 days ago.
Bah humbug! Feeling quite crotchety.
I am going to call OS tomorrow and ask to postpone getting stitches out until Friday or even Monday.
Why, many of you might ask. I suddenly remembered that from my last surgery I had 32 years ago
(ovarian benign tumor), the wound opened up a day after stitches came out and I got a minor infection.
In addition, my skin heals slow(er) with insect bites, scratches, cuts and scrapes. Because it's a long extended weekend due to a Thursday holiday here it's not likely that my doc will do it Friday. But perhaps he says someone else could or we wait til Monday.
KarriB
Former BoneSmart staff member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2015
- Messages
- 11,941
- Age
- 70
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Gender
- Female
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- United States
Standing can hurt for quite a while. I found that the more I was able to walk the longer I could stand. So at not yet a month post op it's very normal for standing to still hurt. For that reason the Activity progression for TKRs says little standing for the first four weeks.
My PTs also liked to measure while I was laying down, but I let them know I never practiced it that way. In the end all that matters is what you can do with your new knee, not the numbers.
My PTs also liked to measure while I was laying down, but I let them know I never practiced it that way. In the end all that matters is what you can do with your new knee, not the numbers.
OP
OP
VW54
graduate
@Lilli215 sore to the touch is my lower leg and a kaleidoscope of colours. It sometimes hurts to elevate it because when I put the calf on the pillows, it rebels.
The thigh hurts along the trajectory of the front muscle that goes from the top of the knee to the part just where the body and leg meets. That's why I suspect it is strained -or pulled. Moreover I didn't have this pain when I got home. It started Sunday on day 9, post op., just after a bad move ? trying to get out of bed in the middle of the night.
I also hurt a lot just behind knee all night last night and this morning, it woke me up. It feels like my lower leg is about to cramp up but then it doesn't.
The thigh hurts along the trajectory of the front muscle that goes from the top of the knee to the part just where the body and leg meets. That's why I suspect it is strained -or pulled. Moreover I didn't have this pain when I got home. It started Sunday on day 9, post op., just after a bad move ? trying to get out of bed in the middle of the night.
I also hurt a lot just behind knee all night last night and this morning, it woke me up. It feels like my lower leg is about to cramp up but then it doesn't.
Pheebs52
big-cheese
@sistersinhim just made me choke on my coffee; funny and ever so true!
I am also experiencing the warm knee but have not attached any significance to it since so many here are in the same club.
Like you, I have the thigh issues, but as I have entered week 4, it's improving! Not stellar, but definitely better. You'll get there! Are you massaging the thigh? I found it very helpful and still do it.
You did do a lot, so cut back on the extras for now, ok? Just say yes. Remember, less is more!
As to staple removal, I think you will find it a big relief to get them out. They are more irritating than you can realize until they are gone. My swelling went down quite a bit after removal despite my skin not being quite ready at 14 days. The relief afterward was worth the pain during for me.
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I am also experiencing the warm knee but have not attached any significance to it since so many here are in the same club.
Like you, I have the thigh issues, but as I have entered week 4, it's improving! Not stellar, but definitely better. You'll get there! Are you massaging the thigh? I found it very helpful and still do it.
You did do a lot, so cut back on the extras for now, ok? Just say yes. Remember, less is more!
As to staple removal, I think you will find it a big relief to get them out. They are more irritating than you can realize until they are gone. My swelling went down quite a bit after removal despite my skin not being quite ready at 14 days. The relief afterward was worth the pain during for me.
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
OP
OP
VW54
graduate
OS Doc just called me back. I'm to come to outpatient clinic and if he has time he'll do stitches ( not staples ) removal and if he's operating, his colleague will do it.
This morning I was bleeding (slightly) from 2 of the points of heparin injections. Augh! if it's not one thing it's another.
Hope internist at clinic will prescribe pill format for me.
I also hope my stitches don't bleed too much after the threads are taken out.
Am alternatively massaging and icing thigh every few hours.
This healing thing is a full time job.
This morning I was bleeding (slightly) from 2 of the points of heparin injections. Augh! if it's not one thing it's another.
Hope internist at clinic will prescribe pill format for me.
I also hope my stitches don't bleed too much after the threads are taken out.
Am alternatively massaging and icing thigh every few hours.
This healing thing is a full time job.
OP
OP
VW54
graduate
Good things to report:
Survived stitches being taken out - about 25 the assistant/intern? said.
I remembered to take an icepack in a cloth bag and had it on me while waiting my turn.
I also remembered to take my pain tablets just after signing in at desk.
All in all just minor pinching feeling.
(Managable discomfort.) The worst part was when doctor tried to see what my ROM was while I was lying there with new bandage on.
He pushed my leg back towards thigh and I resisted! I said "I can get 80 sitting". He: "how do you know that?"
I: "the physiotherapist measured this morning."
So I showed him. He said: "Let's say 75." and dictated that into his report.
Whatever.
"Even if so, for 2 weeks it's good."
He: "aim for more in the next month"
(Mumblings)
Met internist who apologised for mixup ( he simply forgot) upon release re the heparin. Now, as of Saturday I get the tablet form.
Taxi ride there and back was in style: both times Mercedes cars showed up. Drivers patient and helpful. (They got good tips.)
The physiotherapist was ever so gentle and careful. Showed me a few new moves and corrected my gait with the walker. She said my gait was better with crutches.
And now am elevating and icing and hope to nap til DH gets home.
Survived stitches being taken out - about 25 the assistant/intern? said.
I remembered to take an icepack in a cloth bag and had it on me while waiting my turn.
I also remembered to take my pain tablets just after signing in at desk.
All in all just minor pinching feeling.
(Managable discomfort.) The worst part was when doctor tried to see what my ROM was while I was lying there with new bandage on.
He pushed my leg back towards thigh and I resisted! I said "I can get 80 sitting". He: "how do you know that?"
I: "the physiotherapist measured this morning."
So I showed him. He said: "Let's say 75." and dictated that into his report.
Whatever.
"Even if so, for 2 weeks it's good."
He: "aim for more in the next month"
(Mumblings)
Met internist who apologised for mixup ( he simply forgot) upon release re the heparin. Now, as of Saturday I get the tablet form.
Taxi ride there and back was in style: both times Mercedes cars showed up. Drivers patient and helpful. (They got good tips.)
The physiotherapist was ever so gentle and careful. Showed me a few new moves and corrected my gait with the walker. She said my gait was better with crutches.
And now am elevating and icing and hope to nap til DH gets home.
Last edited by a moderator:
Pheebs52
big-cheese
Yay! The stitches are out and ROM is good!
JennyLynne
post-grad
Yay for stitches out! It will feel so much better!!
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
You're going to feel less constraint with the incision now that those stitches are out. And your ROM is fine, though your OS sounds like a bit of a curmudgeon. 
OP
OP
VW54
graduate
No Susieshoes, it wasn't him who tried to bend back knee and all the rest, it was a really young intern or assisting (I swear not older than 27 or so) with an air of snobbery. Even the nurse who took out the stitches, rolled her eyes when the young'un spoke.
Last night I had that painful : boring stone inside the knee " sensation. It was really very, very bad.
Brought me to tears.
I can't move my knee as well as before either because of the tight bandage with tight foil they put onafter taking stitches out, it which I am supposed to leave on for next 3 days. Nurse said it was better this way as I'm still on heparin.
So am shuffling about a bit peg leg style.
Last night I had that painful : boring stone inside the knee " sensation. It was really very, very bad.
Brought me to tears.
I can't move my knee as well as before either because of the tight bandage with tight foil they put onafter taking stitches out, it which I am supposed to leave on for next 3 days. Nurse said it was better this way as I'm still on heparin.
So am shuffling about a bit peg leg style.
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Gosh, if that intern/assistant is a snobbish curmudgeon at such a young age, imagine his bedside manner when he's in the full of his career.
Your "stone in the knee" pain sounds dreadful. I hope you can catch some extra sleep during the day to compensate. And maybe that short walk will help. I find that a short walk is a great way to loosen up. Longer walks are more testing. But the short ones are quite therapeutic. I much prefer them to PT, and so do my knees.
Your "stone in the knee" pain sounds dreadful. I hope you can catch some extra sleep during the day to compensate. And maybe that short walk will help. I find that a short walk is a great way to loosen up. Longer walks are more testing. But the short ones are quite therapeutic. I much prefer them to PT, and so do my knees.
