TKR Week 20 update...all good and getting better

[robhunt3]

Thanks for the support @Jockette, I keep being told these things but find it very hard to listen!

What will probably help is stopping the physio (which stops shortly anyway, not sure it has been of much use) and not having to see the OS again.

It will allow me to just get on with it without thinking too much about what others are expecting. I do need to stop thinking about it so much for sure!

 

[Jockette]

Rob, I agree with everything you just said!

I finally have no more appointments and I feel like I have been set free to continue to recover, and continue I do because even though it’s been a year, I am not there yet. I never thought/knew this recovery could/would take so long. No one ever told me before surgery and it wasn’t until I found Bonesmart at 4 weeks post op that I learned the truth. I was quite angry for a while and felt like I’d been lied to with the implied info I had before surgery about the partial replacement I had and how much quicker a recovery it was than a total, though I knew nothing about the recovery of a total, either.

I am no longer accountable to anyone for my knee’s recovery. I guess I honestly wasn’t before, but it sure felt like I was.

I spent a lot of time analyzing every pain and discomfort, trying to figure out the cause and what I could do for it. I read similar issues on here and others doing the same as me, trying to figure out what to do.

I have come to the conclusion that this recovery takes a very long time, it is what it is, there’s very little we change positively about it (though there’s lots we can change negatively about it by doing too much and trying to rush and force things.)

You have improved so much since the day of surgery and you will continue to do so.

 

[sistersinhim]

I see the doc in a week and half at 11.5 weeks, I'm sure he'll talk about MUA given I've only progressed about 15 degrees in 6 weeks, but I'm not keen to go down that route at all.

Most OSs don't want to do a MUA if you're over 90 degrees. You are over 100 at only 10 weeks. That is great! You don't need a MUA, your knee just needs time to heal and for the swelling to go down. If you work it too hard, it's going to swell. You can not bent a swollen knee very much. Give it time and gentle treatment.

 

[robhunt3]

So here is my 12 week update...

I saw the OS last night and he was more than happy with my knee and my ROM (probably around 115 flexion/5 extension now) and said it would improve further over the next 18 months. So all my concerns about that have proved to be groundless, and in fact by not worrying so much about it, my leg is just gradually doing what it needs to do to improve, in its own time, slowly but surely.

I'm at the gym 3 or 4 times a week now and have been back to my old boxing class (I just do the training, not the fighting!) as well as doing some personal training, light skipping, rowing on the Concept II and biking on the Watt Bike. It's good to be doing stuff again, but I'm a bit of a way off where I was - but actually not too far, and I feel fine doing most of it.

Last weekend I took my mountain bike out for my first ride since my surgery and did a gentle, slow and pretty flat 11 mile local circuit. It was great to be back in the saddle. This weekend I'll have a go on my road bike. I have plans to do some serious distance over the next couple of years, so will work up gradually to that. For those cyclists amongst you out there, Majorca 312 (312km/16000ft ascending in 1 day) and Liege-Baston-Liege (270km/15000ft ascending in one day) are beckoning, along with lots of iconic European routes and climbs.

I can go up and down the stairs at a normal pace now, and am almost at the point where I've forgotten there's a new knee involved in doing so.

My daily knee swelling 'routine' has gradually settled and lessened, and most of the time my fitness regime isn't making it any worse - it has usually recovered to near normal each morning.

I still have aches in different places at different times, but these are becoming less and less and are more to do with ligaments and muscles - or maybe because I'm not thinking about it all quite so much?

I am still waking up every night when moving my stiffened knee jolts me awake, and then it can take a while to get back to sleep - sometimes I just can't. As my doctor said last night, new TKRs don't generally like inactivity because the stiffness causes pain, so it's good to keep the joint gently moving. I take paracetamol occasionally, but most of the time I don't have any real pain problems.

So all in all, I'm a lot happier with how things are turning out. I know how concerned I was barely 2 or 3 weeks ago (and so does anyone who was following my updates - apologies for boring you all ), but that's just me.

I'll check back in again soon - I hope you are all doing well!

 

[Celle]

What a great update, Rob!
I'm glad your knee is doing so well.

Do be careful not to overdo the exercise, won't you? Your knee is healing well, but it's still only a quarter of the way to complete recovery. Treat it like a little child and don't ask it to do anything it isn't mature enough to handle.

 

[SusieShoes]

And should your knee act up after one of your activities, be a good parent. Glad to hear you're doing so well!

 

[hopalong61]

Hi Rob, just read through your journey, my RTKR was on January 20th and i had my MUA on March 17th. My MUA was done as my ROM was only about 30 degrees so i wouldn't worry about you needing one ! I was scared about the MUA but to be honest it improved my ROM and i now have 96 degrees so it did help. My extension is poor but i'm hoping that will come right when the swelling decides to disappear. I'm not hung up on measuring, as long as i can drive and get up and down stairs (thats an ongoing project !) i'm ok.

Like you i'm frustrated by how slow my progress is and about how much pain/stiffness/swelling i still have. It's reassuring to read about how similar everyone is ! I went back to work 2 weeks ago on reduced hours (4 per day for 3 days) and am finding it difficult too as i'm at a desk for those hours. I do get up and walk though to loosen my knee every hour. I still take 500 paracetamol and 2 x 30 Codeine every 6 hours, sometimes i can manage without the Codeine but religiously take the paracetamol !

I've rung a Physio this morning as i feel that a massage would help with my swelling but she refused to see me as she said it was far too early for a deep massage and that it may make it worse ! I do massage it myself each day as it feels nice but she said any deep massage wouldn't help. She said if my consultant agreed to it, she will do it. I'm seeing him 3 May so i'll ask him then, i don't want to aggravate anything ! It's my day off today so i'm off to do a bit of light retail therapy/physio (ie. walking round the shops !)

 

[tommyg]

Hi Rob. I just joined the site so haven't looked at a lot of it but noticed the majority were women. I was thinking "I wish I could find someone closer to my own age/gender/circumstances" to compare my journey with. Than I just read the last page of your thread and saw you mention mtb'ing. I bike too although nothing like some of the trips you want to do. I'll have to go back and read your whole thread. I'm scheduled for May 31.
As a disclaimer to anyone reading, not trying to upset any women. I'm sure I'll learn stuff from you all also.

 

[SusieShoes]

As a disclaimer to anyone reading, not trying to upset any women. I'm sure I'll learn stuff from you all also.

No offense taken. Men are outnumbered on this site, but we do have men on staff and many active male joint replacement recipients. We women learn new things from the guys all the time!

 

[robhunt3]

Thanks for your good wishes everyone.

@hopalong61 you're still only a few weeks past your MUA which will have put you back to the start of your TKR healing journey, but you have really good ROM now and it will get better, as will your pain and your mobility - your new 3 month point is June 17th, so you've got a while to go to get to where I am. It's no surprise that work and all the other things you are doing will make your knee angry from time to time - I've been back at work for 6 weeks and the early days were tough with stiffness etc, but now it's fine and in fact it has helped my ROM being able to sit at a proper desk and work. Go gentle on your new knee and more importantly, on yourself. You may be a bit early for massage because of the recent MUA, but I have to say, my sports masseur did more to improve my knee ROM and flexibility in 2 sessions than physiotherapy did in 16! The thing that made the difference to me is the 'myofascial release' massage - getting the upper skin layers to loosen, allowing the underlying structures to move more freely. It has been a revelation and I would definitely recommend trying to find someone that knows about that technique, it's not at all the same as a normal massage. Anyway, I hope your retail therapy helped a bit, take care and take it easy.

Hi @tommyg, I also struggled to find information from people of my own age group - there are quite a few of us on the site, but what I have actually found is that although everyone is different, people's experiences seem to be similar regardless of age - so this site offers a wealth of information and truly incredible support, irrespective of the years. Like you,I tried to find some reassurances that as a 51 year old, I'd be able to get back to doing the activities I loved, and I searched and Googled galore without much luck - until I found Bonesmart. It has been a lifesaver, but the biggest lesson I have learnt is that it does take time to recover and regain function, and overdoing it does not help at all. My patience (or should I say impatience!) has been tested at times, but everyone on BS has helped me through. So good luck for your TKR on the 31st May, you'll be fine!

As always, thanks @Celle and @SusieShoes and everyone else for your support. It has made such a huge difference to me, and I am eternally grateful for the time you have all taken to offer advice and support me through this journey.

 

[SherrieT]

Wow! You are doing so great. I feel so low-key. This weekend I'm planning on taking my big butt seat, fat tire bike out and see if I can just go down the block

It's wonderful to read good recovery reports. Keep reporting in, please

 

[MSgirl]

@robhunt3, thanks for your great update. You are amazing! You have really gotten into a lot of physical activity and it seems to be working for you. What fun you and your bike are having. And to have those future distance trips as "carrots" must be really inspiring. It's kind of funny how our lives are consumed by our knees for awhile, then one day, we realize we haven't thought about them that day. I am loving that. You are further along on a number of things than I am so I'll use you as my inspiration to work a little harder. I don't want to do a distance bike trip but have a few other things in mind that I'd like to accomplish. So, keep us updated although I think you are near the finish line!

 

[hopalong61]

Thanks for your good wishes everyone.

@hopalong61 you're still only a few weeks past your MUA which will have put you back to the start of your TKR healing journey, but you have really good ROM now and it will get better, as will your pain and your mobility - your new 3 month point is June 17th, so you've got a while to go to get to where I am. It's no surprise that work and all the other things you are doing will make your knee angry from time to time - I've been back at work for 6 weeks and the early days were tough with stiffness etc, but now it's fine and in fact it has helped my ROM being able to sit at a proper desk and work. Go gentle on your new knee and more importantly, on yourself. You may be a bit early for massage because of the recent MUA, but I have to say, my sports masseur did more to improve my knee ROM and flexibility in 2 sessions than physiotherapy did in 16! The thing that made the difference to me is the 'myofascial release' massage - getting the upper skin layers to loosen, allowing the underlying structures to move more freely. It has been a revelation and I would definitely recommend trying to find someone that knows about that technique, it's not at all the same as a normal massage. Anyway, I hope your retail therapy helped a bit, take care and take it easy.

Hi @tommyg, I also struggled to find information from people of my own age group - there are quite a few of us on the site, but what I have actually found is that although everyone is different, people's experiences seem to be similar regardless of age - so this site offers a wealth of information and truly incredible support, irrespective of the years. Like you,I tried to find some reassurances that as a 51 year old, I'd be able to get back to doing the activities I loved, and I searched and Googled galore without much luck - until I found Bonesmart. It has been a lifesaver, but the biggest lesson I have learnt is that it does take time to recover and regain function, and overdoing it does not help at all. My patience (or should I say impatience!) has been tested at times, but everyone on BS has helped me through. So good luck for your TKR on the 31st May, you'll be fine!

As always, thanks @Celle and @SusieShoes and everyone else for your support. It has made such a huge difference to me, and I am eternally grateful for the time you have all taken to offer advice and support me through this journey.

Thanks Rob,
June 17th will be 1 week before my 2 week holiday to Turkey ! Plenty of R & R then I've been back at work (on reduced hours) for 2 weeks now, it's nice to feel "normal" again but i do find it tiring. I have to keep reminding myself that the MUA will have set me back, i want it all to be back to normal NOW !!! Not going to happen is it ? Every day i wake up and think " is today going to be the day ?" and every day by the time i get downstairs, i realise "nope, maybe tomorrow !" Although i do have good and bad days like everyone else. I'm a positive person though and realise that only time will sort me out. I'll have a look out for a masseur that does Myofascial Release, thanks for that tip x

 

[robhunt3]

I just thought I'd post a pretty positive update now I've reached week 20 post op.

ROM:
I don't even think about this anymore because it is sufficient to do anything I need to do, but at a guess I reckon it's about 130 flexion and +5 extension and I'm pretty certain it will get better still. I honestly don't know now why I worried so much about this in the early weeks, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Pain:
I still get twinges or aches which I now realise are entirely down to the laxity that now exists in my new knee as a result of having no ACL or PCL to hold it all tightly together. There is more movement in the joint in most directions which must stretch the other ligaments and tendons slightly, causing the occasional aches, although the new knee is very stable and I don't feel it is a big problem.

My good knee (left) has definitely taken a bit of a battering compensating for my right TKR knee, and I am certain I have added to the damage it previously had (cartilage) as I have some joint pain in that exact location. I will be going very carefully with it to avoid having to have another TKR any time soon! Ironically I occasionally take a couple of Paracetamol for this, but don't need anything for the TKR knee.

Sleep:
Still a bit disturbed related to overnight stiffening, but definitely better than it was and improving.

Swelling:
Hardly any, pretty much looks like my other 'good' knee most of the time.

Activity:
I am back at the gym 5 days a week. The gym sessions consists of 2 x 45min spin classes, 2 x 45min Boxing classes (skipping, boxing, press ups, sit ups etc) and a 1 hour personal trainer session (rowing, and all sorts of other upper and lower body work). My TKR knee is gradually strengthening as a result of all of this and I have had no issues following any of the exercise.

Outside of the gym I am back on my road bike and riding about 100 miles a week at a pretty reasonable pace. I've completed loads of relatively short 20/30/40 mile rides, a 66 and a 75 mile ride and this weekend I will complete my first 100 mile ride of the year - I'm aiming to actually do about 135 miles this coming Sunday. In mid-July I hope to travel to the French Alps to watch some of the Tour de France, and also ride some of the mountain climbs.

My pilot flying medical has also been re-issued - the aviation medical examiner that did it was very interested in finding out how my new knee was coping as his own are both already more than overdue for a TKR. So I have been back flying in my small Piper Cherokee plane a few times over the last 2 weeks and it is fantastic to be back up in the air (and back to my much loved hobby of 20+ years).

Conclusions & Lessons Learned:
No matter how bad it seems, it will get much much much better and will continue to improve. I am testament to that, despite being absolutely convinced (convincing myself that is) at various times that I would never be able to do all the things I loved ever again.

Be positive, don't overdo it, give it time and ride the wave up and down.

Thanks again to BoneSmart and everyone therein who got me this far - I don't know what I would have done without you all!

 

[SusieShoes]

Great to hear from you @robhunt3! You're living proof that early days TKR do end and the knee gets on to being a good, useful and obedient knee.

 

[Pumpkin]

@robhunt3
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Pumpkin]

Happy to hear you are doing well and are leading an active life.

 

[kneeper]

Thanks for the update & great to hear things are going well for you.

 

[PHousley]

Hi @robhunt3 - just read this thread, great to hear you are back on the bike and putting in the miles. I had a TKR on the 2nd June 2018 and take great inspiration from your success. Keep the reports coming as it helps all of who are just on the start line.

Good luck with the 312 next year - did this a couple of years back - great experience.

 

[robhunt3]

Hi all, it's been a while but I thought I'd post an update at almost 35 weeks post-op.

ROM:
About 140 flexion and +2 extension, but it really doesn't matter much anymore.

Pain:
Although I still get twinges or aches, these are relatively short lived and definitely more to do with muscles/ligaments. I think the knee is just settling into it's new normal life.

Sleep:
This has also improved and it is rare for me to wake overnight because of my knee now.

Swelling:
Still very little, pretty much looks like my other 'good' knee most of the time.

Activity:
I am back to my normal gym routine 5 or 6 days a week and on my road bike and trainer riding about 150 miles a week at a pretty reasonable pace. I've probably done 1500 miles since I started riding after the Op, including a few 100+ milers. I didn't make the Alps unfortunately due to work, but managed a similar hard day in the saddle around the mountains in South Wales, which made up for it. A cycling holiday to Majorca in May 2019 is already booked and I'm soooo looking forward to it.

I hope you are all well in any case...