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What am I doing Wrong?

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preteach

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:pzld:Next Monday I will be 10 weeks, 2 weeks ago I had a MUA, the next day I had gone from 68 to 90, I have done everything PT everyday(ex weekends) and 4-6 times a day of excercise. I can tell I`m bending more at home, but at PT yesterday I was only 80! At my last drs vist he said during my MUA he had it at 98. I am ever going to get any more? All I want to do is ride my bike but can`t get the peddle around! Is there anyone who measures you the same? At the Hosptal before I left she had me 86 a day later at PT she measured 68, a friend just had her knee done the same thing happend to her-96 in the hosptal only 70 some at PT what up with that?
I have a bad proplem I keep raising my hip when I sit, I strive to control this any suggestions. Help!
 
Yes different folks do measure dif. Are you sitting in a chair and bending your knee back or lying on the bed?

Jo or Jamie will be able to address this better. But I do know that one day if my knee does not have much swelling and it is not too stiff I will measure more.

Wow 4 to 6 times a day exercise is a little much. How many mins. each time.

What kind of exercises are you doing?

I raise up my hip when I slide my foot under the chair to bend my knee and when I turn the peddle around on the bike. I do not raise it when I just sit in a chair though.

Hang in there and you will get to where you want to be.
 
PreTeach, Maybe it should be quality not quantity. You might be doing to much excercising. That is alot I never do that much. And with the bike my husband told my PT before, that I lift my hip she said let her she will get it down. If it is swollen that will make a difference. I use ice almost all day long. It just feels good and I dont get swelling. Maybe just take it easier on yourslf. you are still just 10 weeks. ROM can improve for a long time. Maybe ice and take the pain med's like you are supposed to and relax, do not do that much excercise..Just make what you do count , not how much you can do or how fast you can do it. Then see what happens. Just try it. I really hope you feel better soon....Just saying this because I care and what to see you happier. ........Kim
 
Preteach, so sorry to hear you are having problems, but you are still very early in the recovery process. It is likely that you have some swelling going on. How is your pain level at this point? What is your schedule for pain meds and icing? Both are important to reduce swelling and inflammation. I suppose there can be slight differences in measuring when different people do it, but I wouldn't think it could be the difference you report. But is does make a difference how you are positioned. I used to be able to get more ROM sitting in a chair than lying down. Some people are just the opposite. Be sure they are measuring you with your body in the same position each time.

This is another reason why it's important to not focus on the number, but on your activity level. If you're doing very much exercising, 4-6 times a day is too much. Talk to your PT about your home exercises. Keep working at it slowly. This process just takes time.
 
Preteach I think what everyone else is saying is right on. I'm at 9 and 1/2 weeks right now and I get the same thing with the ROM. One PT can measure me one minute and the next another one takes the same measurement and gets 5 degrees difference. Like others have said, I notice a big difference when I don't ice enough and/or when I over do it with the exercise.

Now.........if I could just get my doctor's office to talk to me before they change my pain meds I'd be happy. But that's a whole 'nuther story.
 
Being measured on the PT's table, with the back support up, knocked around 15 degrees off my flexion. I usually measured it sitting on the edge of my low settee with my foot pulled back to the max, heel approx under my behind. That way I get it to about 130 degrees. PT measured it on her table and made it 115. Shan't let her do it that way again!

As for the exercise, it's clear your body doesn't like it.
If you're only 9½ weeks, you are still very, very early and at the stage when it's going to react like that. I suggest you stop franticating about it and let nature take it's course. You can continue increasing until 9-12 months after the op so you still have plenty of time. Some people do seemed destined to have poor flexion at the beginning. No particular reason, just the luck of the draw. So I'd cut back a bit, maybe three times and only half the time.
 
I am just 9 weeks out. I overdid the exercise for the first two weeks after I finished PT at about four to five weeks. Now I just do ROM exercises for about 30 minutes a day. That's it. Sometimes I try to ride the bike ( 5 min. max) or take a short walk or I just do things around the house and errands. You would be surprised how many steps all that takes. My ROMand strength is increasing, I can tell. But I have no idea what it is. It was around 110-15 at 6 weeks.

I have a tendency to overdo it. Then I pay for it but I use lots of ice 5-6 times a day and take my Tylenol AR. So far so good. The hard part is resting if you are like me!
 
FYI ~ During recovery patients do over do things. You have to remember your entire body was put to rest which is abnormal. It takes 2 weeks for every hour you were under anesthesia for your body to recover, never mind you recovering from the knee or hip surgery!
My surgery for BTKR was 4.5 hours. That means for 9 weeks my body was repairing itself from the affects of the anesthesia. So, for those of you who are wondering why things are not progressing quickly, give your own body a break as it needs it!
Best,
 
I want to thank everyone for the helpful input! It made me feel so much better I`m am doing 2 sets in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, In the morning I really try to straighten I wakeup so crooked, wait a bit- ice and prop the leg up, Then afternoon I bend, I have one I do on the head board of my bed- I`m at least 8" below from where I started.
The BIG news is this afternoon I did it- Yes I Peddled All the way around my bike, I am going to work on this more this week-end.
 
Yeah !!!!!!! I knew you could congradulations you !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy.......One of many good things to come..............I know it felt really good..........Just dont over do it Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :).........Kim:bow:
 
Congrats Preteach! It's major progress when you can do the bike. Just build up very slowly a few minutes at a time -- maybe twice a day at first. Don't push the resistence up either until you can comfortably do about 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Then start varying the resistence so you push for - say 30 sec - and go back to easy for 2-3 min and then do it again.... The whole idea of these exercises is to very gradually challenge your muscles to get stronger by increasing resistence, weights or length of time or all three. But the first step is the hardest -- and you;ve already accomplished that!!! Cool!!!
 
Way to go, Preteach!!!! Your bike milestone is HUGE and I'm so happy for you.
 
Hey PreTeach, Just checking into to see how you were doing. Wondering if you were riding around the neighbor hood yet !!! I know you will be soon...........keep it up....Kim
 
:wub: Congrats.

I know how you are celebrating. It was a personal milestone for me last week as well. No one can appreciate the work it takes except someone who has been through something similar

I graduated yesterday from the walker to cane. We all have our victories. It is nice to have people in this board to celebrate with:yrk:

Barb​
 
Hey! Congrats Preteach and Barb!!! Keep those milestones coming!! :)
 
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