TKR What Did I Get Myself Into?

[TheHistorian]

Tightness in the knees, and the IT bands, can throw off your back. Keep stretching.

Glad to read you are feeling better.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

Thanks, desmo.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

Tightness in the knees, and the IT bands, can throw off your back. Keep stretching.

Glad to read you are feeling better.

Walking stiff-legged doesn't help either.lol If I could just bend the knee when I walked, all my problems would be solved. We were hoping to go to the DE seashore in May but now it's looking more like Sept.

 

[TheHistorian]

Walking stiff-legged doesn't help either.lol If I could just bend the knee when I walked, all my problems would be solved. We were hoping to go to the DE seashore in May but now it's looking more like Sept.

I made a lot of plans for my recovery that were entirely too optimistic. But a year later I find myself able to reach the goals I set. September isn't that far away. Be patient.

Now if I could only follow my own advice......

 

[DelawareGirl57]

I'm on a bit of a downer today. It's been over 8wks and my husband started having a hissy fit today blaming my OS as to why it's taking so long for me to recover. He thinks he screwed up but I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, my husband has been very good at helping me so far but I think it's starting to wear him thin. Last week, while we were at pt, he saw someone my age that had her surgery March 18 and she was walking properly with her walker. Here I am, bouncing back and forth between walker and quad cane and not bending my leg to walk. I spoke with my OS on the phone today and said that, the tendon at the bottom of the patella really bothers me when I walk and when this happens I freeze up. He said, I need to stretch more. He didn't want me to do anything about the ITB yet. I told him the ROM is almost the same as the left knee. The swelling has really come down and I'm starting see the definitions of the knee.

 

[RICBAK1]

Hi as in life no 2 people are the same and healing follows as such i rushed at first and suffered then slowed down and started improving.I am afraid its time we need now i swim walk and cycle all pain free,good luck to you and yes i blamed os at first i thought i was fairly fit before op so would not take me long to recover.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

Hi as in life no 2 people are the same and healing follows as such i rushed at first and suffered then slowed down and started improving.I am afraid its time we need now i swim walk and cycle all pain free,good luck to you and yes i blamed os at first i thought i was fairly fit before op so would not take me long to recover.

He's thinking that it's going to be just like my LTKR which was botched up but it was done by a different OS. So now he's getting paranoid of this one.

 

[livinginfl]

Hi Delaware57
Glad to hear your swelling is going down. I am also still using a cane, at first it did bother me a little, actually a lot, watching some other knee patients in PT and getting a little nervous in where I was in my recovery.
I have found out it is ok because I am still doing my exercise and going to PT but it is taking me a little longer due to other problems. Every week something new is getting better. Following all of the advice of this Forum has help me tremendously in saying I am ok.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone. Best of luck, we will get there

 

[DelawareGirl57]

Hi Delaware57
Glad to hear your swelling is going down. I am also still using a cane, at first it did bother me a little, actually a lot, watching some other knee patients in PT and getting a little nervous in where I was in my recovery.
I have found out it is ok because I am still doing my exercise and going to PT but it is taking me a little longer due to other problems. Every week something new is getting better. Following all of the advice of this Forum has help me tremendously in saying I am ok.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone. Best of luck, we will get there

I resigned myself to that fact because I have other problems too, that unfortunately, is going to slow the process down.

 

[livinginfl]

Hi DelawareGirl57,

I see we are within 2 days of each other, we are ok just a little slower and it is ok. I have not been in your position but keep asking any questions and if someone does not know the answer, they will find someone.

I am not a expert but I have used a strap like belt to aid in my exercises but at the same time using my muscles the best I can. Use it for your heel slides and I made up a few too. One more thing is while I have my leg straight no matter what I am doing, I squeeze those quad muscles were it just becomes a habit and I always try to keep the my foot/knee moving when sitting.

It's a long journey but we can do it and there is always words of encouragement on this site.
Wishing you the best of luck

 

[bottomshollow]

DelawareGirl57, I have changed the title of your thread per your request.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

Over 10 weeks out and I've got full ROM and I can flatten my knee straight. I still have to think about bending my knee when I walk and I'm still tight and sore in the lower quadrant. I don't understand what's going on with that. I do really well with the exercises at pt and do as many of them at home as I can. When I'm at home I don't use aids because I got sick and tired of lugging them around...I just walk stiff-legged. At pt, they started putting me on the treadmill thinking that will help but it doesn't.

 

[maryo52]

These knees never seem to pay attention to OUR schedule. And each one of us has a pretty individualized recovery. Please try not to feel like you're behind. Healing knows only one speed, and that's S-L-O-W.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

These knees never seem to pay attention to OUR schedule. And each one of us has a pretty individualized recovery. Please try not to feel like you're behind. Healing knows only one speed, and that's S-L-O-W.

Thanks maryo52. Every now and then I need to be reminded of this. I like where I go for pt and I know they're suppose to be cheerleaders for the cause BUT every time I go there it's like I should have been walking normally weeks ago.

 

[maryo52]

I have a friend who likens the word "should" to another sh word. But I know what you mean. You feel "less than" because you "should've" been walking normally weeks ago. I walked normally but had poor bend and had to watch some geezer easily bend to 120 two weeks after surgery (and without groaning). Ideally, they make you feel comfortable at PT and encouraged. Seems too many people on BS are either getting negative messages at PT or being hurt by PT.

 

[rubrinker]

I had my TKR-right knee on 02/06/13. I used the walker a couple of weeks, then the cane. When I started outpatient therapy the therapist asked why I was still using a cane. She wanted me to stop using it right away. I told her I would stop using it when I felt steady without it. I did not use it at home; however, when I went out and there were curbs, uneven pavement, etc. I felt better with it.

I was at PT the other day and another lady was there that had TKR. She was amazed at the way I walked and at my bend and said she felt horrible. Her surgery was two weeks after mine and her leg will not bend when she walks. The PT told the other lady to remember that she had severe problems with walking and bending before her surgery and that everyone is different. The PT told her not to compare herself to someone else. I knew I liked my therapist, but that really made me like her more. She was so caring and understanding and told the lady that it might take more time in therapy for her, but they would work with her until she was walking great.

Hang in there and change therapist if needed.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

maryo52, From what I've read on here so far, I'm the polar opposite of most people on here.lol With the recent TKR, I never have a problem sleeping once I get comfortable and I usually(except for a brief potty break)sleep through the night. I was one of the rare people that got all their ROM and flattening back before walking normally...Crazy. Most of the swelling and pain(only use meds prn)are gone, they only flair up if I've overdone it. I ride 3 miles a day on my indoor recumbent bike(3 ten minute intervals)with no problem. You would've loved the last PT I had that came to the house. He saw I was 4 wks out, took the walker out of my hands, handed me my quad cane, said that this was the wrong cane to use, that it's for stroke patients. Then asked if I had a straight cane, I said, yes, he went and grabbed that and said to get walking. He then told me about his 3 other TKRs that were only 3 wks out, much older than me and were walking on their own and that I was the worst one of the bunch. I reported him to the PT supervisor for his crass behavior...I think he was trying to kill me.

 

[DelawareGirl57]

I had my TKR-right knee on 02/06/13. I used the walker a couple of weeks, then the cane. When I started outpatient therapy the therapist asked why I was still using a cane. She wanted me to stop using it right away. I told her I would stop using it when I felt steady without it. I did not use it at home; however, when I went out and there were curbs, uneven pavement, etc. I felt better with it.

I was at PT the other day and another lady was there that had TKR. She was amazed at the way I walked and at my bend and said she felt horrible. Her surgery was two weeks after mine and her leg will not bend when she walks. The PT told the other lady to remember that she had severe problems with walking and bending before her surgery and that everyone is different. The PT told her not to compare herself to someone else. I knew I liked my therapist, but that really made me like her more. She was so caring and understanding and told the lady that it might take more time in therapy for her, but they would work with her until she was walking great.

Hang in there and change therapist if needed.

Then this not being able to bend when I walk is not in my head as I'm being told. I also had problems with walking prior to my surgery due to bone on bone(I walked like a little kid that has a load in its diaper)and have had knee problems since early childhood. I like the PT and his asst. and don't really see any need to change unless he starts acting like the last idiot I had for inpatient pt., that one was a real doozy.lol

 

[TwoBad]

As Kelly noted above, we're all different and will recover at different rates.
I don't consider myself exceptional, but on both knee replacements, was able to walk unassisted from the hospital door to the car. I used a walker at night, just to keep peace with my wife, but didn't feel I needed it. I put all that away a week after being home.
I think you will be the judge of when you feel comfortable progressing. Make your own decision.
-Chris

 

[DelawareGirl57]

I'm over 12 wks. out and still have to think about bending my knee when I walk. I still have that same discomfort in the lower patella region and it hasn't gotten any better even with all the pt and the exercising I do at home. I tolerate everything they ask me to do at pt very well but I'm still walking stiff-legged. The muscle tone on my inner thigh just above the knee still dips in and the lateral side of the knee still seems weak. I'm embarrassed to call my OS(he's nice but even nice people have their breaking point)but I'm beginning to wonder if all is still well. My next appt. is 11/6/13 which isn't too far off.