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TKR Where did my energy go?<

I have not made any forward progress. My knee is still a bit sore on the side when I rise and i have to hobble a few stps to get it going. I am back to a completely normal schedule and am still stretching it in a kneeling position a few times a week on a firm office chair. The only exercises I have continued are leg lifts, squats against the wall and riding the stationary bike. Any ideas as to if this is normal?
 
I am so sorry you are having these problems--hope you get answers soon!! I admire the way you are working on kneeling--I can get down on it, but it feels so strange that it freaks me out.
 
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I just can't figure out if it is normal because of my heightened activity or not. My son just had his eye surgery so I was on my feet quite a lot more helping him and supporting him when walking since he could not see.

I haven't noticed any strange feeling yet when kneeling and on a good day am just a few inches away from butt on heels in a chair.
 
I am certainly no expert, but the pain you are having doesn't seem to me to be consistent with simply more activity--I can see general aching or stiffness when first standing or like I sometimes get--short lived pins and needles along scar or in the "dead" zone. However, sharp pain would worry me--what does your doctor say?
 
I have not been to the doctor yet. I have figured out it only happens at work. I think it is the bending while sitting in my chair. I have been trying to get up and walk more often.

At home I ride my stationary bike in hill mode, go up and down stairs, walk a lot. Etc.
No pain that would not be normal. Maybe my knee wants me to retire?
 
I plan on calling my Dr Monday, but does anyone have any experience with a sharp pain on the inside of a new knee? It has been mainly when first standing, but the last few days has been pretty consistent even when sitting or walking.

I am doing normal activities. Stationary bike.0, a little ladder climbing, and practicing kneeling for a few minutes a day on a pillow or padded chair. None of those activities cause pain and the swelling has been minor.
 
Third joint said:
but does anyone have any experience with a sharp pain on the inside of a new knee?
Click to expand...
That's pretty much where my primary pain complaint occurs. The general stiff pain goes away pretty quickly but that medial [pain sticks around. Early in my recovery, someone on the board mentioned the inner cut when they replace the knee, the one that goes around the patella. My doc did mine on the medial side so when I massage my visible scar, I also massage my inner scar. The pain has decreased over time but it is still present when I stand after sitting too long or when I anger The Knee with too much.
 
Third joint said:
Hi Josephine,

I have posted this question a couple or times hoping you might see it and answer.

I have had a very good recovery and am back to almost all of my normal activities. Riding a stationary bike, climbing stairs, walking, climbing ladders and practising getting on the floor (only up to about 3 or 4 minutes and using a pillow or cushion.

I have an ongoing issue with very sharp pain on the inside of my knee. I have isolated it to when I stand. I appear to be twisting it to help me get up from a sitting position and happens in every chair I use. I spent the weekend being very careful about rising and making sure I pull my knee in instead of out when rising. It made a huge difference, but made me realize my thigh muscles are not strong enough to pull me up (hence the twisting motion).

Are there any exercises you can recommend to strengthen those muscles? I do have artificial hips on both sides so have to be a little careful what I do. I have put in a call to my Doctor, but who knows when he might respond!
Click to expand...
@Third joint sorry I missed this. I've been laid low with a cold the last few days so that might be why I did.

Can you tell me the exact site of your pain using this chart?
Please note the instructions in the smaller image

[Bonesmart.org] Where did my energy go?<


[Bonesmart.org] Where did my energy go?<
 
D RB2 the Inside leg part of my knee. Very sharp when standing and a bit of pressure above the knee on stairs. Getting up from anything is almost impossible.
 
@Third joint I just found your thread and also have a similar problem on my left knee. I'm interested in what Josephine thinks. I went to the doctor and all he said was that my knee was fine after taking some X-rays. He did say something about a pocket of old dried blood from the surgery but nothing about what to do about it.
 
@newlybionic Saw my doctor and he says getting up from sitting is a high demand activity and uses muscles in that area. He thinks I need to target those muscles with leg lifts using a pound of weight x 20 reps. When I have mastered that, increase the weight. Since all other activities are pain free and xrays look good, no other advise. He was pleased with my kneeling abilities.
 
good news!
 
Third joint said:
D RB2 the Inside leg part of my knee. Very sharp when standing and a bit of pressure above the knee on stairs.
Click to expand...
That's very likely to be tight hamstrings which can lead on to tight calf muscles as well. And evil combination to which I can personally attest. Hamstring stretches
might help but personally I got mine sorted by my lovely chiropractor!
Third joint said:
Saw my doctor and he says getting up from sitting is a high demand activity and uses muscles in that area. He thinks I need to target those muscles with leg lifts using a pound of weight x 20 reps. When I have mastered that, increase the weight.
Click to expand...
I have NO idea why doctors and PTs always think the solution to muscular pain is exercises! And with weight, no less! :groan: However, it will be very effective at making things a whole lot worse!
Been there, done that, bought the teeshirt - one that had
[Bonesmart.org] Where did my energy go?<
written across the front of it!
 
I'd vote for starting with stretches, myself. You may also want to start the exercises without weights to make sure they don't aggravate anything. It's so easy in the first year to accidentally overdo.
 
It has been a few months and my pain on standing is not any better. I really think the problem is extremely weak thigh muscles. I cannot seem to get them to "fire" enough to pull me up from my butt. I had both hips replaced 20 years ago and I don't think those muscles ever really recovered. I have been doing exercises just to get some flexibility, but am not sure what to try to beef up those thigh muscles. I am trying some modified squats so that I don't bend my knees too far over my feet and some leg lifts, but it is slow going. On the plus side, I can now do all of my normal activities without any difficulty and have been able to get on the floor a few times to help lay new kitchen and bath floors, but without a lot of padding to kneel on it is not very comfy.
 
I wasn't going to bombard you with this but think I will after all.

I'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind, and it would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery! :no-fin:) Also don't forget to include other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. how often are you icing and for how long?

5. What is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. what kind of PT exercises and exercises at home are you doing? How much and how often?

Can you describe them like these examples ....

Exercises done at home: 3 sessions a day
Heel slides x10 (reps)
Straight leg raises x10
Steps x10

At PT
Squats x5 (reps) x2 (sets)
Wall slides x5 x2
Clamshells X5 x2
 
Hi Josephine.
Like your Kitty picture.

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions
I am recovering from a TKR. My hip surgeries were back in 1998 and 2000. Based on the scar, I would say posterier hip replacements.

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery! :no-fin:) Also don't forget to include other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness
Pain level is about a 2 - 5. The most pain is when I rise from sitting and have to hobble to get going (there are times that I don't think I can actually get up sometimes and have to help with my arms) that is a 5, a bit when I turn over in bed (2)and when I come down the stairs. That is more of a tight feeling. I swell if I am on it for more than 30 minutes, but that is a tight feeling that goes away as soon as I sit down for a few minutes.

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?
I was prescribed oxycodone, but have been off of that since September. I occassionally take two ibuprofen if I am having a painful day.

4. how often are you icing and for how long?
Don't ice regularly. Swelling is pretty rare and usually if I put it up for about 10 minutes it goes away.

5. What is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)
At the end of PT my ROM was a little over 100 and my extension was 0.

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and
I clean, shop, do laundry, paint walls, cook, ride an exercise bike and climb ladders. We live in a three story house and I do spend most of my time on the ground floor, but that is because our stairs (particularly to the basement) are old and need the treads replaced. Lately I have been doing some dancing just for fun to get my flexibility back.

7. what kind of PT exercises and exercises at home are you doing? How much and how often?

Straight Leg raises 20 x every other day with weight
Side leg raises (each side) 20 x every other day with weight. This causes an extreme feeling of downard pressure on my knee, but that feeling has been present long before my knee replacement.
Standing leg raises 30 x every other day with weight
Squats 20 x every other day
I was released from PT back in October, so I only do exercises at home. Knee was replaced July 10.

Can you describe them like these examples ....

Exercises done at home: 3 sessions a day
Heel slides x10 (reps)
Straight leg raises x10
Steps x10

At PT
Squats x5 (reps) x2 (sets)
Wall slides x5 x2
Clamshells X5 x2
 
Wow you are doing so much!! I think my whole body would be stiff and achy if I was doing everything you described. I bet if you cut back on some of them you would start to feel better. You can then always add them back in.
 
The only thing really bothering me is the getting up from the couch, chair, toilet. I cannot stop doing any of those things unfortunately.:blackcloud:
 
Very true. I was looking at all the other things you were doing. I hope you are feeling better soon.
 
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