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TKR Whizzzzz's recovery thread

I'm almost 5 weeks along now, and doing pretty well! Thanks for asking!
I still have PT 3x a week. We're adding more stuff each time, so that I wind up having therapy for almost an hour and a half! Lots of step-up stuff on a step, up and down these practice stairs they have, lots of balance stuff, standing on one leg for 15 seconds, then switching to the other leg, etc.

Today I did something fun which was standing on one leg, and throwing a ball against this trampoline thing and then catching it. 3 sets of 10 on each leg. I am finding that I'm more coordinated and "graceful" (haha) when standing on my surgical leg. Not sure why that would be.

I'm able to walk for about 45 min while shopping or browsing in stores or whatever, but then I start to feel like I need to get off my knee. I go home and "assume the position".

Since my ice machine was repossessed (ha!) I purchased some MOJILITY ice packs from Amazon. They are pretty squishy and they form to the knee, even when they come right out of the freezer. I put them in an old pillowcase and they work pretty well for the ice/elevate routine. This is what my PT office uses and I like them.

I'm not feeling any "pain" per se but I do feel like my knee is wrapped in a compression sleeve. Sometimes tighter than others. I've asked around and this is apparently pretty normal. My swelling has come down and my knee looks actually smaller than it did before surgery. (It was a terrible mess before surgery). I am in less pain than I was before surgery and I'm finally able to sleep without any sort of drugs/pills/sleep aids/anything.

Am taking 1 Mobic 1x per day as an anti inflammatory, that's it. So far, so good.

:dancy: <-- not me, not yet. Haha

Whizzzzz
L lateral release + scope 10/17/2006
L ACL removal, scope, bone spur removal, cartilage removal 2/2/2015
LTKR 2/26/2016
 
i bought a used breg ice machine off of ebay. I still use it every evening! It sounds like you are doing great.
 
Show off:goodpost: That's great to hear I was happy with 500 ft with no cane at 14days !!! Congrats!!!
 
Great report! It's good to hear stories of people doing so well post op to give the rest of us hope that we will get there too!
 
Sat for a mani/pedi appt on Friday after a hardish PT session, and then went out to dinner with friends. (All sitting!) My knee was stiff! Felt creaky and just kind of angry. I rested all day yesterday, icing and elevating. Watched 12 episodes of SONS OF ANARCHY. Rested most of the day today, and just got out for a little walk. Went further... almost 1.5 miles in a little over 25 minutes. Felt good to get outside on a nice day after being inside so much lately... and it felt good to get the old pin moving. Will ice and elevate now and call it a day for activities.

I'm 5 weeks + 2 days, today! I know this is progressing well for me, but I'm finding out that patience is not my strong suit. I am also trying very very hard not to overdo anything. I had to drag myself back inside, rather than trying to walk another 1.5 miles! If a little is good, *more* must be better, right?

It's that mentality that got me into 3 Ironman races. I should stop that line of thinking. Haha.

Next week we try swimming. :swim:

Whizzzzz
L lateral release + scope 10/17/2006
L ACL removal, scope, bone spur removal, cartilage removal 2/2/2015
LTKR 2/26/2016
 
Getting in the pool was the best thing I did for my recovery. Deep water treading water ...first with a kick board then without...has been an immense help for me.
 
Swimming sounds wonderful. I think patience with this recovery is the hardest part for us all. Keep up the good work.
 
Whizzzzz said:
I am also trying very very hard not to overdo anything. I had to drag myself back inside, rather than trying to walk another 1.5 miles! If a little is good, *more* must be better, right?

It's that mentality that got me into 3 Ironman races. I should stop that line of thinking. Haha.
Click to expand...
Yep. *Less* is more with tkr.
 
Now almost 7 weeks out from surgery and I'm feeling pretty good! I still have a feeling of stiffness in my knee, like I'm wearing a neoprene sleeve all the time, but other than that I'm feeling pretty good. I also still have some reduced stamina and endurance... but that will come back.

Flexion (passive ROM) is 130. Active is like 125ish... sometimes a degree or two more, sometimes a degree or two less. Extension is 0, thanks to loose and rubbery hamstrings. I was at 0 when they wheeled me out of the operating room.

Am probably going back to work the first week of May.

Just had my 6 week F/U today and everything looks good and normal. I have a script for some more PT, now focusing on strength rather than ROM. I still ice and elevate daily.

Longest walk so far has been 2 miles (to the post office and back) Longest bike ride will be happening today, hoping for about 10 miles. We'll see. Husband is going with me to make sure I do OK.

Activities as tolerated, and letting pain be my guide.

Whizzzzz
L lateral release + scope 10/17/2006
L ACL removal, scope, bone spur removal, cartilage removal 2/2/2015
LTKR 2/26/2016
 
I am 12 weeks tomorrow.

Back at work for a week.

Still doing PT 2x a week, however I'm finding that my return to work has irritated my knee, which was doing fairly well up until this point. I still have some STIFFNESS (feels like I'm always wearing a brace or a cuff on my knee) and I don't have much in the way of endurance (can walk about 3 miles, but will be needing to rest the remainder of the day) but by and large I think I'm progressing pretty well. The other day I walked down a smallish flight of stairs with a coffee in one hand and my purse in the other and I didn't even hold the railing. I did it without thinking. That is something that would have been absolutely impossible before my surgery.

My question is this... I am literally EXHAUSTED at the end of my workday. Like lay down, curl up, fall asleep exhausted. This is not how I was prior to surgery so I can only assume that returning to my full time job has taxed me and my recovery in some way. I sit at a desk all day. I do get up to move around so I don't get too stiff in one position, but I'm not doing anything physical at my job.

Is this normal? I've been working since 8 am and I'm almost ready to fall asleep now, at 3:13 PM. :zzz:

Whizzzzz
L lateral release + scope 10/17/2006
L ACL removal, scope, bone spur removal, cartilage removal 2/2/2015
LTKR 2/26/2016
 
It's normal. In the list of articles you were given in the beginning there is one on energy drain with TKRs and there is also one at returning to work by phasing back into full time work at week 12 so your ahead of that. You probably don't need to continue PT now since you are doing so much getting ready for work, getting here, work and then return home never mind anything you might do as part of your daily activities. You really are doing well.
 
Yep normal. I'd get home from work at 12-14 weeks and sometimes even doze off while I put my leg up to ice.
Why are you walking 3 miles?
 
Whizzzzz said:
My question is this... I am literally EXHAUSTED at the end of my workday. Like lay down, curl up, fall asleep exhausted. This is not how I was prior to surgery so I can only assume that returning to my full time job has taxed me and my recovery in some way. I sit at a desk all day. I do get up to move around so I don't get too stiff in one position, but I'm not doing anything physical at my job.

Is this normal? I've been working since 8 am and I'm almost ready to fall asleep now, at 3:13 PM. :zzz:
Click to expand...
Yes, I'm afraid it is normal. The Energy drain for TKRs lingers for a long time. Your body is still expending lots of energy on healing your knee.

Many people stop going to PT when they go back to work, because their everyday life becomes their PT. I know you have high expectations of fitness, but why not give the PT a break for a while, until your energy level increases?
 
I am so happy to read about your recovery. My surgery is next week. I was so happy to see you walking 1.5 miles so soon. I hope to be doing the same. I am in fairly good shape now. I keep hobbling out the door trying too keep in shape before surgery so my muscle memory stays active. I also just ordered the ice packs you suggested from Amazon. Thanks so much!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Whizzzzz said:
My question is this... I am literally EXHAUSTED at the end of my workday.
Click to expand...
Yep, unfortunately, it is normal. Stamina is one of the very last aspects to return after a TKR.

I returned to the classroom at eight weeks after my BTKR, so by the end of the day, I was exhausted. On Sundays, after church, I did nothing but ice, elevate, and rest. This went on for some time. It was not until about the five-month mark for me that my stamina was there for the entire day.
 
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