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TKR Wobbley knee

Yes I have been reducing activity. It swells up sitting in the recliner! Ughhh. I just feel like there is no end in sight with this swelling.
 
Oh I'm so sorry, what about trying lymphatic massage to try and move some of the fluid. I've also read many threads where people have used compression sleeves or a compression hose, but I think that is better addressed by Josephine or one of the other knowledgable folks on here. You really are pretty early in this recovery and the swelling at this point can be pretty awful, but it does gets better. God bless you I know how painful swelling is.
 
Hi @cshs78 , others have given you great advice. Not sure what your diet is like, but when my swelling was bad it helped me to avoid sodium in (or on) my food. Also, for some folks Celebrex has a side effect of fluid retention. I can't take NSAIDs for that reason.

I hope you feel better soon!
 
I've been thinking about your swelling in your recliner. I'm not sure about your recliner but with mine I still use pillows on the leg rest because it actually doesn't get my legs high enough. You may need to do this. I remember seeing an article on here regarding recliners that has images.


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For sure elevate your leg higher than your heart to effectively reduce swelling. I used my recliner during meals and to see visitors, otherwise I reclined in bed or on the couch with my leg up on an elevator cushion plus another pillow, and iced.
 
Graduated from PT 2 days ago. Yesterday was 7 weeks post op. I will still be going to Eastpointe for maintenance. I would like to get rid of the swelling (1 inch difference between the 2 knees) but I am told it comes with time. Plus, practice steps and just walking to get the gait better. It all takes time. I go for my 8 week post op doctor visit next Wednesday. 120 bend, 1 extend. Still very crying. Last week I did go back to OS office to have a piece of stitch removed. Now, just below that area is another on sticking up. Got me nervous, but he did say it happens and nothing to worry about. I wish I was normal. He said in another month I should feel a big difference
 
Sounds like you're doing well. it is true that some swelling can continue for quite a long time. 8 weeks is nothing in terms of having a little remaining swelling. Keep doing the ice and elevation and pace your activity and you'll get there.
 
Your ROM is wonderful @cshs78! Those are numbers many of us so hope for! I know it's frustrating but you are on your way to feeling so much better than you did before your replacement. It's amazing how I sometimes forget how miserable I was prior to getting my replacement. My surgery was only 8-days before yours and I never feel any pain in my actual knee joint anymore. Just a tight feeling that is getting better everyday! I'm so glad it doesn't hurt now like it did before surgery! Hope you get to feeling better soon!
 
Suz, I can't wait for that day to feel nothing. Still swelling, ughhh
 
I am four weeks out and was aghast when I saw what you were doing in PT. No wonder that poor knee was swollen! You have received lots of good advice here so I won't add any. I just hope that the swelling comes down soon. Remember too that depression is part of the healing process. We have all shed our bucket of tears at different times in the journey. You will get there. Try to rejoice in your good flexion and extension and anything else that you love about your life.
 
Thanks, Amy. Depression and swelling seem to go together.
I wonder how long to do home exercises. I do twice a day, plus walk 10 minutes. Make sense for the swelling, but it also swellls when driving, sitting at a resturant, sitting anywhere, whether elevated or not.
 
You will have swelling when your knee is not elevated. My OS told me I could have it for a year however it will become less and less as time goes by. You are not even two months out so what you are experiencing is normal. Just make sure when you are elevating to have your knee and leg above your hip and not just parallel to the floor. I still have swelling too. It's just annoying but since I no longer have any pain and my knee is functioning better than it was before surgery I'll take that trade off any day!
 
If you ask any number of early aggressive PT supporters to judge me on my rehab activity- I would fail miserably. In 8wks of recovery- I may have at best, 4hrs of gentle exercise under my belt. I walk around now with NO pain in my knee joint. The past two days I've been hanging out in our kid goat lots & pastures that are not flat level ground. What a joy to be able to be at my farm chores again without feeling pain every time I take a step. Before my surgery I couldn't be there past 15 minutes without being in agonizing pain. I now have pain-free mobility back because of my replacement!! I can't even tell you exactly when the pain ceased in my recovery but it was close to the 5wk mark. I truly believe it was because I let my knee heal naturally using the BoneSmart mantras!
 
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sounds so good Suz, I am going for my 8 week post op on July 6, and that is one of my questions--when to cut back on some things. But I have started to walk for 10 minutes a day.
 
cshs78 said:
I wonder how long to do home exercises. I do twice a day, plus walk 10 minutes. Make sense for the swelling, but it also swellls when driving, sitting at a resturant, sitting anywhere, whether elevated or not.
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Your ROM is good. You don't need to keep doing exercises. The normal activities of everyday living are enough.

The swelling will just go down gradually, although you may find (as I did) that your knee swells again for a while, if you have a day of more activity than usual. It took about 6 moths before my knee stopped swelling occasionally.
 
I went for my 8 week check up and I was OK. He even said I was doing too much exercise!!! He said to walk every day.
Fast forward to today, 9 weeks tomorrow, just when I thought I was doing good with the knee, I looked at my scar and felt something. I touched it, and a little white pus came out. I freaked and called the OS. The PA had me take a picture of it and said it looks like a stitch is trying to pop out, not to worry. LOL. He said to stop by the office on Wednesday and he will get it. So scared now. Cover with band-aid. First, and only, time I pool floated was yesterday. Guess the pool was a waste of water this summer.
 
Oh my gosh, that would have scared me, too. I think I've read that if you actually get an infection that you will start to have more pain and run a fever. I might be wrong. You certainly did the right thing by contacting your OS. I have heard that theses desolveable stitches do that sometimes.

I bet he'll tell you your pool's OK. I hope so. Remember to put sunscreen on your scar. Let us know what he says Wednesday. I'm a little over 3 weeks behind you and am not looking forward to these stitches problems! I panic too easily!
 
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