TKR Would welcome support...

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While sitting with my leg up relaxing today I was thinking about what kind of exercise might be good for my knee when I get a bit further through my recovery. Id really like to get on my exercise bike, admittedly the seat would have to be at its highest and it would have to be on an easy setting but just something mild to get my knee moving a bit. I dont want to be doing this too early though, I am now at 3 weeks 2 days, when would be the ideal time to start this kind of gentle exercise? :scratch:
 
Gee, Helen, you could start now---you might have to start by just rocking back and forth to begin with working up slowly to being able to rotate all the way around.

Inpatient PT had me doing the rocking action 4 days after my second knee was done (6 days after the first was done). And if I recall correctly, by the third or fourth week after surgery, I could pedal normally---although I have to admit that going backwards was easier.

So jump (carefully of course) on that bike and get started!

Take care & keep us posted. We care. Judy
 
If it hurts, or if your knee swells up over the next 24 hours -- don't do it.
 
I had my knee replacement on the 15th May a couple of days after you,I have been able to lift my leg from the beginning but i had quite a good movement in it before the op.My knee is still swollen but not as bad as last week.I have been icing and elevating it a lot and this certainly pays of.I have noticed in the last few days that I have much more bend in it and I can do things that last week seemed impossible.My worst time at night is also improving and the last two nights I have not woken until 6 am.I think just take everything slowly and dont try to do to much to soon.:friends::dancy::dancy::dancy::dancy::dancy:
 
Good advice Mazz - there is no need to rush anything with this recovery as we all make it to the finishing line at the same sort of time. Good wishes to you Helen and Mazz - take it easy :thumb:
 
gizmohp, I don't know if the answer on using the stationary bike is the same for everyone, but I made my sons bring mine upstairs for me (from the basement) and set the seat high where I could just put my foot in the pedal with a straight leg. I started with the back and forth motion. I think you and I are a week apart on our surgeries. I was able to get a rotation, admittedly with the seat set quite high, but full rotation forward and backwards this week. It felt great if a little tight (but it was tight before the surgery too because of the knee damage). I spend about ten minutes 2-3 times a day doing slow forward and backward rotations. Make sure you ice and elevate after! I can always feel it afterwards!
 
Thought I would write a little update of my stupidity this week lol. Felt quite good the day before yesturday so i decided to go out for the day, I was in my wheelchair but obviously my leg was bent for the whole day and I couldnt put my foot up anywhere. Later that night i felt quite pain free and walked around the house without any crutches, then last night i tidied the lounge. Im paying for it all this morning though, woke up quite late and so i had missed my morning dose of painkillers, was in utter agony and the swelling in my ankle has increased and I feel awful. I think it is a great lesson learned, not sure whether it was worth it or not to get out of the house. I was suffering from a great deal of cabin fever!!

I have also bought myself a little gift...was fed up with having to hold peas on my knee and foot, they kept slipping off and i could feel big chunks of peas that had frozen solid inside the bag. So after reading other peoples accounts of icing their legs and researching it online, I have puchased a cold Knee wrap. Well two infact, so that I can strap it to my leg and not have to worry that part of my knee/thigh isnt getting the benefit! :yay:
 
Oh, Helen, so sorry about your swollen ankle and the accompanying pain. But we all do it. And I guess that once you get everything settled down again, the trip out will have been worth it afterall. That cabin fever can get you down and a less that positive outlook can have a negative effect on recovery.

I use frozen corn to ice. I put the package inside a zip lock freezer bag. I drop mine on the floor and bang them on the corner to break up the clumps. But you're right, they do want to slip off. I've been using the same four 2 lb. bags now for 5 months. I'm just too cheap to buy anything else. Although the ice machines used at the hospital were given to me to take home, they're more trouble to me than the bags of corn.

Try limited short trips out--a couple a week. Just a trip to pick up a couple of items at the grocery or drug store or into the mall to take a short walk and sit and watch other shoppers can be real uppers.

Take care & keep us posted. We care. Judy
 
I agree.
We are social beings and we need social interaction.
It does a ton of good just to go out even for a short time.
I am 5 weeks out from a revision and all I can handle is about 2 hours (I have a horrible back in addition to the new knee.)
I'm hoping that improves this summer!
 
At 3½ weeks, that was a little too much and too soon - but I think you know that now! It's really not worth the setback to not bear waiting another 2-3 weeks. Go and read Tim's articles again!
 
We all love to get out and try to gain a little bit of normalcy in our lives after this type of surgery. We also---many of us---have done a little bit too much too soon and learned our lesson.

Your purchase of the knee wrap is a great one and should be quite beneficial to you!
 
how are you feeling now, gizmo?
 
i had a RTKR on March 10th so we are about same recovery time and yes it has been a roller coaster ride at times. Finding this site has been invaluable for me. the bone smart mantra is ice, elevate (toes in line with your nose) rest and pain meds and exercise as is comfortable. i too am having problems with bending my new knee and when i have tried to over exercise it there has been increased swelling and pain, but following the 'mantra' has helped beyond degree and my PT has now suggested i do some water exercises(not swimming) and i am going for my first session next week with my PT. Will let you know how I get on. Lets stick in there be patient, slow and steady and we will get there in the end.
 
i had a RTKR on March 10th so we are about same recovery time and yes it has been a roller coaster ride at times. Finding this site has been invaluable for me. the bone smart mantra is ice, elevate (toes in line with your nose) rest and pain meds and exercise as is comfortable. i too am having problems with bending my new knee and when i have tried to over exercise it there has been increased swelling and pain, but following the 'mantra' has helped beyond degree and my PT has now suggested i do some water exercises(not swimming) and i am going for my first session next week with my PT. Will let you know how I get on. Lets stick in there be patient, slow and steady and we will get there in the end.

It is a very slow progress, and it can indeed be rather frustrating! I would keep the knee and the ice above the nose, and I would say that you have learned the same lesson that many of us have learned---that if you overdo things, your surgical knee will let you know that you need to slow things down and let the angry knee calm down somewhat.
 
Hi everyone,

I am very well thank you. I have been resting alot and using the cryotherapy wrap that I got. It has worked wonders on my leg, so much easier than peas :biggrin: I still have alot of swelling in my knee and especially in my ankle though, but that is to be expected for a good while yet.

I see my PT on wednesday and I believe she is wanting me to start coming to the hydrotherapy pool. I am looking forward to this because my Arthritis feels much better in hot water anyway. My knee also seems to be much easier to move when I have been in the shower. I am still having a problem with the bend but I am not letting it worry me now. If my knee wants to bend then it will, as I found out the other morning when it just freely went to 90 degrees.

My scar still seems to be red and does sting occassionally but I am presuming this is quite normal :what:

Hope your recovery is going well ladyfleur xx
 
Sound like you're doing well indeed!
 
That scar can be quite sensitive for some time. Others have said that a variety of fabrics can also bother it---all quite normal.

The scar will slowly lose its sensitivity and you will not notice it any more after that.
 
Hi -

It sounds like you are doing fine! I had my TKR done 2 weeks ago. When my PT started last week I couldn't lift even my heel off the bed. My thigh muscles were just too weak. Now a week later and I can do leg lifts no problem. I try to push myself a little each day, doing my PT exercises or walking 3 times a day and then the resting and icing other parts of the day. I usually end up taking a small nap or two which helps me get through the day. I can straighten my leg well but my flexon is still around 85/90. The leg is still very stiff especially in the morning or at night. I sometimes worry that my bend isn't good but from reading messages on the site, I think we are doing OK. I am currently working on stair stretches and laying on my stomach and bending the knee up towards my butt. This exercise is really hard as my back leg muscles have also weakened. Good Luck!

Kirsty
 
?..laying on my stomach and bending the knee up towards my butt. This exercise is really hard as my back leg muscles have also weakened. Good Luck!

Kirsty

laying on your stomach?? So how is that at two weeks? I know it's some time before we are allowed to sleep on our sides, but I also sleep on my stomach. I know as long as I have to stay on my back, I won't sleep well, if at all. That's hopeful that I might be able to sleep on my stomach!
 
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