TKR Yoga post TKR?

[mendogal]

FWIW that flexed external rotation is the one move that's slightly bothersome on my 13 month old knee (affecting medial side) and quite uncomfortable on my 9 month old knee (affecting lateral side).
On the 9 month knee it's very obviously distal lateral quad, distal ITB, and associated ligaments. Been trying different stretches, releases, and stuff with my PT for three or four weeks and it may be starting to pay off.

 

[EalingGran]

non surgery knee became very painful. I

too have had issues with my alleged better knee as I increase the amount of exercise I'm doing. I

I have noted some pain in my hip on my "good" side at times during my recovery.
Like many on BoneSmart I have osteoarthritis in various joints and I have been told by my surgeon that based on what he sees on MRI I may need hip surgery- but that was on the hip on my operated side. I was worried why I was getting pain on the other side.
My pilates teacher noticed though that when I was standing I was subtly shifting weight to my "good" side even months later. This was putting unequal forces on my good leg and leading to pain.
I am now more aware of this and if I have to stand, for say waiting for a bus/ train I try to equalise and shift the weight between my legs.
I am sure it is something like this that is causing the problems. Our bodies try to adjust to protect our healing knee but then over-compensate and this leads to issues.

 

[teacheri35]

Month 5 on my rtkr. Doing well. ROM inconsistent, but overall improvement. Consistency with rom activities will help. Need some time away from schoolwork, so I can actively work on ROM. Thanks for all the support.

 

[teacheri35]

Anyone have knee catch when straightening leg after laying on your side with knees bent? It has been happening on the outside of the rtkr and tonight it feels like the knee cap is out of place. What should I do? I can walk but it is stiff when I bend the knee with tightness in the knee...particularly on the outside. Sorry for the run on sentences. I am just a bit concerned.

 

[Jockette]

so I can actively work on ROM.

I can walk but it is stiff when I bend the knee with tightness in the knee...particularly on the outside.

I wonder if this is the result of working too hard on ROM. What are you actually doing to actively work on ROM?

After a tough first year, my ROM continued to relax and heal, all through my second year, and I even noticed more ROM, in my third year. I didn’t work on it much after the first couple of months because when I did, it only caused more pain and swelling. So, I let it just take care of it itself, and it did.

 

[EalingGran]

Anyone have knee catch when straightening leg after laying on your side with knees bent?

I haven't had that exact experience but I do get little painless clicks and catches occasionally on full extension.
I used to get a slightly painful catch when out walking if I seemed to over extend.
Like you I was worried and asked my surgeon. He said that there was a slight lip on the spacer and occasionally it could catch on the popliteal ligament. He said the lip would smooth as the knee fully healed and it would improve. I was sceptical but it has largely disappeared.
What makes you think the knee cap is out of place?
I would rest and ice for a day or so and see if it settles. Then if I was still worried I would email my surgeon. Do you have a good physio who really understands, that you can discuss fears with? My pilates teacher is really interested in anatomy and physiology- so when something odd or worrisome occurred I would demonstrate it to her and we would try to figure it out together.
It is a difficult journey and can be so hard to separate the signal of an actual problem from the massive background noise of funny pains/ clicks/ catches that are just normal.

 

[teacheri35]

Thank you Jockette and EalingGran. I actually have followed the Bone Smart advice and am just doing daily activities. There was swelling to the outside and things look different. I see my surgeon the 29rh of this month. We shall see.

 

[teacheri35]

8.5 months. I still experience stiffness when getting up and going. The stiffness does work it's self out. Flexion about 130 degrees, which does mean I have to change how I mount and dismount from a horse. I had been walking about 2 miles 2 to 7 days a week in May and most of June. The last week of June I kicked it up to 4 to 5 miles a day. Then a few trips came up, and I didn't walk purposefully for 15 days. Today I got back to it. Knee did ok, but I broke it up into 3 miles this morning and 2 this evening as the knee said 3 was enough at one time. Consistent flexion of 140 is a goal (I was 155 before tkr.) Thanks to BoneSmart for reminding me to listen to the knee. I consistently tell people considering joint surgery to check out BoneSmart.

 

[mendogal]

Walking ... My new knees do love to walk! Isn't it marvelous?!?!

Stiffness after a night in bed or after prolonged sitting can last quite a while. My knees (18 months, 13 months) are still a little unhappy if I don't take a three minute walk break when watching a movie.

 

[EalingGran]

Consistent flexion of 140 is a goal (I was 155 before tkr.)

Great report. You are doing well.
I think it is realistic to hope for another 10 degrees with gentle exercises and stretching. I think I gained about that between 6 and 12 months.

 

[Layla]

I consistently tell people considering joint surgery to check out BoneSmart.

We do appreciate this!

 

[teacheri35]

Tomorrow is my new knee's 1st birthday! I have seen a marked improvement in motion at walking speed of 3 mph. In September I hiked a butte with 800 ft of elevation change in a half mile. About 0.2 of a mile was 3 inch deep sand. I hiked 7.6 miles one day last week.bi try to walk regularly 2-5 miles. I have full extension and flexion of about 135 degrees.

Thank you for all the advice and support.

 

[mendogal]

The kind of update that does my heart good!
Congratulations, and thank you for the update and kind words.

 

[benne68]

Happy An-KNEE-versary, @teacheri35! So glad to read are doing well.

Thanks for sharing your progress -- I know it will give hope and inspiration to those who are still in the early days of their recoveries.

 

[Layla]

Happy One Year Anniversary!
Thanks for posting all that good news and sharing your journey with all. May the coming year bring even more strength and progress. Best Wishes!
@teacheri35

 

[EalingGran]

That's a great report. Thanks for coming back to update us. I definitely got further improvement in strength and flexion even after a year.