TKR PJohnson Recovery'

Oh, yes burning sensations and then the dreaded zingers. I find that the burning sensation is the first sign that my pain is going to increase so I immediately go for the ice machine. I had the zingers really bad yesterday. I'm choosing to see them as increased nerve activity which is a good thing.
 
I find that I get tired very quickly.
Did you read the articles left for you in the second post in second post of this thread? Clearly not as there is a very explanatory article in the about fatigue.
 
No problem with questions. Has anyone used compression to control swelling?
 
1. Resting pain about a 4, more of an ache than a pain. When doing sliding heel, about a 7 from approx. 60 deg and when the incision pulls it goes to a sharp 8.

2. No prescribed pain meds. Tylenol only.

3. Swelling is worse than moderate but not up to severe. Lower leg from knee down is hardly swelled at all. Knee is swollen to level described. Above knee seems O.K.

4. I consider flexion at about 60 deg PT says 80 deg when he pushes, but it's extremely painful to get there. extension 5 deg or less

5. Icing several times a day for approx 20 each

6. Leg is elevated all night and several times per day for approx. 30-45 min. Swelling increases within 5 minutes of standing.

7. I cook but husband does clean up, no shopping and light housework only, no vacuuming or sweeping.

8. Doing heel slides 4 times per day but only 3 or 4 per session. Too much pain. My incision is spreading wider (not splitting open) and it feels like bubble wrap popping. I can do leg lifts without problem and sliding the leg to one side from the hip. I can extend the leg fine to less than 5 deg.

9. PT once a week for 1 hr., heel slides (10) and he puts my foot on his shoulder and pushes (approx 5 and it really hurts), and leg extensions. PT says everything else is back to normal. He mostly just talks.
 
Ouch! Just hearing about a PT pushing a body part painfully makes me cringe. I had that experience in 2010/11 and NEVER AGAIN. My PT watches my face and asks often if something is painful. We stop if there is. Pushing a newly operated knee to pain is like trying to make a teenager clean their room! Most likely the result will be the opposite of what you want!!!!

I am also icing for a couple hours at a time, at least twice a day. I'm not on my feet much. When I'm not I have my leg up always. I'm on a compression hose protocol. These efforts have meant much much less swelling than after my surgery in 2010.
 
I am really afraid I will have to have MUA. What was your result (pain, ROM etc.)?
 
Try to keep your leg elevated most of the day. I notice you mentioned compression earlier. For my 2nd knee my PT had me try something called Tubigrip. More comfortable that the TEDs but still offering some compression for the swelling.
 
I am really afraid I will have to have MUA.
I think it's way too early to even think about having a MUA. Your knee isn't even 1 month old and is still in the swollen, angry tissue stage. A swollen knee has bad ROM because of the fluid in the knee that restricts movement. The key to achieving better ROM is to get the swelling out of that knee. A MUA will just cause more swelling worse ROM. Please give your knee time to heal. It isn't even 1/12 of the way healed yet.
 
Week 5...approx 90 deg but not without discomfort. I seem to be cold all the time and I get shaky and weak/faint if I am up and about for more than about 45 min. Anyone else? I'm feeling like a bit of a failure. I elevate and ice. Swelling is less but still very stiff. I gain a couple of deg of ROM but then swell for 2 days and too much pain to do my slides. Using Tylenol only, 2 extra strength 3-4 times daily. I still can't turn over on the side opposite to the TKR too much pain. I can lay on the other side O.K.
 
I’m also week 5 and still have massive swelling and am nowhere near getting to 90. It’s all still sore and stiff. You are not alone!


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How about being cold all the time or feeling faint? For the swelling, are you icing? I also bought some Tubigrip. It's like compression socks except in a roll. I find it helps. I bought it on Amazon. I also just bought a stationary bike. They say if you rock your feet back and forth on the pedals, it helps with ROM. I don't know if it works, we are just putting it together. Are you able to turn over in bed? I slept in a recliner for a month, it's only the past week I've been sleeping in a bed. Please keep me informed. It might help us both.
 
Here I am again. 8 weeks out. At 7 weeks I was measured at 102 deg. Still swelled and with bands of stiffness but feeling like I was progressing. I got so I could go all the way around on the stationary bike. I walked about 1/4 mile. 2 days later measured about 110 deg. Then I walked about 1/2 mile. I swelled really badly. 5 days later I am still stiff and the BEST I can do is 94 deg. Is this regression normal or did I really mess myself up??
 
Yes, it's perfectly normal.
the-road-to-recovery-jpg.57877
 
Thank you for the info and the giggle. I needed both.
 
I agree, that’s normal. Our knee will swell with any little (or big!) thing it doesn’t like. Walking is very good, but at this point, not to excess, and “excess” will vary person to person.
 
To go from 1/4 to 1/2 a mile in 2 days was probably a tad ambitious. You are unlikely to have done any damage other than to cause your knee to complain. Your range will improve again as the swelling goes down. Start again at 1/4 mile and build up gradually. A pedometer might help or you could simply add a few minutes to your walk each day. Take care and look after yourself.
 

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