So I had my replacement 3 weeks ago yesterday & this group has certainly helped to keep me going! I had my 1st physio appt on Thursday, and she was really not happy that I only had a 55 degree bend (even said she was surprised I had come out of hospital with anything less than 90). By the time I left I was at 65 & I have been trying& stressing so much to achieve more since then. BUT I'm in agony!!! Internally. I have to go back on Tuesday and am so worried that it might not have improved enough. My leg is like a lead weight, and whilst walking is getting better (even around the house without my crutches), lying down is soooo difficult to get comfy. I cannot do the leg raise at all & have to use my elastic to help. I'm so tired to because of all this! I regularly take my meds and ice pack at least once an hour. Anyone know of anything else I could try please?? Thanks
the saying time is a great healer is true. your still only early days and doing everything right. I stand by a little and often as in exercise rest ice do them all often but not too much.Dont do the 10 of this ex and 20 of that just do a few more regularly and of course water water water drink loads lol. im 9 weeks post op and still have a really stiff knee at times that drives me mad but I can walk about without sticks I can go upstairs not downstairs though and this week im going to try to drive??? so just carry on ul get there im sure and keep looking at these blogs there really good and make you feel human!!!
Oh god I hope mine will bend when I go on Friday, I can bend it already, when sitting in a dining chair it nearly look normal, can only hold for a minute though cause it's agony, how on earth did the physio expect you to come out at 90, ide change my physio, they say on my info, not to expect 90 until about 6 weeks . So don't beat your self up, I'm only day 9, I can't lift my leg on to bed ect, but I can lift it enough to walk, all be it very slow☺️ If we could all come out of hospital after just a few days , and do a 90 bend, they wouldn't need to call it major surgery , . So I suggest keep doing what your doing, it'll get there, . Not good to stress about it😘
Do you no I just read you post again, and I can't believe what you've been told, I only have a pkr
I totally understand where you are coming from. I have a bend of 80-85 and an extension of 30 (unusually I have trouble with both). I am 11 weeks and was discharged from hospital with about 90 bend and 20 extension (I'd been in for 9 days and I'd been using the cpm machine). As soon as I got home it worsened considerably. I was told this was to be expected and to just keep going. It has taken a lot of work to get where I am but they are concerned with the extension for me as the bend is easier for me to achieve.
All you need to do is just do exercise steadily. Make sure you're stretching out the muscles and massaging. It's amazing how much more you can bend if you massage. A really good exercise I find is to sit on the edge of your bed and gently swing it back and fourth. Also put a large cushion or pillow behind the leg so you can push back onto it. Gradually replace with a thinner pillow so you have to push further. If you really push for ten seconds and then relax (deep breath) as you relax the muscle will allow you to move it that bit more.
I promise the bend will come so don't let the physio scare you. Slow and steady wins the race. No point pushing yourself too far and damaging yourself.
Remember ice, rest and water are just as important as exercise.
Good luck and chin up xxx
I had a form to fill in when discharged after my tkr op on which I stated please remind physios that we are not all as fit as them hence the need for the op and to realise that ex all work at different rates.
That said it is still very early days and yes it normal for a stuff leg at 3 weeks po mine still feels stiff sometimes and I am now 13 weeks and back at work.
Take it easy remember to ice rehydrate take painkillers and rest up it all helps with the healing
Don't be bullied by anyone, including physios.
Eating pineapple helped to get some of the anesthesia out of me. And I had weekly massages. Fortunately mine was sling to come to the house. We have worked together for years. Hang in there b
You do mention that you are in agony . .and yes, we all know what that's like! However, I wonder if you are getting the proper pain medication? I was expec ted to cope on four 500nmg paracetamols to begin with, so the first three weeks were very difficult to exercise properly. At three weeks I finally persuaded the surgeon that without proper pain meds I was never going to achieve anything, and he prescribed tramadol, Immediately, not only was I more able to push myself but also emotionally I found I was better equipped to face it all . . .That continual pain and dragging ache had been getting me down so that I just wanted to crawl into a corner and give up. Maybe you do have good medication, in which case don;t forget to take it regularly and not only when the pain gets bad . . . At three weeks, I would think my bend was about the same as yours . .the surgeon was very pessimistic, and said I was heading for a MUA . . but by six weeks I was only a couple of degrees off 90, walking without crutches, and he signed me off. Mind you, since then there have been many bad days, as this is a very up and down recovery. Now at 16 weeks, walking better than for years, even sleeping reasonably well (with sleeping tablets!) and finally glad I had it done! good luck, don;t let them bully you too much, but do persevere! the bend will come, but only if you keep working at it up to the pain level, but not too far beyond. If you don't persevere, it may heal up internally and make it impossible to bend. So, slowly but surely!!
Also tonic water or slimline tonic helps as the quinine can help relax the muscles
I was told by my consultant that the magic number was 90 degrees at 6 weeks so the fact you are 65 at 3 weekS is good. I agree that little and often exercise is better than trying to push yourself and then bring in agony won't do you any good at all. I wish these so called "professionals" had to go through what we've had to endure!!! Just make sure you take your meds regularly and remember little and often and before you know it you will have passed the 90 degree mark!!
Good luck 😉😉😉
Physio-terrorists argh...I know we have to be pushed but sometimes I think they forget our bodies aren't 25yr old. Had my TKR Friday night and they wanted me out on the Sunday but a urine test kept me in till the Monday morning. Was then hurried out the door with about 80% bend. Agree about the meds, had to contact my own GP and was prescribed Tramadol which really helped the first week. My leg also felt dead for a while it seems it had forgotten how it was supposed to work. It does come right you just need hang in there. I was given what looks like a stiff dog lead and it helped tremendously, it just needed help with the initial movement then the leg lifted as it should. Massaging does help the muscles relax and helps gentlely break up the scar tissue. Another thing, don't be hard on yourself I'm at week six and people say I'm doing well but I, like you and others, can't help feeling we should be further on. We can only do what our bodies will allow us. I'm sure it'll come right for you it's just going to take a little bit longer.
Chin up! I have cried so much you would think I had no more tears. Feeling sorry for myself doesn't help we have to push on! I am also three weeks TKR. And going through the same as you. Reading everyone's experiences as helped. Eventually it has to get better for you and me! Hang in there!
You sound At about the same stage as I am...I am coming up 3 weeks post surgery....finding it very difficult to excercise with the huge swelling in my knee am trying to do it and ice it after it but the pain is excruciating, back for my second physio visit tomorrow feel like I am not making any progress, perhaps I am impatient !!!!! Have you tried Exercycle?????am tempted to give it a go but also don't know whether it would ne benificial yet or not......maybe not building up the correct muscles??????all very confusing really
Hope I am feeling as good as you in 9 weeks...I am 3 weeks and finding it hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel that's for sure...pain pain and swelling and trying to excercise is the pits......pain does not ease!!!!!!
I bought a little pedi cycle from Amazon which has really helped me to bend my knee.
I sit on a comfy armchair and cycle away watching a good film !
Then rub bio oil into my knee drink water and rest
It really will get better and one day you will no longer want to kill your surgeon, honest !
It does get better. I couldn't sleep for more than 2 hours from 2 to 5 weeks due to the pain. Once I got the sleep under control with medication, it started to improve a bit. It's such an up and down healing process.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for almost everyone (I'm still facing more surgery though so I'm one of the exceptions). Keep going, it does get easier. The type of pain you have will change into something else. It's definitely a roller coaster x
Hi, I have just looked on Amazon & cannot see what you mean.... Do you have any more info on the pedi cycle please-I'm prepared to try anything!!! Thanks & take care, Karen x
Hi K ive just been on Amazon I typed in cycle for leg exercises and loads came up and they look really good lol
That's exactly what happens to me regarding sleep........wake every 2-3 hours with pain I am thinking I need more pain relief other than paracetamol looking forward to seeing that light at the end of the tunnel ......everyone seems to have the same problems ....physio tomorrow will see how that goes, dreading it!!!!!