My doctor and physical therapist have me worried that I'm going to have a permanent limp. I'm stressing so much. I still have considerable pain and swelling. Bending is at 90° right now. Is this normal for this time Frame?
More about me.....
I had total knee replacement surgery on my right knee 4 weeks ago. I have struggled with pain in this knee for over 21 years. I've had 4 arthroscopic surgeries, countless hours of therapy so many cortisone injections, and an injection of the Stuff from a roosters crown. Finally I was 'old' enough to have the surgery done. So many things have changed within me since the surgery. I'm so emotional now, crying and having ' woe is me ' pity parties. My knee is still swollen and I can't bend nor straighten it completely. I'm still taking prescription pain pills, as the pain is still horrible. I can't sleep, for pain and just can't find a comfortable position. I feel like I take two steps forward and three steps back. My taste have changed. I have an increased awareness of salt... in everything. Most foods are too salty now. Nothing really tastes good anymore. I just eat for survival. Christmas, my favorite time of the year is not so important this year. I do what I do try to keep things normal for the family. I never really thought how long recovery would be. I thought I was Super Woman, able to come through a major surgery and be back at saving the world in a week! I feel disappointed in myself for not handling everything better. I hate still having to be so dependant on my husband, who has heart issues and works all day, just to come home and take care of me. I just thought I would be handling things better.
I started PT 3 weeks post op at -14 / +84. After 10 weeks of PT @ 2X/week plus the home exercises, I finished at -1 / +123. I'm 21 months post-op and 0 / +133. What??? You actually thought your knee would be totally straight in a month? Silly wabbit. Very few people achieve that. Relax... Time, work and patience...
You are doing great don't stress. I am coming up on 4 mos. Knee not completely straight and bend is only 125. Relax take a deep breath it's gonna be ok. Just keep doing the things you are suppose to do and knee will eventually come along. For me this has taken a long time but finally beginning to see results.
Best wishes 😘
Hey Lynn. Been where you are. Trust me. It gets better. You've been through a war. Brutal surgery. Drugs which alter your mind because they mask the pain. Be patient. Be very patient. It is what it is. Eat, drink and be merry. Take it until you make it. xxxx
Fake it. Fake it. xxx
Hi Lynn, I am now 7 weeks in from RTKR and also had a new kneecap. I am still unable to straighten and am about 5 degrees away. I therefore cannot do a straight leg lift. My consultant at 6 weeks and my current physio do not seem that concerned about it. I go in with a bend of 90 and come out about 105.I personally am very disappointed by this. My range before was excellent and I was extremely fit and hardly suffered pain! However, no cartilage, arthritis, degenerating meniscus and a kneecap in the wrong place led me down this route. Ohh how I wish I hadn't! However, everyone keeps telling me it is not a race and I have now taken a mental and physical step back and am taking it day by day without pressure (or trying to!). If I do too much the knee gets very painful, swells and goes red hot. All the time I feel like I have a knee 5 times too big as the size and pressure are unbelievable. I also use a cryo pack regularly every day. I just wish I could have a crystal ball and see what I am like at the end of the year......if we did we would probably see the majority of us similar and happy with adequate ROM!
It is so early. People mean well but post op we are very vulnerable. Exhaustion, and the effects of the sedation, all affect your whole body. All of what you mention in your post giving more details is normal.
I am now 9 months post op, and I have my life back.
It takes time, for healing and rehabilitation. But it will be worth it, it's just not possible to see that right now.
It sounds like things were very bad for you before the op. You know, when we go I for this op, our lives are already very damaged by disability and pain, then we have the op with big expectations of things being better. Then they are worse! Much worse!
Even though our rational mind tells us instant improvement isn't possible, somehow we seem to latch onto it. It is like our longer term aim is something we expect straight afterwards. It's not reasonable.
But the big big difference is the problem has been addressed definitively. There is only one way to go now, and that is better. Things will get better, but your knee is needing time to heal and it will take time and you will need patience , and a lot of it.
Keep doing the exercises as best you can. In the early weeks our attempts can be discouraging but Keep at it!
Try not to worry about variation in range of motion, everyone is very different. Mine progressed a lot around ten to twelve weeks, but was around 90/95/100 for ages before that. My flexion was 110 before the knee replacement, so I was relieved simply to get to 110, which happened around seven weeks. At 14 weeks it was easily over 120, which I wasn't expecting or even aiming for to be honest. But swelling in the early weeks has a big impact on how much you can bend your knee.
It's very early. Are you seeing a physiotherapist weekly? Do you have a booklet of exercises to do? Are you in UK or somewhere else?
It really takes time. Everyone is different and I can remember my discouragement. I was ok in respect to straightness of leg but my quadriceps were very weak and I couldn't do the straight leg lift for ages. I needed to use support for a long time and felt rather "behind" in that way, however it is really important to listen to your body and appreciate we are all individuals and our bodies are very unique.
I used two supports for any walking over ten minutes even at 12 weeks!
I could only walk a tiny weeny bit in the house, literally a few minutes, with no stick or crutch at 8 weeks. I used one around the house for what seemed like ages. My physiotherapist urged me to stick with using support for as long as I felt I needed it, and I didn't see the point in causing myself needless pain. Instead I focused on improving range of motion and decreasing swelling more than dispensing with support.
It was hard to imagine ever being able to walk normally again. Well, actually, it was impossible!
But now I am whizzing about in a way I was not able to do for years.
Listen to your own body. Just stick with the exercises...little and often, to the pain, not through it, breath deeply and relax as much as possible. Relaxing is very important. Pain makes the body tense up. Fear is an enemy after TKR. So easy to get anxious. You have just had major surgery.
Be kind to yourself and expect others to help and support you as needed.
Thisn is a time of investment into you. Many of us are not good at receiving.
Tell your knee. It's doing well, all of the time. I am quite serious. It has its own healing agenda. Tell it you love it every day and that it is doing really well even if you feel things should be further along than they are. Nurture it, give it gentle massages, speak healing words to it. Decide to care for it with devotion and dedication. Positivity is essential.
Long post, but encouragement is important. This forum has many people who can share their perspectives with you of this rather life changing experience.
Everyone's experience is different and we cope with things in different ways. I found reading about others experience of TKR very helpful. I also found it helpful to jot down little steps of progress and improvement after the surgery, because it is so easy to not appreciate the improvements which are made. Keeping a journal is a good idea. You can the look back on the experience and the progress you make, and appreciate what a massive and hugh acheivement it is.
Hanging it there, it really does get better!
Lynn i have just posted and my post is much the same as yours in different wording. I know exactly how your feeling. Im 5 weeks post op xx
Im feeling the same exactly , im even teary today 😔😔
I have just read all that u worte to lynn , jenny and im going to take all that on board as im feel much the same as lynn, i have even taken a pic to keep on my ipad of what u have just written and each time im teary illl look at it. I need to have this kinda gently attitude a bit more thank you from valerie x
Dear Lynn,
Im nearly two years down the line and i have a permanent limp.
If I was you, I would keep a diary of everything, because you may need to seek litigation in the future.
I'm in a terrible mess and wish I had never had it done.
mary
Glad it is useful to you Valerie! And good wishes to you for your recovery,!
Thank you for taking the time to write the encouraging words. I'm saving your post to re read when I'm feeling down.
It's tough to stay positive some days. Hang in there.... there's better days conning.... I'm hoping.
I'm sorry to hear that Mary12001.
It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this and that others know where I'm coming from.
Thanks for making me smile. I'm learning to just take it easy and let my knee make the rules...
Thank you for the encouraging words. I'm learning I can't control things at this point and to just go with it.
Thank you. It's nice to hear from others who have been where I'm at.