Yeah I here so much about elevation being so important
my question is how is it best achieved
I know we should not just put a pillow under the knee but when I just put some pillows under my ankle I find the knee is not supported and get a lot of pain
any advice would be appreciated thanks
2 or 3 pillows long ways support whole leg reasonably straight everytime you sitting or laying +icing my rule of fun is always toes above heart and I'm exactly 4 weeks now and it's working group beautifully for me
I too am not comfortable with elevating. It hurts behind my knee when I dangle it.
Gillian, this is how my pt positioned pillows: whole leg supported with 1 pillow under thigh, another two under calf, and the foot higher than everything else. Foot higher than knee which is higher than heart. Position pillows cascading down from foot. It was very comfortable for me. Hope you can picture this.
Thank you folks for your advice I have arranged pillows as suggested and am feeling more comfortable Need to get some of the post op swelling down as it is restricting my bending exercises
Keep smiling everyone if you can
What keeps me going is that I'm not ill and there are a lot of poor people out there who are worse off than me
No pillow under just the knee so take break of the leg is supported by the pillow. Qst, you don't need to have your foot pointed toward the ceiling. As a rule or guide, lay on the bed with a pillow under your head....now put pillows from knee to your foot so the heel is 4 to 6 inches off the bed. That's all the elevation you need. Remember, when they cut your leg off and stuck that bowling ball size hunk of steel in your knee the had to.put a tourniquet on your leg to keep you from bleeding to death. ( a romantic story of life at its best). The elevation is to make sure the blood flows through the leg fast enough to heal that bruising and clotting asap. If you are sitting, the main thing is to try and get the leg a little higher than you waist as you probably won't be able to get it above your heart. Just work at it and others will have their solutions as well. I've always used a reclined so I can keep my leg up. I'm not sure and don't quote me but that may be where the old saying, I've got a leg up on it comes from
OFG, you are a hoot! Any way, recliner doesn't work for me as the knees are too bent. Although a pillow or to might work. My hang out is the love seat in living room. Fits me better and the arm rest is already elevated, so just one big pillow and a smaller one to fill the gap seems to work. Even had my beloved caregiver set the ice machine up there. Still my go to place after all this time.
Hi Gillian!
Here's my favorite method:
Sit as close as you can to the head of your bed. Loop a belt around the foot of your surgical leg. If you want you can loop belts around both feet. Use the handle parts of the belts to slowly raise your legs so they rest on the wall or headboard as you rotate.
My son is an elite athlete and adapted his "lay on the floor and put legs up the wall" method for me which you just read.
I get instant relief for my legs (two TKRs as well as annoying varicose vein issues relating to circulation).
This also works nicely by sitting on a top step then rotating to put your legs on the wall or railing.
I sat on my bed a lot, with my legs straight out in front of me. The main thing is not sitting in a chair with you legs bent and feet on the floor.
I have a a Post Operative TKR/TKR Infection since 2014 and I always use a pillow under my knee infected TKR Knee. Elevation!
PROOF READING: I have a Post Operative TKR/TKR Infection since 2014 and I always use a pillow under my infected TKR Knee. Elevation! THAT'S BETTER!
One of th exercises for getting the knee straight is to do that. It hurts really bad but if you do it often for short periods it gets better.
I I lie on my sofa and can get my foot up the back of the sofa. This happens after a few weeks post op.
Yes and for the journey everyday at leastb3 times a day this applies to every stretch you do I have great success with bending and pushing in and out in and out just a little a few times than where it hurts every so.often just hold and to release the pain I find rubbing the knee as I'm holding helps dissipate the pain I was 70 degrees when I came home and due to To much swelling virtually did nothing but ice and elevate for the first week and a half, but gradually it has came some days only once in the day I could do something now I'm 5 weeks bending around 100 degrees swelling reducing everyday,still have pain but much reduced nighttime seems the most uncomfortable so I'm happy but I do not do hardly any walking if I can Surgeonsee orders and no pt and no swimming pool just my own exercisesite and resting elevating straight after I'm really happy I feel in another week I will. be 110 and pushing more I think to emphasis is on.walking to soon, exercises for sure but the bone needs to heal and so stay of it and also being super positive