All was going well until I saw the physio the other day. The bend in my knee is at least 90degrees but the leg was not straight enough so I now have to do extensions where I lay on my front on the bed with lower legs hanging off to help straighten but now the back of my knee is really sore and the front has got really tight more so than before. Also sit on chair and put leg on opposite chair to help gravity take over but again this is really painful and can't sleep now for pain. Any advice welcome
Call the physio and ask her advice. And get proper pain relief from your GP - you can't do physio properly unless you are not in too much pain. It means taking pain relief regularly - it is far more effective then by preventing pain getting too bad rather than trying to get it under control once it has set in.
Taking cocodamol and ibruprofen for the pain. Spoken to physio who spookily rang me and she has advised me to rest for 48 hours and then try again with exercises and not to walk much either so will see how that goes. Now laid on sofa elevating and icing.
When you do the 1st one you described make sure you at doing a count of 15 then relax for a couple of minutes. Do a set of 3. You can even start with a 10 count then increase to 15 over time. Another is to roll a towel to a 3" diameter and laying on your back, put it under your ankle (just enough to get your heel a couple of inches off the bed), then tighten the leg so the leg straightens and you feel the pushing straight toward the bed. Hold to count of 10, relax and continue 10 times. Do a set of 3 .be sure and ice. Straight is more important than bend according to my surgeon and therapist.
Thanks up to now I seem to have been concentrating more on the bend than the straight leg. Will give them a go the way you say, I was holding for up to three minutes without a break.
Much to much. Everything needs to be slow, steady and progressive. It would be like you deciding to run when you can barely walk. Good luck.
Hi Shelley
I am 13+6 post TKR. You are still very early on in your recovery, you will make progress :-)
My bend is now just over 110 (am hoping for more by another six months). My straight leg is ok when lying down but is still not quite there when standing; I don't quite understand that but . .
I have always done the leg on the other chair exercise and can now do 15 mins at a time; I also do the foot on a pillow and pushing down exercise and it was OFG that told me to hang my leg off the bed - am up to 10 minutes at a time with that. It does hurt but . .
As has been said take plenty of meds, exercise little but often, ice, hot water bottle (for above and below the knee) rest, etc and don't be too hard on yourself.
Although the movement in my knee has / is progressing the tight / Stiff /elastic band / hardness feeling is worse and is due to healing. We get all sorts of weird feelings in recovery!
I have to say it definitely does appear that here in the UK the focus is on the bend and in the US on the straight?
Wishing you a peaceful sleep although you may need something stronger than you are taking; ask your Dr for some immediate release meds, if you can tolerate ( Oxynorm is great) as well as the slow release type.
All the best and let us know how you get on.
Restarted exercises yesterday, haven't gone silly with them, knee did throb more last night but will persevere steadily. Just spent three whole nights in a row in bed without moving to the sofa, had the help of some nytol tablets which helped. Iced before I went to sleep and this helped. Slowly I am improving and there is a small light at the end of the tunnel.