Hi All, Help me out here.
I'm nearly 7 weeks post op TKR. Have contributed and read every post on this site and the advise has been so helpful.
I have not missed a day of PT and see my physiotherapist once a week. I walk x 2 (20mins), cycle x 3 (10-15 mins), exercise, ice and take painkillers.The pain is still quite harsh most of the time and I can only function with painkillers on board but I continue on. Last week my physiotherapist added ankle weights into my regime and I find that the pain is now worse. Thought at the start that it was just the addition that was making it so sore and I could work through it. But the pain is getting worse and sleepless nights are not helping.
Should I stop the weights?
Take a day off from everything (except stretching)?
What do you guys think?
Ann
I would stop the weights. Have you been building your quad muscles in thigh and gluts and hamstring? Where is pain- what are you trying to do that causes the most pain?
Hi Elaine
Calf, quad, knee and hamstring all on fire.
I am assuming its the weights that are making it worse but I thought I could work through it. It was the same when I started the bike but that went after a couple of days but it was never as bad as this, which is like it was post op.
I would be quite fit and not overweight and had built up the muscles before the op, I know they shrink back post op, but I was walking within a couple of days of the op and I have never missed a day of PT
My bend is great at 115degrees and my extension is -8 so not bad either.
So don't want to go backwards!
You don't actually say where or what the pain is - so - a few assumptions. I'm 7 & half weeks out from a UKR and am pain free. I personally think you are overdoing it. Back to basics - I assume your knee flex is OK perhaps at around 135 degrees and I assume your extension is also OK, although it may not be. I would put on hold for a while the weights and the cycling. Stay with walking, do Quads exercises and hamstrings, particularly hamstring and maybe get your PT to carry out an overall review of your exercise programme. Don't forget your knee joint has undergone massive trauma and each of our bodys respond differently to both the trauma, the healing and the exercises.Keep up with the elevation and icing. I did it after each session of exercises 3 or 4 times a day. Don't forget pain is the bodys email system of saying hey ! - I'm not feeling good.
Good luck.
Just seen your reply to Elaine - sorry ! Also I suggest you have a look on Youtube for hamstring and quad exercises which maybe different, and maybe gentler, than what you are doing at the moment. I've found the videos on Youtube to be much more informative than anything i'd been given by hospital PT's or my own PT.
Ann
I would call your doc and explain the type of exercizes and how long and often you do them. It sounds like you are doing way too much too soon. Another person on this site complained of soreness even though she walks constantly, rides the bike. The reply from her doc was stop walking so much, go back to building the muscles slowly. He said your muscles need to heal more and be slowly developed. Interesting.
Can you go down the steps unassisted, without pain? If the answer is no, then slow it down
Drop the weights and back off the excercises for awhile. Personally, my feelings are you have pushed it too hard and need to rest, add fluids .....lots of fluids.......and elevate. Give it two or three days of just icing and massage with a high quality oil (not a body lotion) using your finger t tips around the entire knee. The need for excercise is sometimes mistaken as pushing as hard and long as you can then forcing it some more. I have always been trained to push up to but not into pain. I know some physical therapists just keep pushing without communicating and letting the patients condition doing the guiding. Call your doc if this persists. He/she may want to take some xrays.
Hi Ann I can sympathise with you as I'm week on from a TNR all I keep reminding myself is that it is getting better by the second by the hour by the day and by the week !
I also see a physio once a week - I feel that they do try to push you too hard as they try to keep their achievement charts up.Personally, I do what suits me best and I do not use any weights. When I go for a walk I do not use any support as I have found that you are not using all your muscles correctly when using supports I just take a stick along just in case I cn make the return journey !!
My Physio has said that it will take at least 12 months to get back to normality so its going to be a long haul - but I'm sure you agree that its worh it.
I have no regrets having the TNR and would have another tomorrow if it was necessary-hope you continue to improve
best wishes
Jude ( UK )
Thanks guys,
Just feeling like a bit of a vent!
Am walking around the house (I can do a figure of eight around the house) since 5am this morning on and off. Saw my surgeon last week and he was delighted with me. Will check utube for hamstring exercises John, thanks for that. Think its the lack of sleep which set me off this morning. Will back off the weights, which I think have definitely made matters worse. I am doing stairs, no problem going up, hell coming down.
You sound as if you are working out every day! This is not giving your body a chance to recover. Are you taking painkillers regularly or just when the pain hits you? (you need to take them regularly, that way it keeps the pain down to a manageable level). You can still exercise your muscles without weights. Working through pain is not necessarily a good thing.
Thanks all.
You all seem to be singing off the same hymn sheet.
Will take a day off, just stretching the muscles and nothing else.
Had a look at utube for post op exercises, I'm doing most of them!
Massage, water and icing for me today (thanks Oldfatguy!).
Now what to do with my day............................
I'd say go back to bed. It's 4:15 am here and I haven't been able to sleep. My knee is now hurting- guess I'll take my meds. Good nite or good morning.
I feel your pain Elaine!
Lack of sleep is the worst bit.
Going back to bed with icepack took pain meds a couple of hours ago so not so bad now.
Night night
Ann (Ireland)
Ann
It's so wonderful to be able to talk with people around the world. Ireland, what a gorgeous country!!!
Night night
Elaine -Michigan the Great Lake State aka the Mitten state.
What part of MI? 3 of my grandsons were born in MI. as my son was an exec with a MI based corp
Hi
Dearborn- suburb of Detroit
Where do you live?
Suburb of Kansas city on the Kansas side of state line.
Don't tell me one of you hasn't an Irish Granny?
Of course I do, Nellie Highland. My grandma on my dad's side. She died young, 1927 from an influenza outbreak.
Do you have any relatives that meandered to the USA?
Course I do! We Irish wheedle ourselves in everywhere!
Cousin in Timbali, Texas. In touch all the time on Facebook
Cousin in Fairfax, Virginia. As above
Loads of cousins in New York Lost touch with this branch.