So I saw the Surgeon yesterday. Insurance has cut off my PT. I told him I NEED the PT and deep tissue massage. Still numb, swollen, painful , STIFF, can't drive yet, very difficult getting into the tub/shower. Going down stairs tough, coming up normal. I told him the Tylenol 3 is not doing much at all. Could I get the Norco 5? No answer. I told him my PT measured my ROM. 135 in good knee, 117 in surgical knee. Not increasing. He told, me everything is normal. THEN he says I am 2 weeks behind in healing. Isn't that special? So he says he will order more PT, 2 times a week for 46 weeks!!! Unbelievable!!! BUT it means NOTHING! insurance makes the final decision. Have to wait and see. I sure can't do the deep tissue massage myself. He thinks at the end of Mach I should be good. REALLY???? Knee hurts all day. I do home exercises, ice keep me going but it doesn't take swelling down. It seems stiffer after.I have had 2 almost falls since surgery at home. Oh, he said I may never get beyond the 117 ROM maybe 120 or 130. I asked him if I should try harder to pull when I do the slide on the bed. He says if I stretch it too much it will mess with the implant. Now I am afraid to stretch it too much. Feeling down, confused, and wonder why NO ONE can tell me what to do to get better.....
Sounds like you could do with the advice from our star contributor "CHICO" he was my saviour regarding exercise etc - so you could do it yourself if your PT insurance has run out.....check him out - he is a font of all knowledge - especially with knees.....Good luck....x
YOU NEED MANIPULATION! I was stuck at 117 rom after 8 weeks or so and went into the surgeons office, he scheduled a manipulation which he performed in 10 min. I healed fine after that. 2 years now and my rom is perfect. NEXT up LEFT KNEE on 5/23/19. I pretty much know, its not going to be easy, but I want to be able to play golf again and walk on the beach with my husband. Im 69 and have a lot of living to do. Get manipulated to get on with your life! BEST OF LUCK!
CHICO_ he's 'The ONE' Elevate that leg ABOVE your heart and ice after exercise. TIME is everyone's friend when it comes to TKR. I reckon if it is very painful, don't do it.
Hi Karen, first best of luck on May 23rd surgery. I'm just 10 days into first knee so cannot (yet) imagine doing this again.
Second, what is manipulation? Is this a surgical procedure?
thanks k
dont do so much exercise thats why its swollen i did very little to start with except bend and straighten and have full movement . Also had very little swelling , I didnt really get any phsio as over xmas period so just very very slowly did my own. The one physio i did go to toldme because my pain kevels were high not to push it or swelling would increase be more stiff and painful. I think some physios push too hard and then you have days of swelling and pain. How long since surgery?
There is no such thing as 2 weeks behind in healing or on target or on in front. Recovery takes as long as it takes, there is no linear time line for it. Read Chico Mark's many posts, which all give good advise.
Monday this week started my 9th week. I had in home PT for 3 week's after my surgery. Then started regular PT. I keep telling the PT how much pain I am in and she just keeps pushing me to do more. I feel like I am going back.wards. My knee has hurt since week 2.
How do I find Chico?????
yes do look him up he is very knowledgeable and he is very happy to pass on his advice and experience as he has been through what we are going through
because i had a nasty abscess at the top of my scare i was also told i was 2 weeks behind what a load of rubbish we all heal at different stages i'm 8mth today and its still hell RoM IS ONLY 95 pain all day every day just had more x-rays done as new surgeon thinks it could be a deep infection as the replacement looks good!! the knee is stiff locks gives way but i'm still told its early days! going up/down stairs is absolutely a nightmare walking is just as bad but i have to work so its put up and shut up untill its been 12mth then they will re look at it!! due to have 2nd knee done but not rushing into it CHICO has been a great help with his advice along with others i thank them all I have also made a few new friends from england Ireland and the usa
Is there a search I can look him up here???? A link?
So the swelling, stiffness, numbness and horrible pain are still with you at 8 months? OMG!!!! I am so sorry. I ice 2 or 3 times a day. I have an ice machine that I use when I sleep for an hour, 3 hours later when the pain wakes me up I put ice packs on it. Thing is the ice feels good but my knee is stiffer than ever after. I can't IMAGINE waiting a whole year with no improvement now.I have a tremendous fear of falling. Now my insurance company has cut my PT. Surgeon increased my visits to twice a week 46 visits, BYT that means NOTHING as insurance decides. So I am without PT and the deep tissue massage I need so badly.
manipulation is when they knock you out briefly and bend your knee to disrupt knitting that is stopping your knee from bending. IT takes 10 min and you dont feel a thing. GO right home just knocks the scar tissue up. I tend to heal/knit quickly so i was stuck at 117 rom. It helped me tremendously and im 2 yrs postop for right knee left knee soon
Hi purple lover I'm 10 mths tkr and sue to get my right knee done next week. You do have to be patient with this op. I think the most important thing is to listen to your knee. Exercises are great if it means they don't cause you pain but I believe you must listen to your knee. Maybe give it a rest for a few days just walk a little more but you still need to rest. As Chico would tell you we're all different there's no same healing period for any of us. I've been lucky I'm fine occasionally a little discomfort but I walk and cycle fine. I would say to you done expect a lot just persevere and suddenly one day you'll realise your knee is fine. So good luck all on this forum know what it's like and hiw tough it is. X
It really does get better. I'm 20 years & 18½ years since my opps and all is still great. My last check up was 2 years ago & the xrays were fine.
Dont do so much I have had both knees done and really if you do too much it will swell and the pain will be worse! My knee was really bad from day one pain wise but by about 8 weeks the pain really decreased and movement was fine, dont let someone force you to do too much, id your knee is swollen you wont be able to get the movement , a physical impossibility
https://patient.info/forums/profiles/chico_marx-949675 Try this link - I looked him up under contributors again as he hasn't been on for a while...well worth as look at all his Posts re TKR on this forum.....our Guru....lol x
I have had tremendous pain from day one after my TKR. Week 9 and my pain is mostly a 7 or 8. Sometimes higher. I was told that because I am in so much pain now, that after manipulation I would be hurting EVEN MORE! From what I have seen here not a lot of people had good results and were in worse pain after. Glad it worked for you, but I am not willing to risk it.
You are so right. I had asked the surgeon about the slides and pulling MORE after it was hurting. He said if I did I could put stress on the implant. I talked to my PT today and she said maybe I am hurting so much and so long because I am overdoing it. So she said to pull till it hurt but not force it more. GENIUS!!!!So today when I did the slides I tried it. It hurt so much less. I am doing 5 minutes on the New Step at home several times a day instead 15 minutes at a time. I do 15 minutes at PT. So I am slowing down some . So hoping it will help.