Hello everyone, I am 12 1/2 weeks out TKR. I am trying to walk about 2 miles several times a week. The 1st mile is good but just a little bit of discomfort but the closer I get to Two miles the pain gets a little worse. I am also experiencing on occasion my knee buckling. I just want to know if this is normal. The doctor says I am doing great. I don't have to go back for 6 months. My leg is straight in my band is good I'm just getting inpatient for this pain to go away.
Sounds to me as if you are doing fine. If you are walking nearly 2 miles several times a week you are certainly doing more lthan I was at your stage.
Keep at it.
Take care and keep in touch
Sarah
For the first three months or so you should be concentrating on getting all your muscles strong. The knock-on effect will stop ypur knee from buckling. Keep up to the mile (1/2 each way). Then rest. Concentrate on your quads and you will be as right as rain. Healing can take up to 18 months. Where you are at the moment is good, but you have a little way to go before you are great. Hate to rain on your parade, but if you push too much now, you will not only halt your progress in the long run, but also the pain will take longer to go away.
Please don't take my comments as negatives, but the buckling really is to do with the muscles supporting your knee not being strong enough, Walking will not strengthen them, your specific exercises will. Still walk your mile, but after stretch your leg, toes pointing towards you. The muscles that you feel are the ones you need to work on x
Thank you, I will work harder on strengthening muscles
Thank you
You will get there, sooner than you think. Everyday is different x
I am 14 week TKR I think you doing really well . I would not even attemp 2 miles i do keep active as possible I still get days when it feels like my leg is really heavy and could be really sore ..I dont get pain like at the beggining just aching and feels sore funny sensation when i walk def know something differnt in my leg !! I am told its all part of the healing process do what i can and sit when i feel like it too ... I still take meds at night and my sleep is now good, if i have rolled onto my tummy in the night my knee is really painfull for a while but soon calms down
I do know i am coming to the end of a really long journey .... The do say 1 year to 18 months before you feel you dont have a new knee
Good luck
your doing too much is my guess no need to do 2mile walk its only 12 1/2 wks slow down your doing fantastic ,its a marathon not a sprint !!! .knee buckling is probably that your leg muscles are tired trying to keep up .pain getting worse is simply your pushing it too fast listen to your body its telling you as a matter of fact its yelling at you please slow down !! im tired good luck
Hi Nancy
I have never walked that far after either of my TKRs...My furthest is nearer to a mile.
As others have already said, it's important to strengthen the muscles. If you have a good bend and a straight leg then you are doing brilliantly. I've had a problem with straightening with both of my knees and have just had the second one reopened again.
I think you might be pushing it at 2 miles especially if its hard surface or has and grade to the terrain. I would back Off to the one mile and gradually add a quarter as time goes by. I have been told by conditioning people that the aroebic action of 1 mile is sort of the opitimum goal and then build speed from that. The long distance walking really doesn't do much for circulatory system but does eventually help back and legs. However if you add pain to the mix you are likely to have a setback. Are you taking water with you and drinking plenty as dehydration can cause problems. Stay steady but don't overdo it. You are months from really being healed so take your time.
Hi Nancy
I am almost 12 wks post LKR, so almost at the same stage as you. I find that when I walk I still feel the same tight band of stiffness that is always there. It makes me feel like I'm walking with a peg leg even though my bend is approx 125. Some days I can walk around the shops etc more comfortably than other days. If I'm going out, I try to take a 400mg ibuprofen 1/2 an hour before going out, it just takes the edge off, but this is the only pain med I have taken since around week 9. So I feel I'm doing ok, but I just wish the stiffness would go away.
I still exercise 3 x daily for 15 minutes, plus extra knee bends if I'm sitting on sofa for long periods, though I'm not sure if I'm doing enough.
I'm sure some patients are doing better than me, but I try not to compare and just keep looking forward to easier times.
Best wishes for continued recovery.
Nancy I forgot to mention, I too have the occasional buckling just like before my surgery, my surgeon says its normal whilst I'm still trying to strengthen my knee muscles. I too hope this will disappear within time
Take it easy. Push to 1 1/2 miles and stay with that. As the pain improves, push toward the two. Remember, pro athletes who have had reconstructive knee surgery take it easy and listen to their bodies and increase pressure as they improve.
You're probably right about pushing it too much. I probably need to back off to a mile and a half, thanks
Good advice oldfatguy1, and yes I am drinking lots of water. Thanks. How are you going?
HI Iam 15 weeks TKR and know excately what your talking about Its feels like a tight band and stifness some days are worse than others , if feels like i have something strange in there hopefull this passes . I do have a peg leg as well
I wish the stiffness would go away and i could walk normal
I try not to take meds in the day but def at night
Onward we go
Pretty good. Saw the surgeon last week and he was pleased. He showed me the new xrays and explained why he used a different type prosthesis and the consequences. Due to the number of replacement joints I've had the had to drill a little deeper so they used an appliance with a prong on the bottom instead of the usual tapered stem. This allows a little more flex so it isnt as hard on the bone and allows for some flex. In the meantime, until the bone attaches completely to the stem it actually causes causes a little more pain than usual in the lower part of the leg. ROM is fine, leg strength still has a long way to go. Dr thinks when I get the leg strength back and am no longer in PT the residual pain will decrease but no guarantee that I won't have some degree of pain the rest of my life just because of the number of surgeries I've gone through. Dr says because of history I am probably another full year from max healing. I'm 5 months now. Just keep working and icing.
Fingers are crossed. Hope this one works for you. Just don't rush things x
ha ha!! i like your style !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!