I had Total Knee Replacement on 7th August. I have seen a Physio once so far, due back again tomorrow. I am doing the excercises but with the help of my wife as my lower operated leg seems dead and i can't lift it off the floor myself. My physio said she needed to see my knee bend more but i am struggling getting it to bend even after doing the excercises for a week. I am still on tremadol and paracetomol for the pain. Is anyone else experiencing the dead leg feeling and do you have any recommendations as to how i can do my excercises on my own without my wife assisting. I fear everyone can get a 90 degree bend but i am struggling. Even when i walk i seem to be walking straight legged.
I had the same problem to start with. The physio in hospital suggested using a therapy band to lift my leg up, trying to hold it in place before lowering and slowly lower gradually releasing the tension in the band. You could use a belt if you don't have a therapy band. It took a while and then, suddenly, I could lift and lower it unaided. As for the bending, I put my foot on a plastic bag and slid it backwards until it became uncomfortable, held it for a few seconds before pushing it forward again. Each time I'd try to get it a fraction further, but without it becoming too painful. You will get there, it's very early days yet and your brain is telling you your leg has been hurt and you shouldn't move it, but you must keep trying and you'll find muscle memory will kick back in.
P.S. Aim for 10 repetitions, 3 times a day, but if that's too much, do what you can and do them more frequently. I found the bending exercise came easier if I did 3 every waking hour.
thank you lynda498. after a while when you dont notice any change you start thinking am i doing something wrong. i feel slightly more confident after finding this forum but panicked when my physio said you need to bend it now or it will never bend. a bit soul destroying. i am still trying to figure out how i can lay on my front and lift my leg up to my backside without my wifes assistance
Far too early to worry about any gains of movement Keep doing your exercises I recommend a board on the bend and slide your knee up as far as you can go and pull further with a towel IF YOU CAN but just keep going for the next few weeks ive had both knees done and each was different in recovery times and abilities . Dont let the physio bully you lol YOU WILL GET there in your own time AND dont compare with other patients my consultant told me not to that lol However this site is amazing for help and it keeps you focused especially the demon of self doubt sometimes my right leg goes numb even now usually when ive either done too much or not enough The pain especially the 2 am call does not really abate for a few months but keep on top with it with painkillers and a must is Ice Packs I still have bags of peas kept for that reason which reminds me i must get some new ones they must be manky lol good luck
thank you so much Joan for your reassurance. As much as i dont want anyone else to suffer, reading this forum has made me realise its not only me with these doubts. I would like to see if all Physios get 90 degree movement in the week lol. I know what you mean about the manky peas. Slimy. Yuk I have just purchased some gel pads that have proven to be good for me. If you are interested, search on Amazon UK for the following "Koolpak Luxury Reusable Hot and Cold Pack, 12 x 29 cm, Pack of 3" They work a treat Thanks again. I do have an appt with my surgeon on Friday just for a bit of reassurance and physio tomorrow.
I never laid on my front and tried to bend my leg, was never told too, and I've a great range of movement now. I advise against doing anything that causes pain. My surgeon said to do the exercises to the point of discomfort, but not to the degree of a lot of pain. Some surgeons are now recommending no formal physio for 6 weeks. When you think that we've been through the equivalent of a double amputation it's not surprising something is telling our brain not to move our leg!
Keep persevering, doing what you can, as far as you can and you'll get there. Even 5 minute walks around the house, getting on and off beds, chairs and the toilet makes us bend our leg, but if we overdo things it swells and that makes it harder to bend the knee. Are you icing regularly? You should ice at least 4 times a day for 40 minutes with toes above nose. I staggered 4 pillows, one on top of the other to elevate my leg making sure I kept a slight bend at the knee.
I also purchased this too which is really good
"FlexiKold Ice Pack (Extra Large) - Reusable Gel Cold Pack for First Aid, Sports Injuries, Pain Relief and Cold Therapy, (Oversize: 54.6 cm x 33 cm)"
it was the physio who told me to do this excercise as if i didnt get it bent now it never would. the other excercise she did was hold my leg in the air put her arm under the back of my knee and then lower the bottom half of my leg. its been torture for a week. i do ice and raise my leg regularly
i had bilateral tkrs 30 july. when I had knee arthroscopy it was worse...my quads wouldnt work. it took awhile and alot of patience concentrating on lifting leg until quads start working again. as for the bending; just keep trying to do what you can handle...dont skip a day. im at 100 degrees....still hurts. good luck and be patient.
Sounds about right for such a short time. After some in-home therapy, people usually see their PT 2x/week for 6-10 weeks depending on their progress. In very general terms, it takes a good 3 months to achieve the 0 / +120 ROM that is recommended. While many do this in less time, everyone is different so there's no set time table. I started at -14 / +84 and was -1 / +123 at 3 months; at 3 1/2 years, I'm at 0 / +133. Takes time, work and patience.
Here are some other exercises for the home...
3 will almost definitely straighten you to zero. Gravity can be a harsh taskmaster...
Thank you Chico. It seems i am not alone in the way i am feeling.
thankyou. i get the impression my physio has wanted to throw me straight in whether in creates more pain or not. the reassurance on here means a lot
Hi! I am so glad you found this remarkable forum. Before I found it I thought there was something wrong with me too. I was much slower in recovery than I imagined I would be. This forum gave me strength and realistic expectations during recovery.
One thing I did at home was sit on floor bring knee to chest with good leg and marked the bend by using tape where toes were on floor. Then I took a guitar strap and wrapped around foot of operated leg gently bending knee toward chest with strap. It took months for feet to line up anywhere near each other but the goal was marked and I eventually could bring both knees up toward chest while sitting on floor back against the wall.
Whatever means you work on bend it will come if you just work everyday as best you can. I am just past 24 months and still do some work on knee but all is so much better. I can do everything I need to do :)
Don't get discouraged. You will be alright :) Stay connected
"I was much slower in recovery than I imagined I would be." - You
The real problem is that we all suffered from the same affliction...EXPECTATIONS. Some people were given them by their doctors and PTs; others read it somewhere online or from a friend who had a fast recovery. For me, I fully and totally rehabbed a hip replacement in 6 weeks...5 hours a day, 6 days a week in the gym and therapy pool. I pushed the hell out of the hip and figured I could do the same with the knee.
I was wrong...you were wrong...we all were wrong.
I've been on the Forum for 3 1/2 years and have read over 20,000 discussions. I can tell you that I can count the number of "miracle recoveries" on less than one hand. The rest of us take about a year with slow, gradual progress month by month. We have to give up all expectations and delusional time tables. The knee controls everything. Push it and pay the price. All you have is time, work and patience...and the last one is a lot harder when you have those expectations in your head. Be Zen: "The knee will be healed when it is healed." That's it...enjoy the ride...
Hang this on your fridge...
No truer words ever typed Chico!
I didnt do anything much for first 6 weeks , I just bent and straightened it lying down , went for coffee , walked around supermarket , then started pool exercises .Only then did I bend it backwards , I personally think some advice to do loads if exercise immediately after op is wrong , Ive had two knees done now and my movement in both is good , and both times I did not push it too much too soon. Also if you do it just swells and hurts like hell , then its impossible to get a good bend because of swelling . I had almost none, from day one . A good idea to use something under your foot to help lift leg , that will come just takes a while , I was on string painkillers for about 7weeks then it suddenly improved and havent needed anything since . Good luck , early days !
WOW WHAT AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU ALL ARE. I M STARTING TO REALISE THAT ITS A VERY SLOW JOURNEY. I CANT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR YOUR DETAILED ADVICE. I WILL POST A FURTHER UPDATE ONCE I HAVE SEEN PHYSIO LATER THIS AFTEENOON
thank you. dave is managing to walk around the house and up 2 flights of stairs with crutches, albeit its not easy. i do think am learning that this is going to be a slow process and no matter what the physio says, dave is not to over excercise 👍
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