im now one week post TKR and I'm not sure how I should be sitting. Do I sit upright with my feet to the floor? Or do I put my foot up in front of me?
ive rad the leaflets and it mentions raising your leg but doesn't go into detail.
so far, I've sat most of the time with my foot up - doing exercises, icing, etc - and just walking about for a few minutes once an hour. However, this feels lazy and my leg is uncomfortable up but I'm not sure what to do as it's also uncomfortable when down!
However you feel comfortable. The more you put it dow the better it will be for movements. Just alternate. No such word as Lazy after this surgery. You seems to be doing great.
Susan, I mainly sat on my bed (my sofa was too low to the ground, and I had a bilateral TKR). I found it easy to continuously (while reading or on my laptop) to flex and lift. I've been surprised by the number of people who struggle with being about to completely straighten their knee, because it never dawned on me that that could be a problem. And for me, it never was. I'm going to credit most of that to sitting with my legs stretched out. And I have a really good bend because I would hang them off the side of the bed, plant them on the floor and lean into it, repeating and moving my feet further under me, allowing for a greater bend. I also had regular PT, which also helped. Best of luck.
i had problems with swelling of leg and foot, which made me keep my foot up but also laying flat on my day bed pretty much for the first 2 weeks.
but constantly drinking water (to hydrate) I considered going to the toilet a welcome break, taking the longest route around the house - lol.
doing your excercises and taking your painkillers and not sleeping through the night, Napping on and off is what your body will be asking for.
i have always been very active through the day, but you have to accept ( time out) for a while.
You are are early days, listen to your body, you will notice what works for you, I couldn't have done without reading and posting on here, especially in the middle of the night.!!
Elevate whenever possible. With your feet down your heart has to work harder to get the blood flowing. Did they put the 6 week white surgical hose on immediately a free surgery? They are to prevent blood clots and elevating helps with that also. I have been told by docs and therapists that the two most dangerous things with this surgery are staph and blood clots. I've been fighting the staph but fortunately never the clots. Icing is also part of the blood flow as well. Icing keeps the swelling under control thus allowing better flow. Just don't cross your legs or put a pillow under the knee So that the leg bends over the pillow and cuts off circulation. If you use a pillow, make sure it's from hip to calf or ankle. The big thing, get to a place where you can rest
Hi. I have problems with both bend and straight! Thanks for the tips though - certainly wouldn't be able to hang my legs off the edge of the bed at all and leg is like a dead weight so unable to lift, though I do flex and do the exercises I was given.
thank you - must admit it's sometimtes tempting to put a pillow under my knee, but on a couple of occasions when I have tried to get it comfy I've put a long one under the whole leg - would this be wrong to do?
Hi ofg. Apologies if this appears twice, but I just replied and it disappeared!
your explanation is the best one I have been given, and it makes sense about the heart when you think about it. A couple of times I have put a long pillow under my whole leg, but I Also put it under my foot - is that wrong?
and I was given the choice about having stockings - I had an hysterectomy last year and they were awful so I couldn't imagine them over the top of a swollen leg too!
During my PT, I was told to sit upright with back straight and knee up just higher than my seat. It is painful, but necessary to get the range of motion back. Sit this way for 10 minutes at a time 2 times an hour. I was told to keep the knee absolutely as straight as possible, and to make it stay that way, place a full ice pack or something of equal weight on the knee. Ice pack is the best because it also helps with pain and swelling. It is HARD!!! But it does help you get back that straight extension you want when the PT is over. Good luck.
Ha, you are right. Not sure what I was thinking. That's why I didn't sit on the sofa. In fact, initially, any time I moved off my bed I had to put braces on my legs to keep them straight, until the physical therapy started. So, once they start getting you to bend...
It's strange how this seems to vary . . I was always ticked off in the hospital if I sat with the leg straight, and they wanted me to sit with it as bent as possible. . which was very uncomfortable, I must say! of course, when I was in bed it was straight. . .and when sitting out in the chair as bent as possible. . . Once I got home I alternated . . sometimes it was up on a nice soft pouffe, and sometimes bent . . . I did use a pillow between legs when sleeping . .from the hip down to the foot so when I was on my back it was straight. . but I don't seem to stay on my back for long at night!
That's perfect for the pillow. You are lucky they give you a choice. With my docs there is no discussion. I'm allowed to take them off at night but anytime I might be up they are on. Its the heat that I find most bothersome. This last time I had both the socks and an immobilizer on. The socks went but now, almost 3 months later I still have the immobilizer and will till the next surgery, June 25.
Odd. I don't remember anyone complaining about my keeping it straight. And I don't even recall being able to try to bend it. When they would have me walk, I had to wear braces on both legs (bilateral TKR). It was hell going to the toilet!
I feel for you - with all the other problems, the last thing you need are those. I don't know if it was to do with my age (49) or the hospital I was in, or even the surgeon, as the nurse told me that some surgeons believe in them, others don't.
The patient in the room I shared told me his mom had had to wear them. It came up because my feet were chilled so I put on socks I brought and the nurce made me take them off - they only came to my ankles. Apparently my surgeon doesn't agree with the use of the stockings so I wasn't given any. But his co-worker wants his patients to wear them. Go figure. Once I understood what they were talking about, I was very glad I didn't get to wear them.