Hi guys. I was lucky enough to find this site a couple weeks after my TKR. I am almost 12 weeks & stuck at 90 degrees. I am going to be having a MUA in the next few weeks. Yesterday, I had to be on my feet ALL day for work (a good 10 hours). I was SO sore and SO swollen and am still swollen this morning. I'm curious if this is normal? I can usual get an ice break throughout the day but didn;t have the opportunity yesterday. I'm concerned because I have a few more of these days coming up right in a row. I figured the swelling would be a bit better by now (but then again, I thought my bend would be way better as well). On a typical day, swelling & pain aren't bad, but I was shocked how being on my feet all day changed that....Thanks for your help!
First of all I am shocked that your Dr. released you to such a hard job my Dr told me he did not want me on a kitchen floor for at least 4 months.I wait tables (also had both knee same time ) did your doctor say you could be on your feet for 10 hours straight? If so I think you need a new doctorThe way I fell now almost 8 weeks out I could not phantom even doing a single shift when i used to do doubles but i need to take care of myself and you should do the same. I know how it is to have to work but the long range is the most important. Hope all works out for you.
Hi shannon95042
I would of thought that being on your feet for that amount of time would cause any leg to swell.
What you have to remember is that the knee is still healing and can take up to 18 months. I am 10 weeks post op and not returning back to work till mid April being as my job also entails a lot of being on my feet.
I've heard that a MUA Resolves the issue of your 90 degree bend.....
When your not working rest your knee elevate it and if poss take anti immflammatory medication. I don't feel the need for ice now but relied on it 6-7 times daily up to about 6 weeks.
Hope all goes well with the MUA
I think 10 hours a day of work is too soon remember that you're still healing at this time, maybe you could try working less hours or sit in between your hours if it's possible by your management I wish you the best of luck
I'm here today waiting for a date for my 2nd tkr. First one done Dec 2014 so that's almost 18 months for me. I'm far from being normal but I'm still working too, supervisor in hospital so walk walk and walk. I returned to work after 12 weeks but 4 hrs a day for the first wk, it was a month before full 8 hr shifts. You're doing to much to soon. You need to be healed a bit more or you'll find yourself in a bad state. Mussels, tissue, ligaments need rest to heal. Look up a tkr surgery on you tube. MUA seems to work but my surgeon wouldn't do it. M bend is about 110 on a good day. But I have no bone on bone pain, so I'm satisfied. But my other one is swollen today and in pain after working. Take care of yourself. And I wish you the best on your MUA.
Hi Shannon
My tkr was 11/16/2015, and an MUA March 9th. I haven't made any improvement since after the first of January. My rom is around 107 in therapy. I've done all my therapy and more. My dr prescribed 3 times a week for 3 weeks after the MUA. The MUA was not bad at all, but it did nothing for me. It might help you though. It sounds like you probably are doing too much at your job. I realize you might need to work, but try to take it easy if you can. Like me, you have lots more healing time.
Hi Shannon
As everyone has said you are definitely doing too much. I'm 21 weeks post TKR and I still couldn't do what you are doing. I got a MUA 7.5 weeks after my op and it made a big difference to my bend. My only problem now is it us not quite straight and I do get swelling behind my knee. Standing for too long is still painful.
try and insist you get a break to ice your knee. I don't really ice now, but I probably should. You need to take care and do a good but less than you are doing.
Liz
Hi Anne. I figured it was just too much too soon..I'm at such a slow pace compared to what I'm used to that I wasn't sure if it would be normal or not to be so sore & swollen. I've tried my hardest to get my bend & avoid MUA, but it doesn't look like that is the case. Good luck on your 2nd TKR!
Hi! I think i'd be thrilled with 107! Are you able to go down stairs properly? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the MUA does something! This is my 6th surgery on this knee & I didn't think things would be so tough getting through this. Good luck to you!
Hi Liz. I am hoping for a good result on the MUA. I have been working so hard in therapy. I figured I may have done too much, it's just a busy time at work. It's good to know that its normal for swelling & pain after long days..kinda just like before TKR
Hi Shannon
If only we knew beforehand how bad it can be, at least we would be prepared.
I dont work now, but though retired I was always fit and active as most of my friends are younger than me. It's such a shock not to be able to do simple things.
my bend is probably 125 degrees at least so that is great and my leg s nearly straight but not there yet. Sometimes I can go upstairs ok and even down but not unless there is a handrail. Standing in one place cooking can be really painful and walking for an hour is probably a bit too much.
my Physio helps a lot and I feel I have come on in the last week but it is 21 weeks now.
my MUA was great for me, I hope it is just as good for you. It was still very painful afterwards but I had a 90 degree bend and with exercising that quite quickly improved.
good luck and keep us posted.
Liz
At 12 weeks being on your feet for 10 hours is way too long. Twelve weeks is nothing in the long term, since it takes a GOOD year to get back to 'normal'! If you have to be on your feet for that length of time, I'd suggest asking your doctor about compression stockings. They would help keep the swelling down and give your knee some support. But then he/she should never have cleared you for work, if he/she knows how you work. Any chance that you get, you should sit and have your legs raised, like on a foot stool and ICE on it. 90 degrees at 12 weeks isn't bad and should get better. Being able to straighten the leg is more important.
This is a bear of a surgery and it takes a lot of time and PT to get the knee to do what is should. I'm almost a year and I still can't bend the knee the way I used to do before all the surgery. I can curl up with the good leg and read but not the one that had the TKR, and it will never happen. Remember they cut all the tendons, muscles, ligiments in order to repair the knee. Moved the knee cap to the side so they could cut, saw, hammer and fit the new pieces to the knee. Then they moved the knee in all kinds of positions to make sure everything fit together the way it should. As I said it is a BEAR of a surgery and only lots and lots of time will repair what the doctors and surgeon did. Good luck and ask your doctor about those compression stockings, it's worth a shot at any rate
Hi Shannon.
I find at 16 weeks if I stand too long the knee swells and heats up and becomes very stiff until I ice it. It doesnt bother me otherwise. 10 hours sounds an awful long time to be standing on it. I find standing is worse than walking for a long time. You will probably be sore for a few days until it settles back down again. Back on the painkillers I'm afraid.
Never had a MUA apart from the one I accidentally gave myself when I fell and kicked myself in the butt! But the bend definitely got much better when I recovered from the shock, so one done properly will definitely give you an improvement! Lets hope so.
Your saying you will have to do more of this standing in the near future. Can you avoid it by any chance? Its sounding like it will set you back which you dont need at this stage.
I feel, my reply is not much help to you, but just so you know that someone is thinking about you.
Stay safe
Ann
The Irish One
Shannon
Sorry to take so long to answer your question. I do have some problems going down stairs. I can do it , but not without discomfort and some pain. I usually go down slowly, and still with both feet on the step at the same time. The MUA, as I said is not bad at all. I was very afraid to have it, and I'm glad I got it over with, even thought it didn't help me. I would still be very worried about it, now I know that I tried, even though it didn't help. I think my problems are related to the patella tendon and the IT band. This is what my surgeon seems to think. He wants me to try therapy for 2 more weeks, and then he said we would talk about possibly going back in to remove scar tissue. I hope the MUA does the trick for you!