I'm 9 days post op, can any one tell me, do I have to sleep on my back?
No not if you can sleep other ways. Whatever way you feel comfortable, it's up to you. Just be careful when turning to not twist knee
Thank you ,I will try that tonight, prob end up back on my back, but need to give it a go,
I don't seewhy. I just can't go to sleep on my back. By day three I was painfully pullingmyself over on to my side to get a few hours sleep!. You may want to put a pillow between the legs if sleeping on your side. . it makes it more comfortable. Any sort of sleep is good (and difficult) at nine days!!!
SORRY I dont see why NOT
At your stage I found it better to step in a confined space like the sofa. I couldn't sleep in my own bed for fear of turning too much and twisting. If you sleep on your side try and wedge yourself so that you don't turn, hope this helps. Sleeping is so difficult in the early days
I sleep on my side and put a pillow between my legs I normally wake up to turn over and. Just reposition the pillow
The doctor suggested that if I couldn't sleep on my back then I could sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees to protect the new one - I also found it helped with my bend as I pulled my leg in a little bit at a time every night or so.
Sleep does come eventually it just takes a while
Yes! I do that too, and last night there was hardly any difference between the 'good' knee and the TKR! I think drawing them both up together seems to work . . .
Great minds !
Sometimes it advised to sleep on back so your leg isn't bent all night in an immobile state, as it's very stiff and could lock tight. More likely to have a straighter and more comfortable leg sleeping and waking if you sleep on your back and less likely to twist. Try it and see what happens. I stayed on my back though was desperate to sleep on side until my swelling was reduced and I could sleep
On my side without the need of a pillow
Right thank you, I did wonder about that, . The night seems so long, I tend to sleep for a couple of hour, then that's it I just doze in and out, because of pain, I use a lot of gel packs, and the co codamol when I can,
That's a very good point. . it's just so painful to keep the leg straight all night though . . that's why I ended up on my side most nights. But it's a very valid point! I still have about 5 degrees to go to get it straight!
Perhaps you might be able to help me with another question, I'm doing the exercises they send you home with, but one, lay on bed, raise operated leg, it say 20 cm, but I think there having a laugh at 9 days post op, I could raise it about 1 cm, before I came home, but I don't seem to be able to lift it at all now , I think they put led in it, . I did have a bit of a fall when I came home, and bent it as much as you can bend any normal knee, I have been seen by nurse, she says it's ok, I'm just worried because I can't lift it at all, . Any thing ring a bell?
Yies, I was the same. that leg seems to weigh a ton! Sometimes, helping it by grabbing the leg of your trousers, and physically pulling the leg up, while trying to use the muscles at the same time. i found that in fact it was something of a mental block which was stopping me . .I suppose fear of the pain it would cause. . so while with all my sgtrength i was trying to lift it, I think all my subsconscious strength was keeping it on the bed! Lifting it several times, you may find that in the end you can actually do it yoursel.f But don't worry . . it's quite normal to have problems with this exercise to begin with, and the one where you slide your heel up the bed. . .horrible one!
Hello Mandy I was told by both my surgeon and physio to sleep for six weeks on my back if at all possible. I used to lay a long pillow down the outside edge of my operated knee (right TKR) on their advice to stop the leg flopping sideways once I was asleep. It's true that sleep is difficult but nothing new for me as I have MS and a history of bowel cancer lol. Good luck Mandy
Ah like you didn't have enough going on , with out the knees as well, 😞 I think after reading all comments so far, am inclined to just stay on my back, I would feel a bit better if I could stand to lay flat, but it's just horrible at the moment. I can't believe I actually asked if I could have them both done at the same time, thank god he said no.😱
I don't have the sliding the heel up the bed one. I find it all very tiring , then I look forward to at last going to bed, but oh hang on, no point, I'm not gonna like that either.roll on the next few months😵
Me too for me it's a bit like loosing weight the last few pounds are the toughest !
Hi, I couldn't sleep on my side due to the pain and discomfort and I can't sleep on my back so I just found myself getting what ever sleep I could and came to grips that I was just going to be tossing and turning in different positions through out the night.
5 weeks later I'm still doing it but getting 2hr blocks of sleep at time, I found having something under my sheet and Donna to raise it so there was no weight bearing on my knee helped me but everyone is different.
Get use to getting some naps during the day that assisted me but lack of sleep is something I have adapted to now.