Hi everyone I just discovered this forum yesterday and wish I had found it ages ago. I had my TKR a week ago and I am trying to keep the home physio exercises going, but am really struggling. I hate the knee bends (using the scarf around the foot and skippy tray) and these triggered a lot of pain yesterday. This morning the inside of my knee is very sore, would it be ok to leave off the physio for a day? Many thanks.
*slippy tray!
HI RooQ
I am about 11 weeks post TKR so I can remember how you are feeling. probably , if like me, why did I have this done?
After just 1 week, small steady excercise is what you need. If it really hurts then stop.
I remember after just one week (I live in France and we have almost 3 weeks residential physio as part of normal health service.It is amazing) I had a plastic ball and I sat on the edge of a treatment couch and just rolled it back and forth just to the point of ouch but scream.
I also had a small skateboard and just rolled that back and forth wil sitting at a dining room type chair. I think movement is good but after just one week, nothing too much. If it is really hurting then try and do what you can and use ice packs. I hate them but they do work!
Good luck. This is a brilliant forum. Everyone is so supportive and it does make you feel like you are not alone and yes, it does happento other people!!
Lizx
Although it's hard doing the physio, it is so important because getting the new knee bending and straightening now means a better long-term outcome. Are you making sure to take your painkillers? They need at least half an hour to get working, so time an little exercise session after that and then get your ice-pack on afterwards. Even a little bit each day helps. If the bend up exercise is very sore perhaps focus on the pushing down into the bed one for straightening instead today....slow and steady.
It is a brilliant forum. Lying in bed last night, unable to sleep in the wee small hours, I was able to read comments and fully relate to them, helps you realise everything you are going through is normal. Thanks for those tips, will give them a whirl. Good luck with your recovery process.
I know, you are right, I do recognise how crucial the exercises are, but some days just so hard! 😁 after reading your reply, I am encouraged to pick myself up and get on with it.
RooQ, if it wasn't for the therapist coming to my flat, I'm not sure how I would have faired in the early stages. Weeks one and two were the absolute hardest for me - I had both done at the same time. Week three I noticed a shift taking place. By week 5 there were some serious changes and I was advancing up and down stairs (with a cane) and taking walks. Now at 5.5 months I still have some pain and occassional swelling, but sleep and movement is so much better. My bend still isn't where I want it and I will keep pushing that.
Yes, the real encouragement to this site is knowing that your experience is something that others either have, are or will be going through. You aren't losing your mind (at least not completely) and there is hope in the long run...but maybe not any actual running.
Change your exercise. Have a walk instead
Hi Roo .... I was so scared of not being able to bend and straighten my leg that I did overdo it at first but as everyone else has said little and often is sometimes better than nothing at all. Try not to stress and listen to your body just try to do a little extra each day.
Dear RooQ
I have not done my exercises as they should be done on the beginnig. The reason was that it was jus very painfull and it was always "I will do it tomorrow". I regret it very much, after a year my bend is just over 90 degrees. Althouth now I am at they gym 5 times a week, it is too late to improve the bend. I will have second TKR done soon, and I will be working very hard right from the beginning. So please take my adivice and work a it even through the pain. Painkillers, wait 20 min, exercises, ice. Wishing you well -Grace
Definitely do something every day . . keep it moving, and try to walk a bit. . .but don't be too hard on yourself! A week is very early days. . .I was too slow starting, and at twelve weeks still struggling to get more than 100 and less than 10 extension. Don't forget the pushing the knee down into the bed. it's not usually that painful but easy to forget. . .and the straightening is important as well as the bend! Take the pain medication, and if yuy haven't got anything strong enough to keep the pain more or less under control, ask for it! sometimes these doctors are so mean with pain killers! they seem to think we are all drug peddlers or something. . . . Also, my surgeon said that with the knee bends, it was more use to use your own muscles to pull the foot back rather than pulling with a belt or scarf . . and when you've reached the limit of what you can do with your own muscles, just push a little bit further . . .
Worse thing you can do is not do the exercises Hun as you will end up having a manipulation no pain no gain ...yes it does hurt but it does get better the longer you leave it the worse it is I'm eight days in on my second TKR in 15 weeks ...put a price of kitchen roll under your foot and slide the food backwards as far as you can try that then put your good foot in front if bad food and nudge bad foot back a little more on the kitchen roll it will be a bit easier ..it does get easier if you stick to it
I think doing what you can early is important. I'm nine weeks and let the straightening go (bend is fine) and am going thru some pain to flatten out the leg. Probably have around 3 degrees still to go and I'm really working at it. It is 5:30 am and I have been on the bike and have dones stretching exercises and now icing. Had I done this early on I don't think I would be going thru this. Still don't regret a day. I can ride my bike to the store, library etc and walk the dog etc. It is great and getting better. Hang in there! Regards from Colorado
I have the problem also with straightening. . I try resting the heel on the coffee table and putting a two kilo bag of flour on the knee . also pressing it down . . but it usually just springs back again. little by little, i think I'm improving it, but it's painful and slow . . .
Thanks Tenerife, I'm getting there but it is work/pain. You don't even want to see the stretches I go thru for this! Hope you are well and weather good on the island. Take care!
In a way you are in a no pain no gain situation. Probably one day missing physio would not do much harm but I would not make a habit of it.
Sarah
Hello
I am 4 months almost post tkr. I found it really hard in the beginning and my leg barely bent at all. However I did some exercises every day religiousy and it has paid off. On days when it just hurt too much to do a specific exercise, I focused on the others and gradually worked the exercise back into the regime. You will come across setbacks like that often so just work around it. I had rest days when I only did one set of exercises but I always tried to do something. Dont be afraid to ease back but be honest with yourself. Its so hard this op and you are very early days. Be kind to yourself too.
Sun came out yesterday, and we thought it was the end of the bad weather. . but today, back to grey and miserable! south of the island, as usual, is bathed in sunshine though! Bad cough and bronchitis, but no sign of any problem with the knee thank heavens!
Every missed day will set you back two or three. You don't have to put yourself into abject misery and your are better off not pushing to that extent, but as my therapist has always told me, up to but not into pain. The body needs to keep moving and to be pushed. Take your pain meds an hour before you start with plenty of water, elevate and start icing as soon as you are done. Contrary to what you might think, the prosthesis isn't coming apart and you aren't tearing soft tissue. It is painful and will be for some time to come. I've gone through it several times and right now I'm sitting here without a prothesis in place due to staph infection. I'll be like this at least 6 more weeks having to keep the bad leg in an immobilizer while working on the good leg to give it enough strength to do the work of two. All the time I'm doing stuff that hurts a lot. When I get the new knee, I'll have to start over just like you are, stretching, pushing, pulling, swearing and occasionally in tears. There are many things you will encounter along the way that the Drs never told you about and therapists like to pretend aren't there. Stay with this forum. Lots of sage wisdom from those that have gone through about every thing from text book cases (of which there are few) to extreme hardships physically and mentally. Just keep working..... Each phase passes in its own time.
Could not of put it better myself old fatguy xx