Hi I am 65 and had my first (and maybe my last!!) TKR on 13th May, after initial agony due to bad pain management and v low blood count I feel I have made good progress although I have good range of movement I don't seem to be able to get past a 90 degree bend but I think thank is due to swelling and scar tissue. The thing is some days I feel like I've loosened everything up then the next everything is rock solid again - is anyone else experiencing this? I find it rather dispiriting. Cheers Su
You are very new and yes what you are feeling is very normal! 90 is great for where you are! This is not an easy surgery and everyone heals differently. At their own pace. I too said I would never get my other knee done! But now I'm 10 weeks po and it is now when I get it done. My rom is 108. I had manipulation done at 6 weeks because I was stuck at 65. Hang in there. Do your exercises. Ice and elevate. Take your meds. As hard as it is to believe now it does get better. And the people on here are awesome. We are all in the same boat. Good luck and ck here often. There really is good advice here. ..
Hi Suki!
All you are experiencing is part of the healing process! At nearly one year post op I STILL have occasional days where I can actually feel where the prosthesis joins my bone. I'm guessing that complete healing goes on into the second year post op, maybe longer.
I find THAT if I just take it a day at a time, I realize that there are many more good days as time goes on. I try to look out for indications that something MIGHT be wrong, but mostly I focus on all that is going RIGHT!
Weather, overuse, not drinking enough water, sitting too long without elevating...the list goes on for what can cause a "bad" day. It IS upsetting because we want all to be well and to be able to get on with our lives!
You are still very early in the game!
Be patient and stay calm.
Think positive, healing thoughts. The endorphins your body will create as you think in a positive way will help with pain and will put you in a better mood, too!
Hoping that each day brings more calm and contentedness!😊
Hi Sue. Yea I recognise everything you wrote because I too had TKR 29 April and suffer the same. It's all part of the recovery process and apparently it gets easier. I'm an emotional bag with the pain and sleepless nights and so my surgeon told me to take Solpadol 4 times daily which I started yesterday. I woke this morning after a better sleep and little or no pain although these pills make you dries! ! Best we stay with the programme of recovery ( difficult as it is) try stay positive and keep our eye on the prize. Take care we're all in this together.
Nuala
Sorry got your name wrong Suki. The pills I'm taking make me drowsy. !!
Hi Sue,
I think 90 degrees is fantastic since May 13th. At 6 weeks I am at 100.
There will e good and bad days, but be under no illusion, 90 degrees after 14 days is great, there are a lot of people on this site that would be very happy with this.
Take care
Alan
Hi Suki, 90 at this stage is brilliant, you are going in right direction, I am 11 weeks no and at times I found it 1 step forward At your stage keep taking your meds, drink plenty of water, keep doing your phyio, ice and elevate. A good exercise someone on here said when knee felt it ws stiffening was put it on first stair and lean into it and hold. do it a few times but dont overstrian it. You can also massage your leg, just gentl rubbing all over the knee, thigh and top of leg, I found this good and then when my scar complately healed started using bio oil which hellps the scar, but only when scar completely healed. Best wishes for your continuing progress, S
Hi! 90' is brilliant! I'm six weeks post op today for my latest TKR and on Saturday the physio measured my bend at a poor 75'🙁 He pushed it around,(excruciating despite the pain killers!) massaged it and I did my exercises and then it measured 85' but apparently it's still not good enough and he's sending a report to the consultant who I see tomorrow to get "signed off!"
Hang in there, as it takes a good while to actually feel happy with your TKR-6/7 months with my left one so roll on Autumn/Christmas!
Glenda😊🎈
So good to know how other peeps are managing well done you getting your other knee done. Thanks for your encouragement😃
Thanks for your words of encouragement Cheryl it is a hard road definitely and so difficult to know what's what great to have this site and contacts with other people good luck with yours
Perfectly normal - even at 16 months there are some days I cant get past 90 - but others I am around 120 +. Everything everyone has said here reflects my experience. I am finally 'glad' I had it done but it has been a long slow process with as you say one step forward, two back for at least 6 months.
Yesterday for the first time I had the urge to 'jog' which I have not done for over 2 years - I did 30 seconds - and was worried my knee my come loose! It felt amazing though and did not swell up but was a bit heavy. I am going to persevere as it is my dream to jog along the beach like I used to. Scar tissue is a major restrictor and that's why keeping it mobile with leg swings from side of bed or stool, lunges, dips and exercise bike are important. Not too much walking or standing though in the early days - overdoing it causes more problems. The dilemma is feeling better - do more- feel worse - rest - feel better and then overdo it again ! Its good though as it becomes one step forward, one back and then two steps forward, one back until finally its lots of steps forward and very few back. Good luck.
That's nice to know, I have been worrying that I won't get full movement back....thanks for the encouragement
yes I have overdone it and had to rest for 24 hours learned my lesson then....so you are still having the stiffness after 16 months....gosh they really isn't tell me much about all this post op stuff, peeps just kept say ooo knees they're hard......! Leaving me hanging, so good to compare notes thanks
lol no worries about the name either works for me...sorry the drugs are making you woozy but it is important to get a rest from the pain and get some healing, good luck x
Cheers Sue, I am string with a bag of frozen peas on my knee as I type lol. It's great to hear everyone's experiences and to get courage from you all thanks
Hmm like you my right knee is badly in need or a TKR too, I can't bear to think about it yet though so well done you! I do hope your exercising and Physio work for you cheers for the encouragement and good luck
I know exactly what you mean. I am experiencing the same things . One day good and one day bad.Every morning I awake with the same stiffness and pain . Next comes the swelling as soon as I exercise. I am 13 weeks tkr. It has to get better eventually. We just need to be patient I guess.
Thank you, Suki!
Yes, it is surely helpful to be able to come on this site anytime day or night and find others who REALLY understand what we are going through no matter what stage we are in!
Connecting with others and hearing that what seems WEIRD is really NORMAL is very comforting!😊
I told my husband today it doesn't seem like my muscles are getting stronger. I'm faithfully doing my exercises. I can feel the muscle finally developing. I just feel a little shakey when I walk unaided. And the pain behind my knee seems to have gotten worse. Does anyone have this? I know I would be so much further ahead if I didn't have that.
Hi Linlee!
Try this: Put your legs up on an ottoman or a pillow on a chair. Flex the quad muscle of your thigh on one leg as you place your hand firmly on that area. Hold the flex a bit and then release and relax. Repeat on the other leg. It will SHOW YOU how you are getting those muscles to be stronger!😀
To feel less shakey try balance practice! Stand on both legs by the kitchen counter or near a railing or any solid, stable, non-movnon-movable place. Lift one leg, bending at the knee. Count to 30. Release. Repeat several times. Do the other leg. Use the counter, railing, etc. to steady yourself as needed. Once you get good at balancing on the floor, you can put a rubber mat, a rolled up bath mat or rubber disks found in sports stores on the floor and use them to help increase the balance challenge. Balance practice REALLY helped my stability and it also helped me catch myself several times when I tripped over a floor mat at the mall AND the garden hose outside in the yard. TWO falls averted thanks to balance practice!😊😊
I sometimes get pain behind my knees. I had it prior to surgery, and I have it sometimes since my surgeries. When I get pain behind my knees, what helps the most is stretching those ligaments gently. I roll up a big beach towel and put it against the wall. I put the front of my feet on the towel with my heels on the floor. With my hands against the wall for balance, I slowly raise my heels so the towel is supporting the front part of my feet. I hold this to a count of 30, rest, and repeat a few times. This stretch is very helpful for stretching those ligaments which hurt when they are too tight.
Hope these ideas from my PT sessions help you! ☺