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12 weeks and still walking badly!

Posted , 9 users are following.

debbie171066
debbie171066

Im 12 wks post tkr and a week ago when i was at physio he told me off for walking unaided with a stiff leg. I totaly understand what he meant and have been working so hard on my walking technique with my crutch. It is so much easier to get the correct walk with my crutch. I am getting frustrated when im walking around house without my crutch! I am very concious of heal toe then bend knee to walk with a bend to follow step through to put heal down then for next step and im trying so hard but am woddling terrible! Iv woke up very frustrated and despondent today which is hard to shake off! Is there anyone who struggled with getting a good walking technique at my stage of 12 wks! My knee feels so much better a lot of the heavyness as gone iv stil got some and it is stil stiff at times but i am improving! I think as a few people had told me 12 wks was turning point i thought i would be walking better!

6 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • sueisobel
    sueisobel debbie171066

    Posted

    Have you tried using cane instead of a crutch, gives you more control over how you walk, when you heel toe it, swing your hip through as opposed to turning it in the direction you are walking.

    Do not go by what other people say.  It is how youjr body recovers that is more to the point, we are all different. Everyone heals at a different rate, some longer and some shorter than you.  So don't worry, so long as you do your exercises properly you will do well.  Have you tried walking in a swimming pool.  No pain and lots of gain to be had

    • debbie171066
      debbie171066 sueisobel

      Posted

      The physio said i wasnt ready to walk with cane last thurs i did ask but he said i needed crutch until i see him next thurs!

      I wil try swinging hip and concentrate on not turning it! I have thought about swimming pool i need to see when its quiet i am also wary of slipping i wil give my local pool a ring i agree walking in water wil help and it wil help my bending! Thanks for your support! There is nothing better than talking to people who have been there!

    • sharon52158
      sharon52158 debbie171066

      Posted

      I am in the uk never had crutches had 2 walking sticks from day 2 I only use 1 now when I go out 
  • charlotte81954
    charlotte81954 debbie171066

    Posted

    Oh Debbie not I needed to read this morning .

    I was told 6 weeks I would be walking normal. Maybe with only a cane..or with no aide at all.I have a huge trip planned for August ......that's the reason I went ahead and had TKR April 26.....

    • debbie171066
      debbie171066 charlotte81954

      Posted

      Sounds like you are expecting a lot at 6 wks! We are all different and heal differently. I was always told that 12 wks was the big turning point that is why im down about my walking! I have consistently done my exercises as instructed and iced etc! Dont over do it!
    • charlotte81954
      charlotte81954 debbie171066

      Posted

      I'm thinking I was totally mislead. Was told from walker to cane at one week PO ...well my quad muscle has decided to stay asleep so that didn't happen.

      I do however have a great 110 bend and can touch the back of knee to bed....just pain is horrible when weight is placed on it..

      Staying on pain meds hoping that will help the weight bearing.....

    • debbie171066
      debbie171066 charlotte81954

      Posted

      Walker to cane in a wk seems impossible! Take the advice of your physio they know best! Dont over do it and hinder your recovery. I did i was walking unaided but my physio said i was walking with a straiht leg and not how you should walk so iv gone back to my crutch to perfect my technique! Your muscles and tendons heal how we let them and i would of always walked badly he said so here i am desparatly trying to do it right!

      110 is a great bend im only at 90!!!

  • lucie47312
    lucie47312 debbie171066

    Posted

    Debbie, how frustrating is this recovery lark?!!  It seems to take forever, and I'm only 3 weeks post tkr!   Think you do have up and down days, it's only this week I've stopped crying every day!  Every little improvement seems to be such a hurdle to be got over. I'm finding my knee very stiff, and my rom not wonderful, but keeping on doing my Physio exercises until I see him in a week.  
    • debbie171066
      debbie171066 lucie47312

      Posted

      Keep up the good work. I have come such a long way i to cried buckets of tears my poor husband didnt dare look at me! It does get easier honest please believe me im doing well at 12 wks i just am frustrated at my walking as i want to get back to work! Keep your chin up 3 wks is so early in recovery. You wil get there just do as they say. Hark at me its nice to help someone else i recieved so much encouragement from this forum its brilliant!
  • melinda11457
    melinda11457 debbie171066

    Posted

    Hi, Debbie! Twelve weeks out also. Firstly, we do all heal at different rates so you have " to ride your own ride" as we bikers say. Fortunately, I only used the walker first week then a cane for walks, especially on uneven ground. Did have brutal but great PT who actually discouraged " crutches" as soon as practical. It got to where the cane seemed to actually hinder properly extended heal toe normal walking by depending on it. But you have to work at your own level of ability and endurance. Endurance is still my biggest problem: ride in car too long, sit too long, stand in one place too long...end up with stiff knees and swollen ankle. Walking it out helps but even now - a couple NSAIDS, kick up and nap awhile do the trick. Next day all is back again. So don't be discouraged. Keep up the good work you're doing and definitely do what you must to get a decent night sleep!
  • Meraai
    Meraai debbie171066

    Posted

    Hi Debbie, so sorry to hear that you are struggling! I am 14 weeks post-op, so rouhgly in the same boat as you.  I had arthroplasty in June 2015 that wasn't succesful and couldn't manage to bend my leg so that the knee would take the weight  because of the pain it caused.  Walking with a stiff leg for 6 months caused my quads to atrophy and I had to work really hard on the quads to be able to walk normally (that is without a stiff leg) again at this stage.  I suspect that your quads may not be strong enough for you to trust them when you walk without a crutch to bend your leg.  How do you manage going down stairs - are you able to put your weight on your bent knee?  Do not be discouraged, you will get there!
    • debbie171066
      debbie171066 Meraai

      Posted

      Thank you! I try to walk down one leg on each step but its not easy! I can put good leg first then bend bad leg but i do it awkwardly if that makes sense! Im working hard on my quad strengthening which i agree wil help. I know its a matter of being patient and persevering! I will get there we have good and bad days! I had a good cry yesterday felt i couldnt cope and had totaly had enough of the struggle but today im determind to be more positive! The joy!
    • sue37592
      sue37592 debbie171066

      Posted

      Hi Debbie, I'm 7 weeks post op and use nothing when walking in house but 1 crutch when out, coming down stairs is hard i fee my operated leg bends funny outways when coming down, my quads need a lot of work as keg does give quite  a bit but am working on it.

      we all have good and bad days, yesterday was not good for me either, if i ask my kids (grown-up but still at home) for help their reply you are here all day what you been doing? I think the faries mades dinner and washing, yet when dad comes home and asks them...certainly!! that just caused more tears!! so today I've done my physio, rode my bike and now sitting watching what i want on tv and thats waht I'm doing till their dad gets home from work!  Me time today and ignoring them.

      Take care we will get there!

  • irish_linda
    irish_linda debbie171066

    Posted

    Hi Debbie

    boy do i know how you feel ,thinking back to when i was in your position .Do you have an excersise ball the one you can sit on ,ive found this brilliant when the bend is not good .sit on it you can watch tv while doing it i still use mine especially in the morning to get the knee going ! while your sitting on it feet flat on the floor and push your bend slowly bit by bit when your knee warms up abit it will bend a little and hold for a few mins and then go back to doing little pushes and repeat it helps alot and these balls are really cheap .

    my bend even after a revision is not past 100 i wish it was but before revision it was 70 so its improved abit .what i would saay is work hard if you can ,but sometimes no what you do it wont bend for you so maybe a MUAwould work for you it didnt for me but it does for some .

    another excersise that would help is standing on first the good leg (i usualy do this in the landing holding onto the banister )hold on to something with both hands even the work top in the kitchen just as long as it wont make you fall .so your standing on first the good leg bend the leg like a squat and up again  now do it on the op leg ,dont worry if you only go down an inch ,try it again it will really wobble or shake thats ok its just telling you im really weak .this excersise took me ages to get it right and still i have to work at it your muscles are not working they just dont want to do it , hope some of this works for you  x

    • debbie171066
      debbie171066 irish_linda

      Posted

      Thanks linda we had an exercise ball but got rid of it as didnt use it ! Dam! Good idea!

      I wil try the balancing on 1 leg! Sounds good for strength to!

      Im not sure if its the bend that is stopping me walking propally or just the general stiffness! It is so frustrating! Lol thanks for your help!

    • irish_linda
      irish_linda debbie171066

      Posted

      worth getting one again i find it great if the stiffens abit sitting on it moving the bend without pressure is  great ..got mine in lidl less than 10 euro . id say the lack of strenght in the leg is probably the most problem you have ,strenghtening excersises just have to be done im sfraid so good luck i hope it improves for you im sure it will its hard to be patient with it
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