11 days post TKR and worried

Everything has to realign and heal. Its an ongoing sit tissue/ blood flow thing that takes time and consistant work. I wouldn't worry about the red spot unless you see drainage. Try elevating your leg about 4" above your heart and use ice but make sure you have it wrapped in a towel. Sometimes a bare icebag burns the skin

I was 11 days post op before I could raise my leg just keep trying it will happen with the sliding and bending exercise the physio told me to use a dressing gown belt or something similar under the foot and pull the knee up which helped me. It sounds pretty normal you will experience  many different sensations in the knee as you recover if you are worried just contact your gp take care x

Thank you, I'll try the belt trick.  I always wrap ice packs before putting them on and I did try one to put my leg higher, but it hurt so much I couldn't stay there.

i just feel at the end of my tether, bursting into tears a little too often

Hang in there Susan the main pain I had was the stretching of soft tissue and muscles behind my knees. The Physio in hospital shared the same info with me as your husband has said. After a long time of standing in a warped way to offset the joint pain, all of those tissues are now in trauma trying to get back to normal stretch.  Focus on the straightening exercises to help out, trying to push just that little extra every day.  Good luck

ali

11 days is really soon to be expecting anything other than that.  I couldn't lift my leg for 6 weeks without a hoist!  The muscles have been cut, bone chopped off and screws hammered in to the to and bottom and also a foreign body inserted so it's going to be a roller coaster of different things trying to recover from such a major operation.  Hang in there, ice and elevate like everyone says keep on top with your pain relief and resign yourself to a few more weeks before you feel anything like your old self.  It is a journey no one understands unless they've been through it and you are about where I was at that stage.  I'm now at 12 weeks and relatively pain free apart from at night and at the back of the knee where the tendons are protesting at being stretched again!  You'll be fine. Chin up keep us posted xx

Morning Susan.  11 days post op is very very early days and you truly must not expect too much of yourself.  Everything you have heard and read about a TKR is true - it's an invasive and totally traumatic op. and tears flow more frequently (yes even for the men) than one ever dreamt possible BUT it does get better trust me.  Little by little, day by day, tiny improvements take place but those first few weeks are hell because the entire body has been yanked around don't forget.  The pain in the operated leg is in a class of its own so take your meds regularly and try and tie your exercises in with your meds to help you move your leg around more freely.  I am a 71 year old lady who is now, unbelievably, 4 months post op following a right leg TKR.  I also have MS (not wheelchair bound) and found the exercises mega hard but my husband and our family were wonderfully encouraging and slowly things got easier and most folk on the forum will tell you that six weeks post op is the "magic time" when exercises become so much easier and the tears stop.  Listen to your body ALL THE TIME Susan as it's been through a lot and will tell you when to rest - which is most of the time for a while and that's normal so don't fight it.  Ice packs are super too of course plus nutritious but simple food and lots of water to drink to help internal healing.  Relax and go with the agonizing flow safe in the knowledge you will end up with a wonderful new knee that's pain free.  Patience is the keyword.  Take care Susan.

Thanks guys, you have put my mind at rest a little - it's just such an unknown, not knowing how far my leg should be moving - I know everyone is different but there must be a minimum expectation?  Also, how long are you expected to have to apply ice to the pain for - I don't mean for the 5 or 10 minutes at a time, but how many days/weeks?  I'm still raising my leg when sitting - is it best to do this or is it better to put it on the floor to try and encourage bend?  

I think there should be a TKR been there, done it handbook published from all the questions on this forum - I know I'd buy one!!

Hi Susan, this may sound nuts, but I bought a child's skateboard to help me with the slide and bend. I was struggling doing this right at the start and the skateboard had been a great help. Also I did not get the leg lift until 8 weeks, it will eventually come with the exercise.

susan definatly early days i was thesame for awhile with lifting the leg manualy it was the only way and yes the belt of the dressing gown to lift it and after a few goes loosen yor grip bit by bit every day and you will see you wont have to lift it so hard after awhile at first it will feel like an ankor but keep doing it dont expect too much at the start ,but make sure you also bend try a just wearing a sock on the floor (wooden) if possible so you slide your foot later a toy with wheels works great or even if you have a swing in the garden or playground sit on it and move it slowly at first  all these helped me with bend and straightening because that is where the pain comes from loss of motion and tears are part and parcel of it but nobody told you about it keep faith