Posted , 7 users are following.
****my husband had a RTKR on 10/17/19. He is a very active person who is always moving and working. He can't really get much bend in his leg at all. He cant even put his foot flat on the ground or sit in a chair w/ out having his leg straight out. He said it feels like cement. He is getting discouraged..is this normal ? to not have much bend? its if lucky at 60 for ROM.
1 like, 7 replies
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tricia55158 lisa5298
Posted
I know how your husband feels. You start getting very despondent when it seems to go on for a long time. I would contact your Surgeon for reassurance. Mine is very painful at the back of the knee when I try to lift and bend it. I can only bend my knee back so far and it feels like it has hit a brick wall. I just can't go any further. It did start to get me down.
I have been doing my exercises and bought an exercise bike to help stretch out the knee and strengthen the leg muscles. They thought I had a clot because it was painful and I couldn't bend it back. The found a Bakers Cyst at the back of the knee which they say will go on its own. I was so worried that like your husband was very active before the op and realistically thought I would be able to return to normal activities sooner rather than later. They do put a lot of faith in exercise, cold ice packs and warmth on the knee front and back.
I have referred myself to the Physio department with the NHS. Its a 6 week course once a week and I feel so much better using all their different equipment. It has definitely helped and its nice getting the reassurance of a Professional. I am still on painkillers which i take before I go so I can actually push myself a little further and use the ice packs afterwards
I really hope your husband gets the help and information he needs.
Kind regards
Tricia Clark
Hopgo lisa5298
Posted
Obviously 2 weeks is very "early on" in the healing process........My Dr recommended I do 2 exercises right from the start........sit in a chair with your leg touching the floor and bent as much as is comfortable. Take the non-operative leg and put it's heal in front of the operative leg and pull it towards you an inch at a time for 3 minutes.......continue this process for 30 minutes slowly inching it to bend more. The second exercise was to sit in a chair with the operative leg extended and resting it's heal on another chair to your front. Just sit there for 30 minutes and let gravity straighten it.............It did help immensely to augment PT. Good luck ......It is a journey and takes several months to get satisfying mobility.......At 7 months I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Eaglebearer Hopgo
Posted
Hi Hopgo, I'm now 13 weeks post tkr, and my bend at 11 weeks was only 100. I had not done the sitting knee thrusts very much but started doing them aggressively, and in a few days was 113, then 118, and now 123. I cannot stress enough how important this was for me. The stress I suffered from not getting the bend doing heel slides in a bed with a band, was enormous. They just didn't do it for me. Next for coming up next month and I have learnt so much, particularly that, which I will be doing straight away after hospital!!! I too see the light, but it's such a long journey. The leg straightening on the chair is also great, still can't take it for too long but it's getting there.
Eaglebearer
Posted
....next tkr coming up next month, that should have been.
Alice1947 lisa5298
Posted
hi lisa, before a patient is discharged they should have a bend between 80/90 . it is so easy to become dispondent as every one heals at different times. I am 6 weeks in and now realise it isnt a quick fix at all. Is he trying to do do the exercises as this is a must. Try a long scarf or the likes under his heel whilst sitting on the bed and pulling his leg towards him, it does help get the bend. it does take a while but stay with it at least twice a day. It does get easier honestly. you are suppised to have your leg ellivated when you sit on a chair as it takes the swelling away. Ice packs are a must through the night even a cold flannel helps...good luck and stay with it as it does get better....
CHICO_MARX lisa5298
Posted
Absolutely, totally normal...especially when he's only 2 1/2 weeks into a one year rehab program. The first goal is to get to the 0 degree straight, +120 degree bend target. Since everyone is different, you cannot predict when he will get there as there are advances, setbacks and plateaus as part of the process. Took me 12 weeks to go from -14 / +84 to -1 / +123. I'd say that's pretty average. This may help him at home during and after he does his 2X/week PT sessions...
ROM At Home
#3 will get it straight...you may want to leave the house for that one...
Next will be the muscle rebuild for his dead quads, glutes, hip flexors, core and more. This takes months of dedicated, committed work...
Post-TKR Exercising
His biggest problem will be:* "He is a very active person who is always moving and working." * This is bad as he will EXPECT himself to be doing this. WRONG!!!! When you push the knee too far on any given day, it will swell like a balloon...guaranteed. The trick is to give up all your expectations and listen to the knee. This is a slow and steady recovery...nothing happens overnight and you cannot measure your progress day to day.
Best bet is to get a fit bit or smartwatch and TRACK YOUR STEPS. Time and distance don't matter...only your step count as that's where you put the load on the knee. Push it too far...balloon. Just accept that this will take a while and cannot be pushed like a hip or a shoulder. Slow, steady progress.
Hang this on the fridge...
Reality
Almost all of us hit the brick wall with our expectations and then have to face the reality of a TKR rehab. I even told my bandmates to book us a four-hour gig the weekend after my surgery...right... I was still drooling on my pajamas at six weeks. Have there been people who beat this quickly? Yup...but I can count them on less than one hand. Possible but not very likely. Your DNA controls how much scar tissue you generate and how quickly you can break it down. No predictions...just reality.
PS: The depression is a Jedi Mind Trick. I have a whole post dedicated to that. Click my name, Discussions and then See All. Lots of stuff out there that can hopefully help. This recovery takes time, work and patience...gotta do all three. Have fun!!!
jean02698 lisa5298
Posted
The bend will come. Just have him keep doing his exercises.