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5,1/2 weeks TKR

Posted , 7 users are following.

rbleegrip
rbleegrip

Hey still.positive I was going well bending past 90 pain dropping off ?sleeping better ,dramatic drop.in Meds required then all of a sudden 3 days ago swelling and alot of pain in calf on the outside which has dropped off now but very tight ITB band when I was bending almost felt like it was the muscles in the leg that were restricting the bend but now I'm like back at less than 90.maybe due to swelling must have gone to hard as was doing the exercises 3 times a day and getting good bending frustrated to the max so now I'm icing and elevating and resting ...grrrrrr I know we are all different but it drives you crazy sometimes my surgeon does not want me having PT,no water exercises and no walking around just do my exercises as mine is minimal invasive TKR so not alot of scar tissue but I feel the tourniquet really did a number on my thigh ........hanging in there

2 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • lyn32416
    lyn32416 rbleegrip

    Posted

    One day forward, two days back? Drives me nuts too but gotta remain positive and keep on the path! If in doubt have a rest day. Do a few exercises, ice if necessary, elevate and read a book. You are healing. I woke up at midnight with terrible restrictive muscle pain. Did a few stretches. It helped. Thinking of you and wishing you less discomfort and frustration!
  • tom67073
    tom67073 rbleegrip

    Posted

    Hi there I am 8 weeks today from tkr. Hang in there it gets better bend will come. You can do itb band stretching at home as well as calf stretching. As far as the tourniquet goes it took me about 6 weeks or so for that pain to go away.

    I still have some swelling and I just take Tylenol for some discomfort. Sleep is now much better as those 3 hour bathrooms breaks have seam to stopped.

    Good luck hang in there it gets better. Still a ways to go.

    Tom

    • rbleegrip
      rbleegrip tom67073

      Posted

      3 hour bathroom breaks??? I may have walked a little yesterday doing chores etc and the swelling pooped back up this morning and really I can't do any bending exercises today frustrating I do the half stretches will look on youtube for itb stretches cheers

    • tom67073
      tom67073 rbleegrip

      Posted

      Sorry it's every 3 hours or so getting up to bathroom.

      The IT stretch is use a towel or a stretch out strap place on foot, hold leg straight up in air and then pull to opposite side hold for count of ten repeat 3 sets of ten.. if right knee pull to left side.

      Hamstring is same hold leg straight up and slightly pull towards head till you feel stretch count to ten 3 sets of ten

    • rbleegrip
      rbleegrip tom67073

      Posted

      Cheers Tom slowly slowly I know and I had good massage today that gave an instant release of some injured muscles and got some circulation going....
  • linlee
    linlee rbleegrip

    Posted

    I'm 15 weeks po and have finally starting to get back to normal. I too would get leg cramps. My pt guy said drink more water. The tourniquet thing? That seemed like weeks to me. I had to ride in the back seat of our car with my leg stretched out. It would cramp up if I sat up front. My husband would have to pull over so I could get out and walk it off. It is just about gone but it was probably 8 weeks when I started feeling relief. I tend to over do things. And I pay the next day with swelling and stiffness. It is still that way. I have learned if I over do one day the next day has to be easy. Good luck and remember. ..we have all been there.

    • rbleegrip
      rbleegrip linlee

      Posted

      That's good to here went and had remedial massage on the legs today and there were some ropey knots in there is feel better after drinking lots of water and resting post massage looking forward to normality cheers

  • Mysterray
    Mysterray rbleegrip

    Posted

    Well I'm not the only one then.

    Tomorrow will be 7 weeks since TKR. Surgeon took me off PT for 2 weeks from overworking the knee. At my last appointment he was sending me to a different PT group. Something about my core muscles not working right since gastric bypass years ago. I started working it hard at home since that vist because he threatened manipulation. Now I think I've pulled a muscle or something pain and swelling are back up and the quadricep just above he knee is swollen and hard as a rock. Dr. Had just lowered my pain meds to less than half. And I've used them all up trying to get through this. I don't have an appointment with him until Wednesday. Going to call and see if I can get in to see him tomorrow.

    Has anyone had the manipulation? I keep hearing different stories as to how much it hurts and how much it helps. But I am damn tired of this. I'm ready to get my life back.

    All I do all day is exercise, hurt get bored, depressed and think (worry) which makes me wonder how much of this is pain and how much is me sitting around thinking about the pain. Being depressed and bored. Am I taking pain pills because I hurt that bad. Or because I think I hurt bad and I'm bored and depressed.

    Am I sick in the head?

    Does anyone else think/feel this way?

    • rbleegrip
      rbleegrip Mysterray

      Posted

      I truly believe that thinking positive and believing that you will recover releases the good chemicals in the body that help heal,listen to your body if it swell then rest if it feels ok do the exercises,listen to some positive affirmations I find them in audio books online in australia I. Listen to tunein an app that allows digital radio and audio books as well on WiFi Internet I go to sleep.listening to these affirmations and i am positive that the mind is a powerful tool so use it to stay positive....it's a journey we are all on you will be okay

  • chris01382
    chris01382 rbleegrip

    Posted

    Hi I have read so many Q and A on this site butI relate to most of today's I think we all have a good day feel we've moved forward don't we then bang step back.Do we all too have the friend who hasn't had the surgery but has a friend that was fine no problems making you feel like a wimp that goodness for this site

    my only word of possible advice my PT at times like this is to also use heat I place a bean thingy heated in microwave just behind knee or hot water bottle of course your part of the word maybe you don't have those lol

    good luck hope it helps

    • rbleegrip
      rbleegrip chris01382

      Posted

      Hey Chris yep I have a wheat bag too.mate and I've been using that a bit to more at night when I go to bed I put it behind knee at top of calf seems to help but yep keep on keeping on cheers

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