5 weeks and feeling better
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi guys, not posted last couple of weeks it was my mums funeral last Friday and i wanted things to settle down a bit. Thanks for the advice you gave me a couple of weeks ago, i kept getting a stabbing pain when i had been walking for a couple of minutes. i got myself really worried about it but the advice i received on here was great. My ibuprofen prescription hadnt been renewed so i reinstated that and within a day or so i felt better. If it hadnt been for this forum i would have got myself all upset and worked up. This is a great place to go when you need reassurance. I had my second physio appt today and they were really pleased with my progress. I have a 115 bend it was 110 a week ago and my leg is nearly straight. Im still in a lot of pain but i expected that with my other arthritis issues but my leg is feeling stronger. I can walk without support but am still using one crutch as my knee doesnt feel strong enough yet to go without. I have a stationery bike and the physio has said i can now use it because i really need to build up my quads but only for short spurts.
Im still elevating and icing but no more blood thinners and compression socks thank god. I would love to hear how other people were at 5 weeks and and what i can expect over next few weeks.
Has anybody used a stationery bike to improve quad strength.
Thanks.
0 likes, 6 replies
martinarvelo lisa11951
Posted
Sorry to hear about the loss of your Mum. Five weeks is still quite early days. . from now on, though, I'm sure you are going to notice improvement quite rapidly. However, a really good day is often followed by a rotten one, so don't let that get you down! Overdoing it can lead to a temporary setback, but don't let that deter you! if you start using a hydrotherapy pool, be careful to go easy at first..I made the mistake of overdoing it the first time, because it was so relaxing in that lovely warm watr. . and the next day was really bad! so, steady and sure. . .you're doing really well with 115 at five weeks!
CHICO_MARX lisa11951
Posted
Sorry about mom...
That sounds great for 5 weeks. You're in that 90-day post-op period where the HUGE pain starts to lessen, PT begins to make a difference and sleeping gets better. Still have a long way to go but it's a great start. You will see big differences at the three and six month marks. Don't count days anymore and soon you will start counting in months, not weeks. After PT is the leg strengthening which takes a good six months because you have to start so slowly. Give yourself the full year to get back to normal. If you do it sooner, then count yourself lucky. I know people at a year who let loose and still paid the price. It's an on-going thing for quite some time...
chris00938 lisa11951
Posted
Lisa, it must have been a difficult time with your Mum's funeral. Very sad. So sorry!
It sounds as though you're doing REALLY well now. The first thing I'll say is the journey after TKR varies SO hugely, so never compare yourself to someone else. On the advice of the physio, before I left hospital, at three weeks I started VERY slowly using my recumbent bike, with the pedals very far back and no resistance and I did find it helped hugely with the bend and when I went back to the physio at six weeks (I'd built it up to seven minutes a day then gradually going up to level 7 resistance but can't remember if I was at that level by 6 weeks) the physio was amazed at my leg strength (so was I, to be honest, when he pushed down on the leg sticking out unsupported). So yes, the bike definitely helped quad strength! I think regularly using the bike before the op helped hugely too! It's a good way of building strength because you're not putting too much weight ON the knee while bending but still building muscle.
jenny80029 lisa11951
Posted
That's great news. My experience was that now things do get better and easier. Keep putting the work into building up strength! 😊🎉
Guest lisa11951
Posted
marilyn10235 lisa11951
Posted
Sorry to hear about your Mum.
The thing is Lisa, after 7 months I can't remember what it was like at 5 weeks! Which is a good thing. For you now it's onwards & upwards, you are doing great!
Keep up the good work.
Marilyn
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