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Hello .. This will be a long moaning, worried posting. I have not posted for a while and am feeling very low about my progress. I am six months post right TKR due to osteoarthritis and have been slowed down by ongoing recovery from a back fusion done just over a year ago ... So a back fusion followed by the knee at 7 months, a lot to take on, I have been worried about my progress ... Straightening the knee has been pretty good, degree of bend not so good. The best was 115 and now not just stalling, but regressing, I saw my surgeon who said he was happy enough with me ... X-rays were really good. He said to just keep going .. That was about three weeks ago.
I have had sciatica on and off for a couple of months now and I am sure that is because of my knee. I have been seeing a physio who has given me ultrasound and other treatments for the back and the knee but I am still not able to increase my degree of bend very much. I can get up the stairs but coming down is still very difficult. I am trying to walk more but the sciatica prevents me going far and the knee exercises are not 'cracking' through the progress barrier, and I know I have to try harder.
Lastly .. And really what has made me write here is that last Thursday was particularly cold and I got very chilled. My husband suggested I have a bath to warm up ... The first bath rather than shower in years! Getting in was ok but getting up and out was nearly impossible despite his help, I tried to stand on the good leg but couldn't get all the way so then, with the good leg semi bent, had to bend the operated leg and put my whole body weight through it Very painful and since then I have had shin bone pain again and the outside of the knee at the back and the calf have been painful and sometimes will not bear my weight. I am trying to walk to keep moving but the first steps are awful. I am waking at night with pain again after getting better nights for a while now.
i decided to see my rheumatologist last night who said the leg is just generally inflamed and he gave me a steroid injection in my behind which will go around my whole body and help to calm everything down. He doesn't think I have done anything catastrophic to the knee, just badly strained it. I have had these steroid injections the past and found them helpful. I have physio today so will get more ultrasound,
These setbacks and general lack of progress make me feel depressed as I cannot see being better than this with the bend and strength in my leg. I am wondering if getting some hydrotherapy to push on a bit might be the way to go? Is it too late to get the improvement I need? Should I start icing again?
Any suggestions and encouragement greatly appreciated. We are going to Lanzerote for a week mid-April and I am hoping that some warmer weather and moving in the pool will be a help. Thanks for reading all this ...
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3 likes, 8 replies
veronica91735 31pebworth
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suzanne64053 31pebworth
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martinarvelo 31pebworth
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tess94652 31pebworth
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All the best to you x
Oldfatguy1 31pebworth
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31pebworth
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caroline46398 31pebworth
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sarah87162 31pebworth
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Yes moving in the pool will definitely help.
I was back in the pool after 6 weeks and swimming breastroke again after 10 weeks.
It really takes about a year before you can feel the benefit of the op so you are half way there.
Keep going. Do not give up.
I had TKR nearly 3 years ago and now I feel it is like having my life back.
Take care and keep in touch
Sarah
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