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6 weeks post op - quad very weak - no stim allowed because of pacemaker.

Posted , 4 users are following.

ironwoods
ironwoods

PT’s only noticed last week that my quad quivers - very weak.  For comparison, the left leg quad is perfect and very strong. So, the pressing the knee down in flat leg position doesn’t do much.

They explained to me that the quadricep muscle is hugely important in centering and balancing/supporting all the components of the knee.

Anyone experience similar problem and how do you cope with it?

Are there exercises to strengthen the TKR weakened quad?

3 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Snoozy69
    Snoozy69 ironwoods

    Posted

    I'm 5  months post op and still having quad problems. When I last saw my consultant he held my leg out straight in front of me by the foot, he said when I let go of your foot keep it there, it dropped slightly indicating a weakness to the quad. He told me to walk more, I do one legged squats and I lay flat on my back on a mat, put a ball under my knee and then extend the leg to try and straighten it. I think it's going to take a long time to build it back up x

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX ironwoods

    Posted

    Your quad, glutes and core are all dead...D-E-D...dead...  Here's the program...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

    Endurance before strength.  This comes after you get your ROM back or pretty close.  The rebuilding of all that musculature takes a while.  There is no instant fix.  Just time, work and patience.  A full recovery usually takes a year because the knee cannot be pushed like a shoulder or hip (I've had all three).  

    Once you get a good deal of that strength back, then comes stairs...defined as up and down with alternating legs while holding onto nothing...you know...normal...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/mastering-post-tkr-stairs-552728

    Have fun...

    • kittylamb
      kittylamb CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      hey chico

      its me again.....but i want to know...is how can you work on quads wen quads dont work at all???

      cant do any exercises with thenm as they just dont respond?

      all my physios etc keep tellin me they cant work with something that isnt there......any advice?#xx

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX kittylamb

      Posted

      Like I said...endurance before strength.  Do leg presses and quad curls at the gym with NO WEIGHT at all.  Build up the reps and then start adding weight.

      I had a hip replacement in '09.  In that op, they literally cut the quad at the hip.  Before the surgery, I could do 90+ pound quad curls...after the op, barely 5 pounds.  Took months to build it back up.  Same thing here.

      Time, work and patience.  It's a long road but worth it in the end.  At 14 months, I was going up stairs two at a time without any assistance at all.  Gotta do the work and be very patient about your progress.

    • ironwoods
      ironwoods CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks for the input.  My therapist added 2 exercises to work & strengthen the hips: standing hip hiking

      and. Standing knee extension with resistance coil band

      My problem is that I have only recently come out of the major pain fog and am really motivated.  Mega dose ibuprofen & Tylenol felt like they ate away my stomach lining so I had to discontinue.   Also, sleep problems.

      I am going to ask him today to teach me how to get down & up from the floor.  My bed(s) is mega lush and so are all the sofas.  I really miss the hard tables at therapy.  So, I need to get down on the floor to do the sitting & lying down exercises effectively.

      Going to a sandy beach today and want to lie down and enjoy the sun.

      Never could stomach beach chairs....

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