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7 days post TKR and still can't bend it ☹☹

Posted , 18 users are following.

rhianlewis79
rhianlewis79

Hello there,

I'm now 7 days post surgery and can still only bend to 75 degrees. I was discharged at 4 days with very little Physio input as my pain was not under control during my stay. In fact, the pain was horrendous and I am now home with morphene. However, I am really encouraged today by how much the pain has rapidly improved over the last 24 hours and I am now able to straighten well, weight bare and walk with just a stick (I was discharged 3 days ago in a wheelchair).

I am, however, terrified by the slow progress I have made with bending. I am concerned that I may never get there. The knee itself no longer hurts when I bend, but the muscles above and to the side seems to be locked. Thebknee itselfnis swollen and feels tight. I am only 37 and otherwise fit and active. I'm so scared that I may never recover as I have read and been told by many disappointed nurses that this stage of recovery is extremely important. I feel tired, worried and a failure.

Did anyone else have this problem and go on to make a good recovery?

Many thanks 

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  • ellen57898
    ellen57898 rhianlewis79

    Posted

    I will be seven weeks post op on right TKR. My first three weeks were agony. I went to PT , cried through the exercises and iced constantly. I learned from people on this forum that staying ahead of the pain will help tremendously. I take hydrcone just at bedtime, ibuprofen during the day. You are just a week post op. You will be in pain. Take pain meds 30 minutes before PT (I still do). If your exercises get too rough talk to your therapist and tell him to let up a bit. PT will hurt. I go 2X week now, and can bend 120. Almost straight. Try to get up and move a bit. Please take the time to rest, ice and take your meds. It takes about 4 weeks for things to turn around. There is a poster here, CHICO MARX who has excellent posts that will encourage you. He seems to be very active on this site so I expect he will see this and get back to you. It does get better.
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