Posted , 14 users are following.
Twelve months ago, I was sobbing,talking to myself in the bathroom mirror,asking myself why on earth had I agreed to have a TKR. I wished I never had had it done.
My leg was so swollen, the pain was so bad and the exercises were almost impossible to do. Trying to bend a knee which was swollen to twice its size is not easy.
With lots of help from the brilliant advice on here I managed to cope.
After six weeks of weekly physio provided by our NHS here in the UK I was left to continue my knee journey alone. My doctors at my local surgery just distributed painkillers.They weren't really much help.
My biggest worry was the inability to do all the exercises because of the swelling. I decided to just do what I could when I could and keep icing. After six months I still had pain and could only bend to ninety degrees.The more I walked on my knee the more pain I had.
The swelling had gone down quite a lot so I was able to do more knee bending exercises. My consultant was always there in the background if I needed him which I shall always be grateful for. He told me that he never discharged any his patients whilst they still needed him. Our NHS is brilliant when it works.
A few weeks ago I started riding my bike( power assisted) again.Yes, I felt a few painful twinges in my knee as I pedalled but I felt good.
As for walking, well I'm fine as long as I don't do too much. A couple of days ago I walked two miles up and down hills in our local country park. As I had not done that since my I had my new knee it did start to hurt.I think I overdid the hills.
The cycling did improve my knee bend so yes it can still improve twelve months down the line.
Am I glad I had a TKR? Now I can say yes I am. My knee will always feel 'mechanical' but I can walk most of the time without pain.
Recovery after TKR is not the same for everyone, we recover at our own speed.
So to all those just starting their TKR journey all I can say is just hang in there, it does get easier. Don't be put off when you read that someone is back at work, running again and pain gone after a few months. They are the lucky ones how I wish my recovery had been as fast.
The down side is that other knee has now started to 'go'. It is very painful at times but I really want to avoid another TKR but only time will tell.
PS I'm seventy eight years young.
7 likes, 23 replies
cheryl90571 saralice
Posted
Glad to hear that you are now doing well and pleased with your decision to have your TKR surgery!😄
Yes, this site has helped SO MANY! I found it a couple weeks following my first TKR.
Both of my knees were bad. I actually scheduled my second knee at a check-up for my first knee! Having two knees that are without pain after having HORRENDOUS pain for YEARS is a wonderful thing.
Sending hugs to you today!
Glad things are looking up for you!??
wendy24221 saralice
Posted
I am 2 years down the line and you could be telling my story. I am coming to the conclusion that the people with the most amount of swelling have the longest and hardest recovery, whereas people with less seem to get off to a flying start. My knee was hugely swollen for weeks and the physio agreed that I was bending it as far as the swelling would allow and the harder I tried the more angry and swollen it became. I was also shocked at the amount of muscle wastage in my calf - after about six weeks my lower leg looked like a stick!
It is very difficult to keep mentally strong when you find yourself disabled and relying on other people - the very thing you were trying to avoid by having the operation. Like everybody else, I went through a period when I sat on my bed every morning and cried tears of misery and frustration. I tried to remind myself that my knee problems before the op would only get worse, but now they would only get better, and how I hated those people who said "best thing I ever had done!"
I would like to reassure others that strength and flexibility continue to improve during the 2nd year as you go about your normal life and no longer focus on your knee all the time. I do not believe I have the perfect outcome that some people get. It will never feel like a natural knee, but I can go about my life without pain and fear of it collapsing, which in the end is all my consultant promised. I do not regret having it done; luckily my other knee is holding up alright at the moment (I have just lost 23 lbs which should help), but if necessary I would probably go for it and feel I could probably do it much better now.
Good luck to everybody who is struggling with their own journey.
cynthia89958 wendy24221
Posted
I joined a few knee groups over the past year and the more positive recovery posts tend to be from folk whose knee photos showed a none or not very swollen knee! Mine swells for any reason and I have had a slow and sore recovery!! Good to know that you have reached a place where your knee is comfortable if not as good as a natural one.
barbara16006 wendy24221
Posted
It is such a relief for me to find this web site this morning. I have felt like I was going out of my mind with everyone who keep saying I shouold be further along now after 8 weeks. Seems like everyone has oly heard the success stories of people back to normal in 6-8 weeks.
I am finding that I have more knee pain after physical therapy and it does not go away. Even my physical therapist is telling me that he does not understand why I have pain in a certain area of my kneee. I had a TKN 8 weeks ago and seemed to have been doing OK until I started on the stationary bicycle. After each session there was more pain in a certain spot just to the left of my kneecap area. If I sleep with my knee in a position where it does little or no movement during the night, then the pain area is not sore, just numb and slollen. But by the time I am up on it for 5 minutes, the pain is back but only when walking when before it was also sore to the touch.
I had a problem with my knee before surgery and was walking bent over some because I could not straighten out my leg. After surgery my leg is straighter and actually feels as if it is now longer than the oher leg. So that makes it difficult for me to walk "normal," bending the knee with each step. I found that if I tiptoe on my good (let) foot, it is easier for the knee to bend and me walk more normal with the TKN knee.
Am I going crazy? Has anyone else had this experience? I plan to call my surgeon to set up an appointment to see if I can discuss thesee issues.Unfortunately, it seems that some of the doctors don't understand why all their patients aren/t back to normal in a few weeks.
I am in my second month of Physical therapy, but I don't know that it is heloping. I just wish I knew what was normal for ME.
cynthia89958 barbara16006
Posted
Hi Barbara, Glad you have found this site so you can feel supported and not as though you are the only one with issues after TKR.
?There are those who make a magical recovery, but they are the exception, there are some who will have ongoing issues, most people will be in the middle somewhere. It is a big operation and knees are one of the most complex areas of the body to have a surgery.
?The other day, someone asked what was up with my knee as they had bilateral TKRs and were all better in a few weeks! Well, mine has not been the easiest recovery and still is not great at 20 weeks. But then, we know it can takes months and up to a year or longer for many of us to feel we have healed. My OS said a TKR is tough and never will match a natural knee, but can of course give back mobility to a damaged one. The luckier patients get little pain and recover quickly, but it is not easy to predict as there are so many factors involved and differences between us all.
?I can relate to having a bent knee presurgery - I had bone to bone right knee and a Baker's cyst. My knee was straighter post op and leg does feel longer and walking seems uneven. Physio did hurt a lot and my knee got stuck at a low bend and needed a manipulation. I have numb area to side of knee and various sore and tight areas around knee. It is really frustrating as we just want to get our mobility and independence back.
?I think you are right to mention your concerns to your doctor and keep up the good work exercising to the best of your ability. Time is a friend here and you may find things improve quite suddenly, although good and not so good days are likely.
?Keep checking in and posting as you need to - this group has a wealth of knowledge and experience!
wendy24221 barbara16006
Posted
Hi Barbara
Welcome to the crazy world of TKR recovery where we all think we are losing it at times!
I think one of the problems that we first encounter is that our natural reaction to any injury, whether caused by an accident or a surgeon is to try to protect it, but we are being told to immediately stand up and walk on it and behave as if nothing has happened. Seems to work for some people but didn't work for me.
I have the same feeling that my TKR leg is slightly longer than the other one but I am not sure whether this is real or an illusion, after having adjusted to walking with a bent leg for several years. In my case my knee was collapsing inwards (knock-knees) and after being straightened my gait seems affected and sometimes when I first start walking, I find it difficult to walk in a straight line. I also think that your natural knees act as shock absorbers, but the new knee feels very solid, particularly over uneven ground. However, as time goes on, I notice these things less and less as I relax and walk more naturally and no longer fear tripping over every crack in the pavement. If your doctor finds that you do now have one leg slightly longer, you can get prescription orthotics to fit in your shoe to even things up.
You need to ignore other people's expectations and carry on improving at your own rate. 8 weeks is still very early days.
barbara16006 cynthia89958
Posted
lynn53216 barbara16006
Posted
Good morning Barbara,
I know the feeling, sometimes my knee is very stiff; the doctor told me it's normal and sometimes it's so swollen. Again they say this is normal. I am almost at 6 months post surgery and I just wish it would go down to normal size. I get up to walk sometimes and cannot walk in a straight line. It is very fustrating. But once again I am told by the doctor that everything I am going through is normal. All I know is the healing is slow but I don't have the pain I had before the surgery. Good luck.
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