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Back at work & suffering

Posted , 9 users are following.

andybro
andybro

Hi I'm a 51 year old carpenter , 14 weeks since I had TkR @ patella lined because of arthritis. I have been back at work for 3 weeks on light duties but am on my feet all day. Before returning to work I managrd about 110 * bend but now I'm struggling to be past 90*. Still trying to do my exercisees but by the end of the day Im finding the ligaments on the side of my knee & especially above are just too tight feeling like I've got a tight elastic band around it.

Beginning to feel that I will never regain the bend & will struggle to continue with my work, hoping someone can advise me when this tightness will go allowing to get back to normal.

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 andybro

    Posted

    I had TKR nearly 3 years ago. Although it is fine now it took a long time to get the bend in my knee. Realistically I reckon you can say about a year before it really is back to normal. Having said that, my knee is now so much better than it was before I had replacement it is like having my life back, so there is hope at the end of the tunnel.

    Keep me posted.

    Sarah

  • gwen1953
    gwen1953 andybro

    Posted

    I don't have an answer for you I'm afraid all I can say is that the older we are the longer the body takes to heal. I also think that as long as you continue to do the exercises the more likely the ligaments will loosen up. I have arthritis in my knee and when it first started I thought I was going to have to give up going for long walks etc but I have done the exercises given me, used the cream and taken the paracetamol and things are slowly getting better. At 61 things do take longer to mend...the other thing is we are likely to get more things wrong with us to contend with!  All part of the joy of ageing!
  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo andybro

    Posted

    So you were back to work at eleven weeks. .that's pretty hard!  I'm at ten weeks now, and had about 120 bend a couple of days ago and today it's tightened up, feels stiff and doesn't want to bend. . i don't know, but I think spending too long driving yesterday may have had something to do with it, and in your case, maybe it's too much to be on your feet all day . . No chance of doing part time for a while?  Otherwise, lots of rest along with the exercises is all I can think of and good luck!  Hope it improves for you soon.  It's hard when you have this operation while still relatively young. 

     

  • darlene76544
    darlene76544 andybro

    Posted

    Reading your post is like reading mine......that is exactly the way I feel...I had my tkr on Jan 6....walking up stairs to go to bed is like the worst thing in the world for me right know......I'm told we need to be patient......
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo darlene76544

      Posted

      You were just three days behind me then . . thank heavens I don't have to go upstairs to bed!  It is such a long job getting over this isn't it!  I seem to be going backwards at the moment..more stiffness and pain in the knee than at six weeks, but hopefully it will just be a phase cry I still find going downstairs difficult. . I can just about do it, with a crutch, and holding the handrail, but there is a great temptaton to do it one at a time!
    • darlene76544
      darlene76544 martinarvelo

      Posted

      Definitely a long job getting over..more than I ever thought...I also went to rehab an they neglected to give me blood thinner which caused a blood clot...so I'm on blood thinners for a year..I'm the same age as you so I understand your pain ....people on here are great..I've had some great conversations...but most say it gets better but realistically will be at least a year to feel more normal .so we have a ways to go ..but we can do it
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo darlene76544

      Posted

      I had blood thinning injections for six weeks. . they hurt a little, but nowhere near as much as a blood clot I;m sure!  Were you wearing those awful compression stockings ?  I'm glad I was given the blood thinning injections. . Well, not given actually!  they were VERY expensive! One of the problems with recovering from this op is that usually it isn't the only part of the body which is hurting. . my back, hips and feet are also painful at times, and make exercising difficult.  Still, hopefully in a few months there will be one less pain to contend with!razz
  • SonnysGirl
    SonnysGirl andybro

    Posted

    Wow I'm reading all yal post and amazed. I'm 37 has partial in dec. work up on dec 18 locked. And had get total On March 2. I'm barley 4 weeks. Bend takes that long? I'm about 86 bend extension. 14/10 depend on day. Xxxx to all.

    Hope your leg gets better. Be careful. I was told I be off for about 3-6 months. So blah set here.

    • sarah87162
      sarah87162 SonnysGirl

      Posted

      That is about the same bend as I was. Keep up the good work.

      Sarah

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