Back-of-the Knee Pain
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Thinking back to when I first had enough PAIN in my knees to find myself ALWAYS FOCUSING on where it was hurting, what I MIGHT have done that CAUSED me pain, and how I was going to GET RID of my pain, I realized that it all started when I was on my knees getting Easter decorations out of a low cupboard in my classroom. I SAT BACK WITH MY KNEES TUCKED UNDER ME, and suddenly felt EXCRUCIATING pain in the backs of both knees.
I had NEVER felt this BEFORE, even though I had often moved in this same way at this very same cupboard. Fortunately it was after school was out, and my classroom was NOT filled with second graders! (I MUST have SCREAMED pretty loud because it wasn't long before several of my co-workers came running into my classroom.)
For DAYS the back of my knees ached and hurt. I vowed that I would NEVER EVER move that way again!
Over the years I have tried to figure out what the heck happened. Why THEN? Why the PAIN?
I have had people mention Baker's Cyst, muscles, ligaments, stray chunks of bone that migrated to that area, etc., but even with my left Total Knee Replacement being done four weeks ago, I CONTINUE TO experience the same annoying and painful feelings in the back of my knees.
I worry that I went through my TKR to ELIMINATE my pain yet CONTINUE to have these issues in the back of BOTH of my knees.
Anyone out there experiencing this?
Anyone have ANSWERS to what the heck is going on?
Is there a type of BACK-OF-THE-KNEE surgery that is done FOLLOWING TKR surgery?
The backs of my knees feel like there are these ropes that move all around every which way. Sometimes the ropes all lay flat and BEHAVE THEMSELVES. Sometimes, however, the ropes get TWISTED or one becomes shorter, and I get very sharp pain without even kneeling.
I want what EVERYONE here wants...Knees that DON'T HURT!
0 likes, 11 replies
Oldfatguy1 cheryl90571
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cheryl90571 Oldfatguy1
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I know it probably sounds ABSURD, but I had had THREE abdominal surgeries : C-section/ Myomectomy/C-section from 1981-1988 and wanted NEVER EVER EVER to even HEAR of anything SURGICAL again!
Can you say, "This girl was in DENIAL!"???
I was in the mindset that I was young (30s) and nothing " serious" was even ABLE to happen to me.
Even TYPING this thirty-some years later I can see how I probably sabotaged myself from the get go. Also I have been told on a number of occasions throughout my life that my pain threshold is extremely high. When you don't make a doctor's appointment right away, and you don't do any follow up with procedures like ones you suggested, I guess you fall through the cracks. I fell through MY OWN cracks for a number of years!
Taking care of two children, marriage, working two jobs, caring for ailing family members...yes, DENIAL, transference, STUPIDITY...THEY WERE ALL THERE in my life!
ANYWAY, 30+ years later I am reaping what I have sown. I am now RETIRED. Those babies are having babies of their own. (My husband and I become first -time GRANDPARENTS to a little GRANDDAUGHTER in September!)
I am probably for the first time in YEARS seeking to fix ME. It feels weird. My husband has been dealing with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, DENIAL of his own medical conditions, and an extremely LOW pain threshold. For my first four days home he took really good care of me, but then became ZOMBIE HUSBAND having to wake up every 45 minutes to help me to the bathroom.
I felt really bad for him and began doing many things for myself earlier than I SHOULD HAVE mainly because I am very headstrong, very stubborn and I just like to be INDEPENDENT!
WOW! This is sounding more like a therapy session...even a CONFFESSION! (I'm not Catholic, but I've heard that CONFESSION can be pretty intense!)
So, there you have it.
Denial and STUPIDITY wrapped up in one very messy package!
Now, I am trying to unwrap that package and FIX WHAT IS INSIDE!!!
I thank you for your WISDOM, your amazing ability to cut to the chase and sort out all the pieces, and for being the voice of reason.
I wonder...can I get a torn meniscus fixed THIRTY YEARS after it was torn in the first place???
Oldfatguy1 cheryl90571
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irish_linda cheryl90571
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cheryl90571 irish_linda
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I am working hard in PT sessions and at home to straighten my left leg. My right will be replaced in several months, but I try to work it within reason as well.
Do you find that as you focus on straightening that BENDING then becomes harder?
irish_linda cheryl90571
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cheryl90571 irish_linda
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I wonder why it is so hard to be able to just achieve BOTH straightening and bending. When I do really well with the straightening , I have much less success with bending. When I am achieving good things with bending, my straightening is less.
Maybe I just expect more of myself than is possible right now.
I have been working hard on getting the swelling to go down. Swelling REALLY gets in the way of success with EVERYTHING!
I have been walking a lot inside and outside. I graduated from a walker to a cane to walking without any assistance when I am inside.
Do you walk a lot?
irish_linda cheryl90571
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cheryl90571
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That seems CRAZY that swelling would continue so long!
I like to challenge myself and see how many of the printed exercises I have will be found in my daily activities. I am pretty active, so I am all over the place inside and outside the house. Today I did my leg rises on my toes as I put away dishes from the dishwasher and then cake mixes onto the top shelf of the pantry. I did my leg stretches leaning down and holding for twenty seconds AS I POLISHED MY TOENAILS.
Doing exercises this way makes me more interested in doing them and helps me see their value to me much better than just doing sessions like a regular workout.
Yes, to think of FALLING due to not having support of a cane or walker OR crutches IS scary, but even WITH a walker, crutches, or cane I can sometimes be my own worst enemy, too!
Oldfatguy1 cheryl90571
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cheryl90571 Oldfatguy1
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Growing up, Grandma lived with us. She loved to cook and so did I. My mother, her daughter, HATED COOKING, soooooo Mom would do all the setting and clearing of the table, ongoing clean-up AS Grandma and I would cook , AND Mom would wash, dry and put everything Grandma and I would pitch into the sink IMMEDIATELY.
When my husband and I got married my biggest problem was RUNNING OUT OF spoons, pots, pans, etc. AS I COOKED! It occurred to me one day that I had NEVER stirred something with the same spoon, and I had used MANY, MANY pans, bowls, measuring cups etc. briefly and just tossed them in the sink. The problem NOW was, Mom wasn't there to continually clean up for me. All I ended up with was a sink of dirty dishes and spoons!