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Back to work at 6 weeks, 118 bend and 5 straighten

Posted , 8 users are following.

Rocco
Rocco

I had the TKR surgery six weeks ago on Nov. 21 and went back to work as a high school teacher today. It felt fine and I walked around the room quite a bit. I was tired but I am tired every day now from lack of sleep. I have a question--my knee bends to 118 and straightens to 5.. I know my PT wants to get it to 125 and 0 but I am not sure that would be worth the effort. What do you all think?

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 Rocco

    Posted

    Getting to 0 will keep the possibility of limping to a minimum. As far as bend that's between you and your surgeon. I've never gotten better than 117 but my situation and age are completely different than yours.

  • mandy95401
    mandy95401 Rocco

    Posted

    Wow no way I could go back to work at 6 weeks. My pt told me that walking round with a slight bend for the rest of your life will shatter your knees, straight is important. Keep going!
  • cathy66878
    cathy66878 Rocco

    Posted

    Go for the best you can. It will pay off in the long run. 
  • davidjk22
    davidjk22 Rocco

    Posted

    It is important to be able to get the leg straight , a bent leg will put extra stress on your knee . I had my first knee done 18 years ago and the other 16 years ago . I get 125+ bend and 0 straight . Not had a problem with either knee , but I was off work 6 months for each , my job entailed lifting and kneeling , so the Dr insisted I recovered fully before returning to work . Six weeks sems to be very early to return . Keep up the physio , its the only way to get full movement back .
  • Milla2017
    Milla2017 Rocco

    Posted

    Wow. Back at work. How did you do that? I am 3 days short of 3 weeks post TKR and my surgeon said I could only go back in 8 weeks. Extension is the holy grail in TKR. I was told from the beginning to work at keeping the leg straight. I have had a lot of swelling and once I was a 5 because of that but otherwise I am 0.
  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX Rocco

    Posted

    Back to work in 6 weeks is way ahead of the curve.  Full ROM?  Gotta have it if you don't want to limp the rest of your life.  The hard work pays off.

  • clive45466
    clive45466 Rocco

    Posted

    Hi

    What type of TKR did you have? You have done very well, compared to most of us.

    The bend will improve with time ? If you are mobile and excercising .

    Does your knee still burn and is hot to touch?

    Good healing

    • Rocco
      Rocco clive45466

      Posted

      I had a total knee replacement but I am not sure what kind. I think they used my old knee cap. No burning but occasisional stabs of pain. Still swollen somewhat..
  • John5006
    John5006 Rocco

    Posted

    6 weeks - madness !

    Only when I got to 130 degrees and 0 degrees leg straightening did I feel normal. But then hospital policy was you do not leave hos[pital till you get 90 bend .

    ?so, its like this you wanna know what normal is - its the leg that wasn't operated on ... you need to try and get your operated leg to do what the non operated one does.

    ?Its all about skeletal geometry. If you don't get this right - NOW - not only will you limp but you will get other bone/joint issues emerge in the fthe years ahead.

    sorry Rocco, I know thats not what you wanna hear. Just trying to help. Good luck.

    • Rocco
      Rocco John5006

      Posted

      That's OK, John. I'm still going to PT and still working on it. I was just wondering if there is a big difference between 5 and zero and apparently there is.. 

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX Rocco

      Posted

      Big difference.  In fact, those last few degrees can be the hardest.  I was plateaued at -4 for two weeks before my PT got through the scar tissue.  The progression from -4 to -1 was fairly quick once the obstacle was overcome.  Patience and work.
    • Rocco
      Rocco CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      I went to PT today. I'm down to  a 4 or even a 3, the therapist said. At 119 for bend. She also said my walk shows no limp. Second day back at work and she gave me a pretty rough session. I'll sleep tonight. I think. I hope. 

  • Rocco
    Rocco

    Posted

    Update. I just woke up after my best night's sleep so far and will go back to school today. I slept from 9 to 3:30, woke up and read for 10 minutes, and then slept again from 4 to 5:30. I was hoping the reurn to work would do that. Teaching is exhausting and I need to be exhuasted to sleep.I have PT today after school so I will see where my straigtening is at.

    BTW, I take no pain meds during the day except for one Alleve. I take 5 mg of Vicodin when I go to bed.     

    • John5006
      John5006 Rocco

      Posted

      Hi Rocco,

      ?Just picking up on Chico Marx comment about breaking through scar tissue.- with this type of surgery - absolutely essential and at no time did my surgeon or PT's ever explain to me the importance of this. I got this advice from my Sports Massage Therapist way, way prior to the op. I let her work on my muscles weekly for about 6 weeks before surgery and for 6 weeks after - best thing I ever, ever did (apart from taking pain killers). The best thing .... why wasn't I told ... I just don't know. But its fact - she massaged on the incision line and all around it again weekly for 6 weeks and taught me how to do it myself inbetween. amazing. If you don't minimize that scar tissue or even prevent it its doom and gloom.

      ?As an aside, another issue ... what you say about sleeping is so true god sleep and I have not been good bed mates for decades now , I blame years of anti social shift work driving buses. If I go to bed around 9 to 10 pm, I'm usually awake again by  2 or 3 am. Crap ! Having gone back to work driving buses following retirement doing 10 hours a day, 3 or 4 days a week I do get very tired , very tired .... then I sleep like a baby and wake up quite refreshed - as soon as I hit my days off my crap sleep patterns return. ! weird ... and annoying !

      Good luck.

      John

    • John5006
      John5006 Rocco

      Posted

      I also forgot to say I was taught how to walk again, and walk properly I mean. As you are clearly walking in the course of your duties it may be halpful to practice walking ......... heel down first, ball of foot, then toe. Heel - ball - toe, heel - ball - toe. You may find this process pulls around your knee but it will prevent your knee from getting lazy when walking. Youtube is a good resource for visually check out exercise and techniques - onto Youtube, then search for exercises or walking after TKR surgery.

      John

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 John5006

      Posted

      Absolutely one of the important but often forgotten areas of rehab. Slowing down / proper posture and proper footwork are vital. We all want to catch up for the downtime Ana so leaning forward, slight bend at the waist and force the stride tho king we are getting things caught up. Another of those forgotten but important items for keeping the leg moving properly, hydration. A dehydrated body really messes with. The tissue just doesn't mend properly when it gets dried out and stringy. Years ago I read an article by one of the highly successful pro golfers. He explained what a difference drinking a bottle of lemon -lime drink make in the way he gripped and controlled his club. I tried it the next time out and the difference was unbelievable. Very quickly I could feel the difference in the way 26th e club felt on my fingertips and the increased control I had of the club. Unfortunately it didn't help me slow down my swing. I needed a small anvil tied to the head for that.

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