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Do the surprises never end?

Posted , 9 users are following.

joan51826
joan51826

Hi everybody I am 9 months post op and doing really well or so I thought. Yesterday I sat on the floor and completely forgot myself and tried getting up by kneeling on my new knee. Well I have never felt so much pain and rolled over in complete agony. I had to crawl to the setee and very ungainly haul myself up. I was in shock for the rest of the day and was sure I had moved something about in my knee. I am waiting to have my other knee done so feel that I will be completely useless when this is done and feel very down. 

1 like, 35 replies

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  • EileenH
    EileenH joan51826

    Posted

    Given the scar you get with a TKR I'm not surprised. Twenty one years ago I broke my leg just below the knee, a spiral break that required a plate so the same scar you have. It was removed 15 months later, scar reopened of course. I still cannot kneel comfortably on that knee - except briefly on a soft cushion. It is the scar that hurts and it has improved with time. I have also damaged the other knee and it is very uncomfortable to kneel on. You learn to deal with it though - brilliant excuse not to scrub floors ;-)

    By the way, I can kneel if I put a firm cushion under the shin so the knee itself isn't taking weight.

  • mary83072
    mary83072 joan51826

    Posted

    I have done this too...very painful.... but I can kneel if I use a firm cushion..... or kneel on bed to do exercises. I think the fact the new knee is metal it's pressing against our remaining knee tissue... so I think it's always going to be painful... take care.
  • veronica91735
    veronica91735 joan51826

    Posted

    I feel for you - I am at 13 weeks, & feeling a little better each week (1 step forward, 2 steps back sort of thing) - I got onto the floor to put some books away in a very low cupboard - most of the weight was on my "good" unoperated kneeling knee, but I still could not get up. The pain was so strong. I was on my own, & must have looked ridiculous as I crawled along the carpet to reach the settee & hawl myself up! I told my physio - who said kneeling on both knees from now on was simply out of the question unless you use a cushion to protect the only bit of the knee that is still yours (the knee-cap)!
  • PollyBB
    PollyBB joan51826

    Posted

    Sorry, Joan.  I have still not got used to kneeling, having had my left TKR two years ago and my right one 17 months ago. I don't like the sensational when I try to kneel so try to avoid it as much as possible. I usually end up shuffling along on my bottom to the nearest chair. I only indulge in baths occasionally.  My physiotherapist showed me how to get up using a pillow but this doesn't work with two new knees.  As I am much better doing everything else, I have come to accept this,

     

  • EileenH
    EileenH joan51826

    Posted

    Don't know if any of you are interested - but if I need to do things low down I try to use a lowish stool to perch on so there isn't weight on my knees. Most of the time I can get up from there without kneeling first. If you find one the right height you are almost as low down as when kneeling but still high enough to stand up. What I'd really like is one with lockable wheels so if I can't quite manage to get up I could scoot it across the floor to something to get hold of! Niche market anyone??
    • joan51826
      joan51826 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks Eileen thats a really good idea. I try to bend down as far as possible but then seem to go red in the face which doesnt help any. My husband keeps saying leave the bending to me but he doesnt seem to notice all the dusty places that I do. 
    • EileenH
      EileenH joan51826

      Posted

      Hehe - men doing cleaning that requires bending? That's a new one on me! I have just taken advantage of OH being in hospital having a Duptryens contracture sorted to do something about the floor in his study. I know my housekeeping skills leave a bit to be desired but OMG! There was a whole warren of dust bunnies! I was using the narrow nozzle on the vacuum so was bending - pffft! And the back objected too. 

      Just occurred to me - you know those lovely wooden trikes for toddlers to push along on? Something like that in our size would be perfect - with extending handlebars for getting up with...

    • betty07083
      betty07083 EileenH

      Posted

      Eileen that is a good idea using a low stool ( one of those "why didn't I think of that", ha)

      I was wondering if anyone has done yoga or other floor exercises? Everyone tells me how great yoga is but there is no way I will attempt to get down on the floor for fear ( and embarrassment) I will never get back up. It's hard to think that I will never be able to get on the floor for anything again unless there is a way to get up without having to get on my knees, which is how I've always gotten myself up!

    • EileenH
      EileenH betty07083

      Posted

      I haven't had a TKR - but for the last 10 years I have had polymyalgia rheumatica which has meant anything involving getting down on the floor has been associated with the fear "will I ever be able to get up!". I haven't had a bath since then - I know I would be shouting for help to get out! Thank god for showers!

      As I say, it hurts too much to kneel since mangling my knee but I did Pilates which my wonderful teacher adapted - you can do many of the kneeling things lying on your stomach. It's a while ago, but I'm sure one of the things we did in Pilates was learn how to stand from seated on the floor without kneeling (or using hands). I also did adapted Iyengha yoga - I was too stiff for a lot of things but another wonderful teacher helped there too. Including a hand up when needed. If you are in a gym with bars you can just do things close to them! 

      I thought at first I would be embarrassed if I got stuck - but the others were great. It is something to talk over with the teacher - some of them have done training for people with "handicaps" (I can't think of a better word in English, but you know what I mean). If I remember rightly, she did some things with me using foam blocks so I wasn't right down on the floor - I just needed more blocks than others. In fact - couldn't you use a block under a shin to allow you to get up more easily?

      Do you not get a physio to teach/show you adapted ways of doing things? Maybe there are vidoes online. I bet the rehab you get in Germany covers those sort of things - you get a few weeks in a residential clinic for the physio and stuff. I live in northern Italy - bet it is similar here. 

    • betty07083
      betty07083 EileenH

      Posted

      Hi Eileen

      I'm in the U.S. and had a limited number of physical therapy sessions after my TKR, for bending & straightening, but we never discussed getting on the floor and how to get back up.

      As far as learning to get up off the floor without kneeling or using my hands - yikes! I never had enough core strength for that. It's hard enough getting up from a chair without pushing myself up with my arms & hands.

      I know Pilates is good for core strength, but I always thought you had to be pretty fit to begin with for Pilates. I hear it's pretty challenging.

      I guess I'll stick to walking & riding the stationary bike. At least those two things won't get me in any embarrassing situations smile

      I hope smile

    • jean95756
      jean95756 EileenH

      Posted

      how I would love to have a nice long soak in the bath....sigh.....a shower is never the same....it cleans you ....but it doesn't soothe away the aches and pains like a nice long soak in the bath.

      oh well ....just another chapter in my life.

      Jean 

    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 jean95756

      Posted

      I've been having baths again now for 3 weeks (13 weeks post TKR). Put both hands on the bath, leaning almost full length over, & raise your leg into the bath - the other has to follow! It takes a while to sink into the lovely bubbles, but it is Oh, so worth it! Get out the same way! Our bath has handles, but I notice I'm not using them. Lift the operated leg out first to get out, in a straight position, straight over the side of the bath. My booklet had diagrams, but hopefully I have explained it OK!!
    • EileenH
      EileenH betty07083

      Posted

      You start at your level and build up - a good teacher will teach every level and encourage you to do what YOU can, not what others are doing. The class I went to had a load of older ladies - it's great for getting you to the state of being able to get out of a chair without hands! Every so often young men would appear and you could see them thinking "This'll be easy, all these old women, we'll show them!". Usually 10 to the ladies, 1 to them. And they often were never seen again!
    • jean95756
      jean95756 veronica91735

      Posted

      hi

      that sounds really good advice but my other knee isn't very good so it would be a bit difficult to stand back up 

      my shower is over the bath so I have to climb in the bath as you said ...but it's the sitting down I would have difficulty with 

      but thanks and it's good of you to explain ...I bet it will help others 

      Jean 

    • EileenH
      EileenH jean95756

      Posted

      There are devices available to use to get in and out of the bath if you are unable to stand up to get out because of not kneeling or arms not being strong enough or whatever. There are loads of ads in magazines like the People's Friend or on the internet. It used to be you could get help with the cost if you were on a low income but I suspect they would say you have a shower... I couldn't even get in and out of a bath to be able to use a shower over a bath - but we have had a walk-in shower for years. I couldn't be without one for more than a week! There's a limit to how often I'm prepared to strip was! I have even asked for a different room in a hotel - el-cheapo motels are usually best, they only have a shower!
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