Four weeks into PKR
Posted , 15 users are following.
I’m in my fourth week of PKR and my knee is so tight. This has been the most painful surgery that I’ve ever had and I’ve had a plenty. Please can someone tell me what to do to help the tightness in this knee. One day I’m doing better and the next day is like I’ve just had the surgery. My doctor wants to do my other knee soon and as far as I can see it won’t happen in this life time! I would have to be crawling before that happens.
1 like, 16 replies
John5006 Runt01
Posted
G'day Runt01,
?Yeah well - to one degree or another I agree - as a general rule - with everything everyone on here has said to you. I am in UK and was operated on by a brilliant surgeon as an NHS patient in a Private hospital. It was surgeons policy to get a 90 degree bend, before being discharged home. So, on day 3 following a right knee, partial knee replacement I already had a 90 bend, and something to build my recovery on. I also had dissolving staples, so no going back to have stitches removed. By day13 Post op I had my dressing removed and was cleared of infection. At my own initiative and expense I consulted a sports injury massage therapist for her to work on lower leg, upper leg and the incision line at the knee. The purpose being to help build up the leg muscles etc. The purpose of working on the incision line was top prevent internal scar tissue from forming. At 6 weeks I was almost free of pain, at 8 weeks off crutches and back driving my car, and going for long walks along the rugged and hilly South West Coastal Path here in Cornwall, and at 11 weeks, back at work, driving my car to and from work and driving a bus again.
?You could say I was lucky, and maybe I was, but I also had to bloody work at recovery. I also have a heart arrhythmia and take Warfarin for life. So, liquid morphine didn't touch the pain, nor did Tramadol - can't take any other pain relief ( because of Warfarin) except for prescription strength CoCodomol 30/500. That worked.
?Even now, a little over 2 years post op I still have a slight tight band around the knee, but its improving all the time. I am aware of an implant in the knee medial compartment ...... but no pain at all, either from surgery or from osteoarthritis.
?To get the knee movement, the exercises I did that helped were a combination of straightening the leg by sitting on a dining and putting my heel up on the arm of a lounge, then pressing down on the leg just above the knee.
?The to get the ROM or bend, I sat on a dining chair and got an orthoglide from Amazon ( our house is carpeted) and sat my heel in the cup of the orthoglide and sat right back on the chair - this gives you a limited, gentle range of movement. Then sit on the middle of the chair and you'll get a better ROM, then sit at the front of the chair and pull you heel back and eventually you should get up to around 135 degrees, that you'll need to walk properly. I also had to learn to walk correctly again, going like ............. heel, ball, toe ...... heel ball, toe and if you exaggerate this action you'll find it works on the knee, you can feel it.
?Anyway - that was my approach and it worked. Go to YouTube and search for exercises post TKR or PKR.
Hope that helps.
John