Had TKR 4 and 1/2 months ago
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hi everyone, I had a TKR 4 and 1/2 months ago and I thought my knee should be great and all healed by now but as I am reading some of your experiences I have come to realize it takes a long time for a full recovery. I had my TKR was up on a walker doing pt two hours later was released on second day. I came home and like everyone else had problems sleeeping beause I was not a back sleeper and there was no way I could sleep on my side at that point. I had my pt come to my house. I used a walker for a week and then I was walking on my own. My doctor wanted me to go to an outside PT because they can do more so I went for approximately 4 weeks about 2 to 3 times a week and then my PT said I really didn't need PT anymore. My knee felt great I was bending it to the degrees they wanted so they released me. Now I was still on pain medication and I was still not totally pain free but my knee felt great. About 3 months after the TKR I fell and went down hard on both knees. Since then I have been having trouble with my TKR. It gets stiff very quickly. I retain fluid anyway and have a hard time with swelling so I am guessing that this is cusing trouble for my knee. I just don't know what to do at this point. I was doing so well and now not so well. It seems I have gone bakwards. I am no longer on pain medication from the doctor I take tylenol when I have pain. I am not sure what I should do. I have read everyones postings and that shows me that everyone is different when it come to reovery. I guess because of the fall I should just keep doing my exercises and try keeping my fluid retention down and see how things goes over the next few months.
0 likes, 20 replies
DonnaM8359 jacqueline95689
Posted
jacqueline95689 DonnaM8359
Posted
Jessizzy jacqueline95689
Posted
i would contact surgeon who carried out tir and get it checked out !!
jacqueline95689 Jessizzy
Posted
Oldfatguy1 jacqueline95689
Posted
Back off some off the more strenuous exercises. Give the leg a chance to rest. My guess is that you are going full out all day and if this is the case, your leg is just saying ive had enough.....give me a break. See what 2 days without exercise and as close to complete rest as possible will do for it. Continue muscle tightening to help quads and ice every couple of hours. Elevate and increase your intake of fluids( water) substantially. Dehydration can create a lot of soreness, swelling and pain. Many people think that when they have reached your level of activity they are healed But The bodyviscsaying give me a few more more months. I'm not ready for The everyday beating yet.
Oldfatguy1 jacqueline95689
Posted
Sorry, I forgot about the fall. If you have any real excess heat in that knee, get hold of your surgeon. They may want to tale a look at the fluids in the knee. As far as doing damage to the joint its self, probably little to worry about. I fell The day afterbmybrevision and twisted the femur into (20° angle torque break. Went from outside in for 5 to 6 inches and I had to have a hip to knee plate placed next to the bone and held in with 8 screws ) but the prosthesis was solid as a rock. However; a year later I passed out from a urinary tract infection and landed on both knees and my forehead (6 stitches in my head) and wound up with a secondary staph which was brutal. Again look for unusual heat and any type of drainage plus elevated temperature.
April101 jacqueline95689
Posted
jacqueline95689 April101
Posted
michele61179 jacqueline95689
Posted
I am 3 months post op and I am still having Physio twice a week one hydrotherapy and one with the physio in the surgery. I knelt down on my knee about 4 weeks ago and my knee swelled up and I was in a lot of pain again. I felt like I had gone backwards quite a few weeks. But continually doing physio I am back on track. My physio has said to get the best result you should continue physio for st least 6 months and up to 12 months. I have a problem with my calf and thigh muscles which the physio does a deep (painful) massage on but it has made a huge difference.
I would suggest continue physio. If you're not happy with your PT I would try another one.
Also resume icing and heat packs.
As everyone says on here everyone has very different experiences. Just try and be patient (which is very hard for me) but it will come good as long as you continue doing the work.
judy17487 michele61179
Posted
I just had to "Fire" my Vizio lady. She's very nice and kind but she just spent too much time yakking and not enough time in my opinion working my leg. I really hated doing it but it wasn't doing me any good and I could never depend on her to show up when she said she would be here and it would be hours later. Everything is a challenge
judy17487
Posted
That's physio. Dictation app is wonky
NZJENNI jacqueline95689
Posted
I was told not to kneel as the metal can cause damage to the surrounding tissue being a hard substance. It may be that you need to go back to the initial healing regime for a while. Rest. Elevation. Ice. Antiflam creams.
It is my worst nightmare to fall post op
jacqueline95689 NZJENNI
Posted
judy17487 jacqueline95689
Posted
Ouch! That is sad. I hope you continue to heal as well as you did the first time. Good luck. I'm 5 weeks out and still working on getting leg straight. I have excellent ROM, but the sucker is being resistant to reaching my goal.
Irish_Al jacqueline95689
Posted
In the meantime rest it and maybe do some very light bending exercise.
But check with Doc first.
Take care,
Alan