Posted , 10 users are following.
I'm 11 days post surgery and everytime I do heel slides my knee gets so stiff that I can barely walk. I ice after each exercise session.
Maybe I'm pushing to much.
0 likes, 14 replies
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Eizie Duckfan
Posted
Damn those heel slides!! Are you doing them too often? Take it easy for a bit; maybe just don't do them as often fit a few days and see how your knee feels. Definitely ice!! Good luck!
serena44792 Duckfan
Posted
Hi. I'm nearly 5 weeks post tkr and still struggling to get bend. It improves all the time but slowly! I can't do heel slides. I rather sit on chair with long scarf under my foot (this is on wood floor) and pull/push regularly and then hold back as much as possible and then in and out again etc. And massage before with coconut oil or something slippery! That really does help a lot. You're very early days!
Eizie serena44792
Posted
I'm 5 weeks too. Can't get past 110 in left knee and 105 right knee. Stool so painful and stiff!
CHICO_MARX Duckfan
Posted
You're doing too much if your knee swells. You should NOT be in excruciating pain when you do the exercises but you are only 11 days post-op and should be on your meds. You're probably expecting too much.
Lindholm CHICO_MARX
Posted
Hi, Im 3 days after a TKR and cant bend my knee at all for heel slides on the bed but knee bends sitting on a chair, really worried, any suggestions?
John5006 Duckfan
Posted
G'day Duckfan,
?Not being funny, but how are you doing the heel slides. My PT instructions were to use an orthoglide or a clean baking tray (on a carpeted floor which I have) and do them 3 to 4 times a day and each session do 10 heel slides. I bought an orthoglide, I was given the choice of lying flat on a bed putting my heel in the orthotglide and sliding my feet toward me, that then flexes the knee and hip. I was also given an alternative, namely, sitting in a solid high chair (not a lounge chair or sofa), placing the heel in the glide and moving my heel back toward the chair and try and get it as far under the seat of the chair as I can. Make sure though that you are well stoked up with pain relief.
John
Oldfatguy1 Duckfan
Posted
Slow down the speed of the slide....you aren't in a race.
Dont push them back so far. The purpose is to stretch the soft tissue and you aren't going to hit the end result early on so only go as far as you can without pain.
Start by doing 10 two or three times a day then slowly add to the count. Like all exercise during knee rehab, never put yourself into severe pain. Get to know the difference between aching and soreness verses sharp debilitating pain. Then stay away from the latter.
Dr's and therapists rarely describe this as a process but that's exactly what you will be going through for the next 6 months to a year. Soft tissue, bone and lastly, nerves are all healing at a different pace and with different symptoms. Just go slow and steady. Use pain meds on the prescribed schedule, stay well hydrated...lots of water and ice every time you have a chance. Remember, this is a marathon not a sprint
cheryl90571 Duckfan
Posted
Hi Duckfan!
Oh! Those heel slides!😰 I surely do remember the challenge THEY gave ME!
First, at 11 days post op I was still VERY, VERY swollen! My first knee (Left) was the QUEEN OF SWOLLEN for WEEKS! Progress in bending happened when the swelling began to subside at about nine WEEKS for me. Swelling may be what is causing you trouble, too.
My PT suggested placing the foot of my surgical knee on the first step leading upstairs while holding onto the railing. Then, you lean in with your body very gently just until you feel some resistance. Hold that for a count of ten and then straighten up. Relax, then repeat. You will probably find that you can lean in (bend your knee) a bit farther. I usually did this about five times and THEN would go do my heel slides in a hard chair with a washcloth under my bare foot. Warming up in this way gave me good success with my heel slides.
Sometimes you need an certain exercise to prepare you for a tougher exercise!
Hope this helps!
You sound like you are way ahead of where I was at 11 days!??
dolores84206 cheryl90571
Posted
Hi Cheryl, I like all the suggestions you gave to Duckfan! I am almost 6 weeks post op for TKR. I see the surgeon on Tuesday. I still have a lot of knee stiffness but a lot of swelling has gone down. I was measured last week at 100/-5 but therapist did push me to 105. I have such a wierd feeling in my knee like lots of elastic bands all around with some looseness also. I also feel like there is a rod going down the knee which is probably me feeling the metal. Hope everything is in the right place although therapist said I would not be able to walk if there was something wrong. I walk pretty good without assistance & have gotten back to some of my usual housework. Vacuuming is not a problem & standing for long periods of time is much easier. I ride the upright stationery bike and try to do all of my exercises. I just wish the bend was better....starting to get worried. If you have any other suggestions please let me know. How long ago was your surgery? Hope to hear from you soon!
Eizie dolores84206
Posted
Tomorrow I will be 6 weeks post bilateral TKR and am feeling the same way! The damn knee bend!! I'm 110 in left and only 105 in right with LOTS of pain when my PT bends it! My knees feel like very, very tight bands around them and I feel like someone could cut them and all would be well!! Do you get or have a pins and needles sensation in and around your knees?
cheryl90571 dolores84206
Posted
Hi Dolores!
Glad that you found my suggestions helpful!😄
My TKRs were June and October of 2015.
I've discovered that practicing with straightening your legs helps most to get you walking with a normal gait. I routinely have my legs up on my Ottoman as I read or watch TV, and I squeeze my quads and hold, squeeze and hold continually. This has given me a normal walk. (Our son did video of me walking so I could see myself!)
As far as developing a good bend I have found several good exercises. My favorite is the one I mentioned of putting my foot on the step, holding onto the railing and leaning into the stretch. I like this exercise/stretch because it can be done anywhere there is a step and a railing! You can REALLY FEEL how your bend is improving, too, because you can lean farther and you will need to move your hand up the railing.
Another helpful exercise is looping a belt over your foot and using the strap to gently pull your foot toward you. I do this while sitting because I have found that if I do it while laying down I get a CRAMP or my Sciatica starts to SCREAM!😨😩😬
My main bending goals were getting into the back seat of our Jeep (door shape requires a VERY bent leg/knee!), getting into restaurant booths with those pesky under-the-table foot jungle gyms (Baker's Square was my Graduation to normalcy!), and sitting and scooting on the mechanic's scooter we use to get around in our crawlspace. I'm all about figuring out how to do regular stuff in a normal way!
The upright bike took me awhile to accomplish at PT. I rocked back and forth, backwards then forwards but couldn't go all the way around for several weeks. The day I DID make it all the way around I got a standing ovation from everyone in the room!😁It felt WONDERFUL to finally achieve that goal!
Wishing you much success as you recover and get back to a normal life again!??
Duckfan
Posted
Thanks for all the comments. I think the swelling is the problem. One day last week I felt pretty good with not much pain. I really tried to push it and the next day it was more swollen. Still trying to find that balance.
I've read Chicos post a million times to see if I'm normal. I feel so blessed to be able to sleep for four hour blocks at night.
My pt gave me a couple of different ways to do heel slides. She said if one is to painful, try another. You want to exercise to the point of discomfort not pain. Learning the difference is a key.
serena44792 Duckfan
Posted
Hiya. Do try and massage before exercises. (Up towards heart) I can't do my exercises before doing that -- makes such a difference.
nuala16574 Duckfan
Posted