Improvement on bend!

Posted , 13 users are following.

After doing little to push the bend as the physio instructed, for a couple of weeks, the pain at the back of the knee settled (also I'm sure the heat helped and anti inflammatory gel) and while I'd gone backwards from 115 to 110 an 112 for a little while, husband measured it just now and it's 118!  Five weeks and two days post op today.  VERY happy!

I'm hoping none of us on here waiting for knees to be done will be hit by the NHS deciding to concentrate more on those with more urgent issues.  It's worrying me a little bit - will be so pleased to get the second one booked in!

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  • Posted

    Fantastic for you Chris!! I'm at 9 weeks post bilateral knees and at 110 in left knee with not much trouble but with lots and lots of pain and more pain by my PT 110 in right knee. I'm sort of down about it. Today my PT said I've got to push my right knee to the point of pain every day! What does the forum think of that? I trust my PT but I'm crying when she does it and she wants me to do the same! Or am I just a wimp?? Thank you for any input.

    • Posted

      Oh ouch!  I'm so sorry you're getting such pain Eizie!  I've heard others on here say the same as you though!!!  Clive had great success with hot baths and exercise and I found when I was getting a lot of pain at the back of the knee that hot wet flannels helped.  I did that a few times and it seemed to release it all.  I think the worst thing I was doing was icing before pushing the bend, because it was just tightening everything up.  Now I ice AFTER.  I so hope you can find an easier answer, but I truly don't know if there is one.  My achievement has been through sitting watching tv on the recliner and gradually pulling the knee up towards my chest, leaving it there for about 10 minutes at a time, but it's all been very gradual.

    • Posted

      My pt forced me and it took forever and I was is severe pain for at least 4 days after. I stopped going and got bend and straight on my own. Second TKR scheduled for April 11. This time if it hurts to much I will tell pt to stop it hurts and that's it. Good job Eizie it took me almost 5 months and I still have a lot of pain.

    • Posted

      Thank you Mary. I'm going to do the push bend exercise but I'm going to do it at my pace and see what happens.

    • Posted

      This does all make me rather relieved that the hospital I went to give you the instructions and leave you to get on with it.  For me, being in control of my own recovery is self motivating.  It's just wonderful seeing how much easier it is to get in and out of the car now.  BUT I suspect the right knee will be more difficult because that needs to bend more to get in the passenger side.

    • Posted

      Hope the 11th April goes well for you Mary!  We're all envious now, those of us who are waiting for our second knee to be done.  I would SO love to be packing my bags ready for that:-))))

    • Posted

      That's what I do Chris, just keep pulling my knee up as far as possible. I'm 10 weeks & sure I'm behind as my bend was only 105. I really struggle, I do exercises & go up stairs but only manage a few coming down one step one foot. I still hav a lot of stiffness. :-(

    • Posted

      Eileen, I don't think there is such a thing as being behind with this.  From what I've learned on here, everyone is different and I'm not even expecting to be the same with both knees - it can vary hugely between knees with the same person.  So I think it comes down to being the best you can be but not pushing it too much.  Slowly but surely I think is the way to go.  I haven't got stairs here and I think I'll still find stairs impossible because of the other knee anyway, but even the operated knee I KNOW I'd find difficult.  I have a doorstep and that's not 'fluid' yet:-)  I think the brain needs time to adjust too!  So don't beat yourself up or think of yourself as 'behind' - you're doing OK and things can improve :-))))

    • Posted

      Thank you Chris , for reassurance, I guess I'm feeling a bit guilty maybe not doing enough. I do as much as I can & also cook & keep house for husband & cat. Our house has the kitchen downstairs & everything else upstairs so I do go up & down a lot,although coming down is still a struggle. My Tkr was for an injury , even at 78,so I'm grateful I haven't got arthritis or have to have the 2 nd one done . I think you & everyone who has both knees done are simply amazing, & cant begin to imagine what it's like. I can't wait to get on with my life . x

    • Posted

      We all heal at different rates Eileen, try not to worry. 

      Once your ROM is more the stairs will be come less traumatic I promise.

      Try and do less repetitions but more frequently throughout the day and see how that goes as the exercises are the only thing to sort my stiffness out especially in the morning. And oddly enough they help my pain too!

    • Posted

      Ah yes Ali, , my PT keeps telling me i must walk & 20 minutes a day is not nearly enough. I have just returned from an hour 's walk so hope I don't pay for it tonight. Honestly, I feel such a wimp. Have really got to work on exercising though x

    • Posted

      It sounds as though you're more active than I am Eileen.  My husband is still doing a lot for me!  And with having no stairs I reckon you're getting a lot more exercise than I am:-)))  I think age does make a difference too and there are lots of elements that affect how fast recovery is, but as many have said, it's not a race, and as long as you're improving it doesn't matter how quickly.  I'm not exactly exercising on the hour every hour!  I'm sitting watching tv in the afternoon and evening and bending the leg on the recliner LOL!  A bit like bending the arm with the fork for the cake LOL!  I'm quite relaxed about it all really LOL!

    • Posted

      I must admit I'm not walking out as much as I think I should be.  I made a resolution a couple of days ago to have a little walk outside every day, went out yesterday and forgot today! 

    • Posted

      Chris, I love your text. TBH I think I push myself too much. My husband helped me the first month & he thinks that's it. He won't help hardly at all even make me a coffee. I think I walked too far today & wont sleep tonight again. I'm on the go naturally & never stop but I think now I should listen to my body & rest more. I'm glad you do I am definitely going to try & rest more sure it will give it more of a chance.ive got 105 I could get by on that if the worst came to the worst. x

    • Posted

      Oh Eileen.  I'm sad that your husband really doesn't understand that you just don't recover from this that quickly!!!!!  You still need to be 'looked after'.  I think emotionally you need to feel looked after too!  I don't push myself at all.  A lot of my time is spent with my leg up and the ice thingy on it.  BUT today I did the ironing LOL!  First time since the op!  I think you've got plenty of time to improve on that bend and let things heal more too.  I'm certainly not pushing myself to walk certain distances at a time.  I'm walking as far as I feel comfortable that day.  I think a physio pushing you to walk further than you feel is right for you is an uncomfortable situation - I'm rather glad my hospital just gives me a sheet of exercises!  I think at the very least, give yourself a couple of days of dumping what you don't have to do and LOOK AFTER YOURSELF!  Have a chat with your husband too and get him to watch a DVD of the op, or tell him what others on this group are saying, to try and get over what a huge impact this op has on your body!  Thinking of you!

    • Posted

      Thank you Chris for your lovely text. I have asked my husband to watch the video but he doesn't want to know, as he wouldn't come to the Pre class with me either, or to physio. He thinks I am 'milking' it now. I am definitely going to try taking more care of myself. & ease up on pushing. How many weeks are you now.? I am 10 & tbh I myself didn't realise the recovery was so long & horrid. I am so grateful being part of this Thread people that haven't had it done ,just don't know what it's like. How can they? Thanks for listening to me & encouraging me. Much respect & good healing . Sounds you have a diamond of a husband.

    • Posted

      Eileen, I'm four and a half weeks, but the exception to the rule.  Apart from the excruciating pain pinching/cramping feeling at the back of the knee when I overdid either the bend or the recumbent, I've had no real pain since the second day!  They came round asking me what level of pain I was in on the second night, ready to dose me up, and I said 'what pain?' and that was it!  It's just been very mild discomfort here and there.  I KNOW I've been so lucky!  I'm forgetting my knee now indoors but it's the other knee making me feel unstable outside.  I've had no pain or even discomfort at nights since the very early days in the operated one and if my other knee doesn't keep me awake, then I sleep through well.  BUT you only need to see this group to realise what people generally go through!  I'm annoyed with your husband for not even going with you to the pre op class!  My only suggestion is as soon as that knee is healed give him a good kick up the backside!  Yes, my husband really is wonderful!  No, he's just told me that he's better than wonderful LOL!  I so hope you can get less pain soon!  I would wish my experience on anybody and feel so much for those in bad pain!  Hopefully week by week you'll see that improvement but most of all LOOK AFTER YOURSELF!  Give yourself little treats too, to help this be a better experience.  I was determined this was going to be a good as experience as it possibly could for me and when they gave me my date I said 'good - I'm going on holiday' meaning the hospital LOL!  And I've had a steady stream of cake and stuff I enjoy since.  It's back to the healthy living next week ready for the physio LOL!  I had chocolates piled up ready for after my op and all sorts.  It really hasn't been a bad experience for me at all.  I'd say the worst bit was getting ice cold antibacterial stuff sloshed on my back before the spinal.  I was already REALLY cold (and I hate being cold) and shivering and boy that came as a shock LOL!  SO, I know I've been incredibly lucky.  But if it's any consolation, my scar still looks a bit of a mess LOL!  I'm putting emu oil on daily and giving it a bit of a gentle rub.  I do suspect it's because I'd got such a good bend right from the start that it didn't heal as well as it would have done otherwise.  And I think that bend is probably down to me having hypermobility - everything is more bendy than normal.  This MAY be why I've not had so much pain.  If that is the reason, it will be nice because the other knee might be the same LOL!  Not counting on that though.

    • Posted

      Hello again Eileen, these threads seem to come through randomly??!! Lol

      I read somewhere here that you said you weren't walking enough? But tbh if you are doing all the work in the house, I'm sure you're walking miles! People do not realise how much we actually do, with all the cleaning, ironing, dusting, washing etc. I bet by the end of the day you have spent more than 20 mins walking about!! And you do this every day.

      So please do not think you are letting yourself down, what you MUST do amongst all that is find time for YOU! If that means you not doing some of the housework, so be it. There is only one you, & it sounds like you are the only one to look after YOU! So give yourself permission to have a few hours off for yourself! Go on I dare you! Lol

      Take care & remember always have a laugh, even if it's just with us!

      If you want to chuckle just think of when I got in the bath & couldn't get out, like a turtle on its back I was!!! Not a pretty sight!! Lol

      And Ali's physical terrorist!!

      Marilyn

      XX

    • Posted

      Not to forget the picture Clive painted of him getting in and out of the bath LOL!
    • Posted

      Yep that's up there with the best!

      I still love Ali's physical terrorist though! Told my friend that, she roared!

      Keep up the lols 😂😂😂

    • Posted

      To be honest, the description of the physical terrorist sounded a bit too close to the truth to me LOL!  I just had a sigh of relief that they just gave me a DVD and sheet of exercises LOL!
    • Posted

      Ah thanks Chris yes I am normally a happy person & my glass is always half full ( not empty) I have a lot to be thankful for, other than this surgery ( due to an injury) I have always had good health & like you say can always see people worse off. I guess because I am so active & do charity work for Child Contact & also driving. I am the helper & find it hard being incapacitated like this i then think I'm not as strong as I think I am. Thanks for your text ,re bath, .... I had strip washes for 2 weeks before I got in the bath but always manage to get out , probably not so ladylike at first. Take care x

    • Posted

      Mary,

      My pt says not to do any excercises during the day except my home exercises x2 a day. I don't tell him but I do heel slides with a tray on the floor inbetween.

      Don't get me started on physical therapy. Right now I feel I get a lot of benefit from it. Before I had to fire on pt and took a while for me and my current pt to get on the same page. Before he would "kill" me and I ended up taking up to 4 -5 days to recover.

      BUT, last week reinforced my confusion surrounding the different approaches. Had to see a different pt - my pt on vacation. She did the complete opposite and spend 45 min manipulation on my knee with no other exercises, stretching. She told me "not too worry" about my other excercises and just do ROM all the time. I agree I have to work hard at ROM especially at 15 weeks but I do feel the strengthening exercises has been invaluable to me. So confused that there is such a big desrepancy between treatment protocols.

      I am showing progress with my current pt so I guess that is all that counts. I will ask him tomorrow about more ROM excercises inbetween fault home excercises. Take care!

    • Posted

      I think this is right Milla.  I put healing first, with elevation and ice, and GENTLE stretching of knee with that, and then when that's going well add VERY gentle exercise and build up GENTLY.  That's worked for me, anyway!  The only time I pushed anything was with the bend, got excruciating pain in the back of the knee, and got told by the physio not to push it for a couple of weeks, but a week later found I could go back to doing things gently again.  This brutal stuff that I read about with physios frightens me and makes me very relieved we were just given a DVD and sheet of stuff to do.  I even stopped doing the slides on the floor because there was an inclination to push it too far, but doing them on the recliner just pulling the knee up and leaving it stretched gently for 10 minutes at a time, rather than repetitive ones, worked for me.  I think it is a case of finding what works best for you.  I'm back on the recumbent most days now, but again, very gradually increasing it, starting from half a circuit with no resistance.  And planning the treadmill this week but VERY slow and VERY short to start with.

    • Posted

      Hi Milla,

      I'm 16 weeks bend 120 to 25 on a good day but less if swollen but still a way to go with extension but it's getting there SLOWLY. I think I'm lucky my physio gave me a hard regime but had a sensible approach.

      UK so only 6 sessions post op with physio. He told me that it can take up to 12 months for improvement . I was overdoing the strengthening exercises to start with then knee would swell so affected ROM work. I fight soft tissue inflammation for RA so some clays advised to cut back and concentrate on ROM but I do static bike daily as I find this beneficial at medium resistance.

      There sure does seem to be differences in opinion on reading this forum and I am pleased I didn't have brutal physio but they did work. me hard and the press downs on the knee were not pleasant but the USA pts seem pretty brutal reading this forum.

      Was due to go back to work but GP said too swollen scheduled back in 2 weeks. Have been increasing my walking but anything over a mile makes me swell so working in the NHS know what to expect lol! However got to go back.

      Seems like you've had a journey especially with pain. Good luck with your physio .and keep at it . It's not easy but I just remember that awful unstable joint pre op and the painbfrom that where a 10 minute walk took 40 minutes. We will get there.

      I always take heed of Chico who states set backs and plateaux are part of the journey ( boy he's had one) and it can take 12 months.

      Take care

      Jan

    • Posted

      Hi Chris, it just goes to show that LESS really is MORE! As you've done the exercises without straining & hurting yourself.

      Well done Chris.

      Marilyn

      XX

    • Posted

      Hi Chris, me again. I've taken on board what you said re pulling knee up on recliner & am finding it's best for me too. After I went on that stupid long walk now 3 days later I'm just about recovering , I'm definitely not going to push myself anymore as I've learnt more than once it doesn't get you anywhere. I'm so glad of your texts thanks

    • Posted

      Today, for the first time, we drove 45 minutes to two different supermarkets, and went two the two we normally did before the knee op on Monday's, so it was a really good shop.  Knee behaved beautifully.  When I got out of the car when we got home it was the unoperated knee giving me grief!  I'm so pleased at coming up to five weeks post op!  I NEVER expected it to be so good this soon!  I do think though that everyone needs to do what works for them.  We are all different with different speeds of healing and different speeds of achieving bends and also building up muscle etc.  But I still think getting the muscles and everything in the best condition possible before the op, with as much bend then as you can reasonably get, makes it all easier afterwards.

      Thanks Marilyn!

    • Posted

      I'm so glad to help in any way I can Eileen - I really feel for you!  But hopefully now the improvements will be steadier and not so painful!

    • Posted

      Ah yes , thanks Chris, I'm getting there I feel more positive & taking more care. Thanks x

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