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!
0 likes, 74 replies
ellen57898 chris00938
Posted
That is wonderful news! Although I have been discharged from PT, I continue to do stretching exercises which helps with stiffness. I never thought much about weather effecting my joints. However, it has been cold and damp in Washington DC and I sure am hurting. Summer can't come soon enough. I hope your physician understands that a TKR can be an urgency. Anyway you can speed them up? I am sure that Chico Marx, if persuaded, will happily make them an offer, they can't turn down.
chris00938 ellen57898
Posted
That sounds good Ellen! I'm finding my new knee isn't nearly as stiff as the unoperated one. I can leap out of bed with it, without a thought. That actually amazed me! It is the other one that's restricting everything! I'm getting to the point of forgetting about the operated one now, which I thought would be months and months down the line. This morning I found myself in bed with both knees up. The operated one a fraction lower than the other, but still up enough to be comfortable and not sliding down. Looking back, I think I probably could have coped with bilateral fairly well, but then who knows! I did want my first one video'd so I could do the second one myself:-) I'm just willing the days to pass now to get that appointment to get the second one booked in!!!!!
marilyn10235 chris00938
Posted
Marilyn
kimmers88 chris00938
Posted
chris00938 kimmers88
Posted
We are all different though kimmers - I wouldn't want anyone to think that their accomplishments aren't going well. I think we all start with a different bend before the op too, which has a bearing on it. So you're doing just as well - it's a case of improvement, isn't it.
eileen15268 kimmers88
Posted
Kimmers, thats reassured me that all us Tkr s take different times to get the bend!! I'm 10 weeks & my bend is only 105 I feel it should be more. I do try & I exercise but struggle. Am sure we'll get there in the end.
marilyn10235 eileen15268
Posted
Hi Eileen love don't worry too much about the bend, keep at it, it will come. I was not at 105 by 10 weeks so you are ok, on the right track. I think a lot depends on the Physio you have some are much too gung-ho! Luckily mine was quite laid back, as long as I was improving she was happy. She said the bend will come, keep at it, as the swelling goes down the bend improves. I've found that to be true. I don't know what my bend is I do not measure, but I can go up & down stairs with ease on the operated leg, in fact I have to as the other one refuses to do ANYTHING without extreme pain!
Relax, maybe do what Chris is by relaxing into the exercise.
Please don't get discouraged, just remember you're a woman you can do ANYTHING! And multitask at the same time!! Lol
Marilyn
XX
chris00938 marilyn10235
Posted
eileen15268 marilyn10235
Posted
Love it Marilyn thanks,yes I do have a fair bit of will power not so good at pain management tho which I think hasn't done me any favours. I've had so many awful side effects I haven't been taking the full strength of meds, even tho doc tried me with many. Sickness & the other , even taking the Lansoprazole didn't help. Have relied on ice almost every hour, day & night. Still I am getting there now & feel much better & not using the ice hardly at all.& getting more sleep helps, It's a job to know what to do. It great having this site to chat to fellow post Tkr s as we all know excactly what it's like.
marilyn10235 eileen15268
Posted
Yes I know I found this site when I was really down & it's been wonderful ' talking' to all of you here.
There is some wonderful advice on here, it really helped, all of you guys really help.
Have a good weekend
Marilyn
XX
eileen15268 chris00938
Posted
Chris & Marilyn , 100% agree , we will get there, we CAN do this xx
ali95530 chris00938
Posted
Hi Chris, your ROM is very good.
At 5 weeks post TKR my physio managed to get my ROM to 103 and I almost cried with the pain in fact I didn't know whether to kick him or be sick! I came away feeling very gloomy and dispondant and thought I'd never get it to 125 comfortably. I had my last physio Wednesday at 8 weeks post op and I was very happy to get a 125 ROM without any forcing from my physio and no tears from me. He was so pleased that he discharged me!
I guess all the fretting about my ROM was unnecessary but I think we all feel the pressure to get to the 'magic' 125.
My consultant said my knee is capable of getting to 135 so that's what I'm going to be aiming for over the next few weeks but without unnecessary painful pushing, just feeling the pull, holding for 30 seconds and repeating.
I think we all put way too much pressure on ourselves ... I know I did and now I realise it comes in its own good time with healing.
Patience and time is the key.
Best wishes for a stress free recovery x
chris00938 ali95530
Posted
Ali, I think you've hit the nail on the head there - and I know I was too eager to push things when I got the excruciating pain at the back of the knee. BUT, thank goodness for the physio telling me not to push it for a couple of weeks! I can't imagine getting to 135 because the other knee doesn't go that far - I can't remember exactly what it was but I THINK it was about 130, so I'm not expecting to achieve even quite as much as that, because that's probably what it was before the op (like the other knee), but really if I get to 125, I'll be quite happy with that. I think what your consultant said sounds really sensible. If you feel the pull, then you know you're stretching something and that's the idea! And it DOES all have to heal, and as swelling goes down the bend is also easier! I'm going to stick with what I'm doing now which is when I'm watching tv, pulling the knee up on the recliner towards my chest and leaving it in a slight pulling feeling for about ten minutes at a time. It's gentle but doing the job. I'm also back on the recumbent bike and that's MUCH easier now, even back to the seat position I had it in before the op. So I absolutely agree - patience and time is the key!!!! Who knows, we might achieve 135 in time too!
ali95530 chris00938
Posted
I find that easing my knee towards my chest whilst watching TV lying on my sofa is the best one ... just seems more natural as the weight of my leg seems to help lots.
Heres to all the newbies on here realising that our ROM does come quite naturally with time some discomfort and perseverance not pain.
My ROM was good pre op so I think you're quite correct it does depend a lot on our flexibility and age.
125 means apparently that you can lead a very normal life so here's to everyone getting there, time is not an issue, healing is and after such a traumatic experience we all deserve that.
Good luck to each and every one of us on acheiving our own sensible Goals relatively pain free.
chris00938 ali95530
Posted
Definitely! I'll go with that:-))))) Not to forget the cake! It still makes me smile that I was complaining that my walking seemed slow a couple of weeks ago (it still is but gradually speeding up) but as I saw the cake counter in a store it speeded up wonderfully!:-)))))
ali95530 chris00938
Posted
Ha ha ha ... omg I've turned to cake aswell! Think we must need the sugary energy ... Well that's what I keep telling myself lol
chris00938 ali95530
Posted