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Lifting leg after TKR

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susiemah
susiemah

Dear All my first time on here and I need your suggestions please. I am 15 days post TKR ( left). I had bad reaction to general and morphine and spent the first three days being sick. Eventually stopped and was let home despite only 75% bend and not being able to lift leg. I have been really really anxious since coming home and when I attended my first formal physio session I only had a 65% bend and still can't lift my leg. I am doing my physio three times a day and using ice etc. Besides myself with anxiety and crying all the time. Any suggestions to improve my spirits, raise my leg and increase bend please? Thanks Susanne

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  • ellen57898
    ellen57898 susiemah

    Edited

    Welcome to our group! Everything you are experiencing is absolutely normal. I remember crying in the shower because no one at home understood the pain and fatigue. Your bend will come, you are only two weeks post surgery. Concentrate on pain management. Personally, I found chocolate and trashy novels a good escape. It will get better. I am four months and basically painfree, driving and walking 2 miles a day.

    Keep in touch with the forum. It became my lifeline.

    Ellen

    • susiemah
      susiemah ellen57898

      Posted

      Thanks Ellen. I will use the forum as it is so isolating and no one prepares you for this.
  • Mamadoks_D
    Mamadoks_D susiemah

    Edited

    Susiemah, it will get better I promise. If you need use an old tie or belt to help you lift your leg. But the BIGGEST is ICE ICE ICE ICE...ICE YOUR JOINT ALOT! Short time but ALOT. It helps keeps the muscles etc loose and not knotting which means it's easier to bend you joint. I ice a lot and 14 days out was at 90 with my PT today. We all have those dark days and regretting what we did...mine hit at 7th day. I'm at 14 days out now feeling and doing well. I decided not to read the bad things that can happen and rejoice at in my successes. 

    So remember ICE IT for 20 minutes as many times a day as you can get it in.

     

    • susiemah
      susiemah Mamadoks_D

      Posted

      Thank you. So much conflicting information about ice. Nurses told me not to ice more than three times a day but it reduces pain and my swelling is really bad. I am going to trust my instincts and your suggestion. Thanks again.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 susiemah

      Edited

      I bought an 'ice cuff' and just moved it around the knee constantly, so it was 10 minutes one side, then rotated round to underneath for the same time, then rotated round to the other side and so on.  I never iced over the scar though.  Did others?  Still not sure if you're supposed to or not!

    • susiemah
      susiemah chris00938

      Posted

      My brother has an ice cuff that he is going to bring around later. Thanks for your suggestion Chris. 
    • chris00938
      chris00938 susiemah

      Edited

      Oh good.  Have you got the tank that goes with it?  We put frozen picnic blocks in ours and they worked well:-))) 
    • chris00938
      chris00938 jenny80029

      Posted

      I didn't put it over the scar bit until it had healed though.  Not sure if you're supposed to or not!

  • Laura3333
    Laura3333 susiemah

    Edited

    Good heavens, you are ONLY 15 days post tkr!

    One of the most major and painful operations there is. The swelling will be there for ages, it can take up to a year before it gets as good as it's going to get.

    You are doing everything right. IT WILL COME, honestly it will get easier.

    I've had both mine done, and thank God I did, as once the first few weeks are over and you start to be able to walk a bit more, you will be so glad you had it done.

    It's a huge op, and physio's always push you through the roof painwise, yes you have to get as much bend as possible to break up scar tissue, three times a day is ok, just carry on as you are.

    Your body is still getting over the shock, and if you were ill as well, it will take a bit longer.

    Take each day as it comes and as the weeks pass, you will improve with time.

    One good way to get more flexible is to sit on a high stool and slowly swing your leg back and forth, really helps loosen things up, and isn't too painful. Then rest.

    And breathe..... xxx.

     

    • susiemah
      susiemah Laura3333

      Posted

      Thanks Laura. Reading all the things that can go wrong are terrifying me. I really do not want a manipulation and my imagination is running riot. Thanks again.
    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 susiemah

      Edited

      Nothing will go wrong, keep doing what you are, we all go through this awful spell, but you'll be fine, it just takes time. Just accept it, the next few weeks are all about rest excersice ice and recovery. It a few months out of your life, that's all, the pain and swelling don't last forever.

      You are getting better every day...slowly.x.

    • catherine73953
      catherine73953 Laura3333

      Posted

      Laura,

      How do you swing your leg on a high stool?  I have some stools with wood through the middle.  Do you hold your leg to the side of the chair?

      Thanks

      Cathy

    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 catherine73953

      Posted

      Mine is a high tilted seat stool with white metal legs, doesn't have a bar accross the middle, so can just sit and swing my leg through it. It's called a perching stool. 

    • catherine73953
      catherine73953 Laura3333

      Posted

      Thank you Laura3333, I appreciate the picture.  It does help!  I will look for that!
    • karen43011
      karen43011 Laura3333

      Edited

      Thanks Laura, good advice as I'm also at 15 days post op and experiencing all that Susiemah has so I'm glad I'm not being a baby or unusual with not being able to raise leg yet. I had trouble with the therapist when I started who made me cry and absolutely could not tolerate the bending too fast he was doing. I had to wait until another order from the doctor that will result in home therapy starting Thursday and anxious to start getting fuller rotation. I have always been healthy and was totally unprepared for this experience. I will follow the comments.

      Karen

    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 karen43011

      Posted

      hi, I posted this nearly a year ago, but the stools are still available. You'll find your knee still gets stiff if you don't use it, but soon gets going again. Its hard in the beginning, but you'll get there!

    • sue58335
      sue58335 Laura3333

      Posted

      its almost 5 weeks since my tkr and i still dont have much bend on my own. my physio can get it to 90 or a bit beyond but no chance on my own. its getting me down now. still cant come off tremadol. even if only 1 or 2 a day now. I am now practicisng walking on an off a low step (bad leg first onto step then bad leg first off the step) and am struggling. havent attempted driving yet. When will the pain and limited movement be over with

    • lisa89426
      lisa89426 sue58335

      Edited

      Hi SUE you're doing really well just bear with it - i'm 12 weeks post TKR- i only started driving around 3 weeks ago so dont rush things - you'll know when you're ready. you will eventually lift your leg too just make sure you do the leg raises lying on your bed like your physio has hopefully showed you a few times a day and use a belt hooked under your foot to lift it on/off the bed but try and use your thigh muscles a little too so you're not totally reliant on the belt - i too was stressing about not being able to lift my leg but one day i just did it! i have a lot more bend than i used to just ensure wherever you are you are constantly moving it back & forth - also do not let people tell you that you should be doing this or that by now - everyone's different and you WILL get there - it's a slow process but you'll get there i promise - thank god for this forum as i too was in tears at times and felt i was the only one who was failing - we'll get there! ps keep icing no more than 10 mins at a time and before and after your physio and keep taking your painkillers regularly if you need them - it all helps! keep in touch x

    • edith04120
      edith04120 lisa89426

      Edited

      thank you! i am 4 weeks and stressing because i cant get more than 90 alone. Your info is so reassuring that it will come in time.

    • ann11285
      ann11285 edith04120

      Posted

      Edith, it appears that you posted the above 5 months ago, maybe June 2021. how is your knee now and your bend? 11/21/21

    • tammybp
      tammybp edith04120

      Posted

      I was not prepared for the pain and I still cannot get my leg to lift up but am only 8 days days post surgery. I cried so much the first few days and said I wasn’t sure if I should’ve done it. But I’m glad to be have gotten it done and I can’t wait for it to heal where I can at least walk easily in and out of my shower.

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