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Need Advice: Post Surgery 4 weeks for Partial Knee Replacement and Extremely Stiff Knee

Posted , 12 users are following.

chris1112
chris1112

I'm a 42 year old, 4 week post partial knee replacement surgery.  I can completely straighten my leg but can only bend at most 75 degrees (this is with my physical therapist pushing my leg). 

The swelling has gone down considerably in my knee but the pain and stiffness is still intense.  My therapist suggested having my doctor put me back under and bend my knee but he's decided it's too soon and I need to keep working the therapy.

Curious if there are any suggestions for at home therapy.  I'm doing my exercises but the pain is so intense.  

 

0 likes, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • michele_9787
    michele_9787 chris1112

    Posted

    Hi just keep up bending and flexing? Maybe you could get a cpm machine to help at home? Hope you feel better soon
    • chris1112
      chris1112 michele_9787

      Posted

      So, I asked my therapist for a cpm machine and he said they don't work very well.  Is that true?

    • michele_9787
      michele_9787 chris1112

      Posted

      Hi there are pros and cons about everything. I had acl reconstruction surgery 3 weeks ago and can extend my knee fully and flex ion is about 110. Def feels stiff but believed cpm helped for me. I did it a lot though it was 6 hours a day.   Worth a try.
  • debs23
    debs23 chris1112

    Posted

    I'm just over 3 weeks post op from a partial. I am the other way. Can't straighten but can bend to 90 degrees. Straightening is -10 degrees.

    Heel slides and using a band to help bend it further is a good one. This really helped me get to 90. I also do small squats. I also let me leg hang on the outside of bed and swing it gently. This really helps ease it up in order to increase the bend.

    Any tips on straighting?

    • chris1112
      chris1112 debs23

      Posted

      I wish I had tips with straightening, mine just magically happened.  Good luck and thanks for the bands idea.
  • tricia1954
    tricia1954 chris1112

    Posted

    Hi Chris

    I had a partial replacement last June and like you could straighten fairly quickly. The bend took a lot longer so I don't think you need worry as long as you are pushing yourself daily. I'm surprised the physio recommended manipulation so early on. Not wanting to get bogged down with numbers I wasn't told mine until I asked and at 8 weeks it was 115 (when pushed!). Slowly I built that up until now I can bring my knee onto the chair I'm sitting on and I still don't know the number but obviously it's enough. The exercise I did was to sit on a dining chair and slide my foot underneath as far as I could. This did hurt (a lot) I had to pant through the pain but I persevered three times a day. Being short, I actually put books down in a line to raise the floor slightly and pushed back with a sliding motion and slippery socks on.

    this definitely worked for me. You can find it on you tube! 

    Unfortunately I will be doing it again in two weeks for my second knee😢

    It all takes time and isn't as easy as some people would have you believe. "Only" a partial is misleading, the recovery is still as arduous. And I was a fit person swimming and gym several times a week.  So good luck and take your time.

  • karen28154
    karen28154 chris1112

    Posted

    Are you taking pain meds still?  I’m 4 weeks post  tkr and need Extra Strength Tylenol during day and one 5mg oxy at night still.  Hate still taking them but it does help me work through the pain.  I was at 86 degree bend yesterday- going for 90 at Monday’s appt. (Also, I had a hairline fracture occur in my femur resulting in two permanent screws when dr. was  tapping in new knee, so my pain may be a bit higher )
    • chris1112
      chris1112 karen28154

      Posted

      I stopped taking my meds, so tired and constipated, but my doc told me to start taking them again for the pain.  He also prescribed Ativan, he says I'm anxious about recovery and I need to relax.  I just hate to add more pills.  I'm currently on 800 Motrin, Tramadol and Norco for at night.  

      Good luck with your recovery!!

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX chris1112

      Posted

      Ativan is a benzodiazapine similar to Xanax, Klonapin and Valium.  Purpose: chill you out.  The meds differ in their half-life...specifically, how quickly and how long they work.  The shortest is Xanax which starts working within 15 minutes but only lasts at half strength for 4 hours (quarter strength four hours later, etc.; that's half-life).  Klonopin takes an hour or two to start working but is still present at half strength for 36 hours.  Ativan is in the middle with a half-life of 18 hours.

      If you have anxiety...and lots of us do...you have to find the one that works best for you and then take it ON SCHEDULE so the drug's level in your bloodstream is constant.

      For your painkillers, you will be off the Norco first and then rely on the Tramadol as the pain decreases.  Norco is also very constipating.  Take a stool softener and/or Miralax to ease that side effect.

    • karen28154
      karen28154 chris1112

      Posted

      I get not wanting to take the pain meds!  But, they do help me work through the pain while exercising (I take one oxy before PT session which happens twice per week).  And, my pain at night was waking me up and preventing adequate rest so I felt unmotivated, discouraged, and “lazy” the next day when needing to do my exercises.  So back on night med.  anyway good luck with your healing.
  • joan17325
    joan17325 chris1112

    Posted

    It's too soon to worry my goodness it's only numbers. Do you extensions heel slides etc ice and rest it will settle down then you will get on with life forgetting you ever worried about numbers hard work gets you there im 76 had 2 TKR in 11 months good luck

    • chris1112
      chris1112 joan17325

      Posted

      Thank you, I'm going to keep at it!!  Just getting so frustrated and beating up on myself.

  • Snoozy69
    Snoozy69 chris1112

    Posted

    Hi I had a TKR 5 months ago and flexion was an issue with me. At 3 weeks post op I had flexion of 60 degrees the physio told me to get better pain killers and push through the pain. I hired a CPM for 4 weeks and this increased the flexion to 85 degrees in the space of three weeks. My consultant left me for a further 5 weeks to see if I could improve flexion myself and I managed to get it to 95 degrees on my own so didn't need a MUA. I continue to do heel slides where I wrap a scarf around the bottom of my foot and cross in front of my shin and on the 10th slide I pull it a bit tighter towards my butt and hold for 20 seconds and then repeat. On a good day my flexion must be 120 degrees it all depends on how tight my muscles are around the knee. I'm hoping eventually they will relax and I end up with good range of movement x

    • chris1112
      chris1112 Snoozy69

      Posted

      You hired a CPM, is that the machine?  and did you need a script?
    • Snoozy69
      Snoozy69 chris1112

      Posted

      if you're in the uk. Google CPM hire you don't  need a script, you have to hire for a minimum of two weeks works out about £10 a day. They deliver and collect. Well worth it in my opinion

    • michele_9787
      michele_9787 chris1112

      Posted

      I had a script from ortho surgeon and it was delivered to my house from insurance before surgery. Ask dr if you can try he might be on board
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