Posted , 7 users are following.
had tkr 3 months ago and suffering from pain behind the knee when lying in bed it wakes me up it feels like a pulled muscle when i get up it goes any suggestions as to why this is happening
0 likes, 9 replies
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Caitibean marion18849
Posted
I am 5 weeks post op and have that too. Strangely, I've only had this pain in the last week or so, not before. I'm seeing a physio today so I'll ask.
brent77382 marion18849
Posted
Marion i had the same if feels like an overstretched muscle, the surgeon said when in bed put a pillow length ways down your bed and rest your leg on it, your leg will still be straight but cushioned it works a treat.Make sure the pillow goes above the back of the knee under the knee and down the calf muscle. Ive both knees done both TKR 18 months and the latest 9 months ago both been really successful so it does get better just takes time and patience,your sleep is so important in your recovery too.
marion18849 brent77382
Posted
thank you for your message i will try it tonight
brent77382 marion18849
Posted
Marion, did the pillow under the leg work for you, it certainly worked on both my TKR,s just wondered.
Brendastar brent77382
Posted
OMGosh, the pillow helped me soooo much last night. Thanks for the info.
I am fine during the day, 11 days out, but the nights are brutal. Tossing, turning and icing all night long. I am ready for a nap a couple hours after I get up!!
CHICO_MARX marion18849
Posted
Three months gets you barely out of the max pain time period. Any residual pain, stiffness, etc. goes away very, very slowly. The recovery usually takes a full year. Nine months is reported as the threshold where people "start feeling more like their old selves". Time, work and patience. After you get your ROM to 0 / +120, it's time to start the exercise program to rebuild all the atrophied muscles that support the knee...quads, glutes and core. This will reduce the knee pain. enable you to walk correctly and regain your balance. All that muscular strength will be required to do stairs again like a normal person. Time, work and patience are your tools.
Brendastar marion18849
Posted
I am 10 days out and started PT the day of surgery. I was not prepared for the pain of PT. I was in good shape going in, but that didn't seem to help the first few days. However, I can tell that I am getting stronger and muscles are coming back, although very tight.
Not ready for a year of poor sleeping, any suggestions for that?
CHICO_MARX Brendastar
Posted
Help for Sleep
None of us were prepared for the pain...none. And I already had a hip replaced plus two spine surgeries, including a fusion. The knee was a long, hard road. Here's some home ROM work that should help...#3 is a killer but oh so effective...
ROM at Home
Once you have your ROM back and are beyond the worst pain, you can start the serious muscle rebuild work as your quads, glutes and core will all be weak. Regaining your strength will take the pressure off the knee, help you regain your balance and make you able to do stairs again normally. This all takes time, work and patience. There are advances, setbacks and plateaus.
Your biggest challenge will be to give up all expectations...they are your worst enemy. Whatever ideas you have about your recovery, toss them aside. Things can turn on a dime and you can't react negatively. You don't control the length of your recovery, the knee does...and no one can predict how long it will take so don't be surprised if it takes the full year that virtually everyone experiences. I hope you're one of the lucky ones but you can't expect that.
Stay strong and focused. The pain is temporary; do the work every day. When you get down, let it pass over you and through you and start again the next day with a renewed purpose. I'm 3+ years post-op and I can tell you that it was worth all the hard work and discomfort. You will get there too...eventually. Just can't put a date on it.
"Never give up! Never surrender!" - Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest
Brendastar CHICO_MARX
Posted
Ty. I know I am pushing it and today I just feel like sleeping and icing, but I ALWAYS do my exercises and walk the street a house further each day. I am an amputee (crutches only), therefore, I need to be at the top of my game in order to get back to some sports. I have been on crutches since I was 12, now 66 and wore that knee to death!!
Thanks for such encouraging words and well said.