Partial Knee Replacement Issue!
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello, I'm @ 8 weeks post-op. For the first 6 weeks they were great and I thought to my self, this is a piece of cake. Since then it's just been a series up ups and downs, some good days some bad just like what they told me to expect. For the past few weeks I have been doing really well, except for some general swelling all around the knee. It gets so bad a sometimes I feel like it's a ballon that's about to pop! Incidentally, at about week 2-3 I developed a fluid pocket on the outside of my knee that is about the size of 1/2 dollar. During my 6 week evauation with my surgon, he was not to concerned with it and
refused to drain it. Sucess vs infection was not worth it. Even if we did it and it was initial successful, If would most like return soon. Addition he is not a fan of injecting metal into metal. The Doc was really happy overall with range of motion and my over all condition. My biggest issue then was just being so quick to fatigue and the swelling.
I sorry for such a lengthy introduction but I f thought it was important for you to know going into my main problem. Last night, spending partner of the morning playing a little golf, then did some shopping my wife and I spent about 4 hours at the pool. I was feeling pretty good for such a long day. Is hen we got home I went straight to the freezer, iced up while a took a break to relax a little.
HERE IS WHETE MY PROBLEM OCCURRD! I went to the bathroom and when I came out I felt a painful pop or snap like a large rubber band along with somebody cracking and snapping feelings. This is totally new and has never happened in the last 8 weeks at all! This made. me lose strength and stability on the out side of my knee. I lost my balance and fell into a wall. Thank God the wall was there or I would have hit the goor hard. I was in more pain with from this than any other part of this surgical procedure. It took everything I had to get to my recliner. I could not put any weight on the leg. Straight to the ice box and medicine cabinet. When I got up to go to bed I good not put any weight in it. Also, my calf and lower quad was extremely tight. After standing for a minute to loosen up, I started walking. Every step I took my knee would wobble or slightly buckle. ( my first thought was pmy ACL had popped) additionally, right in the junction of upper leg and lower just behind the knew cap I felt like I was grinding sand with the caps of my legs along with a harsh clicking as I walked. It also does this siting and just bending the knee.
Well I had PT this morning and she evaluated the situation. Her results sounded rather possitive overall. My stability was good so no ligiment damage. Eventhough I was in pain and could never be able to hold it my range was close to what it has been lately. She didn't see anything that made he think there was damage to the joint it's self of the hardware both my OEM or the new aftermarket one. After my training sessicion I was sore as hell and I have harder time walking as the day has progressed. Nothing I'm doing seem to help. She said we would work on it for a week to see what the results are before calling the surgon. This swelling combined with he addition weakness, and cracking and grinding does have me worried a bit. Well actually a lot of bits.
Here it the cherry on top - we are going to Italy in two weeks. I was feeling great about it and know I can't want and have started to panic.
Has anyone else expiereced this or a similar situation? Cause of problem? Should I be worrying and call the doctor now instead of try to work through it for a week or so? Any suggestions or advice? If so please advise. Thank you in advance and have a good evening.
Steve
0 likes, 15 replies
moandrieu Coach_VC
Posted
Coach, I'm sure you will get a number of answers. I had a bilateral TKR and am not sure my knees would have allowed me any golf at 8 weeks. I did travel from India (where I was working and had my surgery) to Thailand and onto Burma 10 weeks after my surgery, but I still needed to elevate and ice. You may have just over done it.
As to the cracking and grinding, I had that too. My understanding is that it's related to scar tissue. I've come to find out that one of my old (as in what I was born with) knee caps is not in great shape and will need replaced. So the noise I have when I go up stairs, sit and stand are related to that.
Try taking it easy before your trip to Italy. Do your exercises, walk, but don't attempt anything extra (like golf).
Mo
Coach_VC moandrieu
Posted
Thank you for responding. You make very Valid points. My Dr released me and I have no restrictions on my activities. He just told me to listen to my body and when I start to feel anything - stop. Don't try to push through it. For example I only played 5 holes yesterday. Lol My PT actually to me today when she evaluated me it could be scare tissue or even very minute fragments of the arthritus that he cleaned out. She said that in both cases it will work its way out of me own its own.
So I have a question for you; what did you do for relief or eliminate then poping, cracking, grinding and clicking? Thanks again for caring enough to respond to me.
Steve
Oldfatguy1 Coach_VC
Posted
Overall you are making exceptional progress. I've Never had the partial but in listening to several that have I get the feeling there just isn't much difference in the healing process.
I look at all of your activity level and person all 4th, I feel you are like many, you feel like you should be back running marathons in 6 weeks because someone made you feel you should. On other words you are an over achiever that has just over done it. Back off....rest for 2 or 3 days. Ice, take paid meds, hydrate like you were if you were running the marathon but just sit for awhile.
My background is 11 surgeries on one leg and 5 complete rehabs plus 30 rounds of radiation. Everyone one heals at their own pace and in there own way. Overdoing can cause the most damage of anything. Let that swelling go down on its own and slowly start back with the excercises. Make sure you check with The Dr an pt. As far as what's allowable. Playing golf at that early time of recovery sounds brutal. Just the torque on the soft tissue would be incredible and the undulation of the terraine could be keeping the nerves, which are the slowest to heal of anything, irritated. Listen to your body not your friends and family. They mean welll but can be your worst enemy.
Other than you are just abusing the system I can't be much help to some of the technical issues.
I think your signature "coach" may identify some of your desire to get up and at 'm.
As far as the trip to Italy. Get the other stuff under control before even thinking of flying that far that soon. Not worth blood clotting and so much pain you can't enjoy the tours and sightseeing. This is a great forum. Others may have other thoughts and history. You will get much help from around the globe. By the way, I'm in the U.S. in the Kansas City area and go to the University medical center that takes care of the professional sports teams. My therapist has his doctorate plus sports medicine certification and that's where most of my advice comes from.
Coach_VC Oldfatguy1
Posted
Lol I tried to use the name fatguy but it was taken! I guess that's you! Lol Cim either Pop's or Coach to just about everybody. A combination of the two names is part of my problem. In some comps duty I have completed:
42 years on the football field
24 umpiring fastpitch Softball
14 years officiating basketball
I have just worn them out. Know it would happen one day but wouldn't change a change if I coach about that lifestyle. Also not helping the situation is my 326 pounds of pure sexyness combined with an ass kicking Attitude if necessary. ????
Hey thanks for the response. You make some valid points that reinforce what others have aside. Overall it not been unbatable, just irritating I guess you could say. This incedent last night really scared me. I thought for sure something snapped it came lose. We shall shall see. I can deal with I have been dealing with swelling, tightness and being sore for years. However, I don't like what I'm hearing and feeling with this poping, clicking and the feeling of bring sand in the joint it's self. This morning my PT evaluated and didn't find any obvious structure issues which was good. She actually to me it could just be a natural part of the healing precess where there is either some scar tissue releasing into to the joint or maybe since I waited so long I had s lot of arthritus that he removed. She said its also possible that from working it in therapy some very small fragments of that has released too and is floating around . Both cases she said that that stuff will work it way out of my body evidentially. It's the meantime - I'm a bit impatient. Lol
My surgon is Dr. Papp Med Star @ Good Sam. This is the second years He and his partner have had the ortho contract with the O's. He rebuilt both of my shoulders and repaired a complete tear of one of my bicept. I totally trust him. He gave me a total nkn-restricted activity release at my July 6 visit. He just warned me about pushing it. Listen to my body and it will tell me when I've had enough. Yesterday I only play 5 out 9 holes and started getting tired so that's when I stopped. I'm not full throttle on anything yet. Just trying to get back into the swing out thing a little bit at a time. Now on the other hand the wife has not given me a release yet! Lol
As far as going to Italy, I really don't have s choice. My wife's and Step-son's family are their and he has never met that side of his family. We have had it planed before the knee plan. His grand parents are not doing well so it's a must go situation. I'm going to wear those ugly assed white compression socks from the hospital to help with the blood flow and clotting. Well I have talked you ear off and I need to try to get some sleep but I keep waking up about ever two hours. Thanks again for caring enough to reply and give me some good advice. Later????
Oldfatguy1 Coach_VC
Posted
Hope the night was good to you.
Boy can I relate to the giving away thing. Over the 4th i got up @ 5 a.m. to hit the head. I was about 10 steps into the trip when simultaneously my hip gave way, my leg which had been at 117 when I ended PT over a month ago must have ripped through that point to 135. I let out a scream and in a twisting motion went up against the wall with my head and hit the floor taking the sin off my shoulder and elbow. As I was laying there in a pool of blood, sweat and uncotrooable pain my wife, against advice, was trying to get out of bed to help me. Therein lies my biggest problem. My wife of over 58 years is in advancing stages of Parkinson's disease and has to use a walker which she keeps bedside. In her desire to help she managed to add insult to my injury by hitting me square in the head with her steel walker. Then came the startling reality, my original need for the trip, going to the bathroom was not only still there but had magnified in intensity. I finally rolled around to get my good leg under me and with the help of walker got back on my feet and made a modified dash to finish the trip. After gettting up to KU Med in a few days I have reconstructed that 1/10 of second incident and figured out it was my hip that went out and severely twisted my lower back plus ripped 11 surgeries of scar tissue which also include a broken femur, 2 prosthesis reevisions and 2 bouts of staph, complete removal off The hardware for 4 months while I bounced around around on a walker. All of this in the body of a gut nearing the completion of his 1st 80 years. Once again.....life's a b***h but better than the alternative. What I've been through is equal to an aggresuve auto correct that knows more than I do about my spelling. The scar tissue is the aspect of this surgery that has very little pre ok discussion and volumes of post op information having to be worked through. After 11 chop and go sessions I can't imagine what the tissue in my leg looks like but it has to be as ugly as it is painful. I have a rare tumor reduced to the initials PVNS but is bloody ( I ve been on here with all of my newly acquired, lovely Brit friends too long. I'm starting to talk like them although I refuse to describe things as brilliant........yet) painful and can't be cured or removed completely. As far as the quitting when you start feeling uncomfortable....excellent advice. Personally I would take a few days off completely to just ice and give things a chance to settle completely especially with the ever looking trip (where are you fling out of and into.). I might also recommend arranging for a wheel char to get you to the plane. It will releve you of some of that miserable airport congestion thing although you don't get any kind of pass on the security wand. Also you won't be completely exhausted when you 1st on the plane. Ask the airline to have you set up the same way on the other end. That way you can sit instead of standing in all those long lines especially customs. Plan on ice packs throughout the flight. The cabin crew would much rather accomodate with that than having to listen to you scream in pain. Plan to walk the aisle every hour and don't ask if it's all right to step outside for a stroll. They may say, yes, in your case it's recommended. At that point you know you have exhausted their patience. The white hose are good and smart. You'll never know how good they feel till you take them off after a ten hour flight. I wore them on a flight to Korea. 22 hours from leaving the house to getting through customs in Seoul. My lefscwerecsonhapoy to get rod of them they did a happy dance on their own. Have a good Saturday. Enjoy your round of golf from Scotland in your easy chair.
Oldfatguy1
Posted
Coach_VC Oldfatguy1
Posted
Wow buddy you have been through the ring a few times! I'm sorry and it may be rude but I have a visual in my head and can't stop laughing over you in a mess on the floor and then your wife cold cocking you in the head with that walker! ???????? I'm glad you mad it to the BR. I thought for sure you were going to tell me you didn't. Lol you are right about he lack of scar tissue info. The past couple of days has been the first I've heard about it. Have you found anything to give you some pain relief from it?
Annodoremouse Oldfatguy1
Posted
Scuse me Oldfatguy1, I am ENGLISH from England. (not UK just England) I Would love to go to New Zealand & Australia sometime
Oldfatguy1 Coach_VC
Posted
Then massage the oil in with my thumbs.....assuming are of the incisions are fully healed with no scabs etc. It softens and heals all the way to the bone. Do this a couple times a day. A warm, not hot , towel for about 5 mins before hand warms the pores just enough to help the stuff soak in. Vit E oil comes in various forms but I prefer the really thick, pure stuff. Its a little pricy but but goes a long way. I buy it over the counter at CVS or Walgree. I keep assuming you are in the US.
Oldfatguy1 Annodoremouse
Posted
Sorry....I thought all the time you were NZ......
Dint know where I came up with that. Maybe it's the oxycontin........now I don't know how to explain the shakey hand writing.
Coach_VC Oldfatguy1
Posted
Annodoremouse Oldfatguy1
Posted
This may sound daft but it works. Vick Vapour Rub softens & heals scars. Sounds strange until you look at the ingrediants. it has teatree oil in it and other plants
Annodoremouse Coach_VC
Posted
GOLF? at 8 weeks and now you wonder why you have problems!
Rest & ice is your answer now. Gentle mobility exercises dont include golf or swimming.
Swimming should be started at 12 weeks.
You are running before you have learned to walk Slow down let your knee heal or the problems will continue
Coach_VC Annodoremouse
Posted
Let me clearify my post. Last night when I wrote it might have made it sound more rigorous than it really was.
1. - Golf. Yes Dr. Papp lifted all of my restrictions and told me to be reasonable in what I do. He said that what ever the activity was that when I start feeling any fatigue or a hint of irritation or soreness to immediately stop. His justification for this decision was based on the different rate of recover for different people. He told me he could give me a date, but that's all it would be, a random date on the calendar and not an authentic representation of my recovery process. He told me he might start filling it after 12 holes but that does mean I could do that. With all that said, after three days that were spread out testing what my endurance might be, I ended playing 5 holes. I started feeling just a little soreness so I stopped, post rated my score, drove cart, and drank beer the next 3 1/2 hours. So I think this was much different that what you thought based on my post.
2. Swimming - I have been doing three days of therapy in the pool weekly. So on my off days I go up to the community pool and do my excersizes while my wife plays and becomes a sun Godist! That takes about an hour and 1/2. Then at the end I usually spend approximately 30 -45 minutes just flooring on my noodle with my wife. So again not as bad as I made it sound I guess.
The weird thing with this problem is it happen just walking across the bed room and it just gave away with a lot of noise. Then I couldn't walk and later I could bend my knee. What scared me was all then poping, cracking and grinding it was doing on ever step. This week is the first time I have actually had pain with this surgery. So the next day my PT person evaluated it and didn't find any structural damage. In her opinion I am at the time healing changes stat taking place. Her two suggestions was some scar tissue came loose and got lodge in the joint and or knee cap. The other posinlity could be that because I had a great deal of arthridous so when he was cleaning that up some very really small piece stayed in the knee and thats the irritation problem. Either of those she said would work their way out of my body on their own.
Here is the problem. We are going to Italy July 31st for three weeks. I just hope I can walk by then. This is so frustrating
Coach_VC Annodoremouse
Posted
This may be a duplicate message. My phone is acting weird.
Let me clearify my post. Last night when I wrote it might have made it sound more rigorous than it really was.
1. - Golf. Yes Dr. Papp lifted all of my restrictions and told me to be reasonable in what I do. He said that what ever the activity was that when I start feeling any fatigue or a hint of irritation or soreness to immediately stop. His justification for this decision was based on the different rate of recover for different people. He told me he could give me a date, but that's all it would be, a random date on the calendar and not an authentic representation of my recovery process. He told me he might start filling it after 12 holes but that does mean I could do that. With all that said, after three days that were spread out testing what my endurance might be, I ended playing 5 holes. I started feeling just a little soreness so I stopped, post rated my score, drove cart, and drank beer the next 3 1/2 hours. So I think this was much different that what you thought based on my post.
2. Swimming - I have been doing three days of therapy in the pool weekly. So on my off days I go up to the community pool and do my excersizes while my wife plays and becomes a sun Godist! That takes about an hour and 1/2. Then at the end I usually spend approximately 30 -45 minutes just flooring on my noodle with my wife. So again not as bad as I made it sound I guess.
The weird thing with this problem is it happen just walking across the bed room and it just gave away with a lot of noise. Then I couldn't walk and later I could bend my knee. What scared me was all then poping, cracking and grinding it was doing on ever step. This week is the first time I have actually had pain with this surgery. So the next day my PT person evaluated it and didn't find any structural damage. In her opinion I am at the time healing changes stat taking place. Her two suggestions was some scar tissue came loose and got lodge in the joint and or knee cap. The other posinlity could be that because I had a great deal of arthridous so when he was cleaning that up some very really small piece stayed in the knee and thats the irritation problem. Either of those she said would work their way out of my body on their own.
Here is the problem. We are going to Italy July 31st for three weeks. I just hope I can walk by then. This is so frustrating
Thank you much to take the time to think about me and my recovery.
Steve