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Patello-Femoral Replacements Both Knees

Posted , 5 users are following.

colette58342
colette58342

Hi Has anybody had bilateral Patello Femoral Replacements (Both Knees at the same time) I was doing very well and walking unaided around the house at 5 weeks driving after 6 weeks. good bend good movementt.

I am now 10 weeks post surgery and  my left knee keeps collapsing and my right knee feels wobbly. I feel that behind the knees are the trouble like musles are torn? and feel like there is metal straps pulling on my knees pulling against me when I walk and I am now back on crutches these last 2 weeks and I don not feel like I am moving forward. Any Advise

 

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • jen04209
    jen04209 colette58342

    Posted

    Yes. I did. It's part of the healing process. Keep icing and elevating during the day. It takes up to a year. When our knees are replaced, everything inside also gets moved around and our legs are realigned. Keep doing the stretches and exercises. It will get better. I am going on a year next month and am feeling good and strong. It takes time.

    • colette58342
      colette58342 jen04209

      Posted

      Hi Jen. Thank you for replying. Some exercises like cycling seems to be causing more movement at the moment! On your recovery did you feel like you went back weeks? I am also due to go on holiday in 3 weeks time to St Lucia which is a 10hr flight which I am really worrying about as my legs dont like to stand still for long, and I am thinking of the ques through Immigration and getting on and off the plane via stairs. Its bad enough at the moment never mind after a 10 hour flight. A few weeks back I thought I would be ready, but now I feel like cancelling.
    • colette58342
      colette58342 jen04209

      Posted

      Hi Jen. Did you have both your knees replaced at the same time? How long was it before you felt happy to walk around outside unaided or feel more back to normal?
  • chris00938
    chris00938 colette58342

    Posted

    I would suggest contacting the surgeon and asking about this as soon as possible.  I really don't know how 'normal' this is, and while we tend to hear that most things are 'normal' if it were me, I'd definitely want to ask via a phone call, at least, that this was OK and nothing had gone wrong.    In the meantime, go back to ice and elevation and rest.  It might just be that you've overdone it.

    • colette58342
      colette58342 chris00938

      Posted

      Hi Chris Thanks for replying. I went to see the surgeon 2 weeks ago and it was the first time i walked outside unaded, and I was very proud that day as all was good. The surgeon was really pleased with movement and all was well, I am back at work now So I cant elevate and ice until the evening. So perhaps I have overdone it, I just thought that things would just keep progressing forwar as I felt I had got through the worst
    • colette58342
      colette58342 chris00938

      Posted

      Hi Chris

      Went to Physio on Friday. The cramps and thepulling whilst walking and making my legs feel like they are giving way, is sciatic nerve pain. She created the same with my leg in the air and pulled my foot towards me. This has made me feel a lot better knowing this. She said it is a lot to do with my posture as i had both done at the same time. Standing straighter and head held high seems to be releaving a lot of the pain. She has also given me more physio for the sciatic nerve.

    • chris00938
      chris00938 colette58342

      Posted

      Oh I'm so pleased they've sussed out what the problem is now Colette and hope it's better soon now!  If you need it, you might find a TENS helps.  They seem to help some, but not others.  I bought one when I had back problems caused by  physio (nothing to do with knees) and it rectified it totally after about a week.  I didn't need to use it again until I went back to the physio, got the same problem again, and the TENS sorted it again.  Gave up the physio and haven't needed it since LOL!

    • colette58342
      colette58342 chris00938

      Posted

      Hi Chris, Sorry to bother you again, But you had 2 knees replaced at the same time. How long did it take you to be walking unaided normally?
    • chris00938
      chris00938 colette58342

      Posted

      Not me Colette - maybe a different Chris?  I'm waiting for the other one to be done:-)

  • jan01779
    jan01779 colette58342

    Posted

    HI Colette,

    My word I could not have coped with work 10 week spost op. Do you think you may have gone back a bit early but guess some of us have too. 

    I think take Chris's advice and contact your surgeon if its worse but I expect they will say its part of the normal healing.

    Could you elevate anf ice at work in your lunch break?

    All the best hope it gets better Jan

    • colette58342
      colette58342 jan01779

      Posted

      I went back at 6 weeks and have to drive 85miles each way. I do have to stop off to stretch my legs after 1 hrs driving.Perhaps it is too much to soon. I have my Physio tomorrow so will check. As it seems that all the muscles are pulling and cramping behind the knee.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 colette58342

      Posted

      I was concerned about that aspect Colette.  When I went for my six week sign off I knew I'd have a bit of stiffness and a bit more swelling because of sitting in the car with knees bent for over an hour, but fortunately he was very happy with the bend I'd got - it was over 120 - that was his concern, so it didn't matter if it was a little less than I got at home.  You saying about cramping behind the knee.  When I got to the 115 degree bend I suddenly got a horrific pain behind the knee that felt like cramping/pinching and phoned by physio who told me not to push the bend so much for a couple of weeks (LOVELY MAN!)  and I found a week later I could gradually increase the bend more but I was terrified that it was 'impingement' and would need surgery before I phoned and spoke to him.  It was all fine though.  I think it's all down to swelling really. I don't know how many physio's recommend it - it seems a contentious issue, but I found at one stage, after reading about the suggestion on here, that moist heat helped me.  I didn't put it over the scar area but got hot flannels and wrapped them around the knee, with a thick bath towel over them, and then refreshed and did it again until they'd been on for 10 - 15 minutes and then tried doing the bend and it was MUCH easier.  It seemed to relax everything.  But I think the worst thing to do (which I WAS doing initially!!!) is to ice just before doing the bend.  Because when you think about exercise, they tell you to warm up when doing stretches etc. so ice before trying the bend isn't the best idea.  But ice after is.

  • juliesentkovsky
    juliesentkovsky colette58342

    Posted

    My bend and mussel torn just in hospital again more surgery to get bend pain bad this is so hard x on a machine 24 hours bending straighting knee please god this work x 😭Hope u get your better too x

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