Physical Therapy

You are not a failure we all do things at a different time. Don't beat yourself up about it please. All you can do is practice your excersice s

Feeling a failure is going to hold back your recovery. We all have different things that we are not so good at.

The reason I joined this group is I worry about the speed of my recovery. I am 6 weeks post op yesterday.

Best wishes, please don't feel a failure

Robin, this has nothing whatsoever to do about "something being wrong with you" as a person. Your doctors may not have the best bed side manner. It's also not about the measurements THEY "need you to be at". This is something much simpler. Your physical recovery is terribly important for you. This has zero to do with pleasing your doctors or meeting their expectations. Frankly it almost sounds like you've gotten into an emotional  push and pull with your PT--no pun intended. In your mind, try laughing when you imagine the next session and say very forcefully 'it doesn't matter!' about time agendas. Then look deep and find your desire to recover your mobility for your own sake. Let that desire take the lead and bring you to the next level of recovery. Worrying about your doctors expectations will get you into the mental block that you describe.

Moreover, maybe your body is just acting in its own best interests now. 

Your PT wants to push you and bring you along,as he or she should. So they're not necessarily the bad guy either. That's why laughing to dissolve the mental block may be a good thing. 

 

You are doing great! Your flexion number is fantastic for 4 weeks post op! Do not let the physical therapist push your body to excruciating pain. I switched from a physical therapist who pushed me way past my point of pain and I suffered a 6 week setback because I didn't speak up for myself. I found a new physical therapist who was personally recommended by my chiropractor. She takes into account my age (67) and doesn't expect me to perform or recover like a younger person and I am now doing great! 

I will never let a physical therapist dictate how my body should perform. We are all different and recover at different paces and I learned the hard way not all physical therapists are good or care about you as a person. 

Healing and recovery is hard, no doubt about it. It requires a certain amount of pain during recovery but should never be torturous! 

Read Chico Marx experiences and advice on rehab and recovery, you will find great information on recovery. Best wishes...

 

Hi Robin, just looking at the posts on this forum over the last 6 weeks since my TKR, we ALL heal at a different rate, we ALL have different journeys. It is good to try to make someone feel better about their healing, that’s what we’re here for, supporting each other.  I haven’t reached 90 yet at 6 weeks and I’m seeing the consultant on Monday for my first check up. Needless to say I am working really hard on my PT as I really don’t want him to suggest a manipulation (apparently he classes 90 as a minimum!), I’m petrified of going back into hospital. I’ve got the physio on Friday for my final measurement and she will email the consultant. Try to keep positive as I will... this forum has made me realise that we are all different and we all heal at a different rate. Keep doing what you’re doing, you are going in the right direction. Best Wishes.

You are doing great! I was about 110 at six weeks, and things continue to progress...

You have lots of excellent responses here. You know from reading around forum that everyone is different. Why do they need you to be at that measurement? That is what I would be wanting to know?

110 is not bad at all. I'm in the UK and they expect 90-95 degrees as soon as possible in order that you can do everyday things. After that, you can improve with time and everyone at their own rate. These physios should not be making you feel inadequate, as a lot of the time, if achieving the bend is proving difficult and painful, there is a physical reason for this, not because "You are not trying/ working hard enough". Foe some, the bend comes easy and then they brag about how hard they worked, but if you know you are doing your utmost, then you are doing well too.

?I know this from experience as my bend went backwards and I tried until I cried for hours, but the bend was stuck due to super fast internal scar adhesions and my knee was so swollen, when I look back at photos I can see how swollen and like a hosepipe full of water will not bend, neither will a knee full of fluid!

I needed the MUA and it was no big deal, despite my worries and it helped my knee to bend.

?However, I only had 110 after the MUA, and I don't know what it is months later as I was discharged from treatment - nor do I even care!

?I accept that my knee has been a difficult case and may never be perfect  but I hope it will still keep making progress. Be pleased with your progress and know you can and will make further improvements.

Hi robin ,as stated by numerous others everyones recovery goes at a different pace you cannot base yourself on how others do,I got myself a turbo trainer bike for the house and even though I couldn’t get a full revolution on the peddles I found if I went round to what I felt was my  limit and then just moves the peddle a touch more and repeated this evertime I did my exercises I found this brought me on leaps and bounds and before long I was managing full cycle revolutions it was certainly better for me than the heel slide,but again this was great for me.

Robin 

Do you take any pain meds before and after therapy ?

Thanks 

Robin:  By no means are you a failure.  I was only a 110 after 3 months.  I don't think my knee ever bent to 130 even way before tkr.  I am just a person who walks everywhere with very mild exercise and my 110 is working fine.  Don't knock yourself down.  As everyone says, we are all different.  I am almost a year past tkr and still need improvement but am happy with what I can do.

?Keep up the your spirits.  We have all been there.

?Take care,

Connie

You recover at your own speed . There is no should be at , at any stage , that is ridiculous , everyone is different . One can be say 90 at 4 weeks and then be 130 at 6 or 7 weeks , another can be 110 at 4 weeks and still be 110 at 6 or 7 . Your recovery is your own and most likely be different from other recoveries . Don't worry you will get there in the end .

I started at the PT place at 3 weeks post-op and was -14 / +84.  Took me 10 weeks @ 2X/week to end up at -1 / +123.  Some people get to +120 quickly, others not so fast.  We are all DIFFERENT so ignore the word "should" in your recovery...no matter who says it.  I'd whack 'em with my cane!!!!!

Pushing down on the knee with your heel up on a block is STANDARD for TKR PT.  Some people have not had it done on them...I did and so did many others.  Depends on country and how the PT was taught.  Pushing down is very effective, painful, great in breaking down the scar tissue, painful, fastest way to get to zero, and it's painful.  Did I mention painful?  That's why lots of people take meds an hour before PT.

But that technique is used to get you to zero straight, not +120 bent.  To do that, the PT will lie you down on your stomach and try to make your heel touch your butt.  (PS: Never gonna happen...that's +161 and you won't ever get there without severely straining the limits of the implant.)  You can do the same exercise at home by sitting down on the floor, putting a belt around your ankle, holding one end of the belt in each hand and pulling your heel toward yourself.  Pull...hold...release...repeat.  If you sit on the exact same spot every day, you can use a strip of masking tape on the floor, marking your progress each day with a marker pen.  Easy...

You should NOT beat yourself up over this.  Give up all expectations and comparisons to other people.  OWN your recovery.  Work, time, patience...