1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Knee Problems

Physiotherapy after TKR

Posted , 19 users are following.

liz00723
liz00723

I would like to ask a question re Physio.  Some of you seem to think your PT has been superb.  Can I ask what he/she does with you.  I feel that mine has been a total waste of space and I'm not sure what to do yo try to improve the angle of the bend in my knee.

I go back on Thursday to see my surgeon, it will be 7.5 weeks since the op.  I want to be able to speak honestly to him about my experience.

I have to say that without this forum I would have been lost.  It has been the best source of information for me.  I trust all of you as you have been through the same experience as me and we understand each other.  They do say 'A problem shared, is a problem halved'.  Too true I say.

Today I went into town with my daughter and 5 year old granddaughter.  Hitchin is an old market town with cobble streets and lots of steps up and down on and off pavements.  I went without a stick, big big regret.  I am almost 7 weeks post-TKR.  My leg was in agony and I couldn't wait to get home.  That was really depressing as I thought I was doing so much better.

This is a long slog and I just wish I had realised that fact.

good luck everyone.

Liz

0 likes, 35 replies

35 Replies

Prev Next
  • susan33930
    susan33930 liz00723

    Posted

    Hi Liz

    I'm almost 7 months post TKR and I felt abandoned by the physios and felt I had to do something to strengthen it and help it along. I have an excercise bike but needed more, so I found a local gym with apool and went in the pool 3 times a week to do my exercises in the water.  When I first went i used a cane as I was scared of slipping.

    The change was fantastic. I walk really well (the best I have for years) and I'm happy with the bend etc.  All the exercises are so much easier in the water - I did all the ones I was told to, plus pedalling around like a sea horse with a float underneath me and making them up as I go along! I didnt do a lot of actual swimming but  you find you can bend more without painand. It's also very good for the mind.

    if, or rather when, I have my other knee done, I will ask for hydrotherapy and start swimming as soon as the scar is healed.

    good luck with your recovery x

    • liz00723
      liz00723 susan33930

      Posted

      I think when I find the right PT it will make such a difference and like you I think hydrotherapy will be excellent.  I will be straight down the gym when I get home to use the pool.

      thank you Susan.

      Liz

  • john_04330
    john_04330 liz00723

    Posted

    Hi Liz

    I am in Westfield and have chosen a physio who is recignised by them. I am paying but get two thirds of it back. I had my op on the 18th Nov then went for rehab till 30 th nov. because I live on my own. When i was released I was told i could have physio but would have to wait 3 or 4 weeks befgore i got it,which i didnt want to do. I have already had 2 sessions with a very good lady who is an ex hospital physio with over 20 years experience. My experience of physios is very varied. Before my knee got worse,I was seeing a physio who every session,around 10 of them,did nothing but put ultrasound on and leave me in the room. If I told you who he used to work for before,you would not believe me. So regarding this,I would advise anybody,do your research. If you are not satisfied get somebody else. I went to him because he was on my way home from work and because of the people he had treated before. I wish now i hadnt.

    • liz00723
      liz00723 john_04330

      Posted

      totally agree John and hoping that when I get home I will feel much happier.  I think I am happy to pay to make everything right.  I always knew it wouldn't be like before but easy walking would make me happy.

      liz

    • john_04330
      john_04330 liz00723

      Posted

      Correct Liz. Maybe you could use the gym pool,going steady with help. I was a regular gym goer before and want to do so again. Problem is I dont really know the timeline that this is advisable. 

      Also living where you do I hope its not long before you can find somewhere where its easy to get in the sea, ie no rocks. I would imagine even a little paddle in the Med might be therapeutic! A bit cold in Cyprus at the moment for that,but maybe around June?

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 liz00723

    Posted

    Regarding physio and bending.

    Try this exercise.

    Sit on the bed with a tea tray at your feet and keep your socks on.

    See how fr you can move yur leg up the tray bending your knee as you go.

    Mark on hte tray where you have got to.

    Next time try and push a bit harder and get slightly nearer the top of the tray.

    I was given this exercise by a physiotherapist when I had my TKR 3 years ago.

    Good luck.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah

     

  • lfr33
    lfr33 liz00723

    Posted

    Hi Liz

    I concur with everything that has been said here, so I won't repeat.  

    I'm 13 wks post op and one of the exercises I found invaluable in getting a full bend (my op knee is the same as my other now) was using a resistance (Thera) band.  Standing on your good leg, loop the band around the front of your op foot, and pull the band up over your shoulders, causing your leg to bend and your foot to come up towards your butt.  At first, you may not get very far, but the resistance band is doing all the work, so you should be able to just 'hang' there.  I actually enjoyed the 'hanging', but maybe I'm odd smile  The more you do this the further you will get towards your butt.  After a while you will be able to pull the band very tight and then push against it (pushing your foot away from your body) thus strengthening your muscles.  Do this as many times a day as you can; in the beginning you will probably want to stand behind a chair or something that you can lean on if you're feeling a bit wobbly.

    Good luck, you'll get there in the end!

  • irish_linda
    irish_linda liz00723

    Posted

    hi liz i must agree with most here you really over done it but thats ok the knee will always lets you know , what is important is that you now know that it will take time ,the fact you survived all that and had no real set back is fantastic ,the leg will tire alot for a good while yet just listen to your body ,and obey it !!! .i have to admit its very frustrating when you want to do these things and your knee refuses to co operate .i like OFG have been through my fair share of ops for one knee in paticular (mind you not as many as OFG) but we know how this works . he is so right about your physio i too have had a great relationship with her and after all ops ive asked for her and so glad i did as she got to know me very well and she picked me up when i was so down after set backs .i could ring her and she would fit me in and re assure me when i needed it ,as well as pushing me when i needed that extra bit .so i would say if you dont like or not sure the physio is helping you as much as you need change maybe someother person can recomend a better one go for it as the physio needs to be your friend .
  • john44470
    john44470 liz00723

    Posted

    Hiya Liz,

    Tend to agree with you. My scenario is slightly different - I'm now 5&1/2 weeks out from a partial knee replacement (UKR) and am doing fine - no thanks to my physio ! I'm in Britain and was admitted to a private hospital as a NHS patient. No problems with my surgeon or general care - excellent in fact. BUT, physio care was at best - very basic !

    Prior to admission was given an NHS publication (a little white book) describing the surgery process, hospital processes and excercises that I will start in hospital and continue as part of my Rehab at home. Sent home after 3 days, no sweat !

    Physio in hospital went through all the exercises with me got me up to basic speed to meet requirements for discharge and that was that. 2 weeks later back to hospital physio for a check up and got more exercises to do in addition to those already on my programme. Told thats it, ring us if you have a problem. Next trip will be back to meet surgeon for a check up at 7 and half week mark on 29th Dec.

    It is my good fortune to have worked with physiotherapists in the past and so am well aware importance of the exercise part of rehab BUT my biggest complaint is that 'the little white book' only gives you pictures and a brief narrative as to what to do - and thats it - end of !!. I have found Youtube much more informative in that it tells you the name of the exercise, gives a short video demo AND most importantly describes what the exercise will do to your body and how it will help you. I was also fortunate in that 6 weeks or so before surgery I went to my sports therapist and got her to work on me to prepare my right leg for surgery - strengthening etc. I have been back to her since for gentle massage to help with swelling of knee and ankle. (Lymphatic system)

    Am now just fine BUT - no thanks to NHS physio, which as I said earlier - was at best just BASIC!

    I had trouble with the bend in my knee and all I can offer is to work through your exercises, particularly the heel slides and the one where you sit upright on the bed, put a belt, or a large towl around the foot of the operated knee and gently, slowly but steadily move the knee toward you and repeat the movement. Some PT's I note advocate doing this even when it causes extreme pain and in fact I note that the tendency seems to be for PT's to advocate filling yourself up with pain killers then an hour or so later doing exercises to the point of enduring extreme pain. My view is that is TOTAL RUBBISH ! I do the exercise to the point where I feel the onset of pain and then back off, rest and repeat and with each repetition gain slightly more and more movement each time. Once the exercise session is finished I conclude by rewarding my body with rest and ice pack therapy.

    May the force be with you all.

    John

    • john_04330
      john_04330 john44470

      Posted

      I found your post interesting John as we have something in common apart from the very common name. That is,going in a private hospital as an NHS patient. When I found out this was going to be the case I considered myself very lucky. I was even told I would have my own room throughout my stay. I am not a naive person but I believed it. In actual fact,I was moved into a room for four the morning after my total op,which finished at 7pm. I wasnt best pleased,but as it turned out the company was great. The physio i got,however,was minimal. I would say around 20 minutes in the 3 days i spent there. The nursing care was very hit and miss also. I did a week in another hospital for rehab and it was marvellous. Im really glad i went as i live on my own. One minor thing: I had to pay for a taxi for my transfer from the private hospital to the other one,and the journey was a comedy of errors that I wont go into here,as Ive already gone off topic.
    • sueisobel
      sueisobel john44470

      Posted

      Sorry to but in here (Just checking personal mail while waiting for a thing to load!!)

      Your PT department should give you at three A4 size paper of stick drawings and guidance on what you should and could be doing. It is standard practice, no matter what is wrong with your leg. To make you go through the pain will create more swelling, which is stupid.  By all means take your painkillers as they are there as part of the healing process and help keep inflammation down to an acceptable level.  What you are doing is ok, just remember to work on your quads (more important) whilst your leg is straight.  Good luck

    • john44470
      john44470 sueisobel

      Posted

      Hi Sue,

      Many thanks for your comments. No A4 paper stick drawings, although I have found them on a knee surgery related website and they correspond to the NHS 'little white book' I was given by hospital PT Dept. Because I'm on Warfarin for a cardiac related condition I can only take Co-Codomol 30/500 for pain relief which means a max. of 8 a day. Nowadays I use them as a pill in the pocket and use only  1 or 2 a day and then mostly at night after my last of the day exercises - but not every day, just as needed. Operated leg/knee is going fine, still a bit of swelling but manageable and I accept this could well be around for up to 6 months etc. I still do all my exercises as per the 'little white book' which includes Quads and tend to concentrate on the straight leg stuff and the flexion and extension stuff to. Leg feeling good now. Many thanks.

    • john44470
      john44470 john_04330

      Posted

      Hi John,

      Yes I thought I was lucky too, and indeed compared to you I was. Yes, I had my own room for my whole stay (3 days) complete with en suite bathroom. The Physio I got was good, professional and knowledgeable and did explain when I questioned the PT's. But it was all very cursory and one couldn't help but think that the hospital management weren't prepared to put money into rehab. Once I had the NHS 'little white book' I was better off on Youtube. Nursing care was excellent as was food. Not that I had that much of an appetite.

      Good luck.

       

    • sueisobel
      sueisobel john44470

      Posted

      Hi John, I am impressed, the pieces  of paper have been promoted to a handbook, whatever next!! Sorry to hear you cannot take anything stronger.  If you find your pain does increase, please take the pain killer on a regular basis as they will work better.  Keep on keeping on.
    • john_04330
      john_04330 john44470

      Posted

      Thanks John

      My experience as said was very hit and miss. But at the 2nd hospital i spent a week at it was a different story. Double helpings,I was eating like a horse and having a laugh with the nurses. NHS.

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.