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PKR - is this normal and should I be doing anything else...

Posted , 7 users are following.

the_sitter
the_sitter

Morning all

I'm now 6 days post PKR and not sure if I'm making progress or not ? Just wondering what other people's experiences are. I'm 49 and needed this surgery to deal with the pain in my knee due to osteoarthritis. The op went well, stayed overnight and came home. I'm trying to do something different each day - getting up getting dressed having a shower, but each day is the same at the moment. I'm exhausted doing all of the above even going to the loo is like climbing a mountain. Should I be doing more? Someone mentioned putting a baking tray under my bad foot to move back and forth is this simething to do now? - I start physio in a weeks time but do I need to be doing more now. Pain wise is awful but sheer grit is making me get up and "do" still on pain relief - agin is this everyone else's experience - all leg is quite numb is the sensation likely to return.

1 like, 28 replies

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  • Duckfan
    Duckfan the_sitter

    Posted

    I forgot about the ice so I'm adding

    Rest-ice-elevate.

    I'm going into four months and I've rejoined life. Weeding the garden, doing what I used to do. It's slow and tedious but I can see light.

    With that said I'm 70, not 49. You may be up and going much sooner. Some of us are whippets some are bulldogs. All different and please-please-please don't compare yourself to others. I remember reading that someone's Bend was at 120 at 6 weeks, and they were off pain mess and sailing through. I burst into tears, happy for them but wondering what I'd done wrong. Well it turns out we are ALL different.

    • the_sitter
      the_sitter Duckfan

      Posted

      Thank you Duckfan

      Well I can confirm that there have been lots of tears from the 49 year old to! I managed to get myself dressed yesterday but then realised I was so exhausted I didn't have the energy to get downstairs - a simple task that I have so taken for granted became literally impossible and at that moment could not see a light at he end of the tunnel. Not being able to lift my own leg to get back into bed was another major teary session - this forum is an incredibly positive and supportive tool and it's making me feel better and not so alone already. Thank you all

  • Guest
    Guest the_sitter

    Posted

    Rest, ice,elevate yes. But do a little each hour to start getting joint mobility. So flex extend your feet, like on n off gas, 20 x for one exercise. Next hour, try to contract your knee into the bed/chair-easier w a small towel under ankle 10x. Foot slides sit on edge of chair, foot flat on something like cookie dheet etc, dlide bavk n foryh bringing ur heel as far under you as u can wo screaming (lol). Next hour, while sitting or laying down, try to lift ur whole leg off chair or bed,these are for ur quads 10x. Next hour put ur ankle on a chair with u sitting and let the weigth of leg just hang there for 5min.this gets ur leg to straighten

    There are a ton of exercises but these r basics that will get u going. See 5hrs went by... lol

    Good luck. Ad ur stamina increases you can mix match. Dont overdo. Resist urge to tackle all at once!

    wink

    There are

    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 Guest

      Posted

      I remember doing a little bit each hour! Little and often Never tried a squat until seven weeks...that brought a swear word or two!
    • the_sitter
      the_sitter jenny80029

      Posted

      Yep I can't actually ever imagine doing one of those again - and yes I've used a few of those over the last few days I find it help to expel the frustration and pain when required - go you with the squats respect!

    • Guest
      Guest

      Posted

      Wow crazy typos! Wrote at work at end of lunch break! Too many to correct! Got me laughing again. I was all about pushing hard w my exercises and took me some time to realize a pattern.

      Exercise =more swelling=less bend=more discomfort=less sleep=fitful day=less sleep= more depression.

      Cure? Lots n lots of little exercises with rest in between exercising. First day on treadmile did a mile and bought a tree stump for a leg. I didnt quit. Dropped mileage, felt better, less swelling,less scar tissue build up, less depression, happier me.

      The scarring and swelling are tough adversaries. November 10,2016 bilateral pkr seems like eons ago BUT i remember the agony then to relish the improvement now!

      Another 12hr shift 2morrow after having one today, oh boy. But just 2months ago i fell asleep for 3hrs after a 6hr shift and then slept all night!. Better n better every day no matter how small the victory!

      Yea!

      AuntE G

    • the_sitter
      the_sitter Guest

      Posted

      I couldn't agree more, I have decided to keep a diary as feel anything that is achieved is a mini victory - I saw when I joined this site yesterday that someone was coming off due to negative comments - have to say that's not my impression as a newcomer.

      Fantastic advice for a PKR newby and there's a lot of inspiration and laughter on here at the moment this is giving me strength.

      I would also like to say I'm 49 and experiencing this for the first time I now have the utmost respect for my fellow older generation who have gone through the same or similar procedure as I genuinely don't know how I would have coped - I never really thought about it before I would just hear of people having it done - now as I have said respect, this is making me a far more understanding person

    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 the_sitter

      Posted

      I must add, the squats were tiny weeny little knee bends for many weeks! Only at three months haveca managed to do something which could respectably hold the title is squat! I found doing exr crises in pool made the most difference.
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