Porr Knee Flex 14 months after my operation

It happens,  every recovery is different. I was back at work 6 months after each of my tkrs. What does your surgeon say about your recovery?. How straight is your leg ?, just as important as bend. Ask your doctor about possible extra or different physio. Hope you improve soon, I am 19½ & 17½ years since mine , and all has been fine. 

I have no idea - makes no sense, just like me I have so much swelling after 2 months and some people NEVER had swelling.. if I just get up and cook dinner and wash dishes my knee swells to twice the size and others can walk around the block and stand for hours with NO swelling... makes no sense and if very frustrating 

I was reading some of the new blurb the NHS gives you when you go in forTKR & it says that as long as you are bending to 90 & can extend to near zero, you are considered rehabilitated!

It seems thinking changes from day to day but as long as you can do all you need to in your daily life that is ok. Extension to 0 is as important as without a straight leg you will limp.

Dont worry unduly, you may well increase the bend with exercise, so all is definitely not lost.

All the best

Marilyn

XX

Yes, knees are a law unto themselves. My TKR made super fast scar tissue and the bend was restricted due to this so I had  a manipulation which helped. I did all I was asked but the pain and swelling were dreadful and I could not take strong meds.

?I know people who sailed through (relatively speaking) and did little exercise and did not eat right or anything, while I researched and tried to optimise everything for a good recovery and it did not work out. It seems to be just one of those things; knee surgery is complex and invasive and we needed it due to existing disease or damage, those and anatomy will be variable for each person.

?I have found recovery tough mentally and physically and it can be frustrating. I'm in the UK so they like you to get min of 90 deg. I was slipping back to 65 deg then the MUA led to 95 then about 110 with time and exercise, which is OK though still have the tight band effect and aches and pains months on.

?Assuming you have been checked for any underlying issues?

I spoke to my consultant about Manipulation Under Anesthetic and he said he does not like to do this it is possible to to have LESS flexibility afterwards and there is no guarantee.

To be honest I don't give it much attention these days it is what it is. I just wanted to talk to other people who had TKR to see what their experience has been.

It appears pretty mixed. My mistake was having my knee replaced when the old one was showing a lot of wear on the scan but not yet giving me any severe pain. I was encouraged to have the op early so that 'the physio will be easier.'

The problem with that is while those who had the op when they were suffering a lot of pain were able to feel an improvement immediately I wasn't.

I've also discovered that like childbirth those who had TKR years ago have forgotten the pain and swelling and only tell you how good it all is.

Ah well off to walk my dogs. Have a great day everyone.

I think some people just take much longer than others to achieve the maximum recovery.  I had a slow and frustrating recovery due to swelling and possibly scar tissue but can now say after 2 1/2 years that my knee enables me to do anything I want and I still notice small improvements from time to time.  

I think we all become a bit obsessed by the numbers and feel a failure if we cannot attain the optimum bend.  However once you accept how it is and get on with your normal every day activities, confidence in your new knee improves and progress continues. until one day you realise that you have not given the knee a thought!