Posted , 14 users are following.
Hi all. I am 5 days out from my TKR and am finding sleeping on my back very difficult. I would love to know if this concerns anyone else and also is it safe to sleep on my side !!! I imagine this will sound odd to some but am still so unsure of what I can and cannot safely do. Cheers.
0 likes, 40 replies
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saralice NZJENNI
Posted
I slept on my back for the first two or three weeks, I couldn't get to sleep any other way.The pain was so bad. I had both legs supported by two pillows. My physio said that was fine as long as the whole leg was supported and the pillows were not just under my knee, that worked fine for me. I now alternate between sleeping on my side( in recovery position) and on my back. I am six weeks out and my bend is 95 and I am nearly there with full stretch on my leg.I need to work on that. I'm still in pain but nowhere near as bad.My physio is happy with how things are going. Sleep is so important, I wake up a couple of times through the night but I just turn over, change position and go back to sleep.I can drive again now and I don't use a walking aid.
Good luck with your recovery, keep icing, take the painkillers, exercise when you feel you are able but most important get some sleep the best way you can.
tijim NZJENNI
Posted
NZJENNI tijim
Posted
tijim NZJENNI
Posted
I did have troubles when I finally got rid of the elevation pillow and still needed to lie on my back so I bought a pair of protective heel things that helped heaps! Took me ages to be able to lie on my good side (which also is waiting a tkr) but a pillow did wonders but I so want to lie on my tkr side but a damn hip bursitis is stopping that after 11mths so sick of just the 2 positions and I can't lie on my stomach to sleep (darn boobs get in the way .. lol)
annfed NZJENNI
Posted
Congrats on your TKR!
My orthopedist told me sleeping on side with pillow between my two knees wouldn't do any damage. And I had bilateral TKR so both knees were painful and while sleeping on side my left knee would start aching waking me up every couple of hours. I'm trying to train myself to sleep on back, and finally had 5 hours solid sleep first time post-op last night!
It's definitely a soul-searching process, and I'm finally seeing the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel at 10 weeks.
Be gentle and kind to yourself! This is major life changing surgery!
Ann
tijim annfed
Posted
Wow Ann, that's awesome that you were able to lie on your side with a bilateral tkr. I could only lie on my back with one but I did use an elevation pillow that worked wonders and I found it really comfy having my legs raised especially for the swelling
Take care... Tracey
sandra85643 NZJENNI
Posted
Hi Nzjenni,
I am now 9 days since my tKr and the only way I can sleep is on my side so I just put a pillow in between my legs and shuffle on to my side. It still keeps me awake and the pain is still horrible. Everybody says it will get better but I am getting a bit down. My partner goes to work at 6.30am until 6pm at night and although I can get down and upstairs I find it difficult to get my crutchessay back up down isn't too bad I can just slide it down but the getting back up I can't seem to do, any ideas? Sandra.Hope you get your sleeping sorted.