Progress at 3mths / Partial Knee Replacement

Hi Debbie. I am four months abd struggle the same up and down stairs . I dont have pain but my knee is not strong . It does bend well thanks to my exercise bikeso I just keep giving it a go . I had a few falls so still using my stick . Had another xray which said all was well and seeing consultant for mri result nxt wee. I hurt my back in one of my falls so that has hampered my progress. I seem to walk awkwardly and wonder if I will ever be right again .. I do daily strengthening and use my exercise bike and also a gym ball and wobble board for balance stuff.

Seems a long journey .hopefully will get there in the

End

Hi Deb, I am only one month in and I know its early days, but like you I am suffering extreme tightness pain and discomfort, never free from one thing or another. I hope you soon make progress x

 

Oh and I was TKR x

 

3 months is one of the bench Mark times for this surgery. You should have been advised one month is not a long enough time to declare independence from physical therapy and probably still should be going. Right now the leg is starting to t a me hold of the memory phase and th e l a :'( of mobility a 62nd strdngt are still being learned. I would ask to get back into therapy as one of the problems with tkr is that things you think you have mastered or have worked through will suddenly jump up and.bite you again. May not last for as long but will scare the check out of you. Just keep up the excercise and add a few new ones that pertain to strengthening.

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Think of your knee as you would a new born.  Sooner or later you have to make the decision to start your little darling on a bottle, then there is the solids state and the list goes on.  That is your knee.  The month treatment is the bottle stage. You have been shown the ropes and now the rest is up to you. If you cannot walk DOWN the stairs; come down backwards (one at a time for a couple of times, them use both legs) you are still exercising muscles, but in a different sequence.  Use the stairs as your gym, going up; exaggerate each step up, when you get to the point that "this is easy", try 2 steps at a time. Of course you are going to be in pain, but you need to take your meds and then work through it (At this stage your meds are vital, do not be a martyr and let the pain rule you,  it is the pain that stops you progressing). Please take something stronger than paracetamol. A lot of pain will be caused by the battering your leg went through + the added bonus of your nerves groing back.  All these signals are being sent to your brain, that is not the area a pain relief tablet works.  The opiate drugs work on the pain receptors in your brain. It is these little monsters that keep you in agony. Suffocate them. Then get on with the job of getting your knee working, be creative. Even when you are resting with your family, work those muscles; I am assuming you sit with your leg out straight; so mentally pull your toes towards your chin, heel down towards the tv and hold.  You can do this in bed, anywhere where you have a flat surface to stretch. Keep doing this as much as possible. At meal times or other times when you are sitting upright; work on the bend, heel on the ground just slide you foot backwards, when it twinges, stop and just keep it there. When the pain subsides (it will because you will relax) drag it back further.  If you cannot do this use the other leg to gently push.  Take it as slow as you want, but do it contantly. You can do this anywhere.  Nobody is going to look at you strangely, because you are taking baby steps. The one thing you must understand is your knee will not come apart, it will buckle only because your muscles are weak.  The bad news is it will take a long time, there will be times when you think "Oh wow, this is great", then other days you just want to sit on that bottom step and cry, go ahead and cry, all those bad after effects of your operation with keep looking over the parapet. You will be depressed.  The good news, It WILL get better, the pain WILL ease, your knee WILL  bend and you WILL be able to walk better.  Think of every day as an improvement on the day before.  Pat yourself on the back when you have achieved a certain goal.  This whole process might take up to 18 months to 2 years, before your are well and truly recovered, some people after 6 months. Don't let anyone tell you you should be further along the recovery road than you are at any given moment. Your husband sounds like a rock, he will always be there in case you stumble. If you need a little brevity; paly your favourite music, hang onto his shoulders and dance. All you are doing is using those muscles, if it is uncomfortable lean on his shoulders more, unless you both ave had enough, and ost importantly...... LAUGH.  Laughing is something we forget to do, but we need those happy endorphins rattling around in our head.  Good luck.  I wish you well

Hi. I'm 9 weeks PKR and live in the Uk.  We are given exercises by Physio in hospital and left to get on with them, have a check up at 2 weeks and 6 weeks.  My bend is good and i can go up and down stairs normally but have to use the bannister.  I don't use my stick or crutches but am very aware of weak muscle tone and sometimes lose my balance. Somedays I have very tight leg and aches but other days ok.  Worse time is at night so take co codamol but come the morning my knee is so stiff the pain to move it is really bad.

We all heal at different rates.  Take the advise of others on the site and slowly things will improve.  I was asked to return to work but declined stating that I would return at 12 weeks just to give me that extra time.

Wishing you well with your recovery.