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Should I be concerned?

Posted , 6 users are following.

peter73207
peter73207

Hello folks,

Just back from physio.

Bend is just over 90 and hasn't really increased significantly in the last 2 weeks which sort of surprised me. Im definitely stronger and there are things I can do today that I couldn’t 2 weeks ago so I don't really understand it. For those who have maybe experienced this before, is this something to be concerned about. Is it normal to be fixed at one position for a length of time before the knee decides to move forward again?

Could be just a bit of patience on my part. Don't know. That hasn't always been one my strongest characteristics. haha

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • MCanada
    MCanada peter73207

    Posted

    Patience Peter....... I was at 80 degree at 6 weeks and 98 degrees at 12 and just this morning at 13 weeks feel as if I have finally broken 100. But I am walking almost 5 kms every second day now along with the daily water workouts. I am on the recumbent bicycle now and it is sssslllllllooooow improvement. But it is improvement. I can now walk up and down stairs without pausing and use stairs to press the knee (static) into bending more without much pain. Keep doing the work numerous times a day and it will come. But stop the work and expect a complete stall on improvement. I am as impatient as it gets so I feel the same way you do. However I have been here before and know that the plateau is temporary. Keep smiling; the canoe tripping will be there for you in spring! It is now less than a month before I will be snorkelling off Cozumel Mexico and I expect to be riding bike every day. Bueno!
    • jayne15912
      jayne15912 MCanada

      Posted

      Hi sorry to interrupt but can I just say I love positive posts like this! I'm not quite at 2 weeks post op. And although I'm struggling I am so much better than this time last week! So at times when the pain etc gets me down its great to read these posts and realise that I will get there and it will all have been worth it. I have my first session with physio tomorrow so I'm hoping for some pointers and reassurance. Thanks again. X
    • sally58158
      sally58158 jayne15912

      Posted

      Hi Jayne

      glad to hear things are getting better. Physio for me was great because i got to ask about all the things that were worrying me. Mine were very encouraging and helped me see that i was beating myself up for no reason. Hope it goes well. Stay in touch!

    • peter73207
      peter73207 MCanada

      Posted

      Thanks Mary, I figured it was likely my impatience and guess I just needed a bit of reassurance. Am certainly keeping my exercises up. Got myself an upright bike last week and think its great. Can do 7 min continuous pedaling backwards now but not a forward stroke yet.

      its coming though! You will enjoy that trip to Mexico for sure Mary.

      you will need to tell us all about it when you get back. Thanks again!

    • MCanada
      MCanada peter73207

      Posted

      Pedalling backwards... thats good. I should try that tomorrow! I am very slow frontwards and have the pedals way out there so I can do it at all. Thanks for the tip.
    • peter73207
      peter73207 jayne15912

      Posted

      Hello Jayne and welcome! Great forum here. Lots of folks with tons of experience. This is a tough op for sure with some hard times but they are phases that pass and there is improvement.I can remember when I was 2 weeks out. Could hardly get out of bed but now at 6 weeks I feel almost human again. Still have to work hard at the exercises to increase Range of Motion but getting stronger all the time. Have a great day Jayne!
    • peter73207
      peter73207 MCanada

      Posted

      Yes pedaling backwards is easier for some reason and great to get that knee moving in full rotation.

      have you ever heard of the church pew exercise?

      if you go on google and search "what is the church pew exercise" you get a utube link that talks about it. Sounds very interesting. Have a look if you get a chance and let me know what you think

    • MCanada
      MCanada peter73207

      Posted

      Thanks Peter! It is quite a workout for the new knee and I will put it into my workout but what amazed me is that it is a great wake up to the 11 month old knee as well. I expect that my ability to "catch" myself when I slip on ice will improve a lot with it. Are you going to use it?
    • peter73207
      peter73207 MCanada

      Posted

      Yes Im going to try it for sure. You mean the "church pew" exercise correct?

      the one where he talks about getting involuntary quad muscles to begin to fire again. and I agree for sure, it would also be great for the other knee. Never heard anyone talk about reactivating involuntary muscles before

    • MCanada
      MCanada peter73207

      Posted

      Yes, the church pew exercise is innovative and simple. I will report back if you will. I want to bring back the involuntary ability that this surgery (and the years of damage that led to TKR) seems to have taken from me. Mary
    • peter73207
      peter73207 MCanada

      Posted

      Sounds like a good plan Mary, I will do the exercise 3X per day and report back for sure. maybe once per week or so?
  • Butthillrob
    Butthillrob peter73207

    Posted

    Hi Peter, me too. I seem to be floating in the range of 95-105. Had a good physio work,out, but suffered today. Knee swollen and stiff. I eased off with loads ice and hydrotherapy. Tonight it's moving better. I am getting lower back ache as my gait   is adjusting. Is this a problem for other? Interestingly,,Wikipedia states that at 6weeks bends should be 90. Hopefully back to,exercise regime tomorrow.

    robert

    • peter73207
      peter73207 Butthillrob

      Posted

      I think we need to be a more patient Robert and be careful not to overdo things too quickly. Something I`m not always good at. I usually have a tendency to push a bit to hard and not a good thing with this op.

      If wikipedia is correct, and Im sure it is, then we are doing well!

    • peter73207
      peter73207 Butthillrob

      Posted

      Hows it going today Robert? I had a pool session today and worked out pretty hard. Pretty stiff and sore afterwards. The pool therapest had a look at my leg and said it was about 100 degrees. She didnt actually measure it but just eyeballed it and said she was usually pretty accurate. Dont know for sure but can certainly do more than I did last week at this time.

      my next regular session isnt until next tuesday. Does you therapist do any hands on treatment with you or just watch you do the exercise?

    • Butthillrob
      Butthillrob peter73207

      Posted

      Hi Peter, I suppose it's a mixed bag. I am now walking unaided and can go up and down stairs. I too was in the pool today. Walked lengths raising knees during walking. Did exercises in hydro pool. Then went Into steam room and got good bend thanks to the heat. I finished off on bike with a 5min cycle. Interestingly, it's easier to get a full pedal cycle going backwards. I have been able to lower seat height. My only negative is that I Still get outer knee pains during flat knee beds. It feels like a pinching. If I slightly turn knee inwards it goes. A question to ask. I am now 6 weeks tomorrow and I have review with consultant and x Rays on Monday. Out side of pool my knee bends are still the same. Does anyone else get the outer knee twinges? Thank goodness my quads have settled. How are you?

      Robert

    • sally58158
      sally58158 Butthillrob

      Posted

      Hello Robert

      i find that outer knee pain is my biggest obstacle to bending. It is not there all the time, just at certain degrees of the bend but painful enough to make me gasp. Also if i twist my leg slightly i get it. I am carrying on regardless however!

    • Butthillrob
      Butthillrob sally58158

      Posted

      Hi Sally, sounds to be identical to mine. I am doing balancing work to help strengthen the knee standing on a cushion to make it harder. It's weird with the outer pain as  it almost seems like the knee is mal tracking or pinching. Hopefully it is all,part of soft tissue recovery.

      robert

    • peter73207
      peter73207 Butthillrob

      Posted

      Glad to hear you doing ok. Things are improving here. Slow but sure.

      knee still stiffins up during the night about 6 inches above and below the knee and keeps waking me. Walking much better and bike is improving as well. Funny thing. If I sit in a chair, my leg bends much better tan if I lay flat on my back and slide my foot up to bend my knee as far as possible. Does that make any sense? Inside of knee is still numb and same hypersensative feeling. Sure hope this recovers in time

    • sally58158
      sally58158 peter73207

      Posted

      I find that i can bend better in a chair than on the bed. Gravity is helping you rather than you working against it!
    • peter73207
      peter73207 sally58158

      Posted

      Thats interesting sally. When my physio measures my leg its always from that same lying position which is my worst bend. The last two weeks she told me it was thes same yet there is much more I can do now than even a week ago. When I sit in a chair for instance, I can now place my heel behind the front leg of the chair which was impossible last week and this morning I did a full forward rotation on my bike for the first time. Yet when am on the bed, there doesnt appear to be a sinificant change. There must more than gravity at pkay here. I figure theres some unique hip/muscle action going on that may need to be addressed
    • sally58158
      sally58158 peter73207

      Posted

      I agree Peter

      it is also less painful in the chair and i can increase the bend by pushing my leg with the other foot. On the bed i use my leg lifter around my foot to increase the bend but my quads still need a lot of work and my leg feels soo heavy.

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