Swelling
Posted , 8 users are following.
I am now 4 weeks post TKR. My recovery has been going pretty well overall. Flexion is around 115 and extension 1-2. I am riding the bike daily with zero resistance. I remember someone (Chico I think) posting on here about focusing on endurance before strength, which is what I've been doing. Last week my physical TERRORIST pushed a little too hard, adding more weight to my exercises than I was comfortable with. The next day my leg was sore and weak from groin to shin. I have a great deal of swelling behind my knee and my extension is now worse than before (this happened 4 days ago). I'm trying to alternate heat and ice and attempting to continue to do straightening exercises but it has become unbearable to hold the stretch. I am saddened by the backwards progress and wondering if this has happened with anyone else?
0 likes, 19 replies
gissele dee53186
Posted
renee38282 gissele
Posted
Good advice! I think they push way too hard and cause more harm. They need to back off and not force the leg. It will come in time. I've been working out my whole life and rule number 1 if it hurts don't do it! Yes some pushing is necessary but not to the extremes these PTs go to. Feel better.
renee38282 dee53186
Posted
The PTs are brutal! I think they sometimes do more harm than good by pushing you too far. My doctor had me stop after a brutal session that caused unbearable pain. I couldn't walk for 2 days and had to use crutches and not bear any weight on the leg. They are like children and will push you until you set firm boundaries. I was crying at my PT session it was so bad. That's when she realized she went too far. I really don't think they are aware of how much pain they cause. I'm sorry you're hurting so badly due to a PTs incompetence. Now you need to ice and heal and don't go back until you're able. Feel better and don't push it. Go at your own pace not theirs.
gissele renee38282
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If it hurts I simply said "No!" That works real well. I would think about going to a different PT.
renee38282 gissele
Posted
Yes I'm going to try someone else. But it seems like a common occurrence. How qualified are these PTs? My husband has horror stories of the pain they inflicted on him for back and neck injuries. I'm afraid to trust anyone now and I keep thinking maybe I'm just a baby! Although I did have a lung removed about a year ago from cancer and this knee experience is every bit as bad.
gissele renee38282
Posted
As the PT for her PT records and years of experience. Make sure you look that person and facility online. Google "patient complaints" and search the web for patient experience. Not all PT are specialized in knee replacement. Do a lot of checking around and make sure you get credentials. Also, where training was received etc. I hope this helps. Good luck!!!
renee38282 gissele
Posted
Thank you. I will do that. I'm ready now. I live near Rochester NY so there's got to be some good PTs around. Im just terrified of the pain. I can't take another setback from bad PT. Just say NO!! Right? Lol. Thank you for your help. I feel like you're pushing me in the right direction. In a good way!
jen04209 dee53186
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letalynette dee53186
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I am 3 months post tkr and my PT is a personal friend and shows no mercy. She has been right everytime with everything. As my exercises were increased along the way the knee would swell and hurt. Very common. Lots of ice elevation and rest. The swelling will eventually subside. She would tell me as I was nearly in tears, "you have a brand new joint, you're not going to hurt it. The pain you feel is soft tissue pain and will get better. You get out of it what you put into it". She is absolutely right. I went paddle boarding with her at week 7. I can kneel on my knee because she started me doing it with a pillow at 4 weeks. Trust the therapists. It's going to hurt but it will get better. Here I am on my board at 7 weeks. Left knee replacement. Best of luck. You can do it!
renee38282 letalynette
Posted
Well kudos to you. It sounds like she convinced you pain and swelling was ok after a workout and you bought into it. But don't make those of us that don't like pain or our PTs feel like there's something wrong with us! Pain hurts! That's how you knew you hurt your knee to begin with right? It's a stress on the body and keeps you from eating sleeping walking. All things necessary to heal. I'm a runner and avid exerciser and I'm 57. I know my body and if someone is making me do something that hurts so bad I cry then I'm not gonna do it. Period. I gave birth twice with no drugs. Had a lung removed from cancer last year. They didn't make me do deep breathing exercises the next day or even week for goodness sake. Were all different and as you get older you learn to listen to your body. I'm glad you're living life again. Wish I was there but I WILL get there in my own time. And I will NOT be bullied by a 20 something PT right put of college.
Oldfatguy1 dee53186
Posted
My advice and the advice of my PT (who has a doctorate) stay away from heat. Back off. You are just trying to hard. Give yourself a couple of days off.......take some anti inflammatories on schedule and elevate. A few days with minimal exercises will not set you back. We are all unique and individual. We heal differently and should not be placed in the mold of a therapist and made to conform. Add a lot more water to your routine and don't be afraid to hit the prescription. We live in times when barbaric methods of torture are no longer used. Blood letting and leeches are no longer accepted an neither should no pain ....no gain mentalities. It just isn't necessary.
renee38282 Oldfatguy1
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Lol right? I think I got Theodoric of York for a PT!! Pain hurts. Pain is your body's way of telling you to back off. I mean that's how we all knew we were injured in the first place right? It hurt! Bad. So it shouldn't hurt that bad once it is fixed! Ever. I had a lung removed from cancer. No one was making me do deep breathing exercises immediately afterwards! Come on. It had to heal and when I was ready I started slowly. That was a cake walk compared to this. Even with a massive chest tube in my side I would take that any day over this knee pain and the quack PTs! At least I had a REAL doctor taking care of me for 5 weeks in the hospital and he had to try things with me he'd never done before because my body didn't act like anyone else's he'd ever seen. So my point is I'm an individual and what works for one person may not work for me! I'm 57 and extremely thin because I workout and have body issues. Grew up in the 70 s when anorexia was rampant! Remember Twiggy? Still my idol lol. I love your posts OFG! You've been a great support to me! Keep checking this site. Thank you.
Er79in dee53186
Posted
I feel the same way. I feel like my therapist sets me back by pushing way too hard. She was massaging my knee so hard the other day I woke up with two bruises on my knee. At 3 weeks post TKR I was bending at 106. School started and I was constantly on my feet. My swelling got really bad even though I was icing and elevating. I stayed at 106 for a week and a half. As a result my therapist thought we needed to push it more and she's been having my lay on my stomach and she pushes my leg towards my butt and she holds it. The pain is so intense my body starts shaking and I usually end up in tears. She does it over and over. The other day I asked her how many sets we were doing and she said she hasn't decided yet. I just don't think putting me in that much pain every session is helping. My swelling is awful and I dread going to PT.
letalynette Er79in
Posted
Erin, three weeks is early to be on your feel a lot. You will get lots of swelling from PT and being on your feet. My doctor wouldn't let me go back to work for 6 weeks. I'm an educator so I had my surgery in May and then just missed the last three weeks of school and had the summer to recover. Im happy I did it that was because even at 6 weeks I wasn't ready physically to go back full time. Im 3 months Post and have been back to work for about a month and it's been tough. My knee didn't stop swelling until about 9-10 weeks. It's still gets sore and tired after a day on my feet. I would ask the PT to back off if what they are having you do is to much. Each person is different. My PT NEvEr forced a bend more than one time at 30 seconds. I did a lot of gravity work just lifting my leg, grabbing behind my knee and would let gravity bend it. Later on in therapy at about 4/6 weeks I would put a 2 lb weight on my ankle and do the same thing. Two reps at 30 seconds. It hurt but really helped. Lots of ice evaluation and rest. This surgery is very hard on our bodies. It's going to be a long process for recovery. Don't push to hard if you don't have to. Your body needs lots of rest.
renee38282 Er79in
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Omg! You poor thing! She left bruises? That's abuse. Find another PT. You shouldn't be crying. I cried and they stopped. Have you told your doctor what's going on? I went to my Primary doctor not the surgeon. He knows me best. He came in the room and found me curled up on the bed sobbing hysterically from the previous day's PT session and said ENOUGH! No weight bearing. Ice crutches pain pills rest and Xanax for the depression. You're going way too fast. Poor thing. You've been butchered. You need to heal not be wrenched on by some idiot. Don't force it. And don't go back to that person. Prayers and hugs.
renee38282 letalynette
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Er79in letalynette
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Thanks!! I try not to be up so much but I have 5 year old twins that just started kindergarten and a 7 year old. It's hard to try and be off my feet and be a mom to younger kids. This is such a hard recovery!! It's good to know we are all in this together!!
Er79in renee38282
Posted
I've been thinking I need a new therapist!! I completely agree with you! Thanks for your reply!!