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The REALITY of a TKR Recovery...In One Picture

Posted , 30 users are following.

CHICO_MARX
CHICO_MARX

Yeah...this one says it all.  Wanna post it on your fridge?

- Click on the picture...it expands. 

- Put your cursor inside the picture and RIGHT-CLICK. 

- Select "Save As..." and save it to your pictures folder. 

- Use any photo printing software you have to expand the picture to fill the page so it's nice and big.

Tech support out... 

19 likes, 54 replies

54 Replies

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  • loriannie
    loriannie CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    I am 5 months post tkr, and got on my outdoor bike for the first time.. I rode it, but felt wobbly, and scared to death I was going to fall!!  I am a swimmer and am swimming slow like a turtle,, and spinning is in slow motion,, I know I will get there, but its spring, hiking and biking season... I want the year to be over!
  • Delboy1735
    Delboy1735 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    Says it all. Attend a balance and Physio class and when I told the ‘graduate’ teacher I was having a new knee the response was ‘see you in six weeks then’. I made it back at 12 weeks and still attending I’m improving all the time. I do it because it will continue to do me good. I’m amazed just how many TKR cases there are out there and most with similar problems. 
    • jenny61596
      jenny61596 Delboy1735

      Posted

      I am 4 mths post op now, been doing water aerobics for 6 weeks and on my bike for first time , was fine . Knee a bit sore next day . Feels slightly swollen behind knee . I think the main thing with this op is to make sure you can bend and straighten your leg then other things will come . That’s what I concentrated on , I didn’t go to rehab but friend who did was walking more than me etc but didn’t do those two things and ended up having it bent under anaesthetic although she seemed to be doing far more physio than me . Don’t push it , it will slowly improve but do those two things , bend and totally straighten! Yes it’s worse at night , minefor a good 6-7 wks , I used to just watch Netflix and sleep in day . The tiredness took ages to go, 10 wks or more. Good luck
    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 jenny61596

      Posted

      You are so right....

      Working on range of movement and swelling are the most important things, not how long or far or without support someone can walk...in my experience anyway.

      It seems tempting to move things forward quickly but it causes needless pain which doesn't help at all.

      And if a person over does things and suffers pain as a result, it really affects mood in a bad way.

      Many contributes in here bang on about patience...for a good reason!

      Also kindness to oneself and acceptance of limitations, and rest...

      All are important..

      We cannot force things to happen

      But have to trust that as we respectfully chip away at things and do our bit

      Progress will come in line with the healing processes of our bodies.

      I am mega grateful....

      Still experiencing improvements beyond what I could have asked or imagined at 15 months post op.

      We get scared of things going wrong in those early weeks and months because we have so much invested in the process.

      Unfortunately some folk do experience complications...and outcomes do vary, as they do with any surgery, but the percentage is not large.

      But fear of anything, be it scar tissue, not walking properly again, having a poor outcome, or whatever,....all fear does is produce anxiety...

      A calm, mindful attitude, with patience, is challenging after a TKR because of the trauma to the body involved.

      But resolving to be kind, respectful, and patient really helps, whatever the situation.

      Sending good wishes your way!

      Heal well!

      ?

  • maximus111
    maximus111 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    OMG ! Though I'm only at beginning of the cycle (ride) so far the view I'm looking at appears to be exactly the same

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX maximus111

      Posted

      Just remember that you'll need a pair of oars for the boat part.  Have them ready.  LOL...  I'm almost 2 1/2 years post-op.  The picture is dead-on accurate!!!!

    • loriannie
      loriannie CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Well I am at 7 months now. My dr gave me gabapentine for the nerve pain I had down my leg. Omg!! It’s a wonder drug !! Pain is

      Gone!!! I went hiking. 2000’ft elevation gain

      Over 2 1/2 miles.  6 miles round trip. I have started Pilates with TRX,  and am on my stand up paddle board, and am swimming with no pain. Still

      Have tighteness and swelling but not like it was, and am continuing with bending and stretching.   I actually see a light at the end of my tunnel.  Yay!!!

  • hazel08014
    hazel08014 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    Thanks , that is so true ... I have printed that out and will be putting it on fridge x
  • deb06149
    deb06149 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    Haven't been on in awhile. Next Monday I will be 9 months post TKL. I Still don't feel normal, whatever that is, anymore. I still have burning and pain in my knee. Why...is this, still NORMAL? I go to the Y 3xtimes a week. Chico your thoughts. Plenty

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX deb06149

      Posted

      After reading waaaay more that 4,000 posts, IMHO...  People seem to report "feeling more like themselves" around 9 months...some take longer...there is no hard and fast rule.  Pain and "burning" should be waaaaay down from your early days but can persist.  If you are doing the muscle rebuild work, you may be overdoing it.  Too much weight too soon.  If you are NOT doing the muscle rebuild, then all the pressure that should be taken up by the muscles is directly on the new knee.  That's why quads, glutes and core have to be done.

      The "burning" could be inflammation from the knee because of the above conditions or some nerve pain.  I personally hate the nerve meds and their side effects so I go topical.  Voltaren Gel (RX in the US, generic diclofenc elsewhere) is a GREAT topical anti-inflammatory and pain killer.  Get some...use it a few times a day, especially at bedtime.  There's also AsperCream with 4% Lidocaine and regular Lidocaine patches OTC.  I found them useful for nerve issues.

      Just remember: There is no normal...only you.

  • Cementless
    Cementless CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    Chico, what do you think of BoneSmart's philosophy of no exercise while your knee is healing? Just ice, elevate, rest and normal every day activity, ex: walking.

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX Cementless

      Posted

      I'm aware of the site; don't know their philosophy.  The fact that EVERY hospital gets you out of bed Day 2 and tells you to keep moving kind of negates that philosophy...in my opinion.  In MY EXPERIENCE ONLY...

      I started in-home PT day 3 and then at the PT clinic week 3.  That continued until week 12.  That's when I got my orders to start rehabbing my quads, glutes and core.  Asked my daughter (the nutritionist and ACSM/ACE-certified personal trainer for 18 years now) to research this and put together my exercise program.  That whole thing is here...

      https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

      Is the knee fully healed at that point?  Of course not.  That whole process takes a year...we all know that.  But you have to start somewhere.

      I guess the question for BoneSmart is: What is your definition of "healed?"  If it means getting your ROM back at 8-12 weeks and then starting exercise, then there is zero disagreement.  If it's something else...like 6-9 months, then its "choose your poison" time.  Can you delay the muscle rebuild until that time?  Sure but why?  In all those months, your body will be putting all the pressure of daily life on the knee instead of the surrounding muscles where it belongs.  That only causes more pain.

      Should you start full weight exercising after you get your ROM back?  Absolutely not.  This is a VERY GRADUAL process where you build endurance before strength.  You start with more reps...less weight and build gradually over many months so as not to aggravate the knee.

      So is there a disagreement here?  I don't know since I haven't read their site.  However, these are my thoughts as a "Not-a-Doc" but based on my experience, all my research, my daughter's professionalism and my success.  Do your research...choose a path.

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