Through the plateau - and the question is...?????

Thanks Ali, and it's funny that you should say that about the 140 and 145 LOL!  Anyone got 150???????? LOL!  My husband said I won't be happy until I've got 180 LOL!  He thinks I'm nuts LOL!

LOL that's what my physio said to me but he also said I'm one of the lucky ones x

Do you tend to be more flexible generally Ali?  I do!

Yes my physio said my other knee can get an unusual ROM lol

I'm quite petite and I've always been what my mother used to call double jointed x

YEP - that's IT!  It's called hypermobility and otherwise known as Ehlers Danlos hypermobility and that's what I've got too.  Elbows bend more than normal, ankles are floppy and I used to be able to link thumbs and go from in front of me to over shoulders and down to back as shouder ligaments were loose too.  Mine has come along with other aspects that weren't picked up until I was 65 - I had problems with pregnancies and then prolapses - all linked.  But the good side is it makes it much easier to get a good bend after TKR LOL!  At LAST - there is a good side to it LOL!  Do you find you can also pull thumb back to reach inside of lower arm just above the wrist and your thumb will go across the palm and stick out at the side if you then form a fist?

Lol my thumb bends back really oddly. It's like I can make it flat rather than pointing upwards 😭 my kids still squeal and say how gross it is when they see it 😂

That sounds typical hypermobility:-)))))  Did you sit, as a child, with lower legs bend out sideways?  I did.  They tell children not to do it nowdays, apparently, because it's bad for the knees!

Its odd because I thought us in the UK expected a higher ROM. I know my consultant wanted a 125 and said my knee was capable of a 135 so at 10 weeks post TKR I got it to 140. Love proving people wrong 😂

Ah, that's useful, thanks Jan.  To be honest, other than the bike and treadmill, I've only been doing the bend exercise every evening for a few weeks now, and that's really no trouble to do a few times a week.  Yes, I've noticed the American targets seem to be higher.  My physio was over the moon at anything over 120!  He seemed really excited that I was well over that - his eyes nearly popped out LOL!

Me too:-))))

I was justvgoing by comments in here. In reality a 110 bend will.enable you to do normal stairs and bike. My Consilatant is happy with 120 but wanted to do more as I'm only 56 so might need a 're do which is never as good. I'm at 130 will be happy with 135 .Extension is my problem at -9 but with a push -6 so will keep going.

Not sure how the 80 +s get in with all this rehab !

I know me neither, I'm 57 so a tad older than you but some of the older ones put us to shame. I was amazed and somewhat dispondent at my second physio session by a man at least 15 years my senior who'd had his op on the same day as me being able to do the bike which I couldn't do for weeks!

how many weeks post op are you?

I'm 67:-))))  And doing it for the 'oldies' LOL!

You are amazing Chris, but you're not that old 😂

I must admit, I feel 20 years younger getting the one knee done.  With a bit of luck I'll feel in my 20's with the second LOL!

Lots of younger TKRs here...i am 52. I will be perfectly happy with 120 flexion. My extension was 0 straight after op and still is.

Pre op i had a flexion deformity of 10.

You're very young for TKR ... push for 125 or more! My consultant said you can carry out most things with 125 but why settle for it.

go girl ... you can do it!

Omg wouldn't that be incredible ... you go girl 😘

As long as i can do what i need to i am happy. I am just about to restart yoga next week! As the other knee can only get to 120 I really am content with my operated knee doing the same ! 😊

I'll do my best LOL!

Everyone is individual.

18 weeks this coming Tuesday.

Good to.know.

Brilliant extension.

Pre op had huge flexon deformity -20. At op surgeon got it to 0. Post op went back to -14 to -17. I have got it down to -10 today and -6 with a push. Its going to take time.

Jan, how have you reduced the flexion?  That has been my concern - that it would go beyond straight - at times it's felt as though it might overextend.  I've not done a single exercise to push it straight and in fact have tried to avoid it over extending, and hope muscles and ligaments will hold it to stop it going back too far.

I am doing a fair amount of stretching every day. It is interesting that it can resort back..guess that was what was natural for the limb.Mine has stayed but I have to keep checking myself, as tend to stand as I used to with the operated leg bent!

I am glad I am in the UK! Seem to be a bit more flexible with respect to rehab.

Gotta keep doing these...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-heel-slide-exercises-526213

 

I am doing yoga mostly, as I did it preoperatively and my body remembers it. I would never choose to force my knee personally, but there care lots of different approaches to rehab which i can completely respect, i was doing PT for over a year before the op, and will contnue life long with exercises, so I feel no need to rush or force anything. I am also back to swimming soon. Cannot wait!

HI Chris,

I meant you have brilliant extension Im still working on it!

For  flexon to get bend initially did heel  slides (bought a heel glider from Amazon). 

From week 2 sat on high stool or dining room table  and pushed back with other leg holding for 30 seconds sets of 12 building up,

Sat on sofa or bed in long sitting and pulled operated leg back and pulled my kne towards my chest. (sets as above)

Lay on stomach hooked a belt around my ankle and pulled back twice a day increasing hold.

Static bike from week 3 intially 5 minutes building up to 30 minutes twice a day. I think this really helped break up stiffness.

From week 8 pool walking and kick backsin the pool and as time has gone on added more stuff in.

Aquatone from week 10 twice weekly if able.

Had to cut back if swollen.

Im still at -10 extension -6 with a push. Hubby is now increasing the number of push downs and length of time.like the physio advised increasing the length of hold form 30 seconds with 12 reps.I could not  do the bed hand with weight as knee blooned so I sit with my leg up on stool stretch it out and lean into it with a 4lb weight on it. Had patellar resurface so physio gave me an exercise where I basically put operated leg in front the other and staighten it out using my hands to clasparound the knee and I lean into it using my body weight to stretch th eligamnets (bit long winded but get my drift LOL)

I had 2 sides of A4 exercises to do from 10 days post op first physio appt. They gave me gentle strenghtening exercises to do too lateral leg raises, chair squats, leg curls in the chair, one with a towel under operated leg contract   muscle and bring foot towards staighten leg and lift off bed keeping back of knee on towel. Also the foot pump things tightening quads foor toward you and push leg down onto bed.

My 4 months off was not a complete rest LOL ( I think my boss thought otherwise lol)

Sorry that was a bit long (in from work brain frazzled !!!) 

I cant answer your question about over extending . Do you mean over extending or bending back? I cant remember were you the Chris with hypermobility?

Woops that wasnt a precis was it? lol

Off to do some stretching all the best  Jan

thats bed hang excuse any more typos !

Ah - I misunderstood Jan.  I thought you'd reduced an 'over-extension'  to 0.  Yes, I'm the one with hypermobility so have never needed to worry about straightening the leg at all.  Not done one single exercise for that but only been careful not to 'over straighten' until muscles have built up to stop it extending backwards.  You've been doing lots of different exercises then.  The booket I was given had quite a few different ones, but really I stuck with the straight leg raising and slides  for a week or so and then just did  slides (done on the recliner every night) and the bike and the treadmill and that's given me an all round exercise that's made the knee firm and strong in just under 8 weeks.  It feels good.  Yes, it's still a bit swollen, and yes, the scar is slightly tender, but the knee itself feels strong and the muscles feel strong to support it.  It feels much safer than my other knee that's waiting for the op:-)))  If I sit for a while I'm noticing slight stiffness now, for a couple of steps, but that's all - there is much more stiffness in the other knee that's not been done!  When I get out of bed in the morning, it's the unoperated knee letting me down.

I appreciate the detail though - it's always interesting to see what others are doing:-)))