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TKR 9 weeks in

Posted , 18 users are following.

SuzyQ21355
SuzyQ21355

It's been 9wks since my surgery. I have been able to walk without help since day 3. I'm still having allot of pain and swelling is really bad. I have been having PT but I still can't bend my knee but 88°. My PT councillor does the same exercises 3 times a wk. I have missed the last 2 sessions because of this. I don't seem to be having any trouble doing much of anything I want except for bending my knee. I'm anxious to get back to work but doubt I will be able to because of the swelling and bending. My job demands me walking and standing all day. Walking anywhere from 7 to 13 miles. I'm scared I won't be able to go back to work. Is anyone else having trouble with swelling and bending after 9weeks after surgery.

3 likes, 28 replies

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  • eileen15268
    eileen15268 SuzyQ21355

    Posted

    Hi Suzy, I'm 7 weeks & only go to the PT once every 3 weeks. My main exercise I do now is walking up & downstairs properly. When that is mastered ( not me yet) I will try 2 stairs at a time. Doing that helps the bends & the other thing I've been told to do is put the operated side foot on the bottom stairs & lean/ push forward that really helps the bend. If I walk any distance my knee swells & is painful & takes me a couple of days to get over it. I think you do still have to rest leg elevated & with ice, when it swells & hurts I think it's telling you. We all take different times to fully recover & do have to listen to what a our bodies are telling us, Feel we'll soon

  • ali95530
    ali95530 SuzyQ21355

    Posted

    Hi Suzy,

    i'm 6 weeks today TKR and stiffness is still a big problem. My knee swells every time I'm on it for more than a few minutes which is infuriating.

    i too have a job that entails me being on my feet for 6 hours at a time and I've only got the rest of this month off but know I won't be able to return to work at the beginning of April. I've got my check up with my consultant on the 23rd so I'm hoping he'll sign me off for at least another month.

    my bend is 103 with great difficulty and a lot of pain ... feels like it just can't bend any more as it feels so tight and stiff. Worries me that it'll never be able to bend any more.

    I'm doing the stairs properly albeit coming down I'm tending to go side wards looking very odd and ungainly.

    The pain isn't as bad as it was but I'm still taking all my painkillers daily otherwise I can't sleep.

    • Eizie
      Eizie ali95530

      Posted

      Ali, I'm same as you. The damn stiffness, swelling and knees that just don't want to bend. So discouraging and frustrating!! I wish so much that this was all over!!! I'm 7 weeks out. Good luck to you!!

  • Eizie
    Eizie SuzyQ21355

    Posted

    I'm 7 weeks post bilateral knees replaced and I'm having trouble with the bend too. My PT can get me to 110 but a lot of pain. I am still def experiencing pain and swelling which stinks!! I go back to work on 4/3 but I, thankfully, don't have to stand but sit a lot and get up and down occasionally. I'm a little worried and hope I can do it. I'm sure I'll be in pain and swollen every night for quite awhile! Damn!! I wish you luck.

    • eileen15268
      eileen15268 Eizie

      Posted

      I'm 7 weeks & my knee is so stiff & will hardly bend as well. I go up the stairs ok, but coming down is extremely hard & I also lean over awkwardly, i do practice & hoping it will improve, good luck all

    • Eizie
      Eizie eileen15268

      Posted

      I hear you Eileen!! Do you have a band like, very tight feeling in your knee as if someone could just cut it and your knee would be freed up?
    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 Eizie

      Posted

      Ah, the band feeling! We all have it, and it will go.

      you are all at a very early stage, it does pass, regardless if whether you take it easy or rush back to work too soon and cause more pain, it all ends the same, just takes longer.

      In a years time, yes a year! You will all be looking back and won't be able to imagine how bad you felt.x. Happy healing.

    • eileen15268
      eileen15268 Eizie

      Posted

      Yes I do Eizie and it also feels very hot. even 

       Though I ice it on & off day & night , got this small freezer in my bedroom.

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX SuzyQ21355

    Posted

    Seven to thirteen miles a day?  Really?  Who knows if you'll be able to handle that but it took me EIGHT MONTHS to get to 5 miles a day three days a week...and that was not easy plus being very exhausting.

    Some people have been known to recover very quickly but it is not the norm...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-recovery-bell-curve--563756

    Swelling ALWAYS indicates that you pushed the knee too far that day.  I used a FitBit to find the point at which my knee swelled, backed off and increased gradually...always monitoring my steps for the day (11,000+ steps is about 5 miles).  You may want to use a pedometer of some kind to check your progress.

    Remember... You cannot push this to a specific end date.  You'll be done when you're done and not a moment sooner.

  • irma14965
    irma14965 SuzyQ21355

    Posted

    Hi suzyQ21355 it is 23 weeks and i can bend but my flexion is only 100 and should be 120 so i hope it comes but i know how you feel. I have not gone back to work yet either
  • Bozzy1504
    Bozzy1504 SuzyQ21355

    Posted

    Hi suzi I am 5 days since tkr surgery and I have been able to walk since day 3 but now the swelling and bruising is affecting my knee bend I start pt Friday and frightened what they will do
    • Julia-NewKnee
      Julia-NewKnee Bozzy1504

      Posted

      Hi Bozzy, when you go to PT they will assess you that day. They are gentle. They will push you some but you will see its ok. You need to take your pain med an hour before your appt. I am 5'4 I weigh 290. I had so much bruising from my back of knee to my ankle! They said my surgery was 90 mins. They tourniquiet you off and man did I have residual pain and bruising from that.. I used Arnica gel once I got home 3 times a day. That helped so much to sooth and help the bruising.. plus all the elevating the leg and using the wonderful ice machine.. As I got into outbound PT 12 days post surgery, each visit I would be afraid of how much it was going to hurt. But I'm happy to say it's never like I imagine. I have been going 3 x week! I'm almost 8 weeks out now. I can bend 96 degrees in PT only. I can only straighten the leg to 5 degrees neg. Once I leave PT class, I swear it's only two hours and the stiffness sets in. So between PT I can't bend the way I do there..

      Good Healing Bozzy! I enjoy reading all of the posts here..

    • Eizie
      Eizie Julia-NewKnee

      Posted

      Julian I'm same way. Only my PT can get me to 110. By myself I can't get there. I'm going on 8 weeks out bilateral knee replacement. Slowly but surely!

    • Julia-NewKnee
      Julia-NewKnee Eizie

      Posted

      Eizie, I'm amazed at you doing bilateral! You have much the same symptoms as me. I however am relatively pain free at this point. I use my Oxycontin before my PT only. I had NO idea that I would experience such stiffness, band tightness. I swear my implant is too large! Probably not. But hey its tight and won't freely bend! Lol. That's my sad logic. I see my Dr. On Monday its 8 weeks then. Will have LOTS of questions!! I'm ok going up stairs, but coming down is tough. I want to ride a bike someday. But as of now I can't make a revolution. I did use an eliptical machine that mimics a revolution. I loved that! I want to purchase one on Amazon.

      Thank you for your comments! I don't feel so crazy now..

    • Eizie
      Eizie Julia-NewKnee

      Posted

      I really can't say I'm in a lot of pain. Lots of discomfort though after PT. I find the stiffness annoying as all hell! I'm just on Tramadol and 600 ibuprofen.

    • ali95530
      ali95530 Julia-NewKnee

      Posted

      Omg that's exactly my thoughts .... my implant is too large!

      It's been bothering me so much but thought I was the only one to think it.

      I'm seeing my consultant for my 7 week check on the 23rd and I'm having to make notes as I too have so many questions! When I last saw him it was a few hours after surgery so to be honest I was so zonked out with morphine etc that I don't even remember our conversation let alone ask him any questions apart from one I do remember asking .. 'Do I have club foot'?! 🙃😂

    • eileen15268
      eileen15268 Julia-NewKnee

      Posted

      Hi julienne, I was relieved to read your post. I feel the same. I'm 8 weeks post Tkr I'm as stiff as a board at times. I can walk upstairs ok but only get down one at a time. I seem to be ok ish for a while then knee starts being so painful I can hardly exercise. The scar area is painful & tight.I am hoping the pain will get less, so I can sleep soon I didn't think it would take this long.

    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 eileen15268

      Posted

      Eight weeks isn't long, it takes months. The surgeon that did my first one told me it could take up to a year or more before it felt anywhere near right.

      Everyone has the band sensation, it's just the swelling underneaththe scar tissue, that's why it's important to excersice and keep the scar tissue suppl, even though it hurts.

      Two years in August my second tkr, and I forget I've had it done.

      It does get easier, really it does. Just have patience, it's really early days at your stage, lots of healing to do.

       

    • eileen15268
      eileen15268 Laura3333

      Posted

      Thank you Laura for such a reassuring reply. I didn't realise it would be months. Nobody ever said. I only read the booklet I was given. It says 6 weeks to drive & by 12 weeks can Hoover & mow the lawn etc. What a joke but now I know . I massage my scar with Bio oil & exercise, walk a bit & do stairs, just got to practice coming down& go to PT. I love this thread all understanding

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