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Total Knee 5 weeks PT excruciating Pain

Posted , 14 users are following.

GirlBaby18
GirlBaby18

I am 67 and have/had a high pain threashold I.e. kidney stones, parentitus, many surgeries. Am 5 weeks post surgery with PT 3x/wk. every visit they push m knee back further causing screaming in pain. Last Wednesday after pushing for 90% to 93% therapist said it has to be 120%. Each session leaves me in pain off the charts then two days to recover only to do it again. No one else is screaming except me. Yesterday he moved it once with me yelling in pain then again FOUR more times bragging on 103%. I can’t take any more! I understand weights, steps, treadmill etc but should I be crawling like a crab to get away? I get extremely anxious walking into therapy especially now fearing he will continue this nightmare. Everyone thinks it is all in my mind but I know it truly is killing me. No one deserves this! Please help me understand. 

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  • fran70537
    fran70537 GirlBaby18

    Posted

    That is absolutely terrible what you are going through ,don't do it go to see your consultant or doctor tell them what you are being put through .You have rights and choices ,do not let the physio do that to you please.It's an awful thing to be going through ,the recovery for TKR is excercising ,yes but slowly,gently, and regular,say roughly about every 2/ 3 hrs at home for about 10 times for each exercise.Did you not get a booklet when you left hospital it's very good showing you how to do the exercises and for how long .I am at the same as you 5 weeks post op.I do my exercises at home and go to physio for 3/4 hr once a week.The recovery is a long time and not easy .Do not be afraid to speak to someone .x

    • GirlBaby18
      GirlBaby18 fran70537

      Posted

      Thank you Fran. Exercise pain is expected and I handle it fine grunting now and then. I received a handout of exercises and did them per Home Health PR who is also an 18 year veteran at my surgeon’s office. I definitely will call him Monday morning. Am relieved and can relax a bit. 
    • fran70537
      fran70537 GirlBaby18

      Posted

      Will be thinking of you on Monday hope you get some help .you are not being a baby at all,in my opinion i don't think that you have been treated very well at all.There is no need with the meds.available today for you to be in so much pain either so maybe ask for a stronger pain relief.xxxx

  • laurel65763
    laurel65763 GirlBaby18

    Posted

    I'm 67 too, had LTKR May 2017 with complications causing my leg to swell and get stuck at 95 degree flexion and -45 extension. I had a PT more interested in working on her computer and leaving me to try riding a bike for 30 minutes 6 days post op and putting electro stim pads on the wrong part of my leg causing the muscle to contract like a rock. The last straw was pushing down on my kneecap causing me to yell for 15 seconds that felt like minutes. Like you, I have a high pain threshold through multiple surgeries and unexpected natural childbirth. I am a retired nurse who worked with brain injury. I trusted the PT knew what she was doing. It took me six weeks to regain where I had been before she pushed down on my knee. I found a new physical therapist and have learned a valuable lesson to say no. Some PT's do not understand the pain you are going through. You are still early in your recovery. Now at 10 months post op, with the new PT my flexion went from 95 to 125 and extension from -45 to zero in 8 weeks. You deserve respect, don't let him torture you. You will push yourself within your limits, not what he thinks you should do, and recover better. Best wishes for healing! My second RTKR will be in August and I know what to do now to recover.

    • GirlBaby18
      GirlBaby18 laurel65763

      Posted

      Thank you so much for validating my agony and frustration. PT said I had to be st 120% by next Friday! Defeated from the beginning. I am a retired psych nurse but have worked for years with post op patients so thought I was losing my faculties! They expect me to have PT two days in a row, not happening. I have hope now. I know you will do fine with your next one. 
    • laurel65763
      laurel65763 GirlBaby18

      Posted

      Yes, we nurses are too nice sometimes! I'm glad you're standing up for yourself!

    • joan17325
      joan17325 GirlBaby18

      Posted

      Get shouting girl. When you go say no hands off keep away xxx
    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 GirlBaby18

      Posted

      Are you in USA?

      Appears targets for physio rather steeper than in UK.

      6 weeks post op happy with around 90 degree flexion...as a general drift, obviously ideally like people to exit hospital with around 90, but as long as folk are gradually progressing they seem fine.

      I think sometimes they are concerned with their own statistics and results maybe?

      I wrote about my knee journey in an online journal...take a look at it by clicking on my profile picture for the link. It's got a lot of useful info packed in it.

      Great folk on here too....follow your instinct and listen to yourself and your knee,

      A bit of pain on exercising is to be expected, but if you are sufficiently medicated it only ever needs to be a bit. Just enough to tell you to stop.

      They tend to use a less hands on approach in UK, only very gentle guidance of limb...well, that's all I ever saw in my classes, at the most. Certainly no forcing.

      I pushed mine a bit but only ever a bit...to slight discomfort, almost pain, no more. One year now...its great.

    • GirlBaby18
      GirlBaby18 jenny80029

      Posted

      Yes I am in USA. From this forum I’ve found most knees are not forced. At 90% without force and exercising to bring it up. I do take pain and anxiety meds prior to PT. I agree my “soon to be past therapist” and others in office are about numbers and time limits. I exercised for an hour earlier and have pain but nothing like torture. I am calling the doctors office for a more passive approach that is not about how fast points are reached. Thanks for your words. 
  • pat86848
    pat86848 GirlBaby18

    Posted

    I totally understand how you’re feeling.Im same age and like you have had lots of surgeries including 2 spinals leaving me with rods and screws in my back and a hip.I have never made a fuss after any of surgeries but had knee done 8 weeks ago and it was brutal.I live in N Ireland and we aren’t offered any physio after joint surgery so I haven’t experienced what you’ve having but my GP sent me to hospital a couple days ago as I had calf pain and she was concerned I had a dvt.I had a scan on my leg and she had to press really hard right from my groin down to my ankles.I thought I was going to faint with the pain.

    I think you should try your exercises yourself and see how you go.I can only bend my knee about half way but it is improving and I just keep trying.I don’t think the amount of pain your going through can be good for you.This is only my opinion.Good luck.☘️

    • GirlBaby18
      GirlBaby18 pat86848

      Posted

      Thanks Pat! I forgot to add last week I accomplished walking with no assistance so have been doing so since. Mad colossal mistake and told PT I had no pain two hours before my appointment and had stayed up without too much pain for three hours. Lesson don’t share everything! I know my insurance will cover my PT and they are happy I have it. Blood clots are very painful as well. God bless 
    • Maryedna21
      Maryedna21 pat86848

      Posted

      Hi,Pat. Retired nurse,also in NI. Had first knee done last June and second one earlier this week. I was more assertive about pain relief this time and so far so good. Self funded both in private hospital. Last time I asked my GP to refer me for NHS physio and I started that at 5 weeks post op. Had 3 months of physio every week and it really helped mobility as he also massaged my knee. Home on Friday and have already left referral letter into GP for NHS physio again but might get couple of sessions from private physio while waiting for NHS referral. Knowing that the end result is worthwhile helps me deal with the pain and other difficulties!! Best wishes!!
    • pat86848
      pat86848 Maryedna21

      Posted

      Thank you so much.I had my other ortho surgeries done privately as we were still in Bupa then.I hate to have to say it but you couldn’t compare the 2.I didn’t see a doctor from day of my op until I saw my GP 8 weeks later.I am going to go to private  physio I have used for years.I am progressing on my own but just want her to check Im doing things correctly.You take care and speedy recovery.Pat
  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 GirlBaby18

    Posted

    Tell him to knock it off there is a better method that will get you the bend you want without the severe pain. My 1st tkr in '04 the method was to warm up on a stationary bike f or 20 mins then lay face down a table while the therapist grabbed my ankle and tried to hit me in the butt with my heel. Like you, screaming in pain. 9 yrs later came the revision, same PT but completely different method with the caveat that I should never be put in pain. Big difference in hurting and severe pain. Its your body and you are entitled to the dignity and proper treatment. Always take pain meds an hour.before therapy to keep the pain under control.

  • marilyn10235
    marilyn10235 GirlBaby18

    Posted

    No no no!! Please do not allow s physio terrorist torture you any more! Sack him & find a more sympathetic physio, you deserve better! Physiotherapists are generally young people who are undoubtably well trained, but have no idea if the pain we have post TKR op! They have no idea!

    I'm in UK & our physios, although they do like to push us, do not believe in torture!

    Get another physio!

    Marilyn 

    XX

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