Posted , 8 users are following.
I had my knee done on aug.8 of this year and I have had nothing but problems. Now they say my knee cap is frozen and I have been going to PT 4 weeks after my surgery. My doctor said I might get to go back to work in January. I still can't bend my knee and it hurts me to walk and im still using a cane, still can't sleep, still have swelling alot of swelling. When will I start feeling better.
1 like, 18 replies
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michelle0137 shari_48634
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shari_48634 michelle0137
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Oldfatguy1 shari_48634
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That's a 1st time for me hearing that diagnosis. Sounds horribly painful and frustrating. However; better PT than another cut and paste. Did you not take PT within a few days or even weeks after surgery?. In this case the bark is probably worse than the bite. My wife took a Parkinson's related fall ( backwards) a week after your surgery date. She had a partial hip replacement the following day then went to a read center for 3 weeks due to her overall weakness from the disease (she's in advanced PD), then home health for three weeks. Of course she was making very slow progress on her own so the surgeon recommended outpatient PT. Not being an athletic person and 79 yeas old she went into a complete funk at the thought. I think she imagined being hung on a rack and subjected to medieval torture as just a beginning step. However the steps have been so slow and gental she wonders if they are doing anything but she is improving as much as the Parkinson's allows. If they ever start inducing real pain ( not just the achy, sore stuff, ask them to back off or try something different. It shouldn't take much to loosen that up. Check with you primary care Dr and make sure you are equipped with pain meds so you can ride this tide easier. Remember regular icing, elevation and hydration as you get back on the scheduled pain meds. Good luck
martinarvelo shari_48634
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Sounds as if the knee cap has become attached . . perhaps it wasn't moved around immediately after the op? I know my physio used to move it up and down and side to side every time . . I hope you get some relief soon. Of course, I don't know how much you are doing in terms of exercises, but one thing is certain. . . if you just wait for improvement, it will never come. unfortunately, the pain of walking, bending the knee and doing the exercises is part of the process. But perhaps you are doing all this, and still no luck, and you would not be the only one . . . Not being able to sleep, swelling and pain are pretty normal for four weeks post op, and I found the six week point was when I began to think that maybe it hadn't been the biggest mistake of my life, and around 16 weeks when the knee stopped being the main focus of my life!
shari_48634 martinarvelo
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I just got home from therapy today she said it's just from all the swelling I have and she said the knee cap is moving and the reason it also hurts at the bend is swelling. Right now it feels great but give me to hours. Still have to use the cane. She said we will be trying something new on Wednesday. I'm only 60 and I ride and show horses and im a go get her. I was walking 5 miles 5 x week. Now it feels like I'm lazy sitting around watching t.v. l0l
suetkr12 shari_48634
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Hi Shari, from your post, I can't tell whether you have been doing PT for 4 weeks or started PT 4 weeks after surgery - that's a big difference. I started outpatient PT the day after I got home from the hospital. I will be 6 weeks post TKR tomorrow. Every inprovement I made has been difficult and earned. I still have swelling and still have trouble sleeping, both normal. My PT moves my kneecap at each session as do i, following her instruction. I do daily exercises religiously and now walk around my neighborhood 2 or 3 times per day. If you have a frozen knee have the surgeon or pt fix it now. Get good pain meds ad moving it is not fun. Maybe you will need a manipulation like another post described. I wish you well.
dave63380 suetkr12
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Congrats on your TKR , you've got the right attitude! I'm 2 years+ post op both knees / just so you know I was in PT for a year/ you continue to get stronger for a lot longer than most people here realize. I actually came to enjoy PT Sessions! I still had swelling at 6 weeks, longer than that, and sleep was off for months. 3-5 months you really start to feel normal. You're doing great! I am thankful every day that I can walk again.
martinarvelo dave63380
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Not really sure why you think that Shari is doing great. She cannot bend her knee, walking is painful . . . at approimately fourteen weeks post op that is not really doing well, and her kneecap is also 'frozen' according to her specialist. While I agree with giving people encouragement, giving false praise is not really that helpful. Unless something is done, either by shari or her physio or specialist, it isn't going to happen just by the passing of time. Swelling and sleeplessness is normal at twelve weeks . . .not being able to bend the knee, extreme pain on walking. . . not so normal.
martinarvelo dave63380
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Sorry Dave, misread your post and thought it was destined to Shari . .a thousand aplogies!!!! and you are quite right. Suetkr seems to be doing everything right . . .
sorry again!
shari_48634 suetkr12
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Hi yes i started PT from day one and have been going 3 x weekly. The first 6 weeks they came to me and now I go to them. I'm renting a stretching machine called the elite seat and I do all my exercises. Right now my knee cap will not move up or down. It's been frozen for about 4 weeks and im so over it.
martinarvelo shari_48634
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You really should be given some answers from your physio and doctor. . it's really not typical to be still unable to bend the knee when you have been doing the exercises and receiving physiotherapy. this operation when all goes according to plan is enough to make most of us pretty down, and you must be really fed up! i hope they find you some solution . .perhaps a MUA would help . . .some people do make a lot of scar tissue which could be your case, which makes movement of the joint difficult. Hope you soon get some answers. . .
shari_48634 martinarvelo
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Went to therapy today and she said it's from the swelling and my knee cap is moving and i have a lot of scare tissue with swelling so we are trying something new on Wednesday. I'm only 60 and I ride and show horses walk 5 miles and work. I have not done any of this in 3 months. I'm going crazy feeling tired and lazy.
martinarvelo shari_48634
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Ice .rest . . exercise. . . let's hope that finally it works. Really envy you the show horses! . .the love of my life, but no chance here on Tenerife. anyway, too old now I think!!! Just remember all the fun I;ve had over the years! I do hope you soon get some good results, and can get back to your active life!
shari_48634 martinarvelo
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martinarvelo shari_48634
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