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walking with a limp

Posted , 16 users are following.

Dotty_Lotty
Dotty_Lotty

I would like to pick the brains of those of you who are further down the track than me. I am 6 weeks post tkr, I am managing without crutches indoors but still use 1 outdoors.I am walking with quite a pronounced limp, and I am having trouble bending my knee when walking (during excercise my bend is 90) any thoughts anyone ? How long is it likely to take to walk normally ?

0 likes, 40 replies

40 Replies

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  • joseph05392
    joseph05392 Dotty_Lotty

    Posted

    Hi dotty, this may or may not make sense. I am 10 tkr post opp. I still limp, I still pain in knee all the way down to foot. I limped for 10 years. Finely got my surgery. Afterwards the healing prosses begins. Exercise, ice, meds. Well one post opp visit I asked my Dr. Why I still had a limp. My knee bend was 100. Okay hear it is which it totally made sense to me. When I had a damaged knee and was limping all those years endorsing pain. My muscles in my leg readjusted to my limp. Now that I have a brand new knee the muscles in my leg have to readjust to my different walk. I do think some of this might be mental. I hope this helps.Good luck.

    • pam1313
      pam1313 joseph05392

      Posted

      Oh thank you so much for this. I could have written it myself. I was 11 years waiting for my op, am 56 now so considered too young originally (am now 7 weeks in following patellafeoral replacement - in layman's terms new plastic knee cap and metal bit behind it, the trochlea). I walked for last 11 years wearing a knee support bandage which has done the work of my muscles, hence I now have to build the muscles up. I think my walking problem is 70% in my knee and 30% in my head, i.e. my confidence  - not sure how I build up my confidence but not going to be beaten lol! 
    • kathryn42410
      kathryn42410 pam1313

      Posted

      Snap for me too. I'm 12 weeks post op and I'm 36 years old. I had a fall when I was younger and the leg just went downhill. It took years for them to operate because of my age. The problem I have now is my leg won't straighten or bend (30/80 degrees respectively). I am working so hard at physio but it's so hard. I have two more weeks to improve before they make the decision about surgery to cut away the muscle that's sticking. My limp is so ingrained in me that I think it's going to take a long time for me to get past.
    • pam1313
      pam1313 kathryn42410

      Posted

      Was going to say "isn't it a pain in the a***"  but its a bit further down than that. I purchased a static exercise bike prior to op (Profitness £40 Argos!) . My knee after op was very stiff and at day 5 I could only just manage to rock the pedals backwards and forwards very gently. I can now do full revolutions and do about 20 minutes 4 or 5 times a day. When my knee is that stiff and I don't think I can bend it I very gently "get it going" on my bike, and I think that has realky helped to loosen up muscles, even though I have a long way to go. I do all the other exercises recommended by physio, but this little bike has been a saviour to me! 
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 pam1313

      Posted

      One other little trick with the bike to loosen up that might help. When you push to the top, apply just a little more pressure, stop hold for a count of 10, then reverse. Slow, steady and about 10 mins. This will really loosen the leg all directions. Then you can peddle if desired. The stretching without increasing pain levels is very rewarding and the effect on soft tissue is excellent as the muscles seem to s tay more pliable longer
    • pam1313
      pam1313 Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      I've cycled that much I'm sure I'm going to be awarded the Tour de France yellow jersey! Any advice is greatly appreciated! 
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 Dotty_Lotty

    Posted

    Further down the line and you are cetainly picking my brains here.

    I had TKR 3 years ago. Joined this patient group in January because I had gallstones. Had my gallbladder removed a couple of weeks ago.

    Since joining the group I found a Knee Problem group so joined that as well and thought I would give you all some hope and encouragement.

    It is a long process but now 3 years on it is like having my life back.

    I used a stick for quite a while. I went on holiday for a few days at 4 months and was still using a stick then. The only time I use a stick now is if I go swimming. I know that sounds daft, ofcourse I don't need a walking stick to swim but the floor between changing room and pool is quite wet and slippery. I also use a stick if I am out in snowy slippery weather.

    Other than that, the only slight problem I still have is up and down pavements particularly down. Or walking downhill. I have always been worse going down than up I think you use different muscles.

    I am fine on stairs if they have a rail.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Love Sasrah xxx

    • Dotty_Lotty
      Dotty_Lotty sarah87162

      Posted

      I can relate to your problem with going down the stairs.I can manage to get up  fairly normally(clinging for dear life on to 2 handrails) but going down I dare not even try other than both feet on same step manner.I did try but could not even decide wether to start with bad leg or good leg ! To be honest I have given up for now
  • Mr_Ynot
    Mr_Ynot Dotty_Lotty

    Posted

    Hi Dotty

    I am at 6wks post TKR today I also still limp and my bend is only 70 deg, my surgeon has told me to stay on the crutches even though I can put weight bearing on my leg and could walk around with out them (more like limp or drag myself around with out them); what he told me was the bend in the knee has to improve which will help with the walking naturally and the reason he wants me to stay on the crutches is to enhance and focus on my walk by walking slowly but putting thought into bending my knee as I walk with the crutches.. Ie left crutch forward with righ leg then right crutch forward with left leg etc.. Opposite crutch forward together with opposite leg.

    He also said whilst you think you can walk ok with out them or walk quicker as the weight bearing feels ok you actual are limping because your not focused on bending your knee with each stride and your knees not doing the work your hip is and hence the limp.

    I have done what he has told me and he is right I find myself concentrating on bending my knee with each stride and whilst it is slower it is correct and I'm also at the same time working on improving my bend in the knee.

    I did  notice when I was not focused or not using an aid I didn't bend my knee and it was coming from my hip the walk and causing me to have a significant limp as if I was throwing my leg out in front.

    i think it would be worth testing this out even with a cane and aid or both crutches,  walk slowly focussing on bending the knee and see how that feels then try with out the aid and not focussed see if it's your hip doing the work and causing the limp rather than the knee? You may be surprised.

    May not be the answer for everyone but it is for me at this stage and when think about it logically, only having 70degree bend, not using an aid and rushing my walk well yes it would be the hip doing the work..

    Hope this helps

    Tony

    • Dotty_Lotty
      Dotty_Lotty Mr_Ynot

      Posted

      actually it does make total sense  and I shall take it on board, many thanks
    • Dotty_Lotty
      Dotty_Lotty Mr_Ynot

      Posted

      I have just read your post again I think maybe I should go back to using a crutch for a while, I am going to ask at physio today.Many thanks
    • Mr_Ynot
      Mr_Ynot Dotty_Lotty

      Posted

      Hi Dotty

      I think there is no harm in doing that it may make a difference and definitely talk to you Physiotherapist..

  • allan87044
    allan87044 Dotty_Lotty

    Posted

    You have to keep stretching and strengthening. That means working at it every day. I am  11 weeks, no cane, no limp, ready to play golf. One of my knees gets stiff if I sit too long. Still do not sleep great. The more I stretch, the less aches, etc 
    • Dotty_Lotty
      Dotty_Lotty allan87044

      Posted

      I am giving the physio my all, I guess I am guilty of expecting too much too soon, Thanks
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 allan87044

      Posted

      Check it out with you doc 1st. Any ki d of torque type activity generally waits for 6-9 months. Thats why things like running a vac. and other turning activities are the last to be allowed. After my revision i was allowed to hit short chip shots in the backyard only (no driving range) after months. Then my other problems (staph) kicked in znd i never got back to the range. The other thong is the uneven terrain that can cause problems.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      Should have been... after 6 months.......

      New phone thst doesnt spell check like the other. Should be a feature to translate my typing as if it were a foreign language. I went to school back when a professor would give you an F if you had mor e than 3 grammer/ punctuation mistakes. Obviously English wasn't my best subject. Now you can spell it right and these machines change it to their ways of thinking.

    • hazel14959
      hazel14959 Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      A Little bit of fun for those who hate spelling......or phones that have no spell check!

      Arocdnicg to rsceearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pcale. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit pobelrm. Tihs is buseace the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

      Can you read it?  I did first time.  LOL

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo hazel14959

      Posted

      Yes, no problem reading it. the problem is the predictive text, where it thinks it knows better than you what you want to say, and sometimes makes things into total nonsense!  Can be quite embarrassing!
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