Comments on: Not Understanding A TKR Recuperation

By: E.C.

E.C. — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:48:09 +0000

I’m 83 & 230#. I had a tkr 9 weeks ago & have had few problems and moderate pain. I took Loritabs (7.5/500) every 4-6 hrs for several weeks tapering down to 4/5 a day later and now I only take one before bedtime. I have resisted aggressive PT (3 x/ wk) that causes any pain at all, and do simple daily exercises on my own. I have 110*bend. I don’t work or do extensive walking. My suspicion is that many rush their rehab and incur needless pain. My hope is to do the other knee when my new one is capable of giving me good support.
Maybe my experience is not typical, but not everyone has a really painful aftermath. I was of course fortunate in that I had no need to rush back to work.

By: Kavico

Kavico — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:41:01 +0000

I’m at 5 and a half weeks now and my bend is 95 but straighten only 5. That’s the hardest thing, and still making faces while I exercise.

I’m pleased that I am finally seeing progress although in the night the pain wakes me up at least twice, and I have to pop some pain killers. When I wake up I have six pillows all over the place from various attempts to get comfy during my sleep!

At the physio on yesterday I managed to pedal forwards and backwards – talk about thrilled. These little improvements are what I live for right now!

By: Wilma Moore

Wilma Moore — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:19:02 +0000

I am 9 weeks post op from left TKR. Does anyone else have stinging, burning, stabbing pain on the inside of the leg (from thigh to below the knee). The doc thinks it is nerve pain and started me on lyrica. I have good motion and can straighten my knee, but thia pain is so awful. It is worse after sitting or being on it walking, etc. Better after laying in bed at night. I had to take another week off work. Any advice? I love this site. It helped me so much to know that I am not alone.

By: Kavico

Kavico — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:14:34 +0000

I’m now at 5 weeks and managed to get my bend to 90 on Thursday at the physio. Doing my PT at home diligently, and went out with my sister to the grocery today with my stick and managed to walk around a bit. I’m just scared someone will knock into me, and down I will go!
We all do improve in our own time, and all you can do is follow the PT’s and doc’s instructions and try hard.

Still have a lot of pain and stiffness and that band around the knee feeling, and particularly at the front of the knee, but keep massaging with cocoa butter.

Yes, you do get down, and worry about going back to work, but one day you will look back at this and be proud of getting through it. Good luck to everyone!

By: Vicki

Vicki — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:28:32 +0000

Hello everyone,

I’m 13 weeks post op total knee now. Just got back from my surgeon’s office and he is a bit disappointed that my leg is not very strong at this point. He want me to do strenghthening exercises for the quads though I told him I have groin pain which prevents me from doing leg straights and weight bearing lifting exercises but he said I should start with a 5 lb strap on weight around the ankles and start some leg lifts and lay on my side and lift my entire leg up and down and he reinforced the exercise bike.

So, yes, it does get better as the weeks go by, but that tightening band around the front of your knee, I still have and the surgeon says its normal. He wants to limit my pain medication to one pill a day (i’m taking Darvaset). It just takes the edge off the pain. It is very depressing and walking in public in a crowd scares me because I can’t walk fast like everyone else. Steps are a major challenge so I avoid them at the moment.

I know I have to get back to work eventually, but at this point, I can’t see holding a 40 hour a week job again and trying to be active each day and not worry about tripping or not walking correctly. So, that is where I am. I commend all of us here for what we have gone through; some recovering faster than others. Each person has their own medical history to consider when evaluating their own recovery time. I understand that but it doesn’t make the depression go away and the feeling of being trapped in my own home and not being able to go to the Mall or take a nice walk . Again, I know things take time and people in “the know” have told me it could take up to a year for the pain to go away in the knee. So, we should all try to think positive and get through this.

By: Norine

Norine — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:29:13 +0000

Hi, Rose. Don’t you give up. I am almost 6 mos. out from tkr — and I u/stand how you feel.First of all, remember that EVERY person has a different recovery…there is no norm. Yes, the pain at first is rough — and I couldn’t sleep for 2-3 months, because I could never get into a comfortable position. I’m a side-sleeper, and could never get comfortable. However, the good news, is that now I am sleeping on my side and loving it!!! I was dependent on others for many weeks, but that’s how you will heal. If you overdo, you will not heal as well — so accept that this is your time and that you’ve had a very traumatic surgery. Do your exercises, and take whatever pain meds your doc gives you. I got discouraged, too …. thought that I would limp forever — and one day, I realized that I was walking w/o a limp!! It all comes, but slowly. It was worth the pain and frustration, and I will have the other knee replaced in the spring. Good luck…….patience is your greatest gift right now.

By: Kavico

Kavico — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:37:20 +0000

Hi Rose, at 4 weeks post tkr I understand comletely what you say. People just will not understand the extent of the pain and frustration we are going through with this operation from hell, as I call it? Wonder how you’re doing now as you had your op almost a year ago now. I hope much improved and doing well?

By: sharon

sharon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:30:20 +0000

I felt the same way, but as I said in other entries the excercise I swear by is the rocking chair and the step stretch. Once you stretch those muscles out the knee can bend. the rocking chair is just sit in it normally as possibly and rock back and forth going alittle further each time. The step just start out with a small step, I took my walker for stability and put in on my step going into my family room and just put my leg up on it and pushed forward gently rocking alittle more each time with no bouncing.. You can do this on your stairway and hold onto the walls or railing to balance. You get the idea. It is basically like the rocker idea. I swear it works, I amazed my pt guy how limber i was to do the rest of the excercises. If you use a heating pad on the knee prior to excercises it helps to stretch easier. Well there you go try those out and when you start to make more progress on a daily basis, and you will, the weepy’s will go away and the smiles will appear. You are strong already because you had the surgery, so stay strong, be happy, better days ahead. We promise. take care keep us posted.

By: booktoots

booktoots — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:48:25 +0000

Hi Kavico,
I swear by the stationary exercise bike for increasing flexibility. Just don’t do it alone when you first start out. Have someone with you. You’ll never look at a bike the same way again once you start using it in recuperating mode.
Good luck and keep in touch!

By: Kavico

Kavico — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:31:06 +0000

Hi All: Surgeons visit today – he said I am where I should be, and all is ok, despite my worrying about not being able to bend at 90 to 100 like some of you out there at same stage as me. My question is how on earth do you do it? I mean bend. My knee refused to go past a certain point, and I am still not straight. Still on Tramadol every 8 hrs and Panadol in between, this has been an operation from hell, and no way am I going to have the other knee done now, I am prone to depression, and feel weepy all the time. we who go thru this op have to know one thing, – that we are strong. Good wishes to all out there in recuperation mode!