TKR

millenium girl

millenium girl

Just her
Trusted Member
As some of you might know I had TKR early July and things aren't going as planned. Extension is great but I can hardly bend the knee. At first it was swelling that prevented me to bend but now it is stiffness. I have physio 5 times a week, use a CPM machine but nothing seems to help. I wish I could undo everything and get my old arthritic knee back ....
 
@millenium girl
When you say "I wish I could undo everything" Is it something you've done that you shouldn't have?

Sorry if you've posted this somewhere already and i'm late to the party. It's good to see you, been a long time.
 
I have several friends that have had TKR. The first 6 months can be brutal but a year later all were very happy. July to now is not very long. I know it’s probably frustrating but I am sure it will be best in the long term.

Is there a chance you rehabbing too hard? I am inpatient with minor injuries, can’t imagine what I would be like in your shoes. I will be there with my neck some day.

There are a few here that have had similar surgeries. I as sure they will have good advice.


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Get rid of the CPM ( you have been using it for far too long) and resume your normal activities. I would even suggest you not bother with a physio now because you are at the 12 week or so time period where all you are doing is redundant stuff. As Old Fart Jiujitsu stated it can take up to a year or longer to reap the full benefits of the surgery.
Get your positive attitude back and stop dwelling on what you can't do, and do what you can. Eventually you will be grateful for the surgery.
 
faller said:
@millenium girl
When you say "I wish I could undo everything" Is it something you've done that you shouldn't have?

Sorry if you've posted this somewhere already and i'm late to the party. It's good to see you, been a long time.
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No worries Faller.

I had TKR early July and I regret it. After all my osteoarthritic knee wasn't that bad. I worked with two physiotherapists so far and both say they never saw anyone having that many issues. I can barely bend that damn knee.

Bags I have to keep doing physio. I do a bit of legs at the gym (seated leg curls), I do the elliptical and the mini bike at home but the stiffness sucks. I used to ice the knee because it was swollen but now I apply heat to loosen it up. I take Diazepam (the only muscle relaxant available here) but it makes me sleepy and I still have cramps in the quad and hamstring. I have been told by the OS to use the CPM until I can do a full rotation/revolution on the stationary bike and I can't. He made me rent it for 3 months. I might give it up soon.

OGJJ, I cannot walk without limping. I want my life back. I was supposed to travel to London next week but can't because I still use a cane .... I know it can take between 6 months and a year to recover fully but I should be walking normally at 9 weeks post op don't you think?
 
millenium girl said:
No worries Faller.

I had TKR early July and I regret it. After all my osteoarthritic knee wasn't that bad. I worked with two physiotherapists so far and both say they never saw anyone having that many issues. I can barely bend that damn knee.

Bags I have to keep doing physio. I do a bit of legs at the gym (seated leg curls), I do the elliptical and the mini bike at home but the stiffness sucks. I used to ice the knee because it was swollen but now I apply heat to loosen it up. I take Diazepam (the only muscle relaxant available here) but it makes me sleepy and I still have cramps in the quad and hamstring. I have been told by the OS to use the CPM until I can do a full rotation/revolution on the stationary bike and I can't. He made me rent it for 3 months. I might give it up soon.

OGJJ, I cannot walk without limping. I want my life back. I was supposed to travel to London next week but can't because I still use a cane .... I know it can take between 6 months and a year to recover fully but I should be walking normally at 9 weeks post op don't you think?
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@MG, it's time to take the bull by it's horns so to speak and take charge of your recovery. Drop the diazepam because it is a benzo and is counter productive if it is making you drowsy (which it's supposed to do). It's also a crappy muscle relaxant with a side effect profile which is too harsh and has also been linked to Dementia, but that is another post. The only way you are going to be able to do a full rotation on the bike is by working the bike patiently. It took me 9 months before I could do a full rotation on the bike. There is no need to be using a CPM when there is nothing to validate it's use past the three week time period. If what you are doing isn't working you need to change it. Same as bodybuilding. We don't stick with programs that are failing us. Don't stick with treatments you don't think are working.
To get rid of your limp you need to mindfully walk and think, heel to toe, heel to toe, with as much of a bend as you can get with the knee. 9 weeks is when you should be working on the functional side of your recovery and use your cane as a tool for this.
 
Bagua said:
@MG, it's time to take the bull by it's horns so to speak and take charge of your recovery. Drop the diazepam because it is a benzo and is counter productive if it is making you drowsy (which it's supposed to do). It's also a crappy muscle relaxant with a side effect profile which is too harsh and has also been linked to Dementia, but that is another post. The only way you are going to be able to do a full rotation on the bike is by working the bike patiently. It took me 9 months before I could do a full rotation on the bike. There is no need to be using a CPM when there is nothing to validate it's use past the three week time period. If what you are doing isn't working you need to change it. Same as bodybuilding. We don't stick with programs that are failing us. Don't stick with treatments you don't think are working.
To get rid of your limp you need to mindfully walk and think, heel to toe, heel to toe, with as much of a bend as you can get with the knee. 9 weeks is when you should be working on the functional side of your recovery and use your cane as a tool for this.
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I use my cane only outdoors because I want to avoid a fall.
I did,the exercises that I saw on YouTube. And the female PT uses other techniques but my ROM is not even 90.
What else can I do?
Muscle_n_Blood really helps me too.
 
millenium girl said:
I use my cane only outdoors because I want to avoid a fall.
I did,the exercises that I saw on YouTube. And the female PT uses other techniques but my ROM is not even 90.
What else can I do?
Muscle_n_Blood really helps me too.
Click to expand...

Take a break. Go for walks and hit the gym for a week or so. Don't stress the knee at all. Enjoy life and get rid of the constant stress you are in from the knee. It will loosen up.
 
At this point you need to get back to the surgeon. You've likely scarred down heavily you will require manipulation under anesthetic. It happens to about 10-20% of the patient population. This is an unfortunate side effect to surgery that can happen, no fault of your own. If you are approaching and going beyond 10-12 weeks it's healed down and will likely not go anymore unless you are on the table, knocked out, and knee is bent to break down all those adhesions. I'm currently treating a guy right now who just had that done...and we are 2.5 weeks back at it and he's gone from a stuck rubber band 70 degrees to 110 stable. A full TKR should be done with physio by week 6-8, moving 110 deg by week 3 (or a full rotation on a bike with no hip hike). Complications are not that common for this, especially a young healthy individual, therefore this must be seen by your surgeon. The physio at this point is mainly modulating pain control, maintaining existing range, and improving whatever strength within the available range you have. But I have extreme doubts you will NOT be able to improve your range on your own, for said reasons.

I also want you guys to keep in mind your roles in this thread and others. I appreciate advice given but A LOT of this advice, whether it's here or in another thread, can seriously hurt someone by just telling someone, and may not be anywhere close to the advice they must be given, or something gone against what a physician has prescribed. We do not know histories, tolerances, co-contributors. This is pure physical therapy, anything medical must go back to their treating physician.
 
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PhysLifter -- I had TKR on July 3rd. I have seen the OS twice (last time was 3 weeks ago) and he told me to be patient and exercise. Next appointment is on Sept 24th. We'll see what he says. The Kinetec doesn't help, the mini bike (pedals) do. PT told me yesterday I'm at 90. I know it's not much but the pain on the left side (CML) is pretty bad and that pain prevents me to go further. I'm not on painkillers since week 2 post op. Remember that I'm as old as Bags lol ... Not in my early thirties anymore. And general anesthesia for MUA isn't an option. I was sick for two weeks after surgery ....

I started doing seated leg curls, they help loosen up the knee but when I sit down for too long the stiffness is back with a vengeance. I wish I could find a good muscle relaxant but we don't have Flexeril here.
Two days ago I felt almost normal, I walked 1,5 kilometers without limping and pain but that didn't last. I had a lumbago and sciatica and when physio worked on the trigger points of my back it helped the bending of the knee for some reason.

I'm traveling to London early November and want to be able to walk .....
 
millenium girl said:
PhysLifter -- I had TKR on July 3rd. I have seen the OS twice (last time was 3 weeks ago) and he told me to be patient and exercise. Next appointment is on Sept 24th. We'll see what he says. The Kinetec doesn't help, the mini bike (pedals) do. PT told me yesterday I'm at 90. I know it's not much but the pain on the left side (CML) is pretty bad and that pain prevents me to go further. I'm not on painkillers since week 2 post op. Remember that I'm as old as Bags lol ... Not in my early thirties anymore. And general anesthesia for MUA isn't an option. I was sick for two weeks after surgery ....

I started doing seated leg curls, they help loosen up the knee but when I sit down for too long the stiffness is back with a vengeance. I wish I could find a good muscle relaxant but we don't have Flexeril here.
Two days ago I felt almost normal, I walked 1,5 kilometers without limping and pain but that didn't last. I had a lumbago and sciatica and when physio worked on the trigger points of my back it helped the bending of the knee for some reason.

I'm traveling to London early November and want to be able to walk .....
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My dear I treat 'old bags' every day with TKRs, Total Hips, shoulders, you name it, i've treated it to ALL ages. (92 year old yesterday being a bilateral total hip) If you are over 9 weeks and you are only at 90 degrees, you are behind, and that's just fact. Please do not try to create an age excuse for yourself. I am advocating for you to see the surgeon and demand something be done because you have either overhealed or something is awry (not any person's fault). You are too fit, too healthy to have these kind of issues. A full rotation on a bike without hip hike is 110 degrees, if you can not even attain that pedalling backwards due to extreme pain there is SOMETHING going on with the knee. And simply just staying the course will not magically make it bend further. Please take my advice seriously and you need to have a frank discussion with your physio, and again, your surgeon.
 
MG I would listen to PhysLifter on this one. When we first started discussing your TKR last year I told you it could be one of the most difficult times in your sporting life. You have been through a lot since your surgery and have had many more downs than ups. We have discussed that a few times and you can't get back down to where you were. I know it sucks when you get in a rut because I was stuck at 100 for what seemed like the longest time and nothing I did seemed to help me get past that point. It wasn't until I started to add some of my Kali to my daily rehab it started to loosen up, but the vice like feeling on the lateral side of my knee stayed with me well into week nine. I couldn't do a full revolution on the bike even up to 12 weeks. One day after a workout I thought I would try it just because and I could actually do a revolution fairly easily. My knee to this day doesn't feel 'right' but it sure is better than prior to surgery.
Contemplate the advice you have received from all the people you have consulted and develop a game plan for your meeting with the surgeon.
Are you still working with two Physios?
 
I see the OS on Monday. I'll see what he says.

I can do full rotations on the bike but not sitting completely right. And I use the elliptical without any issue. I also bought mini pedals that I use whenever knee is stiff. I also do seated leg curls at the gym and some leg extensions.

Bags you didn't tell me everything or I wouldn't have had this surgery that I realize I didn't really need.

I'm only working with the female physio now. The first 30 sessions that I had with the male PT were a loss of time and money. All he did was massage the knee which obviously didn't help with the bending. I'm pissed.
 
millenium girl said:
That's what everyone keeps telling me even the ophthalmologist I saw this afternoon lol. They also say that it can take up between 6 months and one year before you fully recover ..... Patience is a virtue I don't have.
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A year MG seems like a brutally long time but in the grand scheme of things it turns out to be a blip.
You just have to watch that you don't get as down as you were.
 
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