90 degrees

zechariah
zechariah Member Posts: 222
edited 11. Apr 2010, 12:58 in Living with Arthritis archive
Quick question.

how long after TKR can I get 90 degree bend?

I am now 2 weeks post surgery and as soon as I can get 90 degrees I can get in my wheelchair and regain my freedom!

Comments

  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Aw bless, Zec :D

    If you are able to persevere with the exercises then it will happen. You have a strong motive there to aim for the 90 degree bend because you must get into your wheelchair and as you say regain your freedom. Are you very nearly there with it? Are you seeing a physio weekly?

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Zec, you must be feeling better if you are getting impatient to be out and about.

    I haven't had a TKR so looked it up on the net - seems that ambulant people have to work hard on physio to bend their knees before they can leave the hospital. Some hospitals use a continuous passive movement machine that keeps the joint slowly moving. The other influence stated was how much the person could bend their knee before surgery. Have you got physio exercises to do? How is the swelling?

    Am sure other TKR peeps will have more info on this.

    Speedalong
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi again Zec :D

    Are you doing RICE? Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation? I expect you are doing this exercise so it will not be of much use but here goes:

    The heel slide

    Slide your heel up and down whilst lying down in bed. If this is difficult, place your foot on a plastic bag to make your foot slide easier. Slide your foot up bending your knee as far as possible within limits of pain. Some discomfort is ok, just don't bend it beyond the point of strong pain. Complete 2-3 sets of 12 repetitions up and down, 3-4 times day.

    You could try this after rest, elevation and ice - may make it easier and then ice and rest and elevate afterwards too. i used ice many times a day on my TKR for weeks. NBrings down swelling and numbed the knee.

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • zechariah
    zechariah Member Posts: 222
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    thanks guys,

    my first physio app isnt for 2 weeks, I am doing exercises daily although very limited some days because of pain!

    I am icing it as much as possible and am determined to push through the pain to get the 90 degrees!
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Zec that's a long time to wait for physio ... do you mean another 2 weeks to wait? Did the hospital physio show you some exercises before you left the hospital or were you advised to do nothing until your appointment? You could always give the physio a ring.

    I read somewhere on this forum the advice to take all the pain meds prescribed to keep on top of the pain and to enable you to do the exercises ... as the exercises are the only thing that are going to get the knee bending.

    Keep us updated.

    Speedalong
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Zec,

    At first Iwas momentarily alarmed when I read that your physio is not for two weeks. You did leave the hospital very soon and perhaps on reflection, too soon, because you would have had physio there and that may have been of benefit rather than being on your own with it all so early on in recovery. I was in hospital 6 nights,physio appointment one week later, so 2 weeks from my op. Is that what you are saying, 2 weeks from your op?

    In that case your physio appt will be soon. Before your leave the hospital the physio usually like to see you doing 90 degree bends or near enough, if at all possible.

    I am so pleased to see you are so determined and you are on a mission, to be ok to get into your wheelchair asap.

    Wishing you the very best,
    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.