Had TKR but can't get much knee bend!

jojo03

Hello all,
I've had rheumatoid arthritis for 25 years and I had a TKR two weeks ago.
I was told I had to get my knee to bend to 85 degrees before I could come home but they let me out after six days with a bend of 75 degrees. The surgeon said because it was only 70 degrees before the op, and there's also a lot of swelling around the knee, it could take up to a year to get to about 95 degrees.
I've been doing my physio three times a day at home, all the muscle strenghtening and knee bending exercises, but it doesn't seem to be improving. I know it's still early days, but I'm worried it's just not going to bend any further, and it's not very comfortable as it is!
Has anyone else had a similar experience, and could I be doing anything else to help it along? I'm starting hydrotherapy next week.
I just feel that it's so swollen it can't bend properly!
Any comments gratefully appreciated!
Thanks,
Jo x.

stickywicket

You seem to be doing all the right things, Jojo03. I know they like 90 degrees (or used to) but, if you'd a lot of swelling and lack of bend before the op plus a lot of swelling since, things might just take a bit longer to happen.

You say you've got hydro booked for next week. My guess is that'll help a lot and, in any case, the physio in charge will be able to give you and informed opinion on the state of things.

Any serious worries should be raised with a health professional but my gut feeling is that you're going in the right direction and, with the help of the exercises, your knee will get stronger and bendier.

barbara12

Hi Jojo
Sorry I cant help with any advice but I am sure our Elna will be on soon, she has had both TKRs , I do think that it is really early days, going off what others have said about there's, you do seem to be doing quite well.
I hope you continue to improve

jojo03

Thanks for your encouraging comments stickywicket and Barbara.
I'm probably just being a bit impatient - I just want to make sure I improve. I think because I'm "young" for this op (43) I thought I would sail through the rehab, but it's taking longer than I thought!

wendgro

Just keep doing the exercises it is still very early days you know the saying practise makes perfect the swelling is always a problem and not a lot you can do about it just be patient(no pun intended)

dreamdaisy

I haven't had a TKR but I did have a huge open synovectomy op in 2002. They were not going to let me out until I could do a cetain maneouvre with the operated leg - which I finally managed after about two years. I began with a knee bend of about 35 degrees, achieved 75 after four months of physio, 90 after about six months, 120 after eight, then my knee started swelling again and I have never achieved those dizzying bends since. The op was repeated after eighteen months and the whole damn thing began again. I got bored with the measuring, it just did not seem important any more.

Be patient. The 'disturbance' to your flesh, muscles, tendons and anything else in there is huge. You have had something highly and hugely unnatural done to you and it will take time to recover. Do your exercises as best as you can and not more than you should. Rest the leg as often as you can and perhaps a little more than you should. Your body needs time to recover. I wish you well. DD

elnafinn

Hi Jo

It must be disheartening for you not to get the knee bend as good as you would like but it is early days yet and if there is a lot of swelling around the knee that will not help matters at all. First of all, are you elevating the leg when resting and are you icing the knee as well? This should bring the swelling down somewhat. I wonder what exercises you have been given to do by the physio. Did you get on with the physio whilst in hospital because that makes all the difference? I see that you are starting hydrotherapy next week which is good (although I was not offered that). I did see a physio once a week though for quite some time because I had the movement but had awful pain. We got on very well and I am sure this helped me in my recovery.

Would you be able to do the exercises more than three times a day or is that what you have been instructed to do.

I had a plastic slider given me that I used to put under my foot and when sitting in the chair or on the end of the bed I would slide my foot backwards and forwards on this slider which seemed to make the bending of the knee that little bit easier.

Please do ask any questions that you wish about post op recovery. There are quite a few of us in the Knee Club and I hope they see your thread and get in touch.

Luv
Elna x

dreamdaisy

There's posh, elna, you were given a slider? I was told a plastic carrier bag was ideal so I persuaded my mum to send me a Waitrose one! I still use a carrier bag on our dining room chairs, they have velour fabric seats and getting up is a struggle sometimes, so the bag helps one to slide round in order to stand. I keep one in my bag - it's useful in some restaurants too! DD

constable

Hi Joe,

I know I cant really help but I had the THR just over two weeks ago and still have a lot of swelling, and appreciate that nasty feeling of it being on the knee. I do hope that it starts to reduce for you very soon, but it is still early days. Sending you hugs

Karen xx

elnafinn

dreamdaisy wrote:

There's posh, elna, you were given a slider? DD

Elna x

elnafinn

Hi again Jo

I did use a tubigrip for a while, suggested to me by my physio and I found that helped in the early days when the knee ached and had a tendency to swell up if I was on my feet for too long. The tubigrip has to be long enough to stretch half way down the leg and halfway up the thigh.

Elna x

jojo03

Thanks for all your replies - as usual they have been really helpful and I'm grateful for the advice.

Elna, yes I get on really well with my physio, and she has been kind enough to loan me a ball to roll my foot backwards and forwards on. She's also given me a "push pull" excerise, where someone pulls your calf forwards whilst you're pushing your leg back - this is supposed to strengthen the muscles around the knee and help it to bend. She said to do that exercise twice a day, and I do the other ones three times a day. In between exercises, I keep my leg up and put ice on for 20 mins after each exercise session.

DD - thanks for your account of your experience - it's given me hope that I can get much more bend with lots of practise!

Karen, I remember reading your thread just before you went into hospital - I was due to go in for my TKR the day after you, and I did think about you and wonder how you were getting on!

Thanks again everyone - this is always the best place for good advice!
Jo x.

elnafinn

Hi Jo

So pleased that you do get on with your physio. You mentioning the ball exercise, reminded me that I quite liked to do the exercise with my back to the wall and placing a ball on my back, gently bending my legs, keeping the ball on the wall and then up again. You can very gradually go that little bit lower with the bending of the knee(s). It is easier with the ball rather than sliding your back down the wall. I am probably not explaining this too well but I hope you know what I mean. :roll:

Do not despair, keep persevere, you are doing well.

Luv
Elna x

bertyboy

hi Jo i think also that Elna has covered it very well ,it is still very early days a good physio is priceless , i fount it easier to bend my knee sat on the computer chair as i could have the seat higher so my foot wasent on the floor , but do rest as well x

dreamdaisy

These things take time. The impression given by some surgeons is that 'We'll whip you in, tinker, then send you home as good as new.' They forget to tell you about the months and months of physio, simply because they have done their bit in giving you a new knee. You're mended. Simples.

Ummmm, no, not quite. Take care, it sounds as tho you are doing all the right things and that is all you can do. DD

elnafinn

It is true some surgeons do their "bit", mended what needed mending and that is that as far as they are concerned.

My consultant was not like that and on my post op appointments he kept emphasising that it was a major operation that I had had and it could take 12 - 18 months before things were back to "normal". He also told me that when he performed my second knee op, on the other knee, not to think that progress etc would be the same as the other knee. He was perfectly correct, it was not the same and differed as soon as I came round from the GA.

I am sure that between you and your physio, Jo, it will right itself, given time.

Luv
Elna x