Knee replacement

yaris

Hi just had full knee replacement

It's been a week ago leg feels stiff trouble working about um not doing much exercise at the moment just walking round the room I feel so down

stickywicket

Hello again, yaris The Helpline team probably won't be around until Monday so I thought I'd say hello. How lovely that you have a brand new knee but I'm sorry you're feeling down right now. It's a very common reaction after an op. Maybe it's something to do with the anaesthetic. Or maybe we expect too much too soon.

Of course the knee will go on hurting for some time. Just think what's been done to it :shock: And, long after the outer scar has healed, there's still lots of inner healing of tissue and tendons etc to go. So, please don't try to rush things. As a veteran of TKRs and THRs, I'd just advise you to do exactly as the physio suggested. That's usually lots of exercises (about 6-7 repetitions per day, 10 of each exercise each time as I recall) and not much else right now. Just walking about won't strengthen the muscles which went slack while your knee was so bad. They need more than that.

The exercises do hurt but they hurt less the more we do them. We have a window of a few weeks in which to get everything in really good working order. After that it becomes much harder. If you are worried that you might be doing damage with the exercises then please ring the ward where you had the op for advice from the physio. Or even see your GP. Don't just let things slide. And, if you're feeling low, why not talk to us on LWA. It's a bit quiet right now but there are people who look in even if they don't post and there are plenty of us who have had TKRs. You could tell us how things are each day and we could cheer you on It can sometimes be hard to see the little daily improvements until we look back on how far we've come.

helpline_team

Hi Yaris

Many thanks for your post to Helplines, I’m sorry to hear that you are feeling down. If you’d like to chat to one of us on the team you are very welcome to call, 0808 800 4050 (weekdays 10-4) sometimes a listening ear can be helpful.

We’re not medically trained, though it sounds as if your recovery is still in its early days.
The response you’ve had from stickywicket is great, and he seems to have covered everything thoroughly.
You might like to take a look at the Arthritis Research UK publication on ‘Knee replacement’, which will give you some information about how to ‘look after your new knee’
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/shop/products/publications/patient-information/surgery/knee-replacement-surgery.aspx

I hope this is of some help
Best wishes
Lynda

yaris

Thank you for your reply its been eight days since opp all I can mannage is going up the stairs to the bath room once a day then I just sit or lydown on the chair on Friday I have to have Stitch's out at the moment I don't think I could get to the doctors don't no what to do

GraceB

Hi,

I've had a knee replacement and am starting to prepare for the second.

I lost my "bend" after my TKR in 2009 and I had to work extremely hard to get this back. I was doing some exercises every 45 minutes during the day and having physio sessions at my local hospital twice a week.

I was in a lot of pain afterwards and I found it very frustrating that doing even simple things took me absolutely ages and increased my pain.

Please phone the ward of the hospital where you had the surgery. Also phone your GP for advise. Please try to get the exercises in as often as you can. I was told that on the times I couldn't do all 10 repetitions, to do as many as I could as it was better to do even half of them than not bother.

I had to elevate the leg quite a lot and use ice packs. I was also advised to make sure I medicated four times a day for the first two weeks whether or not I thought I needed the meds.

If your meds aren't keeping up with the pain your GP should be supporting you with this. Please, make a phone call tomorrow and ask for a telephone consult. If your GP won't do that and you really can't get to the surgery, ask for a home visit.

Can you book a taxi for your stitches out trip on Friday or get a lift? Things may well settle between now and then as you have a few days yet to go.

I will try and look in tomorrow night to see how you are doing but I have surgery myself on Wednesday on my ankle.

Take care of yourself, be kind to both and your knee.

GraceB

stickywicket

Yaris, you need help on this. The longer you leave it the harder it will be. Here are three suggestions. Please do at least one TODAY.

1. Ring the ward, tell them what you've told us and ask advice.
2. Ring your GP. Ask for a telephone appointment for today.
3. Ring our Helplines.

yaris

Thank you all I will phone doctors in the morning wed
I just feel so down at the moment things are so hard

stickywicket

How did it go, yaris?

And how are you feeling in yourself today?

yaris

Hi got doctors Thursday morning to have Stitch's out going to ask for some pain killers
The knee is very stiff thank you you for your reply hope you are well

stickywicket

It's good that you will see a doc. Please tell him or her how you're struggling with the exercises and feeling so low. It might be that a short course of anti-depressants would raise your spirits so that you can get on with the vital work of getting the knee moving properly. Good luck, yaris, and let's know how it goes.

yaris

Hi been to doctors had stitches out been told my pain killers are strong just take one extra I have noticed bruised shines on my operation knee and there saw when I walk

stickywicket

Well done on getting to the doc and having your stitches out

Was that a typo? Did you mean 'bruised shins'? Your shins will be very bruised, possibly for some time. They have undergone a lot of harsh treatment. The exercises will help to move the bruising though.

I hope things are a little better

yaris

I can't seem to do the excise I was told to do but I can get up down stairs my knee is about 3 times as large and very stiff I try to walk round the room as much as I can

stickywicket

The knee will be swollen and stiff for some time.

Being able to walk and get up and down the stairs is good but the exercises are necessary to strengthen the muscles and get a good bend.

The golden rule, at this early stage, is to elevate the leg when resting, do the quad exercises at regular intervals and ice the knee when it's particularly swollen – maybe after exercising. Or, you might find it easier to exercise after icing the knee.

An ordinary pack of frozen peas is as good as anything to put on it but always wrap the frozen peas in a towel. Don't put the packet directly onto your knee without a towel or somesuch.

This might explain things better. http://tinyurl.com/qjbrjvs

yaris

Doing peas on knee cooling down a bit seems to crack when gets tight and heavy
But feeling a bit better in my self

stickywicket

It's good that you're feeling better in yourself

My last knee crackled a bit at first post op. I was told it was nothing to worry about but, if in doubt, ask your doc.

What sort of a bend are you getting?

yaris

Sitting down very good as good as my other knee when standing trouble putting to much weight on knee due to stiffness after a few steps gets very tight but I can get up down stairs

stickywicket

It's good that the bend is the same as your non-operated knee when you're sitting though it's best to still sit with it elevated as much as possible. This will help with the swelling and stiffness.

The NHS has some good post-op exercises here which should help to make your knee stronger so that it can take your weight more easily but take them at a very steady pace. Little and often is best. http://tinyurl.com/ojbyoyh

Good luck

yaris

Do you think I could take my naproxen with my pain killers I was taken in before my. Operation

stickywicket

I can't answer that, yaris. You could ring your local pharmacy and ask the pharmacist but be sure he or she knows of ALL the pills you're taking otherwise you risk interactions.

helpline_team

Dear Yaris,

I can appreciate that you have a lot of concern still with your knee after your operation. I just wonder whether you've tried ringing us at the Helpline - we'd be happy to talk things over.

Here's a link to some excellent information about recovery from knee surgery.

https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patients/recovering-from-surgery/knee

Kind regards

Guy

yaris

Just had email from my boss he asked when will I be back at work has the doctors given me a date its been about 3 weeks since I had knee replacement its still very swallon and stiff 3 times the size went to phycio they told me to come back In 3 weeks time when it settled down

helpline_team

Hi Yaris,

If you'd like a bit more input from other people it might be worth posting on Living with arthritis forum too

Kind regards

Guy