Good news from 'the man'

greyheron
greyheron Member Posts: 167
edited 23. Dec 2008, 16:28 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello everybody!

6 weeks since my Total Knee Replacement, so it was time for my follow-up appointment with the consultant.

I felt that I was making good progress despite a few 'ups and downs' (which lots of you have helped me with) but really anxious to get the 'official view'.

Pleased to say that he was very pleased with my progress. He was reassuring about the fact that my knee is often warm to the touch, he says this is normal - 'You have got a lot of hardware in there and the knee has to get used to it'.

I have about 90 degrees of 'bend' but he feels that could be improved on so I am booked in for physio in the New Year. (I had opted not to go to physio after discharge but to carry on with my exercises at home which worked OK for me.)

I'll see him again in 5 weeks time and all being well should be discharged at that point - though obviously I know from other people's comments on this forum that full recovery / mobility can take months to reach.

But I'm feeling very positive at the moment!

Anyone out there facing a TKR, obviously we're all different but for me I think it's really working!

All the best to all

Wendy

Comments

  • claregood1
    claregood1 Member Posts: 15
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's great news for you. It must be very reassuring to have the official view, and to know your going in the right direction.

    It's reassuring for me too as my knee goes to 90but no further and I'm getting very anxious about it. I'm 3.5 weeks after my op. I ended up ringing my brother who is a physio, to give me some more exercises to do. Can't see much improvement at the moment but I'll persevere. I'm stressing a little that I'll not be ready for work in January but the knee is more important.

    Anyway I'm pleased for you and keep going.
    Clare
  • greyheron
    greyheron Member Posts: 167
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    claregood1 wrote:
    That's great news for you. It must be very reassuring to have the official view, and to know your going in the right direction.

    It's reassuring for me too as my knee goes to 90but no further and I'm getting very anxious about it. I'm 3.5 weeks after my op. I ended up ringing my brother who is a physio, to give me some more exercises to do. Can't see much improvement at the moment but I'll persevere. I'm stressing a little that I'll not be ready for work in January but the knee is more important.

    Anyway I'm pleased for you and keep going.
    Clare


    Hi Clare

    Thanks for this. IMO you are doing VERY well to have 90 degrees bend after less than 4 weeks.

    Would it break the rules of this forum for you to tell me what advice / exercises your brother gave you regarding bending? (I know we have to be careful re medical stuff - rightly so.) I do one bending exercise lying on the bed, sliding my foot backwards so as the knee is as bent as possible (if you see what I mean!), and the other one I was given is sitting on a chair or bed or table and swinging the leg from straight out back to as bent as possible. Both 'work' but if you do have any other suggestions ...

    Hope you continue to see improvement and have a great Christmas.

    Wendy
  • claregood1
    claregood1 Member Posts: 15
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I'm happy to share any tips, though I'm not sure they're working.

    I lie on my tummy and bend my bad knee then use my good leg to help push it a little further. In the same position I cross my ankles and press them together so you can feel your hamstring working. Try and bend a little further each time you do this and hold for 6 seconds. Can't say as I've noticed any difference so far but I may be doing it wrong or it may just take time. It's frustrating isn't it when you can't see much progress. On the positive side I'm getting around a lot easier and able to walk a bit further.

    Hope this helps a little. Take care and have a lovely Christmas and I'll catch u with you in the new year.
    Clare
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,336
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Good news Wendy
    I am pleased for you. Keep doing the exercises Clare. 3 1/2 weeks is not long at all - I'm sure you're doing really well too. :)
    Take care both
    Toni xx
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,393
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    When I had my knees replaced, at the same time, I was given a sheet of exercises from the Hospital Rehabilitation Unit. The ones you have are on my sheet and below are some of the more gentle ones that you could try although it is wise to check them out with your GP first to see if they’re suitable for you before you attempt them.

    Stand leaning with your back against a wall and your feet about 20cm from the wall. Slowly slide down the wall as far as comfortable for you and then slide back up the wall to return to standing position.

    Stand with your legs apart and feet parallel. Transfer your weight from one leg to the other.

    Sit with your back straight and your legs on a coffee table and raise your leg keeping it straight and hold it about 20cms from the table. Then gently lower. (This also works sitting on a bed.)


    Hope these help.

    Luv Legs
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • greyheron
    greyheron Member Posts: 167
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lindalegs wrote:
    When I had my knees replaced, at the same time, I was given a sheet of exercises from the Hospital Rehabilitation Unit. The ones you have are on my sheet and below are some of the more gentle ones that you could try although it is wise to check them out with your GP first to see if they’re suitable for you before you attempt them.

    Stand leaning with your back against a wall and your feet about 20cm from the wall. Slowly slide down the wall as far as comfortable for you and then slide back up the wall to return to standing position.

    Stand with your legs apart and feet parallel. Transfer your weight from one leg to the other.

    Sit with your back straight and your legs on a coffee table and raise your leg keeping it straight and hold it about 20cms from the table. Then gently lower. (This also works sitting on a bed.)


    Hope these help.

    Luv Legs


    Thanks Legs. The first one sounds a bit scary, I remember trying something like that pre-op and it was painful, so I think I'll leave it till I've spoken to a physio in the new year. The other two are variations of what I'm already doing so will have a (cautious!) go. Thanks again for your help, have a great Christmas and look forward to more 'electronic chats' in 2009!

    Wendy
  • greyheron
    greyheron Member Posts: 167
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    claregood1 wrote:
    Hi, I'm happy to share any tips, though I'm not sure they're working.

    I lie on my tummy and bend my bad knee then use my good leg to help push it a little further. In the same position I cross my ankles and press them together so you can feel your hamstring working. Try and bend a little further each time you do this and hold for 6 seconds. Can't say as I've noticed any difference so far but I may be doing it wrong or it may just take time. It's frustrating isn't it when you can't see much progress. On the positive side I'm getting around a lot easier and able to walk a bit further.

    Hope this helps a little. Take care and have a lovely Christmas and I'll catch u with you in the new year.
    Clare


    Thanks, Clare - I'll have a go at these. I'm sure you are making progress but it's probably at the rate of about 1mm a day if my own progress is anything to go by - it's only when you look back to, say, a week ago that you are aware of any difference! Have a great Christmas and look forward to more good contacts in 2009.

    Wendy
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    "Stand leaning with your back against a wall and your feet about 20cm from the wall. Slowly slide down the wall as far as comfortable for you and then slide back up the wall to return to standing position".

    This exercise was made so much more pleasant for me because the physio mentioned to use a football/ball resting on your back and the wall. It is so much easier to do then. I found it was anyway.

    Love
    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.