1. < Joint Replacements

1 year anniversary of TKR

Posted by ellerbracke @ellerbracke, Sep 10, 2019

2 more days, and I’ll have had my artificial knee for one year. This milestone seems to be pretty much what it will be going forward, with possible minor improvements possible. Summary: full extension, great flexibility. No swelling. Some warmth on outside of knee, constantly. Works very well, except no kneeling on hard ground, preferably no kneeling, period. Constant cracking/crunching feeling of tendons behind the knee when bending under weight (as in walking, floor exercises involving bent knees). Painless, but irritating and uncomfortable. Some pain when bending knee/lower leg sideways-inwards while lifted, as is pulling off a shoe or sock while standing, balanced on the other leg. Unfortunately, still pretty frequent minor twinges, and foreign/artificial feeling, in spite of working fine That about average?

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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Sep 23, 2019
In reply to @irol "Yeah, I too, googled position pose. Do you use the tkr leg out straight or is..." + (show)
@irol

Yeah, I too, googled position pose. Do you use the tkr leg out straight or is it the bent one? Is it really ok to put that bent knee in such a position? I am trying to find a way to loosen my hamstrings and back. After doing a lot of lifting and moving (stage manager always cleaning out or relocating theater set buildings or carrying around heavy light sets, etc., or after riding 20-30 miles heavily, my body yearns for a stretch. I used to like to grab my ankle behind me and bend my knee up, but I can not lift my leg high enough to grab the ankle comfortably. It is SO frustrating. I just want to do what I do on the left side to my tkr right side! I am at 6 months and feel like I should be mire limber by now. When I am doing herl slides, I can get to 138 degrees but most recently I can not even go down the stairs foot over foot without leaning way over to the side to avoid intense pain when forcing the knee to bend enough to clear the stairs. Any suggestions out there?

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@irol, That all sounds good until I get to the "intense pain" words. Have you asked your PT what might be causing that level of pain? Have you showed your PT or your surgeon what you do and where it hurts?

Sometimes, as I recall, just a slight adjustment might make all the difference. Or, you need to build up strength in one area before you go to a foot over a foot down the stairs or up the stairs. Do you always have a railing to hold?

There are still times when I go step by step one foot at a time. I place the first foot on the stair either up or down and then bring the other foot down or up to meet the first foot. I have had 3 injurious falls down stairs which landed me in the hospital and in surgery. Please let me know what they tell you. I would like to add your experiences to my memory bank for helping others. Thank you, Chris

REPLY
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Sep 24, 2019
In reply to @ellerbracke "@artscaping: Chris - short question re. child’s pose. I try to do it mainly to release..." + (show)
@ellerbracke

@artscaping: Chris - short question re. child’s pose. I try to do it mainly to release tension in my back in between doing planks. However, even with really great flexibility in my artificial knee I can’t get all the way down toward full knee bend as in butt touching heels, so the result is less than satisfying, since the pose is a little lopsided. But I’m sure even the abbreviated motion helps, just not for the back/spine so much. How do you execute it?
@contentandwell: JK - I did ask surgeon about kneeling before TKR, and he said “some people will use knee pads, or a little bench” when working in the garden or similar kneeling chores. I only heard the “SOME”, and assumed of course that I would be the not-some!

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@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell
To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to handle. Here is a link to "Reclining Pigeon." This pose may be the best starter for all of us. Give me some feedback to see if this was more comfortable. Thanks.
https://www.wikihow.fitness/Do-Reclining-Pigeon-Pose
Sleep well and be free of suffering. Chris

REPLY
3 replies
glasgow46 | @glasgow46 | Sep 24, 2019
In reply to @artscaping "@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to..." + (show)
@artscaping

@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell
To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to handle. Here is a link to "Reclining Pigeon." This pose may be the best starter for all of us. Give me some feedback to see if this was more comfortable. Thanks.
https://www.wikihow.fitness/Do-Reclining-Pigeon-Pose
Sleep well and be free of suffering. Chris

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Thankyou so much Chris. I will give that a try when my leg is a bit more comfortable.i find the recumbent bike really stretches my muscles, and I’ve been missing that for a few days. I’ll let you know how I do. Have a wonderful day, Yvonne

REPLY
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Sep 25, 2019
In reply to @irol "Yeah, I too, googled position pose. Do you use the tkr leg out straight or is..." + (show)
@irol

Yeah, I too, googled position pose. Do you use the tkr leg out straight or is it the bent one? Is it really ok to put that bent knee in such a position? I am trying to find a way to loosen my hamstrings and back. After doing a lot of lifting and moving (stage manager always cleaning out or relocating theater set buildings or carrying around heavy light sets, etc., or after riding 20-30 miles heavily, my body yearns for a stretch. I used to like to grab my ankle behind me and bend my knee up, but I can not lift my leg high enough to grab the ankle comfortably. It is SO frustrating. I just want to do what I do on the left side to my tkr right side! I am at 6 months and feel like I should be mire limber by now. When I am doing herl slides, I can get to 138 degrees but most recently I can not even go down the stairs foot over foot without leaning way over to the side to avoid intense pain when forcing the knee to bend enough to clear the stairs. Any suggestions out there?

Jump to this post

@irol - The others have asked great questions and shared some good experience. All I can add is that I'm about 8 months out from my left TKR. This summer I found that while I couldn't grab my ankle behind me and pull it up in normal everyday life, I COULD do it in the pool. I had to work up to it, but I got to where I could do that stretch. Have you tried exercising in water?

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Sep 25, 2019
In reply to @artscaping "@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to..." + (show)
@artscaping

@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell
To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to handle. Here is a link to "Reclining Pigeon." This pose may be the best starter for all of us. Give me some feedback to see if this was more comfortable. Thanks.
https://www.wikihow.fitness/Do-Reclining-Pigeon-Pose
Sleep well and be free of suffering. Chris

Jump to this post

@artscaping Thanks, Chris. I haven't actually tried pigeon yet, I've been busy, and my fractured femur has been hurting a lot recently. It varies by the day. It helps a lot when I take tramadol in the morning but the doctor will not give me anymore -- he hasn't given me many at all -- they are so conservative with any opioid now. I am hoping to be much better soon and to get back to my health club.

@debbraw @irol pool exercise is great really. One instructor I had was very savvy and when I was trying to do that stretch pulling my foot up behind me I couldn't do it straight, it was out to the side. She told me to go to the edge of the pool and put it on the pool wall so it would stay straight, that makes the exercise much more helpful. It really does help a lot.
JK

REPLY
ellerbracke | @ellerbracke | Sep 26, 2019
In reply to @artscaping "@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to..." + (show)
@artscaping

@ellerbracke, @glasgow46, @contentandwell
To those of you who found Pigeon to be way too much to handle. Here is a link to "Reclining Pigeon." This pose may be the best starter for all of us. Give me some feedback to see if this was more comfortable. Thanks.
https://www.wikihow.fitness/Do-Reclining-Pigeon-Pose
Sleep well and be free of suffering. Chris

Jump to this post

@artscaping
Chris: I looked up the reclining pigeon, and it is a similar starting position to one of my Sciatica exercises. That also starts with one leg bent, other leg’s ankle crossed over and resting on knee. However, then I was instructed to pull the knee diagonally toward my opposite shoulder to stretch the Piriformis. So I thought, why not try the pigeon move while I’m in the right position anyway? Yikes! I never knew that stretching my hip the other way - outward - was such a challenge. I’ll start working on that move every day now and hope to see lots of improvement over time. Did not help that I’m already semi-sore from several home improvement projects, as well as daily dragging around long, heavy duty hoses to keep at least some shrubs alive. No rain here in about a month, temperatures 10 to 12 degrees above average - mid 90’s in late September - , and no rain in sight for another 10 days!!! FYI - this is SC, not Texas or Nevada!

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Sep 26, 2019
In reply to @ellerbracke "@artscaping Chris: I looked up the reclining pigeon, and it is a similar starting position to..." + (show)
@ellerbracke

@artscaping
Chris: I looked up the reclining pigeon, and it is a similar starting position to one of my Sciatica exercises. That also starts with one leg bent, other leg’s ankle crossed over and resting on knee. However, then I was instructed to pull the knee diagonally toward my opposite shoulder to stretch the Piriformis. So I thought, why not try the pigeon move while I’m in the right position anyway? Yikes! I never knew that stretching my hip the other way - outward - was such a challenge. I’ll start working on that move every day now and hope to see lots of improvement over time. Did not help that I’m already semi-sore from several home improvement projects, as well as daily dragging around long, heavy duty hoses to keep at least some shrubs alive. No rain here in about a month, temperatures 10 to 12 degrees above average - mid 90’s in late September - , and no rain in sight for another 10 days!!! FYI - this is SC, not Texas or Nevada!

Jump to this post

@ellerbracke, Good morning. How great to see your post this morning. I think I understand.

Remember that you work “towards” the pose as described. Do your best but only as much as you can do without pain.

With some of these stretching poses, you can increase the results by holding the pose for a 3 breath count...then a 4 and on as your joint becomes more comfortable in the pose. I max out at 6 breaths. Then I just make sure I include the pose in my daily practice.

Wow! I would just love to create a post TKR group. Would your hospital or surgeon know if one exists in your area?

May you have joy and relief from pain today. Chris

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Sep 26, 2019
In reply to @ellerbracke "@artscaping Chris: I looked up the reclining pigeon, and it is a similar starting position to..." + (show)
@ellerbracke

@artscaping
Chris: I looked up the reclining pigeon, and it is a similar starting position to one of my Sciatica exercises. That also starts with one leg bent, other leg’s ankle crossed over and resting on knee. However, then I was instructed to pull the knee diagonally toward my opposite shoulder to stretch the Piriformis. So I thought, why not try the pigeon move while I’m in the right position anyway? Yikes! I never knew that stretching my hip the other way - outward - was such a challenge. I’ll start working on that move every day now and hope to see lots of improvement over time. Did not help that I’m already semi-sore from several home improvement projects, as well as daily dragging around long, heavy duty hoses to keep at least some shrubs alive. No rain here in about a month, temperatures 10 to 12 degrees above average - mid 90’s in late September - , and no rain in sight for another 10 days!!! FYI - this is SC, not Texas or Nevada!

Jump to this post

@ellerbracke I can't believe you are dragging that hose around still! Please take care of yourself first, not your shrubs.

Do you live in coastal SC or more inland? My new daughter-in-law's parents live on Lake Murray.
JK

REPLY
1 reply
ellerbracke | @ellerbracke | Sep 26, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@ellerbracke I can't believe you are dragging that hose around still! Please take care of yourself..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@ellerbracke I can't believe you are dragging that hose around still! Please take care of yourself first, not your shrubs.

Do you live in coastal SC or more inland? My new daughter-in-law's parents live on Lake Murray.
JK

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@contentandwell: No body of water in sight here..... Spartanburg, SC. toward the Northern part of the state. Not quite close enough to foothills to get heat relief. And why should my hubby install a sprinkler system as long as he has an able-bodied wife? Who has time on her hands, and scars on her knee??? (And both shoulders???). Keeps me in shape, as long as nobody hears my sotto voce comments that can’t be printed.

REPLY
harley105 | @harley105 | Sep 26, 2019
In reply to @irol "I meant "pigeon" pose." + (show)
@irol

I meant "pigeon" pose.

Jump to this post

There is a reclining yoga pose called Figure 4. It's a laying on your back simulated pigeon pose. You can get an intense stretch of the piriformis muscle and relief from sciatica.

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