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My Knee Replacement Surgery Experience
Joint Replacements | Last Active: May 8, 2023 | Replies (40)Comment receiving replies
Good morning @tzraquetball, I am so glad to know that you have been a proactive patient about your medical issues. Even though we tend to become more aware of this kind of issue as we age, it is still discouraging to have to give up some activities that we really enjoy. So, if I interpreted your welcoming post correctly, you no longer play racquetball of pickleball because of the recurring swelling.
I have read about your Journey 2 replacement and it had considerable research regarding activity post-surgery. So I understand your concern and disappointment.
My first TKR was 12 years ago and other than one bout with swelling and pain, it has been fine. My second TKR was in August of 2021 and that was a Mako Robotic replacement. I am now 80 and still walking 2 miles a day.....doing Yoga and also special PT for balance and stability. What I had to realize was that my prior life which included "trekking" around our world with a group of friends had to come to a halt. I replaced that with more modest activities like Mahjongg. I also lived in the mountains at about 6000 ft. I found that walking uphill was fine but going downhill was a sure way to wear out my knee replacement. The swelling was an active deterrent.
First question: are you sure this is not a Banker's Cyst of some kind?
Second question: do you do the Yoga pose "legs up the wall"?
Third question: is there any chance you have experienced MFR, myofascial release therapy?
Even though my recovery from the second TKR was "textbook", I still must be careful. When the swelling occurred my MFR therapist was able to move the fluid up my leg so that it could be released upon urination.
MFR is discussed on Connect right here: http://www.connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and pain.
Please give that a read and for more member information just go to the search bar at the top of this screen and enter "MFR". Press the magnifying glass at the end of the search opening and that will show you every post in which MFR is discussed.
Let me know what you think and if you have any questions.
May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris
Replies to "Good morning @tzraquetball, I am so glad to know that you have been a proactive patient..."
Many thanks Chris for a very informative and detailed answer. Let me answer the questions your were asking. I am not currently playing doubles racquetball or doubles pickleball. The whole purpose of the replacement was to fix the knee so i can resume those 2 activities. I am hoping that I would be able to do this and the doctor had discussed this and had said i would be able to.
I have done some reading on the Bakers Cyst and when the doctor inspected it, they didnt see this. Typically there would be a ball like shape behind the knee and i dont have this.
I dont do the yoga pause with the leg up the wall and was doing the regular PT until it swelled up more then normal. I am elevating when i can with the knee elevated and the head flat down so the fluid can drain backwards. But there is hardly any progress.
Its interesting you mention MFR, i started to look into this and will call a few places that advertise this and hope this can help. Many thanks for this.
Hanif.
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My surgeon used the Stryker/Mako robotic assistant on both knee replacements. I used a walker week 1, a cane week 2, and then needed no devices.
Swelling is tricky. In the first knee the swelling was gone in two months. For the second knee, I'm in ny fourth month and there is still a small amount of swelling.
If the knee need to be tapped, well that doesn't sound right. But it's a traumatic surgery and it takes up to one year to completely heal.
Joe