right knee Arthroscopy+ lateral menisectory 3 weeks problems ,rom stiffness help

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Hi thanks again, sorry for keep posting its been 5 weeks today since the op and i was hoping to behealed by now,its getting so frustraiting and getting me down , i take 1 step foward in my recovery and then suddenly several back with new typed of pains, some in the area of the injury which scared me.

well i guess the reisistance band training is causing it to seize up more,

My knee is constantly much hotter than my good knee, the physio could tell by just feeling both knee's is that a normal thing, i have been using ice but even when it feels least painful its always hot and the puffyness remains

taking a day off from it   today going to rest, try and research some more, i take great comfort from the replies i got off here , thank you to each and every one of you for taking the time youhave helped me with the recovery so far.
long way to go yet,

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Hi i have had a productive weekend
in the gym

i managed 20 mins on a rowing machine 4 sets of 5 mins

15-20 on the bike machines

i managed a real bike ride for 15 minutes ( i had several twitchy moments thoi   )

i am seeing the physio tomorrow  so i hope he will notice an improvment ,  i feel about 40 % fit towards what i want to be to play sport again, when i first posted on this site i was about 15%

My knee however sill feels very weak and it always has a Temperaure  and hot , i  can feel it even but just putting my hand on the knee, i can been icing it 3 times a day , taking anti inflamitary pills and keeping it elevated as much as possible.
and the knee is still still and has puffy sections near the cuts.

any thoughts on this :S
I am seeing the OS on thursday so iwant to try and arm myself with as much as possible

[CariG]

Good Morning Mountain,
Well done on the progress with the bike!! Great improvement.....please pat yourself on the back, you deserve it!!
In regards to the redness and heat.....is your body temp on the increase, or is it just around the wound? I would be a little bit concerned about a possible infection. I don't want to alarm you.
I had a lump removed in November from my breast that had turned into an abscess. I'd found a lump a few weeks earlier, and 3 days after having a needle biopsy (pretty standard procedure) I noticed some swelling, and redness and a lot of heat coming from the site. It went from that to an abscess pretty quickly requiring surgery only 5 days post biopsy.
I'm sharing only to highlight how quickly things can go from average to uh oh. Certainly mention it to your OS, and perhaps to your PT as well.
Thanks for sharing your great news though!!! For only 5 weeks post op I'd say you're doing very, very well. It's going to take time for everything to settle down, especially the muscles that are around and supporting your knee.
Hugs and sending you more positive thoughts!!

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Thank you very much this site and everyone on it has already helped me so much i hope oneday i can be someone who posts a happy ending story that may be some comfort for someone else , long way to go mind but i will never give up my sports i will do anything to get back to playing .

Apart from the redness and hot feeling in the knee i have felt a few twitches inthe heart /chest area , like a stitchy pain that goes away if i lie down .  I will tell the OS  about the redness and mention it to the physio tomorrow,i think maybe the use of ibuprohen for over a month is taking its toll for the odd stitchy pains im getting .


Yesterday after the gym session it felt really painful in the section where i felt the original tear it went away after a while , i get new pains and odd feelings every week. They pass or i get used  to them  i understand there are allot of hings going on in my knee right now as i recover ,  i get mini setbacks before i progress a bit more.

[CariG]

It is wonderful isn't it, to have a place where we can all rant, cry, off load, encourage and support one another, withl understanding and empathy and better yet, no judgement!!! 

Mountain, you're doing great. The saying "two steps forward, one step back" is so appropriate for each of us, I feel.

Have you spoken to your primary medical practitioner regarding these symptoms? It could be a reaction to the medications, then again, it could be just about anything, and may not be connected with the knees at all.....but please, keep us posted on how you go with it.

Here's to you having a great day ahead, and a positive result with the PT. I'm sure he'll be impressed with your progress!

Back to my cuppa and biccies now!!

[LindaM]

Hi Mountain,

You are really doing great! Cari is right, checking with your doctor is your best option to that twitchy feeling and to be sure that what is going on with the warmth and odd feelings in your knee is just part of the healing process. I know that what you  have described is like what I have experienced- I still get occasional warm-ups and swelling  and odd pains now and again- but now that you are moving forward it is best to be on the safe side.

Good luck at PT tomorrow.

Linda

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Saw the physio on monday

he said i could bendmy knee 120 now
i told him about the redness and swelling he did not know but suggested i tell  the OS on thursday,

He did a test to measure the strenth in tboth knee's

first pushing foward as hard as possible, my good knee 32  i then tested the bad knee and he was impressed i reach 30

then pulling back the good knee 27  and the bad knee just 10

so he reccomended that i do excercise to build up behind the knee,  Gentle squats not too far down, and he reccomended that i incorperate some gentle basketball shooting as you do a gentle squat on when you shoot the ball,  i have been since and it felt ok for 10mins then i had to go as it swelled up.


i have managed 10-15 mins  on a real bike everyday this week , when i get off the it swells up and is twitchy so i have to ice it immeidatly and put my feet up.

despite putting in the extra training i  see no  improvement tomy problems   which  are

Waking up with the knee feeling stiff and range of motion reduced to about 100
when istand the knee is naturallybent a little i have to force it back to a straight positition
Still  have swelling andf puffyness
The knee feels warm witha temperature 90% of the day
It swells and gets red hot after doing too much
iwalk witha slight limp

Since  starting the cycling ect i feel the are where i felt the originaly tear nervy and  painful , it passes after a while
i get new pains and odd feelings  all the time they pass  after a rest.

If i set the leg straight , if i suddenly try to bend it quick i get a pain in front left of the knee like it feels like pop in a joint but its pinching too much to bend it  ?  so i have to surrender and ease myway to bend momens later
So im seeing the OS for my official followup tomorrow so i  thought i would write all this so i remember everything i want  to tell him
atho i have  done more rehab this week i see no progress really (only that i can do more than a week ago)  the knee is not any less swallen or any more healed at the end of the day and im getting scared now
i was far far better offer before this op  even if i was only at say 75% full fitness before i injured myself and that i was at risk of a future bigger tear, at least i could have milked a few more years of sport .Now i feel like i never will be able to i feel about 30 %
thanks for reading

[CariG]

Hi Mountain,
You're now at 6 weeks post op aren't you? When do you see the OS again?
Great results with the PT, even if it doesn't feel like it somedays. Celebrate the little victories, as they are a sign that you are on the improve!!
I'd say, again just as a layman, that for 6 weeks you're doing great and should expect to still have stiffness, and some limited ROM...depending on the day and the activities under taken. I am a bit concerned regarding the redness and temp though. Is it possible to visit your GP/Doctor before seeing your OS?? Just to rule out an infection, more than anything. If there is an infection, or a risk of infection, the sooner you tackle it, the better and the less damage it can cause.
Great to hear you're able to shoot some hoops now.....even if it is in the name of rehab...at least it's more fun!!!
Take care, and thank you for sharing!! Keeping everything crossed that things continue to improve!!!

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Morning all,

saw the OS yesterday,  i woke up and the i felt that it was what i call a good day ) trust me to have a good day when i wanted to show him the problems and swelling  :S   )

he  showed me the photo's  it  looked all messy and torn prior  to the op he smoothed it off nicely .

He told me almost immediatly that my quad muscle on my bad knee was depleated, and said becaause of this the knee was shifting over a bit causing memore pinching and swelling, i need to build this muscle up as soon as possible so i get the support i need on the inner side of the knee.
He suggested sitting on the edge of a chair putting the leg out straight with the foot bent to the floor then lifting,

he alsosaidto stand by a wall and to a gentle squat , and use a ball in between the legs.

Are there any other good exercises i can try to help build up theinner quad ?



I told him all of theother problems he said   it was normal about the swelling ,  i even showed himm how i stand naturally and the bad knee   has a slight bend unless i force it straight, he said dont be affraid to force it back and in time it should get straight. :S ?

He felt the knee said the temperature was ok, Trust  me to have a good day when i wanted to show him the temperature i sometimes get.


He said he thinks i will be fine and can return to playing basketball in time, he suggested that i dont take up running tho,

I will have to cycle instead for the rest of my life i think to look after my knee's ,  with  that i will be playing basketball again oneday which invlolves a fair bit of running jumping and twisting.

Altho my sessions at the physio are ended , he  is going to write a letter to my gp to arrange more for me.
He said i cancall back toget in contact or arrange another apointment ina few weeks ifthere is no improvment .

so mixed results,new problems to deal with.


This may  be a factor in my slow recovery that im a vegatarian  i dont get as uch protien as the average person,  anyone know   of suppliments i could take , i have deciced to try and eat more eggs in my diet and get some suppliments to help boost the protien levels. Is there any section or old thread on this site that may have advise ?

thanks again for reading

[LindaM]

Hi Mountain,

Glad to hear that your OS sees your recovery as normal and that the quad strengthening is what you need for keeping your knee in line.  When you see your PT again they can give you a whole list of exercises to build the quad, but for now the seated one works well.  If it is easy to do 20 reps then start doing it with an ankle weight beginning with a pound.  Don't try to push too fast, go for more reps with a lighter weight at first.  My PT told me never to go over 5 lbs. on the weight, so check what your PT thinks is appropriate.

Great to hear that you will eventually get back to your basketball.  I know that is one of the things you really worried about.  I think that although it is running, it is not the daily 5 miles of pounding that would wear your knee way before its time.

Linda

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Ive started eating egg in my  vegatatrian diet and i bought some whey protein to try and help a bit rebuilding the muscle.

As i still have swelling in the knee would creatine be counter productive ?

[CariG]

Hi Mountain!
That is great news regarding your OS. Sometimes it doesn't feel like things are going to plan....sometimes when we hear it from someone who is that step removed (sorry for the pun) then we can focus on the positives again.
It's almost as if our legs know when they need to misbehave and choose to behave themselves on those days. Sometimes I think it's a conspiracy between both my Travelling Knees....
Have you spoken to a Dietician regarding adding protein to your diet? I'd never thought being a Vegan would be troublesome with healing, so thank you for educating me on this. I hope you get some answers regarding that very soon.
The mini squats against the wall are brilliant for building up the quads. I've been doing them for the past 6 months prior to surgery, and am looking forward to being able to do them again soon. Between them and the stationary cycling, my muscles have bulked up without adding to my other 'issues' 
Fantastic news on the basketball!! You must be so happy within yourself. Deservedly so.
Take care, and please keep us updated!!
Cari! 

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Hi, will it was 8 weeks today since the op,

i never thought it would take this long to heal, i think im only about 50% healed

I still have the puffy swelling near the cuts, i still wake up in a bad way,

When i lock he leg straight and quickly try to bend it i get asharp pinching pain on the front of the  knee?
so i have to ease into the bend and it passes after a while.

I have been taking whey protien, eating eggs ever day. doing wall squats ( 1st week of these ), cycling , side footed leg raises. to tyr and build up the quads ect

but i still have no real improvment, i have been moivated and tried as much as possible with the excercises but i see no real improvement .

Should i start to get worried now ?  what other suppliments should i take to help with my recovery

thanks

[LindaM]

Hi Mountain,

Think months, not weeks to see big differences.  The nerve pain that burns all of a sudden or just starts to prickle and itch is your little cut nerves trying to sort themselves out.  It takes a few months, and then one day you will suddenly realize they are gone.  Your quads too will take time.  If you are really impatient, measure your quads to compare them, then measure again in a month.  The progress will be slow, but there will be progress.

 Everything needs to re-align to your new normal as well, and your mind needs to adjust to how things feel and work differently.  At about 4 months I realized I wasn't noticing my knee as I walked-it didn't feel different any more and I didn't try to move in ways that a natural knee can but a PKR can't.  My new normal includes swelling on a regular basis-complete with little raised bumps where the scope went in that swell more than the rest of the knee.  My new normal has limits on how far I walk without paying for it the next day, and sometimes I just do what I want and pay the price in pain.  But in general, my new normal is pain-free and my knees let me do what I need if not always what I want.

I'm glad to hear you are trying to up your protein and eat well to heal faster and regain muscle.  I have one little suggestion for you to try.  You might want to up your magnesium intake.  It can help with muscle pain and stiffness.  One easy way is an Epsom salt bath and soak for about 20 minutes.  Your skin will absorb the magnesium.  You will get more that way than most people get through diet although magnesium citrate supplements work well too.  Try it for a week-you should notice a difference pretty quickly.  Sorry I can't help with your question on creatine.  It might be a good idea to post that separately so it gets noticed by more people.

Have a great weekend

Linda

[SILENTMOUNTAIN]

Thanks  Linda  your help throughout recovery has been a huge help as have the others who took the time on here,
I feel like ive hit a brick wall, had no progress for a week or 2. Will just have to  keep at it i feel a little recharged after visiting here again.

not knee related but ,
I have developed quite bad constant Tinnititus 24-7 for 5 days now, i read that a possible side effect of 8 weeks of ibuprofen use has anyone ever heard of that ? i will have to cease using them right away  , this year keeps getting better and better.

Its awful how your health can suddley go which leads to another problem , i wonder whats next for me