As it’s now 12 weeks since my surgery for a partial, lateral knee replacement, it’s time for the latest update! See here for the previous update at 8 weeks. See how is the recovery going below:
- The knee is still swelling after all these weeks – will it ever go away I wonder? To be honest, it isn’t as bad, and maybe the cooler weather is helping. I still ice a couple of times a day.
- My pain levels are very low unless I forget and bend the knee too far.
- As I said before, regaining full range of motion is a long term project, but I (and my therapist) are happy with the range I’m at now. Unfortunately my surgeon was involved in an RTA so I won’t see him until next month to get his opinion.
- The scar is still pretty red and angry looking, although fully healed. My physiotherapist said it still has work to do. I’m continuing with the massage as it does feel tight around the scar when I bend the knee.
- For painkillers, I am only taking ibuprofen once or twice a day for its anti-inflammatory effects, most usually when I am out all day or expect to be doing a lot of walking or moving.
- Sleep was better, but a little more disturbed at the moment, as the knee throbs and I get like a shooting nerve pain if I stay in one position for too long. It doesn’t last long, just long enough for it to rouse me out of sleep, which is more annoying than anything.
- My mobility continues to get better all the time. I don’t always take a walking stick outside, if I’m not expecting steps, stairs or an otherwise difficult terrain. I can just about walk downstairs normally but need to build up confidence.
All in all, I’m pretty pleased with my progress. I think it would have been easier if my expectations had been different; I expected to be fully functional after a couple of months after a partial knee replacement, but I now understand this was unrealistic. You live and learn. See you next time.