Stiff and Achy

 

Just completed week 7. Yesterday I reached 108 ROM, but it wasn’t without PAINful effort as Drew (PT) gradually bent my knee. Today areas around knees (yeah, both of them) have been stiff and achy.

Went to bonesmart.org, Recovering From Knee Replacement. Said it’s important to remember that sometimes pain can persist in one form or another for many weeks. “This is normal.” According to this site, “the early, sharp pain gets replaced with a deeper, more achy pain. This second type of pain still needs to be treated.  In addition, your physical therapy may cause some pain in your joints. You can prepare yourself for this pain with a dose of medication about an hour before your physical therapy sessions.”

So, am wondering if I started cutting back on the pain meds too soon. Around December 1, I went to a half pain pill and a half Tylenol every 5 hours with a full pill an hour before PT. I see Dr. Fagenbaum tomorrow for a checkup. Will talk to him and get back to you.

In PT in addition to the ROM, been working on loosening, stretching muscles. Purchased the Intracell Stick, which I feel like is helping – “A Toothbrush for Muscles.”

Over 24 years of research in this stick. Function of this technology is to extinguish trigger points (contracted fibers that feel like bumps in the muscles) and allow tight, contracted muscles to relax and recover.

Can’t close this post without mentioning maybe the best article I’ve ever read about the knee and its health. In the January 2014 Reader’s Digest, page 55, “A Day in the Life of Your Knee” by Jill Provost. Unique writing. It’s worth the read.  Goodnight.