How to Avoid "Stiff Knee Syndrome" (after Total Knee Replacement Surgery)

[@NaNa65.]

I thought I knew pain before my TKR. Fibro, OA, RA, degenerative joint disease, migraines, etc., etc. I’m a gym rat & the gym is how I coped with chronic pain. I never anticipated the constant pain in recovery.😢

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I'm sorry to hear that, Lynn! I'm hoping that you're early in your recovery and that things will improve very soon for you. Hang in there!

[@kathyclark3168]

I understand your feeling. I hope your doing better. I had 2 knee surgeries, first one 2/23 then a few weeks later about 3/23/23, the second one because I fell at home, broke the original implant which in turn went straight up my knee and broke my femur. Joy joy joy! But all is ok now, few weeks left of PT then on my own! Please take care

[@toryberch]

​@@kathyclark3168 oh wow 😮 that's awful Kathy! It sounds like your a positive person 😊

[@toryberch]

Lynn, how are you doing Hun? I'm going in Nov 15 to have mine. I am your chronic pain twin but add Parkinson's which is mostly slowness when walking and aches in thighs

[@NaNa65.]

@@toryberch I will keep you in my prayers, Tory. I had a bit of a setback 3 weeks ago…needed emergency surgery to remove my gall bladder & the next day to remove 2 gallstones. I’m finally healing from that and back to the gym, working on everything else. Keep in touch, please, you matter & you will succeed!❤️🙏🏻

[@brendaclardy2215]

I wish my Fr. had explained everything to me before surgery. All he said was in 6 months you will be glad you had it done. It’s been over 13 years and I am still in pain.😢

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Oh man, that's not good! Have you tried going back to PT recently? Maybe someone can help... check out this video for some more ideas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gamxfn6hjL2Ka7s

[@disscustinglybeautiful1652]

I believe everyone heals different we are not all the same. It's been 5 months and have good and bad days still. I don't think that'll change.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

That's a good point. There are a lot of factors that affect healing and recovery. I hope you're doing well :-)

[@whizbang7130]

5 months TKR back in therapy due to IT band tightness and muscle spasms. Lots of cupping therapy and exercises for upper glute weakness. So very tired of pain.

[@gregpeterburs4155]

I’m 3 years post surgery for right and 2 1/2 left , I hike a lot , weight train 6 days a week , do cardio on the recumbent bike, and elliptical and my house has stairs with10’ floors . I usually get between 20-120 flights a day . My orthopedic surgeon says the prosthetics are pristine . My knees still get stiff and sore but don’t bother me at night . I think maybe it’s because they were in horrible shape before surgery. My doc said he could have put them in upside down and backwards and it would have better than what I had 😂

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Sounds like you're doing great! Nice work being so active :-)

[@BJones-yw4dd]

To combat swelling, I've been told to point and flex my feet/toes hundreds of times every single day to get the lymph system working to drain away fluid build-up in the leg = swelling.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Yes, those are called "ankle pumps" and they can help keep your circulation going. They're also good to perform when you're resting and elevating your legs.

[@musm1988]

I just found your video this morning! I had knee replacement 8 weeks ago & because of some family issues, I missed 3 weeks of PT. :( I'm going back next week but I LOVE your videos. You made me have hope that I can still help my knee. It's pretty mobile, but, it could be much better. Thank you for these videos!!!

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're quite welcome! Best of luck with the rest of your rehab! Keep pushing!

[@stephenbaker7079]

I had a total knee replacement in March this year (2023) and it took a long time to get walking again any distance. I probably did myself a disservice, but I'm making up for it by more walking and taking advantage of a six weekly one hour session in a specialist gym at my local hospital. I still suffer pain, but I am much more mobile than I was.

[@ShouldersMoondog549]

Very interesting! I had both knee replacements last March, Right knee is find and works great! However, the left one(had to have a second surgery on it) gets stiff, pain and sometimes can't walk with out a cane! This goes away after about a week then it fine for about 3-4 weeks and its back again!! I have yet to try the support material, after watching you video, just might try that!! Thanks

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Isn't it strange how one knee will do so well and the other will have issues...? I hope this video (and my other ones) help! Thanks, Gene :-)

[@Defmusicman1]

Thanks for the video. I’m 11 weeks out from TKR and still have a little swelling and stiffness around the knee. ROM is 120 degrees which is a bit behind schedule but it’s in the right direction. Going up and down stairs is a bit uncomfortable but it’s getting better. My biggest regret is not doing the prehab before the surgery and that made recovery and rehab a bit more difficult.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're welcome! Sounds like you're doing well overall. I hope you continue to improve!

[@YM-zz5qq]

I went to pre-hab one time a week before surgery and the two days before and did all the prescribed pre-hab instructions I received during orientation two weeks ahead of surgery. I’m not really sure if they made any difference because I’ve been at 90 degrees flexion since the 2-week out mark. I’m 5 weeks out and they said I’m doing good and I should be good to go in 2 weeks. I don’t feel like I will be that soon. I still have a lot of stiffness and swelling and it’s very frustrating. I think I’m doing everything I can but I do think compression socks might help. I have the kinds that only go up to the knee. Can I use those with an ace bandage around the knee instead?

[@kathyfischer3723]

😮😮😮😮

[@carolynmcintyre5645]

I'm doing pre hab and im so thankful my knee d just have fractures that never healed correctly including a vertical fracture of the kneecap inside my femur and a tibial plateau. Today I put 1 lb weight on my ankles I just lift my legs about 4 inches. My doctor said it's about strength not about how high you can get your knee. After surgery we could work on getting it higher. The exercises that I'm doing for my legs are actually helping my back feel stronger. I was on the hinge brace for a number of months and I was walking with my back hunched. My therapist says that's atrophied my back so all the exercises I'm doing are to help with that also. I've had three sessions so far and I do feel better I have to say. I want to be as strong as I can so that when I get my surgery as this gentleman said that it will be easier to recover afterwards .

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

That's great, Carolyn! Keep up the great work! I hope your surgery goes well :-)

[@Prophetessgwb]

I am 7 months in now after TKR, and I do cardio, I ride my stationary bike and a little weight training. 4 to 5 days a wk. My knee feels heavy and stiff so I work it to relieve the stiffness. Sometimes I can't explain it but I am not in the pain I was in before I had the surgery.

[@sharonbaker6461]

I think this is what I have it’s 61 days after surgery and my knee is so still I can’t walk correctly, do this every go away, I am doing the compression which really helps.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

It should go away if you keep working at it. Aquatic therapy can also be really helpful. How are you doing now?

[@wendystevens4675]

Do you understand that there is pain involved after knee surgery right. I’m going on 4 weeks and I’m a at 70degrees and still walk on crutches cause my leg is still not strong. I mean you make it sound like it’s so easy to walk and jump after surgery

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I don't mean to make it sounds easy... it's not! How are you doing now, Wendy?

[@MPam1619]

Five months after tkr, i'm having trouble with what i was told was my acl attempting to un-shrink itself. I can barely extend my leg for severe pain in that area. After 6 weeks of post surgery PT i could fully extend the knee. Now (3.5 mos later) my knee is reverting back to where it was before the tkr because of the acl pain. I cannot straighten my knee in bed because of the pain. I don't know what to do and i certainly don't want any more surgery. Fortunately, while my gait is a little unsteady at times, i suffer no pain when walking. By the way, i don't drive and so walking is an organic part of my life and i did "pre-hab." Thanks for your video.

[@janicerichards6205]

Hi my name is Heather I had a TKR approximately 1 year ago and still not getting a reasonable amount of flexion in the knee I've been doing PT and still no reprieve a lot of pain plenty tightness ans a bit of swelling please tell me there is still hope for me, Thanks much

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Yes, there is still hope! Check out my video on how to deal with longstanding pain, stiffness and swelling. I can get you the link if you need it, or just search for it.

[@mariellafalzon695]

I had a knee replacement 10 weeks ago and it is very painful for me when I go down the stairs . Apart from this my knee is still swollen and I feel pain behind my knee.Thank you for your advice .

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I hope this video helps! Get rid of that swelling as soon as you can!

[@mariellafalzon695]

@@GordonPhysicalTherapy Thank you so much for your reply .

[@jennifermikuluk2357]

I had that too. Make sure your elevating with the leg above your heart and continue to ice! Once you get the swelling under control it gets better. I’ve been back to work for a while now, I wear a thigh high compression stocking and it has helped a lot. I’m an ICU RN. On my feet 12 hour shifts.

[@annpianetta1536]

I had 4 months of a massage therapist coming 3 times a week, 2 hours at a time. This really helped. Also stretching out the hip flexors.

[@sylviedeblois3360]

Massage thérapeutique and do it yourself few Times a day. I had a knee replacement for the second time 3 weeks ago. We have a laps range of 6 weeks to regain mobility. Do your exercices twice a day. Walk as much as you can tolerate even for just few minutes each hour even during the night when you are awake

[@annelouw3845]

l'm 3months after tkr & still very stiff. l had 1 manipulation under anestheatic. not much change. Going to P T twice a week.- she masages & bends. l am bending a lot at home. Take pain meds twice a day. Drive my car, do my shopping. Have 15 stairs to flat & 15 to laundry. Am l just being impatient?

[@adebinthekitchen385]

Thanks for this helpful information. I'm five weeks post op and I experience stiffness sometimes. I'm going to look for compression socks now to ease some of the swelling and stiffness.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Glad it was helpful! Compression can be really helpful at your stage in the rehab process. Keep that swelling down, and you life will be much easier :-) Good luck!

[@lynflom125]

I hope I can put them on. My hands are very arthritic.

[@YM-zz5qq]

Sounds like we’re in the same boat. Five weeks out here too and the stiffness along with the patellar tendon pain is the worst part.

[@YM-zz5qq]

@@lynflom125 Have you tried a sock assist? Not sure if that’s the term but I’m sure if you type it in in Amazon it will pop right up. It’s a blue plastic contraption, my senior client has one.

[@annemaleady4888]

I was able to ride my bike before op but 12 weeks on I'm unable to do so...what should I do ...no swelling or injection! Please advise ..

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

How far does your knee bend? By 12 weeks, you should be close to 120 degrees, which should be plenty of ROM to ride a stationary bike.

[@selinb8845]

I have been told recently that I have patellar tendinitis on my left knee, what should I do about it ? Would it cause further damage if I don’t do anything about it? I have discomfort for 2 months now.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I would start with some quad stretching if you can tolerate it. You'll probably need to use a stretching strap.

[@clyar429]

I don’t see the link to what to do if we are 6 months out and are still stiff. This is my situation. I exercise every day and the stiffness still dominates my life.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

If you're already 6 months out, I recommend you return to PT for some aggressive therapy, including aggressive joint mobilizations and hands-on techniques (such as various types of massage and stretches). I hope that helps!

[@teresamichele4747]

My TKR both knees gets very stiff after standing about 40 minutes. If I sit for few minutes it goes away I’m a few months post surgery not sure what I can do? Will it get better?

[@Gud2B_Blessed]

How can you start moving, walking when normally you cannot weight bear on the leg for a while?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You should be able to bear weight on your surgical leg immediately, although you'll probably start with a walker to take some of the weight off your leg. Are you having a hard time putting weight on your leg?

[@Gud2B_Blessed]

@@GordonPhysicalTherapy Smiles thank you for your response. No. Im a rare case i suppose. Ive had 5 knee on right knee. 3 within 19 months TKR with a Beta block 3 days post...nd 2 subsequent adjustments...Im 2 years post. I only have abt 75 80 percent bend ..full flex..however i still have unbelievable constant swell and pain. I am now facing a revision. Smh Im 52. I also had ACL reconstruction on both knees over 20 years ago. I suppose I couldnt weight bear because the right knee is just my nemesis 🤔😪😪😪

[@walterpasciak63]

I'm having a total knee replacement in a week. I'm a big rower. What about using a rowing machine after surgery? At the end of a stroke the knees are straight and at the beginning the knees are compressed to the chest. It would seem like it's the best exercise. What do you think?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I think using a rowing machine would be great! Just make sure you don't get too aggressive too quickly. Using an elliptical can also be very helpful, as long as you can tolerate it. Just respect the healing process and keep your swelling as low as you can.

[@camybritt]

I had a total left knee replacement surgery on November 16th i am experiencing stiffness in left knee what do you think I should be doing

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I would keep working your stretches, strengthening and anything else you're doing to reduce swelling. How's your knee ROM right now?

[@gaylepinderhughes7166]

I'm looking for more info you mentioned on how to deal with swelling and stiffness. Can you provide links please?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6O8qZqnoJyNa68

[@snatchbloock]

I'm several weeks from total knee replacement. I'm also an avid cyclist. Will a steady increase in my riding distance on 3 to 4 rides per week sufficiently strength my calf and thigh muscles to prevent stiff leg syndrome?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Cycling is one of the best things you can do to maintain/improve your flexibility, as well as your strength. When it comes to quad strengthening, I recommend adding some resistance at times. If you're riding an actual bike, this would mean a lower gear and possibly some hills. If you're riding an indoor bike, this would mean increasing the resistance. Good luck with your surgery! If you have any other questions, fire away!

[@Teleman01]

I'm getting my knee replaced later this year. The biggest thing I'm afraid of is that it will hurt more than it did before I got it replaced. Obviously, this may be rare but I feel like I read that a lot from individuals. I would be beyond upset if that happened. Lol. Right now, I ride about 60 miles a week cycling with no issues. That doesn't hurt my knees. But, walking all day at work or going up and downstairs can hurt a lot. I am hoping that since I am in good shape and 50 years old, this will be a plus. We will see lol.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're definitely going to have a lot of pain immediately after surgery, and this is why it's so important to take your pain medications regularly (as prescribed of course). As the weeks go by, your pain will steadily improve, and with any luck you'll be feeling a lot LESS pain overall after about 4-6 weeks. From there, it still takes a good 6-12 months for complete healing, but you should be steadily improving and getting back to your active lifestyle. Good luck!

[@Teleman01]

@@GordonPhysicalTherapy That's good to know. But it is funny that I see a lot of people on KZbin already riding their bike and cycling after one month. I see a lot of people recovering quickly. Then I see a lot of people not even able to drive after two months lol. I guess it depends on how good of shape you are in before your surgery. I ride about 60 miles a week cycling. I'm 50 years old and in pretty good shape. I'm hoping I won't be out of work more than a month. I guess it depends on how your knee reacts after surgery. Thanks!

[@JK-oz9io]

My sister has tired…6 days after walking with no support and little pain..have no clue why she was so fortunate 5:37

[@ShaneZettelmier]

Good advice, especially the PRehab. I’ve been watching videos from recovering knee surgery patients in the recovery process is much more difficult than people would imagine. Prepare get your food and help lined up because you’re going to need help get the devices for picking stuff up off the ground standing up getting up moving around bathing showering going to the bathroom and all of that ready ahead of time and practice using them. And work out. You’re gonna have to be using your upper body a lot using cans walkers something to pull yourself out of bed and pull yourself up and down, you need to get safety bars or handicapped bars on an in your shower, especially if you’re having bilateral or both knees done at once. You’re going to be using your upper body big time and if you’re heavy lose as much weight as possible And learn about nutrition, inflammation is already your enemy and probably the reason you’re having your surgery in large part. You need to learn to replace the foods that cause inflammation and all of the grains the beans the cook potatoes the corn any kind of sugar and you need to get your body conditioned to eating healthier foods and eliminating inflammation anyway but especially while you’re trying to heal. If you’re going to sit around and eat bread and potato chips while you’re recovering you’re going to be injuring your knee causing much more inflammation and scarring by eating these foods, especially the grains and seed oils made from grains or what they call vegetable oil. Replace it with avocado oil and meat fats like butter and ghee and tallow and you need to eat healthy cholesterol‘s and collagen‘s which aren’t what most people tell you they are it’s not the vegetable oils in the margins it’s the butter and the tallow and eating the meat with the fat like the grass fed beef and organ meats and chicken with the skin and if you can the gristle part. These are the most bio observable forms of the collagen‘s and fats that feed your cells as they reproduce and heal and healthy cheeses and dairy, this is what your bones and those muscles are going to need to heal and those are the most by observable and cleanest forms of them but you need to condition yourself and start eating those ahead of time to get those chemicals and toxins that cause inflammation out of your body before the surgery. I’m looking at both knees need to be replaced and I stopped eating those foods for the past 14 months send my pain has dropped dramatically my swelling is dropped dramatically and combined with the steroid shots I’m actually doing pretty good enable to walk a couple times a day and don’t have nearly as much swelling and inflammation as I used to. I used to have ice packs on my knees for five times every day. I haven’t used an ice pack on my knees in probably four months now and probably four months before that and I’ve increased my activity. Even some foods like nightshade vegetables and tomatoes and lectins and all these other chemicals cause inflammation which is pain and swelling and redness and heat. If you eliminate those foods you cut way back on that and let your body use help the inflammation to heal itself without interrupting that process and making it worse. So as soon as possible at least three or four months before you want to get your body used to eating healthy meats fats collagen‘s and eliminating the seed oils the grains the bread pastas and all forms of sugar and nightshade vegetables but you’ll need to learn healthier foods to get those minerals the leafy greens the dark green cruciferous vegetables the celery cauliflower the squash asparagus artichokes and healthy meat from healthy animals that are grass fed without hormones and anabiotic‘s and eggs from pasture raised chickens that are out eating grass and bugs like they’re supposed to not a bunch of grains which are full of these inflammatory toxins and ruin the eggs and chicken meat and eat wild cut Alaskan salmon and chunk light tuna and oysters. Is the healthiest food on the planet and the cleanest most by absorbable forms the cholesterol is in the fats in the collagen‘s in the nutrients your body needs to regenerate tissue and heal. You should also get used to intermittent fasting which if you stop eating all the refined carbs will be pretty natural. When you don’t eat for about 14 to 16 hours your body enters a state of what they call Autophagy. This is the state when your body starts to heal itself in the purge the waste products of cell reproduction and regeneration. If you’re sitting around snacking all day your body never gets to enter the state and it will dramatically slow your healing and inhibit your metabolism and your immune system.

[@ShaneZettelmier]

Sleep is also critical as is sunlight. Sunlight directly on your knee will give it infrared radiation which is part of our bodies natural healing process and it’s also going to help regulate your melatonin and give you vitamins you don’t get from food sources, sunlight is part of our nutrition as it is fresh air and minerals in the water and part of your immune system and healing process involves sleep and fasting. That’s where the word breakfast came from the meal that breaks your fast come up people used to stop eating at about 4 o’clock go to bed when the sun went down and not eat for a long time and their first meal was breaking the fast which is why they call it breakfast because fasting used to be a normal part of our lives before we started consuming tons of bread and developed eating habits like snacking all day long which we didn’t do because food used to be hard to cook you didn’t just have bags of potato chips and stuff for sandwiches laying around, these are all modern inventions that are horrible for our health. People used to eat a couple meals a day and they worked a whole lot harder. Stop eating early exercise after your meal and that speed up the process and then don’t eat for a while get some good sleep, your body heals much faster when you’re sleeping. But if you start eating healthy and getting the healthy fats without the foods that destroy them and all the excessive sugars you automatically start eating less. I’ve been doing it for 14 months and I had one meal today and then it started getting hungry till about 5 PM and hadn’t had anything but water since 8 PM the night before. I just wasn’t hungry and I had other stuff to do so I didn’t eat because I was bored and that was 21 hours without even thinking about it and before I hate I still had to go to the store for the day so I went and did that And then had a good meal with some leafy greens cucumbers and sprouts and tuna and that’s all I ate today and I wasn’t hungry because if I had had a piece of bread with it I would already have to be eating more meals because I’d be hungry already because the carbohydrates and bread are just sugar. Carbohydrates are measurement of sugar in food so high carb foods even if they’re just vegetables are loaded with sugar. When you eat that as soon as the sugar enters your system your body automatically releases a bunch of hormones like insulin and what it does it tells your cells to shut down it tells your body to store any fat in your system for fuel later and to close up shop tells yourselves to close down and stop working and stop processing And wait for the sugar to pass and be out of your system because your body physically rejects sugar when you eat it. People think we need to eat sugar and health food stores and people trying to make money off of you tell you you eat the healthier clients like honey for complex carbohydrates and starches. They’re lying they’re trying to sell you garbage you never need to eat sugar, the only sugar you need in your body is the blood glucose in your blood and that’s made by your liver from protein so you could literally go your entire life without eating a single carb and be better off for it come in but you still need to get those nutrients from somewhere. When you’re having this operation you want your body to be healing all the time and it’s gonna be hard because you’re gonna be laying around bored a lot of the time and wanting to snack but you’ve got a break that habit come and get used to eating one or two meals a day with good food The healthiest vegetables the low-carb ones like a salad with a little spinach or kale or arugula and darker leafy greens and some asparagus, artichokes are one of the healthiest plant foods you can eat and has more anti-accidents than any other vegetable and if you need antioxidants that’s what you should eat because antioxidants repair the damage that sugar cause it so eating fruit to get antioxidants is silly, you’re just eating antioxidants and sugar that’s going to cause the same damage that you’re trying to fix in the first place so it’s useless and unnecessary and there are no nutrients in those fruits in the grains in the beans in the cooked potatoes and corn and peas that you can’t get from leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables and squash and more importantly healthy meat sources which are going to give you about 95% of your nutrition because most of the nutrients in the plants aren’t really the type your body can absorb much anyway. Plants are good enhancements to your diet if you’re eating the healthy ones in appropriate quantities but understands that plants all have toxins even the organic ones can a plant naturally create pesticides and other chemicals that keep them from being eaten by pests and animals and birds will eat them with the toxins but there are other chemicals that keep the birds from digesting the seeds and these types of vegetables so the plant is protecting itself and is organic and growing it as healthy as possible plants still have toxins in them and your body can only tolerate so much because you’re not a herbivore you are an omnivore and on the scale of omnivores you’re about 98% carnivore. You can live completely off of meat and if you’re highly allergic to certain substances and have allergy reaction problems that cause a lot of issues like depression and anxiety and diabetes send other issues, sometimes the carnivore diet is the ultimate elimination diet and all you can do and lots of people do it for decades and are perfectly healthy and actually cure much of their disease including heart disease. But when you combine that with Cito oil‘s or what we call vegetable oils and sugars and grains and other plants that have high amounts of toxins that cause inflammation and stop digestion you damage the healthy cholesterol‘s and fats in the meat those are the cholesterol cells that are clinically proven to cause heart disease and others, the rest of your cholesterol is healthy and exactly what your body uses to make new cells, your heart cells and all of the cells damaged by those small dense LLC particles that are created by damaging the cholesterol are also healed by healthy cholesterol‘s which come from saturated fats, the polyunsaturated fats or the seed and vegetable oils go rancid and cause damage to cholesterol and if you stop eating those they don’t damage your healthy fat and heart disease goes away. I in fact after eating this way for about six months threw away my heart and high blood pressure medication and it 54 have the blood pressure of a healthy 20-year-old, in fact today my blood pressure was 123/80 after eating and walking and running around at the store and coming home and putting the groceries away. In a 54-year-old that’s almost unheard of and less you’re talking to people who don’t eat sugars and eliminate high carb vegetables and fruits. When you do that and you get most of your nutrition from healthy meats including the fat because that’s where more than half of the vitamins and nutrients are you’re giving your body what it needs to heal and eliminating what damage is the cholesterol and causes those disease and the inflammation. 95% of what we what we call disease starts with inflammation. Your body will produce healthy inflammation and send more blood and oxygen to damaged tissue when it’s working properly soon as you start eating sugar even if it’s in the form of corn or rice or beans it confuses your body and it tells it to stop and tries to purge those products and reject them and get them out of your body And during that time your healing process is stopped and it’s not for a few minutes it’s for several hours it may be 10 or 12 hours before your body starts regenerating and healing cells again so it’s critical to learn not to eat these foods when you’re trying to heal from something like this. Otherwise your body can handle some of that and heal the damage caused by that if you do it in moderation but in western society especially America there’s a reason people are obese and sick and riddled with heart disease and diabetes and obesity and cancer and all these other diseases because we eat ridiculous amounts of sugar and complex carbohydrates and toxic plant material. We’re just not supposed to eat that much and process food concentrates the worst parts of it. So plan your diet and get conditioned to eating that way so when you go into your operation your information is already low your body is already attuned to healing and functioning properly.

[@ShaneZettelmier]

On top of that get in his good physical condition and lose as much weight as possible if you’re overweight. Any like that will drop a ton of weight. I’ve been doing it for about 14 months and one and a half weeks and as of this morning I lost 171 pounds And before I started losing the weight I was eating what most people consider a healthy diet has eating lean meats and lots of vegetables and avoiding processed sugars but what I didn’t realize is that the whole grain breads in the beans and the rice and corn and peas I was eating were really just sugar and I might as well been eating snickers bars and under my doctors orders telling them exactly what I was eating I didn’t listening them and eating apples and bananas and yogurt every day along with oatmeal, I was rattling my body with inflammation damaging my own cholesterol and causing much of my illness. Started listening to doctors who actually cure their patients i’m following their lead in studying the science and figured out how to control my inflammation how to rebuild my metabolism and my immune system how to feed my body what it needs and how to eliminate the things that caused damage. In doing that you set your body up to heal as quickly and efficiently as possible with the least amount of scarring and tissue damage. So if you’re eating like that you’re just gonna lose a lot of weight anyway if you have weight to lose and in the beginning you’ll lose a ton of water weight and it’s going to be a little difficult because the first two or three weeks maybe some get over it in four or five days, your bodies going to be going through some rejection because if you’re eating those foods you’re literally addicted to sugar in your body is not used to processing fat for energy and you’re going to get the dizziness and lightheadedness and low blood sugar thing and be craving carbs and sugars like crazy, you just need to stick with it and get through it it’s a detox getting your body working again instead of just burning sugar carbs for energy. And do this way before your operation because it’s kind of difficult to do because you got to break some bad habits and it’ll be way too hard to do that while you’re trying to deal with your knee operation to do it in advance and eating like that will automatically cause you to lose any excess weight very quickly and work out especially on your upper body strength and your core and if you’re doing one leg workout on your good leg because you’re gonna be using the rest of your body a whole lot more and your upper body especially so working out and getting in it as good shape as you can is definitely going to help and these are all things you can do before you ever get the surgery. Not only will it prepare you to heal from the surgery but it’s also going to lessen your pain dramatically because inflammation causes pain and swelling and when your body is not full of these toxic chemicals that cause inflammation you’re gonna have a lot less of it you’re gonna have a healthy kind of inflammation that your body uses to heal and you’re gonna have a lot less swelling as well and that’s gonna take away a significant amount of your pain. On the knee you’re having operated on with this doctors talking about would include stretching. Most of your pain and agitation from Disney operations is caused by stretching they’ve got a stretch your knee open and stretch all those tissues out to get access to put the implants in and get rid of the old parts and he causes a lot of trauma to those tissues. If you’re doing therapeutic stretching of your knee before they operate you’re gonna be in a lot better shape and they will cause less stress and damage in the process because your tissues will be better equipped to deal with the excessive stressing and trauma of the surgery which means there will be a lot less to heal as well. Some people have these surgeries in her up and walking around and are pretty healthy within a few days and it’s crazy to see other people are down for weeks on end and still completely dependent on a walker and somebody to help them get around and the truth is people who are better physical condition ahead of time he’ll much quicker I have a lot easier time of it so you should really start months if not a full year or longer before your surgery. I know I have them coming and according to my doctors it’s not an option it won’t heal and though I’m still going to give it everything and provide my body for what it needs to heal it’s pretty much a sure thing according to my doctors that eventually I’m going to have both knees replaced in the not too distant future so I’m doing the stretches and exercises and walking and staying mobile I do this every single day. I went to therapy for my knee and also for my back and I learned what exercises I can do and I have to lay in my bed and do some of them but I do them every single day and I do the stretching and work the knee out and wear the braces and do the walking and try to keep them bending and moving all throughout the day because I know they’re about to get chopped up and ripped apart and the more I can do now the less it’s gonna hurt and the last time I’m gonna have to spend in the recovery process. This is great advice and take it and study and learn yourself how your body heals and deals with inflammation and injury what about your immune system and your metabolic process and how your cells work and how to feed them and protect them and optimize your diet your sleeping habits the fresh air and sunlight you get Your sleep and putting your body in a state of a type of G where it’s healing very quickly which comes from what they call fasting or just not eating for a while so your body can do what it needs to do instead of trying to process all the food you keep putting in it.

[@ShaneZettelmier]

The supplies to almost every kind of healing whether it’s injury disease and even physical and emotional trauma and drama and this is a way that you can control part of your process that your doctor doesn’t have much control over he can cut the bad parts out and put some prosthetics in and sew you back up but After that you can come in for some therapy but everything else you’re gonna have to do on your own, so educate yourself. My doctors were giving me drugs and telling me how to eat for six or seven years and dealing with my heart disease and extremely high blood pressure. they tried but what I found out is doctors don’t get much training and nutrition and they’re told a few basics and they basically try to keep your cholesterol low and give you some antioxidants and that’s 3% of the process. It’s much better just to eliminate the things that caused the damage to your cholesterol in the first place and then replace it with healthy clean cholesterols and eliminating the sugars and toxins that we shouldn’t be eating and then your body heals itself much better than any medication or surgery ever could. In your knee you have physical damage caused from years of abuse and arthritis and what you can prevent with nutritional changes is pretty much already gone, But making those changes can still help your healing process and help the good work that your doctors are doing who are you come out much better. I’ve seen people who do this that heal much quicker and are incredibly active afterwards without pain anymore they go walking surfing they’re out boating and riding bikes summer even running and jogging and they’re doing it without pain but they have to heal correctly I see others who get the operation sit around and eat potato chips and barely fumble through there therapy exercises and stretches and yeah they heal but some of those people even years later are still dealing with pain and scarring and swelling and pressure issues even after the operation and the one consistency I see is people do better when they get in shape first learn what they’re doing so they do it correctly and then just suck it up and do it and one of the best things you can do is control your diet learn to get sleep and learn that even things like sunlight and fresh oxygen are critical parts of not just your nutrition but your healing process. I’ve never seen anybody change their diet this way and learn to exercise properly to add a morning walk in the sun and suffer because of it they all do much better and that’s not just for knees that’s especially for heart disease of course obesity it illuminates type two diabetes completely because that’s not a disease it’s a condition you create by eating too much sugar in any form whether it’s coming from fruit vegetables or candy bars and it illuminates a lot of other conditions like depression anxiety bipolar disorders and schizophrenia and these conditions are greatly improved because they’re largely based in inflammation being the trigger of these diseases and causing them. If you illuminate the inflammation you’re not just eliminating the cause of the disease but also the trigger and the pursed agitate and make it worse. That’s how your body supposed to function and when you correct that and your body gets used to it starts healing pretty much everything is about your cells and injury will regenerate. Everything you have. Injury and not body in seven years. Injured Ray at knees every single time to figure out what is it. I gave you the basic dietary stuff, you want to eat healthy meats, to put in a nutshell grass fed organic beef without Ormonds or antibiotics with about a 20% fat ratio organ meats like liver eggs from pasture raised chickens wild cut Alaskan salmon oysters sardines chunk light tuna and small amounts of shrimp mixed with moderate amounts of leafy green vegetables cruciferous vegetables squash and healthy nuts like macadamia and pecan and walnut Chia seed and flaxseed and hemp seed. The fruits you’re eating should be avocados and tomatoes fruits without sugar the rest you should avoid and you’re not missing anything nutritionally if you’re eating like I just told you you will have everything your body needs, that’s pretty much what I eat every day and have for 14 months and my doctor tests my blood because he was fully convinced I would be suffering from nutritional deficiencies you found out not only was I within the healthy range on everything but I was on the optimal side of the healthy range of everything. That’s never happened to me before I’ve been sick since I was a child and I’ve always had nutrient deficiencies and problems with inflammation high blood pressure and heart disease for the last 25 or 30 years and I stopped eating toxins and naturally occurring pesticides and plants by eliminating those plants and replacing them with healthier plants and making healthy meat and fat from the healthy meets the core parts of my diet ate two meals a day and I don’t snack and I am not deficient in a single nutrient. I’m also not taking medication anymore my heart disease is gone I’ve lost a ton of weight and according to my doctor other than physical injuries there’s nothing wrong with my body my metabolism and immune system are fully restored. I don’t get sick anymore I used to get sick five or six times a year and as a kid I took antibiotics 4 to 6 times every year for as long as I could remember and into my adulthood was sick for five times every year. In the last year I’ve been sick two times, getting sick now it’s basically like an allergy you get sniffles for a day or so and of course the virus of the month or a year or year and a half and I got through that fine as well without any medical intervention. But that was in February or March and I haven’t been sick cents. Once in a while my nose gets a little stopped up from allergies which happens every fall and even that so far has been very minimal I’ve had one day with a little bit of congestion and itchy eyes and Later that night it was gone. I’m not some sort of genius or miracle case this is just how your body supposed to work but you Gotta stop damaging it and give it what it needs to change your diet, there are other foods you can eat and others you need to eliminate but those are the basic guidelines eliminate high carb foods which are sugar don’t need any processed sugar don’t need any processed foods because they’re pretty much all bad even the ones that call themselves health food and make sure you’re healthy foods are coming from good sources if you go to Walmart and buy cheap hamburger it’s going to be full of antibiotics and hormones and just give me the flesh of unhealthy animals, most Walmart sell grass fed beef and it’s not that much more money and you will actually spend less on your groceries because even though you’re paying twice as much for that meat you’re gonna find you don’t eat much. I eat about 5 ounces of meat with my meals that’s like $1.80 worth of grass fed beef and I cannot tuna it’s cheap make it with your own mayonnaise that is just avocado oil eggs salt mustard and that a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and you use an immersion blender and it magically turns into mayonnaise through that in your tuna, I get the large 12 ounce cans and take that cup of avocado oil make mayonnaise out of it and add 212 ounce cans of tuna with some celery and onions and I eat that over some leafy greens and mix it up with some cucumber or some zucchini and that makes five or six meals so for five days I eat that for lunch every day for dinner every day I eat hamburger and liver. I get 1 pound of grass fed organic ground beef with 20% fat ratio and a pound of the liver and a chop it up and cook it different ways sometimes I put chili powder on it sometimes I put spicy spices sometimes garlic and those 2 pounds of meat last for about five or six meals than the other two days of the week I have salmon or a steak and eggs with at least one meal a day both of those and I eat the meat with asparagus or make coleslaw with cabbage and I sprout vegetables in a mason jar which are some of the healthiest form of vegetables with the least amount of toxins. I add in some healthy nuts once in a while but sometimes I go weeks without them and I’m not nutrient deficient in any way and I don’t eat bread corn beans rice oats potatoes and pretty much no fruit other than sometimes I throw avocado or tomatoes in with my salads. That’s pretty much a perfect diet and you’d be better off leaving the tomatoes out while you’re trying to heal because they have lectins in them and that causes inflammation as well. If you eat healthy and give your body what it needs you will heal much better and recover much quicker with a lot less pain and that with the exercise getting fresh oxygen and sunlight and stay mobile and you’re optimizing your ability to heal and recover quicker. It’s not a miracle it’s just feeding your body the way it supposed to eat in creating the optimal conditions for healing and it works every time. It’s not a miracle cure that will resolve everything but it will greatly improve your chances by helping her body heal as optimally as it can

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Thank you for sharing so much advice :-)

[@clementphiri4193]

Very good information. I just had my knee surgery a week ago and am currently experiencing stiffness of my left knee, swoleness too. I'm also am able to raise my leg up when laying down on bed as well as failing step forward with my operated leg. What's your advice?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Hi, Clement. You're still vey early in the rehab phase, so your knee pain and stiffness should steadily improve. If you're not doing so already, I recommend working with a good PT who can help you reduce your knee swelling as much as possible (not just walk you through exercises at every appointment). I have this video on the topic of swelling that should help too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6O8qZqnoJyNa68 Let me know if you have more questions!

[@clementphiri4193]

@@GordonPhysicalTherapy Thanks very much for responding so quickly. You are really helping me out, and I can honestly testify that your video about how to get swelling reduced has helped me. In as much there's still some swoleness. But it has reduced,and the shape of my knee is slowly improving (it's showing). I want to find out on something as well. My ORIF fixation of my patella was done from the hospital were they never had knee brace and there was no any big pharmacy that could have had that so that I buy one for myself to have my knee immobilized. I was in the hospital for two weeks then got discharged after first review. Since then my knee wasn't immobilized till now. Is there any danger in not having the knee immobilized for six weeks?

[@YM-zz5qq]

@@clementphiri4193 I just wanted to chime in with just being able to lift your leg straight up while lying down, a week after surgery is a monumental feat in itself. Took me 2-3 weeks to get there!

[@eddienantz3939]

Thank you for NOT recommending ice. Ice does NOTHING for swelling and stiffness. Temporary pain relief at best. Best tips ever! I am a PTA, and most of my TKA patients sit in their recliner, icing and waiting for it to feel better, before they move/push/live. Then feel disappointed with ROM, pain, swelling and function. Prehab is huge. I was working mobility and strength (as well as hypertrophy) for 6 mos ahead of my TKA, including lifting the day before. I moved, massaged, elevated and used compression from day 1. 5 mos out I Dead Lift 280, work 10-12 hr shifts in the clinic and have ROM of 2-0-140. It was 0-1-130 before surgery. More people need this message, and I look forward to more of your content!

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Thank you for your comments and for sharing your TKA experience! There are so many things people can do to maximize their recovery potential... I'm glad you did!

[@jennifermikuluk2357]

Your so right, prehab is so important. If I hadn’t worked out prior, I can’t imagine how hard it would be to recover and keep moving after surgery. I worked a lot on core strength as well and that really helped. Ice has a place, but yes, I get what your saying. The sitting in a recliner and waiting for magic to make you better is so wrong. I also have great extension and full flexion but only due to the work I put into it. It’s a continuous thing, if I go a couple days slacking off, even 6 months post op, I get tight, stiff and swollen again, and likely to lose some flexion.

[@williamshipley4841]

My wife utterly swears by ice. Used it almost continuously for first couple of weeks after each knee, kept the swelling down. She got excellent flexibility. Used Ice machine, Ice wraps, ICE 20.

[@HeidiSue60]

@@williamshipley4841 I am using my cooling pad every day. It’s really helpful after I exercise and I am walking, pedaling, and doing ROM daily. But I ice it in between for help with the pain.

[@shelwhitley1011]

Don't look now, Mr. PTA , but he DOES recommend ice...he links his video for tips to reduce swelling and ice is one of his 4 recommended ways. Please don't discourage others from using it just because it doesn't help YOU. If your schooling was worth the paper your PTA is written on, the first thing they taught you is that everyone is different!

[@doniyorazimov1688]

Thanks for video. 2 month post op after ACL reconstruction and meniscus resection. My knee bending now 60 then I have pain. What could be the problem? Arthrofibrosis of the knee or other problem? And what kind of exercise I have to do for bending knee?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Yes, it's possible that you have too much scar tissue. Are you still gaining degrees of flexion each week? If so, I'd advise you to stay the course. But if you're stuck, you might need to visit your surgeon again. Search for my video about the "top 3 exercises for knee flexion - total knee". Those stretches should really help. Good luck!

[@doniyorazimov1688]

@@GordonPhysicalTherapy thanks a lot

[@Adventures101.]

Should I be worried about stiff syndrome at week 8 or is that too early .

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

It's a little early, but at the same time you should be making steady progress at the 8-week mark. If things aren't improving or they're improving really slowly, then I'd start to be concerned.

[@Adventures101.]

@Gordon Physical Therapy Go to the physical therapist twice a week. I still have five more weeks to go and right now i'm getting to 115 - 117 on my own. But with slight to moderate pain.. when they help my knee bending it. I'm getting 120 -122 With moderate to painful .. Sounds about right. Thank you for any more input

[@Phycho_techAjahar]

I had my left knee replacement surgery 1month ago ,but my pain is unbelievable 😭,i continue my PT everyday after PT session my pain become more .and also swelling.i bend my knee almost 90 degree . Plz suggest me some good tips to reduce pain😭.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I'm sorry to hear that! I have some suggestions for you: the first is to ask your doctor if you're in need of a manipulation (aka "manipulation under anesthesia"). I have a video about that topic if you want to check it out. My other thought is that if your swelling is really bad, you might want to find a PT who specializes in swelling and lymphedema. They're called CLTs (certified lymphedema therapists). One last thought: if you're cleared for it, you might consider aquatic therapy for the pain and swelling. I hope this helps!

[@sravyasravs1477]

My mother had a knee replacement surgery 50 days back. Pain has gone but she feels extreme stiffness around her knees. She has done physiotherapy for a month and then stopped after doctor suggestion. Any idea?

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I would head back to physical therapy and see if they can help. If they can't help, I'd head back to the surgeon and see what they can do. Does your mom have swelling surrounding her knee as well?

[@Iheartmetal4ever]

I am at about 6 weeks and at 110 can't seem to get further. I do have swelling I will try the compression band and see if that helps. I feel if I can keep the swelling down I can progress. I am impatient though lol

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Definitely do what you can to reduce your swelling! You’re also at the point when you should be able to tolerate more aggressive stretching for longer periods of time. So keep pushing in that direction too! 👍

[@Iheartmetal4ever]

Thank you for the video! And the advice! 😊

[@HeidiSue60]

When I injured my knee I got some exercises from PT and spent every other day at the gym. Worked my legs every time and now that I’m post-op I’m thankful that I did. From day one, no issues with lifting my leg independently and able to walk the day of. Still working on ROM. But the pre-op leg work is helping a lot

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

That's awesome! Yes, all that work leading up to surgery pays off big time during your post-surgery recovery. Nice work!

[@reegspt]

Do you have a video for someone who has stiff knee syndrome? Thanks

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I have a lot of videos about how to stretch your knee, but I'm not sure if I have one about how to treat Stiff Knee Syndrome...this video should have most of the info you're looking for: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gamxfn6hjL2Ka7s

[@karst41]

first thing is not over simplified. I simply stopped using the walker on day 3 post op ocassional use for the first week was twice,, and those were real bad pain days. And Avoid Sugar. sugar is real bad post op You will get pain that the Oxy can not resolve. 2 cubes in my morning mugg and swelling starts so I get in the shop start working and with in an hour the Ice Wrap. Maybe not you, But I was highly active first day post op and more and more since.. I sincerely hope this helps somebody. Cheers

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Thank you for sharing your experience! Avoiding sugar is always good advice :-)

[@HeidiSue60]

You’re right about sugar. To be avoided. Being active is huge, too. I get up and walk every hour or so, and “that first step is a doozy!” due to the stiffness that settles in from sitting still. Four weeks post op and ready to be done already. But hanging on to the hope that this is all worth it

[@remabutta1011]

I had knee surgery 3wks ago & was doing so well then they took staples out & it all changed for me. I was able to bend it at a 70-90 degree angle now I can't & I now it's so stiff I can't understand why & it's so depressing for me cause I was doing so well. Can I use a heating pad to loosen up the stiffness or some type of massaging

[@remabutta1011]

I was more active when I 1st came home now I feel like I'm going backwards

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Did your swelling recently increase? I wonder if that's what's holding you back... You can certainly try using heat to loosen your knee up, as long as you don't suspect an infection.

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Do your best to continue stretching! And if things don't improve, make sure to reach out to your doctor or his support line for help.

[@eddiecenteno8]

I've been walking every 30 minutes of moving and still stiff. It's not helping your advice

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

How are you doing now? Any improvements?

[@brendawolfe1895]

Thank you...4 months out, age 77.. good info

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're welcome! I hope your recovery is going well :-)

[@janicerichards6205]

This is Heather again forgot to mention that I was doing aqua therapy for about 6 months after also my main issue is getting in and out of the car, sitting and getting up p plus using the stairs especially going down

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

How are you doing now? Aquatic therapy is great by the way.

[@parthibang7775]

I did not understand three points 😐

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Can I help clarify them for you?

[@janicerichards6205]

I've had total knee replacement about 6 months now my recovery was going as expected but I regressed around 2 months even though I an doing physical therapy and aqua therapy my knee is still swollen painful which is causing limited range of movement I am totally fed up and frustrated because I still have to take strong painkillers what more can I do it's my right knee I'm driving pretty okay but plenty issues getting in and out of the car plus sitting and getting back up......would love to hear your suggestions

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

I'm sorry to hear that, Janice! A couple suggestions for you: one would be to work with a lymphedema therapist to see if swelling/edema is your underlying issue. This might include using a compression device (vasopneumatic or lymph-drainage), and k-taping might also help with the swelling.

[@janicerichards6205]

@@GordonPhysicalTherapy Thank you for your response will take your advice 👍

[@karenchong3377]

Thanks you

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're welcome!

[@vickiyounkin1057]

Thanks so much for the video so helpful in a lot of pain 2 weeks out

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Glad it helped! I hope your pain improves soon :-)

[@HeidiSue60]

My experience is that the pain improved almost to the day of my two week post op Dr visit. I’m at 4 weeks now and still dealing with moments of pain but much stronger. Able to walk unaided. I have my ice machine between exercise sessions and I do all of my exercise sessions lol It’s been a few weeks now since you commented. How are you doing these days?

[@nirupatel6260]

Very good info thanks God bless

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you :-)

[@karenczajka1201]

Thank you!

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're welcome!

[@DEVanderbiltCecil]

Are you here, Andy?

[@leeannconnolly1955]

My issue is the refusal of appropriate meds it's inhumane and hinders physio

[@leeannconnolly1955]

P

[@erickalewis225]

This how I feel

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

Would your surgeon not give you adequate pain medications?

[@colleen1924]

Thank you!

[@GordonPhysicalTherapy]

You're quite welcome!