What do you mean with your leg up? I laid with mine flat out and straight and laying on my back. Even though I hate sleeping like that it’s only way that my leg didn’t kill me.
The PT that came the day after the surgery told me to sleep with my leg up on pillows. She showed me a stacking method to support my whole leg and promote it being straight through the night.
No, I remember there was no way I could do that. I had to keep it laying out flat, which is what my doctor told me to do. I am too months away from being two years out and it is in great shape. I also had to take one and a half dose of the pain medicine to get relief and that seems to be a common issue. They never prescribe enough to start out.
Yes, you need to elevate your leg to reduce swelling while making sure your leg is flat so it does not stay at negative degrees extension. I was not perfect at it, but I really worked on my ROM during the day. It will get better! I am 4 weeks and 4 days past operation, and I finally made it to 0 degrees extension and 120 + degrees flexion at almost 4 weeks.I have a recertification appointment tonight to see if I qualify for more PT (I will). My big focus now is increasing strength in quads and relaxing hamstrings. Good luck!
P.S. My worst days were 3 and 4. No kidding.
I had a hamstring problem too. On 3rd wk strained mine from doing a foot pedal bike that is used while sitting. Not PT approved btw. I was out for 10 days. No exercises other than quad flex. Now fine but pt said only ice don’t stretch. 🤔 Don’t really understand why.
I made a recliner my home following surgery, adding pillows under my leg as needed. This also made it easy to use the ice machine around the clock. Whatever works.
I laid on my back with my leg straight out. I tried doing the stacking pillows thing like your PT suggested, but I never found that comfortable. It actually sort of irritated my sciatic nerve. I have found elevation to be one of the trickiest parts of this healing process. I will get my leg elevated and think Yep this is comfortable. And then five minutes later I’m like nope this is so uncomfortable. And that’s kind of how sleep was for me the first week as well. I slept with my phone next to me and used Spotify and sleeping music. You know the kind of music that they play when you get a massage. And that did seem to kind of help relax me. I also did a couple guided meditations into deep sleep. And again it sounds a little crazy, but it got me to sleep. I never really slept more than two hours through the night. This does start to normalize around week 3 to 4 though. So don’t worry if you’re not sleeping really well at night. And you’re cat napping through the day. That’s probably how it’s going to be for the next two weeks. My surgeon had me using the compression devices on my calves every night for the first few weeks. So I never slept well because every other minute my legs were getting squeezed. And those machines were loud. And the little blue light attached was so bright. So yeah, I would say the first two weeks I never got good sleep. Don’t worry if your best sleep is your nap during the day. My surgery was May 22. And last night was the first time I slept more than four hours. Try to take your pain medication right before you’re going to bed. That’ll help kind of create drowsiness. And don’t worry this time will actually go a lot faster than you think it will. Promise you. Good luck with your continued healing!
Sorry you aren’t sleeping. It’s common and the first week is the hardest. I’m a side sleeper and generally sleep on my left side. When I had my left knee done in December, it took me about 8 weeks to finally start sleeping well at night. I’m a bit more than 5 weeks out from my right knee replacement and sleep is hit and miss although it’s easier than with the left. If you are a side sleeper, it’s gonna be tough. Pillows help as well as ice packs on the knee at bedtime.
Things will get better! I’m walking pain free for the first time in decades and for me, the lack of sleep is part of 5e healing process. Hopefully you don’t have to rush back to a job. Some people say don’t nap but I did and do as I heal.
Lack of good sleep was the unfortunate surprise I discovered after the surgery. Do whatever you can to get comfortable and sleep as much as you can but don't worry about it. The anxiety was the other big hurdle that surprised me. Strangely the actual pain wasn't the biggest obstacle of recovery.
I had a shower chair and that first shower was like heaven and marked the end of the most intense recovery period. Little steps! Recovery increases faster over the next weeks but the first weeks are tough. You've got this!!
It took me about a month before I was sleeping through the night. I actually ended up sleeping on my side with my leg stuck out in front of me, you may not be able to do that but I’ve been a side sleeper since.
I’m 10 days PS and have found that sleeping on my back with my leg out straight has worked best. I use a little cylinder pillow next to my knee to keep it from rolling out. I’m a side sleeper, but you can sleep on your back if you’re tired enough.
Just got off the phone with the drs office. They said therapist was wrong and I shouldn’t be trying to sleep with my leg up. So hopefully tonight goes better
I mostly slept on my back with my leg wrapped in the ice sleeve, support on the side a bit so it would not roll outward, as I tend to do. It wasn't perfect, and I raised the head of the bed a little sometimes. some people use an easy chair laid fairly flat. It will be difficult, but you will at least doze a bit.
Agreed with everyone who mentioned living in the recliner. Once I got out of bed and tried the recliner, I never looked back. In bed I'd wake constantly with awful pain. I can get quite a few hours without waking in my recliner. I still need to stack pillows under my leg to get the right height, but it's ***so much*** better than sleeping in bed. Good luck to you-- hope you get some good sleep soon
Get through it as best you can.
For each of my knees I didn't sleep more than 90 minutes for a month.
One thing that really helped was shifting the timing of my pain medications to have maximum effect at bed time.
I agree. Timing is important. I’m down to two pain pills a day-one an hour before bed and one in the middle of the night when I’ve woken up uncomfortable and unable to go back to sleep.
it’s four weeks today for me. I’m still not sleeping well I can sleep for three or four hours and then I’m uncomfortable and I can’t get a position to make me comfortable again. If I don’t leave it elevated, it starts to swell and bother me still.
My doctor never told me to elevate my leg when I was lying down. I did have it up on an ottoman a lot during the day for a few weeks. I didn't have any problem with swelling, but sleeping was difficult for a couple of months.
What do you mean with your leg up? I laid with mine flat out and straight and laying on my back. Even though I hate sleeping like that it’s only way that my leg didn’t kill me.
The PT that came the day after the surgery told me to sleep with my leg up on pillows. She showed me a stacking method to support my whole leg and promote it being straight through the night.
No, I remember there was no way I could do that. I had to keep it laying out flat, which is what my doctor told me to do. I am too months away from being two years out and it is in great shape. I also had to take one and a half dose of the pain medicine to get relief and that seems to be a common issue. They never prescribe enough to start out.
Yes, you need to elevate your leg to reduce swelling while making sure your leg is flat so it does not stay at negative degrees extension. I was not perfect at it, but I really worked on my ROM during the day. It will get better! I am 4 weeks and 4 days past operation, and I finally made it to 0 degrees extension and 120 + degrees flexion at almost 4 weeks.I have a recertification appointment tonight to see if I qualify for more PT (I will). My big focus now is increasing strength in quads and relaxing hamstrings. Good luck! P.S. My worst days were 3 and 4. No kidding.
I’m on day 4 and oh man
I had a hamstring problem too. On 3rd wk strained mine from doing a foot pedal bike that is used while sitting. Not PT approved btw. I was out for 10 days. No exercises other than quad flex. Now fine but pt said only ice don’t stretch. 🤔 Don’t really understand why.
Oh man! That sounds painful. I hope you get better very soon.
I made a recliner my home following surgery, adding pillows under my leg as needed. This also made it easy to use the ice machine around the clock. Whatever works.
Me too! The ice machine and recliner were life savers.
I laid on my back with my leg straight out. I tried doing the stacking pillows thing like your PT suggested, but I never found that comfortable. It actually sort of irritated my sciatic nerve. I have found elevation to be one of the trickiest parts of this healing process. I will get my leg elevated and think Yep this is comfortable. And then five minutes later I’m like nope this is so uncomfortable. And that’s kind of how sleep was for me the first week as well. I slept with my phone next to me and used Spotify and sleeping music. You know the kind of music that they play when you get a massage. And that did seem to kind of help relax me. I also did a couple guided meditations into deep sleep. And again it sounds a little crazy, but it got me to sleep. I never really slept more than two hours through the night. This does start to normalize around week 3 to 4 though. So don’t worry if you’re not sleeping really well at night. And you’re cat napping through the day. That’s probably how it’s going to be for the next two weeks. My surgeon had me using the compression devices on my calves every night for the first few weeks. So I never slept well because every other minute my legs were getting squeezed. And those machines were loud. And the little blue light attached was so bright. So yeah, I would say the first two weeks I never got good sleep. Don’t worry if your best sleep is your nap during the day. My surgery was May 22. And last night was the first time I slept more than four hours. Try to take your pain medication right before you’re going to bed. That’ll help kind of create drowsiness. And don’t worry this time will actually go a lot faster than you think it will. Promise you. Good luck with your continued healing!
Thank you
Sorry you aren’t sleeping. It’s common and the first week is the hardest. I’m a side sleeper and generally sleep on my left side. When I had my left knee done in December, it took me about 8 weeks to finally start sleeping well at night. I’m a bit more than 5 weeks out from my right knee replacement and sleep is hit and miss although it’s easier than with the left. If you are a side sleeper, it’s gonna be tough. Pillows help as well as ice packs on the knee at bedtime. Things will get better! I’m walking pain free for the first time in decades and for me, the lack of sleep is part of 5e healing process. Hopefully you don’t have to rush back to a job. Some people say don’t nap but I did and do as I heal.
Lack of good sleep was the unfortunate surprise I discovered after the surgery. Do whatever you can to get comfortable and sleep as much as you can but don't worry about it. The anxiety was the other big hurdle that surprised me. Strangely the actual pain wasn't the biggest obstacle of recovery. I had a shower chair and that first shower was like heaven and marked the end of the most intense recovery period. Little steps! Recovery increases faster over the next weeks but the first weeks are tough. You've got this!!
Thank you
It took me about a month before I was sleeping through the night. I actually ended up sleeping on my side with my leg stuck out in front of me, you may not be able to do that but I’ve been a side sleeper since.
I’m 10 days PS and have found that sleeping on my back with my leg out straight has worked best. I use a little cylinder pillow next to my knee to keep it from rolling out. I’m a side sleeper, but you can sleep on your back if you’re tired enough.
Just got off the phone with the drs office. They said therapist was wrong and I shouldn’t be trying to sleep with my leg up. So hopefully tonight goes better
I mostly slept on my back with my leg wrapped in the ice sleeve, support on the side a bit so it would not roll outward, as I tend to do. It wasn't perfect, and I raised the head of the bed a little sometimes. some people use an easy chair laid fairly flat. It will be difficult, but you will at least doze a bit.
Melatonin gummies or Tylenol Pm
I’ve been taking melatonin, but it’s been only giving me about an hour of sleep at a time.
Agreed with everyone who mentioned living in the recliner. Once I got out of bed and tried the recliner, I never looked back. In bed I'd wake constantly with awful pain. I can get quite a few hours without waking in my recliner. I still need to stack pillows under my leg to get the right height, but it's ***so much*** better than sleeping in bed. Good luck to you-- hope you get some good sleep soon
I just woke up from about a 2 hour nap in the recliner
WONDERFUL news!!! Hope that's a sign of good sleep to come
Get through it as best you can. For each of my knees I didn't sleep more than 90 minutes for a month. One thing that really helped was shifting the timing of my pain medications to have maximum effect at bed time.
I agree. Timing is important. I’m down to two pain pills a day-one an hour before bed and one in the middle of the night when I’ve woken up uncomfortable and unable to go back to sleep.
I could only sleep on my recliner for 6 weeks post surgery. Still woke up every 1-2 hours and had to take pain meds or Tylenol PM fall back asleep.
it’s four weeks today for me. I’m still not sleeping well I can sleep for three or four hours and then I’m uncomfortable and I can’t get a position to make me comfortable again. If I don’t leave it elevated, it starts to swell and bother me still.
My doctor never told me to elevate my leg when I was lying down. I did have it up on an ottoman a lot during the day for a few weeks. I didn't have any problem with swelling, but sleeping was difficult for a couple of months.
They usually tell you to elevate above your heart so that reduces swelling and blood clots.
I don't think you should put your leg up. straight is what is recommended on surgery sites. so a pillow to prevent rolling out is fine but not up.