topic Re: Knee replacement in Wellness

Knee replacement

KACEE1115 — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 04:02:50 GMT

I'm having a new replacement in March, any advice?

Re: Knee replacement

luvmyteddy4 — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 05:41:12 GMT

Three women on my block have had knee replacements since I have lived here. My neighbor down the street had hers done in December. It went well and she is doing the pt. She was in the hospital about a week but then they wanted her to go to inhouse physical theraphy for another 2 weeks which surprised me since the other women came home after the 5 days in the hospital.

They were all happy they had it done. It does take months of theraphy and after her stay she had pt done at her home for 3 weeks after all that. She is still going to out patient pt and trying to walk without her walker now.

It takes time and all the women were single and lived alone and were glad they had it done.

Re: Knee replacement

Goodie2shoes — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 06:55:03 GMT

I had both knees replaced, last surgery 9/30/19 right knee. My advice is to strictly follow the doctor's post surgery instructions including being compliant with therapy, ice and pain meds. It takes time to recover so be patient. I hope you will have help from a family member or close friends. Best wishes for a complete recovery, you will be back to your normal activities before you know it. God bless

Re: Knee replacement

Pook — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 10:18:09 GMT

@KACEE1115 My SO and many friends had them and what I observed is that those who went to therapy before surgery to strengthen their leg muscles or had worked out regularly before and were physically fit had an easier time after with their therapy. A few were put in an inhouse full time therapy center if they had no one to help them at home or after they failed to progress as expected due to having weak leg muscles. I would say stay positive.

Re: Knee replacement

grandma petes — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 12:09:23 GMT

@KACEE1115 I had mine done 3 years ago. My advice is to follow the doctors instructions. Icing the knee is so very important. Taking the pain meds as instructed is also incredibly important. My doctor told me you can't heal if you're in pain. Physical Therapy is vital....and keeping your knee flexible is the key to recovery. Best of luck on your surgery.

Re: Knee replacement

Meowingkitty — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 12:42:04 GMT

I had my right knee done October 2017. I'm not going to lie. You will have pain. The worst day was day 2 after the nerve block wore off. Take your pain meds, ice (get an ice machine if possible), realize it takes time to heal. You won't be dancing for awhile. Heck I never did dance before or after the surgery. Do your therapy, it gets better every day. You will notice improvement every week. What you couldn't do last week you can do this week. Get some comfy clothes especially pants. I wore shorts to therapy because that way they could massage the knee better after the workout. I wore men's pull on shorts because they were easy to get on and off, long enough not to worry about things showing and very comfortable. Give yourself permission to sleep whenever you want because it can be difficult to sleep for awhile after the surgery at night because that is when the pain can be the worse plus you will be getting up taking meds probably. Good luck on your surgery.

Re: Knee replacement

hopi — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 12:43:03 GMT

It is a process. You will do fine. Follow protocol. Have a large container of water by your bed so you can keep hydrated and have handy any meds you need. The whole thing takes a couple of months and than it is in the past. God Bless.

Re: Knee replacement

hckynut — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 14:27:32 GMT

@KACEE1115

Get your body, especially legs, as strong as you possibly can before surgery. Get your home set up for using a walker and as easy as possible to get up off stool/bed and chairs. Work hard at home doing exercises given you by your Physical Therapist, you'll be glad you did.

Most of all be Optimistic about your recovery, understanding it takes time and patience. It was my wife that had her TKR 3 months ago, not me. Wishing you the best!

hckynut(john)

Re: Knee replacement

Terrywu — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 15:08:05 GMT

Had my right knee replaced January 3. I was discouraged to go to rehab by my surgeon although I really wanted to. Came home on third day from hospital and still cannot believe the lack of pain throughout the whole thing. Had in home pt for 3 Weeks and just started going three times a week to out patient. Walking without a walker, except when outdoors). Never thought I would say should have done it sooner, but I am. Good luck.

Re: Knee replacement

SeaMaiden — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 16:38:26 GMT

@KACEE1115 put Knee replacement in the search engine for the forums for many thread topics on this subject.

ALSO go to Bonesmart. org for the best community to share and ask questions. It was a lifesaver for my joint replacements.

Re: Knee replacement

yellowrose — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:45:59 GMT

@KACEE1115 Not much more I can add, just want to wish you luck.

I had my first TKR on 12/23, came home on Christmas day.

After coming home, I never needed to use a walker or cane, nor did

I need any pain pills, although PT insist I use a cane to make my walking

smoother.

@hckynut had good advice about getting your legs in good shape.

I go to my ortho today for check up and for a second round of PT approval.

I've been walking (pre-surgery) with my knees bent, so my PT is not only

working on the bending of my knees, but the straightening of my legs.

as SeaMaiden said, there's been lots of talk about TKR.

I was thankful to read about everyone's experience.

Best Wishes.....and just do your excercises.

Re: Knee replacement

chrystaltree — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 19:51:29 GMT

I'm sure you received all the information and fact sheet and instructions you need from the surgeon's office. The hospital where I had my TKR has an information session that was incredibly valuable and reassuring. The RN who ran it had a TKR herself so she spoke both as an RN and a patient. I dreaded it but it ended up being one the best things I ever did for myself. My advice would be follow the instructions, take the pain meds even if you think you don't need them because you need to be able to do the exercises and do the walking and participate fully in PT and you won't be able to do that if you are in pain.

Re: Knee replacement

grandma r — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:05:48 GMT

Wishing you the best!!!!

Advice, from experience, do your exercises. Take a pain pill 20-30 min prior to PT and ice afterward. Ice will be your best friend. Bags of frozen peas work well and will mold to your knee. Good luck!!

Re: Knee replacement

Amaze — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:10:55 GMT

I had my knee replaced. Barnes Jewish Washington U. they keep you overnight. That's it. Then you go home. You are all lucky tobe able to stay so long.

Re: Knee replacement

chlema — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:14:29 GMT

Everyone has already given you excellent advice. Had both knees done last year, one in May, other in October. Used a walker for about a week or two, then a cane for a bit longer and happy to report that since it was so nice the other day I spent over an hour getting my garden in shape for Spring, something I had not been able to do properly for 4 years. Good luck to you, you will not be sorry.

Re: Knee replacement

redwrite — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:43:19 GMT

Ditto what @hckynut said, and good luck!

Re: Knee replacement

janeec — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:07:41 GMT

Get your house ready. Make sure there is room to walk with a walker, crutches, or cane.

Will you need a raised toilet seat? I

f you will be wearing sneakers for PT and they have laces, get elastic ones and a long shoe horn.

Ice packs for the freezer.

Comfortable clothes for PT, especially wider leg pants to accommodate bandage or swelling of operative knee.

If your bedroom is upstairs, you may want to borrow a walker ( you will probably get one from the hospital) as it is helpful to have 2. One upstairs, and one downstairs.

Ask the nurse or others who have had it done what was helpful for them. Best of luck.

Re: Knee replacement

bonnielu — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 05:25:59 GMT

Common in my dance group... all are doing well. Just follow the rules. Blessings for a speedy recovery.

Re: Knee replacement

KACEE1115 — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 22:54:48 GMT

Thank you everyone for the words of encouragement. My doctor has told me that I will probably go home the very next morning. Surgery on Wednesday go home early Thursday and go to my first therapy lesson on Monday. I am going to stay encouraged and not worry about the pain.. My daughter will be staying with me Wednesday through Sunday And my 17 yo granddaughter will be with me on Monday and then during the week as she lives with me. Thank you again so much.

Re: Knee replacement

RedTop — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 17:13:30 GMT

@KACEE1115,

I’ve had both knees replaced; one in Jan. 2012 with the incision closed by staples, the other done in Oct. 2017 with the incision glued together. The glue adhesive did not hold for me. I had significant bleeding the morning after surgery, and at PT, but no one checked the incision.

As soon as the bandage was removed at my ortho recheck on day 15, my incision was splayed wide open above the knee. My options were to go back to surgery to have the wound cleaned and closed, or let it heal on its own. I opted to let it heal on its own, which took 3 months.

I only needed 9 PT sessions to achieve my bend and flex levels; 5 were done prior to finding my open incision, 4 were done after, before I became a recluse and didn’t leave my house until healing was complete in February.

I too urge you to take pain meds exactly as prescribed; NEVER let the pain get ahead of you!

Sleeping in a recliner is much easier in the beginning. I needed help lifting my leg to get on the bed to do my sessions on the CPM. The person who helps you needs to understand you are not able to lift your leg on your own power for several weeks.